Unraveling the Epic Tapestry: How Assassin‘s Creed 2 and 3 Are Connected

As a hardcore Assassin‘s Creed gamer who has eagerly played every release since the original swept me off my feet in 2007, I‘m constantly amazed by the incredible interconnected saga Ubisoft has woven across the best entries in this legendary franchise. So when fans new and old ask: "Wait, Assassin‘s Creed 2 and 3 are connected somehow?" – I‘m thrilled to fill in the rich details!

The short answer is yes, Assassin‘s Creed 2 and Assassin‘s Creed 3 are intimately connected by the overlapping story of Desmond Miles, the modern day protagonist who relives his ancestors‘ histories. But summarizing it that quickly doesn‘t do justice to just how masterfully these games tie together to form one epic tapestry.

Let‘s plunge deeper into what binds these amazing adventures together!

Desmond Miles – The Thread Connecting Centuries

While each Assassin‘s Creed invites us to step behind the eyes of a new lethal hero in a different era, from Altair in the Crusades to Ezio in the Italian Renaissance, the thrilling sci-fi framing story set in the present day has always linked these disparate historical chapters through the bloodline of one man: Desmond Miles.

As AC2 opens, Desmond has just escaped custody from the sinister Abstergo Corporation. Rescued by modern day Assassins, he‘s conscripted to use the amazing Animus machine to dive into the genetic memories of his ancestor, renowned assassin Ezio Auditore, in 15th Century Italy.

What unfolds through AC2, AC Brotherhood and AC Revelations is the complete life story of Ezio – and far from just a contextual backdrop, Desmond‘s present day story is filled with its own twists, turns and shocking revelations with epic consequences. By the end of Revelations, everything is in place for the events of AC3 and conclusion to Desmond‘s saga.

Meanwhile, these games were bonafide blockbusters – AC2 sold over 9 million copies, and the Ezio Trilogy moved over 31 million units collectively. Fans and critics praised Desmond‘s central role in connecting the games‘ timelines. As GameInformer wrote in their AC2 review:

"The developers use Desmond and the modern day to drive home the idea that protagonist Ezio Auditore is but one link in a long chain of Assassins through the ages"

So let‘s explore those connections in depth…

From AC2 to AC Brotherhood – Seeds of the Series-Spanning Saga

AC2 doesn‘t just unveil Renaissance idol Ezio Auditore – it sets up the entire franchise mythology. By using the Animus to view memories of his ancestor Altair (the star of the original AC), Desmond uncovers clues about a devastating solar flare that nearly wiped out life on Earth before…and is destined to happen again in 2012!

These apocalyptic revelations drive the urgency as Desmond and his allies race to unearth ancient secrets to prevent a second catastrophe, taking us from Renaissance Rome at AC Brotherhood‘s climax to the Ottoman Empire in Revelations.

The Story So Far – Plot Recap!

• In AC1, Desmond was kidnapped so Abstergo could find ancient artifact locations via the Animus
• Rescued by Assassins, Desmond enters the Animus again in AC2/ACB to experience Ezio‘s life
• By viewing Altair‘s past, Desmond learns that a catastrophic solar flare disaster is imminent
• By ACB/ACR‘s end, a way to stop the impending apocalypse is uncovered

With End Times on the horizon, only one hope remains – using the Animus to reconnect with the memories of Connor Kenway (Ratonhnhaké:ton), Desmond‘s half-Mohawk ancestor during the American Revolution, said to be the key to saving the world at the fateful date: December 21st, 2012.

And with the blond on the next game‘s box art quite clearly not Ezio, the anticipation for Desmond‘s next chapter was at a fever pitch thanks to AC2‘s masterful long-form storytelling!

Onward to Revolution! AC3 Brings It Home

Sure enough, October 2012 brought the biggest launch yet for the franchise – Assassin‘s Creed 3 sold a staggering 12 million copies in its first year. And riding that wave of anticipation was the payoff fans had waited five years for: resolving the series-spanning saga of Desmond Miles.

Transporting players into the Revolution via the memories of Ratonhnhaké:ton (aka Connor Kenway), the game built to a riveting finale. Once again syncing past and present, Desmond discovered the means to shield Earth from a second apocalypse on December 21, 2012…at the ultimate cost. In an epic and emotional conclusion, Desmond sacrificed himself to save the planet.

Reviewers heaped praise on this convergence of past, present and future threads:

"Ubisoft masterfully draws all these threads together … curves connecting the dots between all the names and dates and places, binding them into a greater whole" – Forbes

For longtime fans, it was profoundly satisfying and bittersweet to see Desmond‘s story resolve with such care, just as his ancestor Ezio had received an extended send-off to close out the previous era. Their stories remain forever interlinked as two remarkable lives bridged centuries, yet jointly saved the world.

The Tapestry Complete…for now

(Clickable image links to trailers)

Full timeline via ScreenRant

So while the Kenways and other new heroes have kept the Assassin‘s Creed franchise sailing onward, I hope this deep dive has clearly shown how intricately AC2 and AC3 are bound together as core chapters in Desmond Miles‘ quest to avert the 21st century apocalypse – an epic saga that left an indelible mark on fans.

And if you‘ll excuse me, I feel another full playthrough coming on… Ezio Auditore, I‘m leaping off the highest tower into the haystack of your many memories once again!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Do you enjoy seeing how the games link up? Which was your favorite era?