No, Layla Hassan and Desmond Miles are not related
To settle one of the major questions asked by fans of the expansive Assassin‘s Creed series – Layla Hassan and Desmond Miles are two prominent modern-day assassins who are not actually related by blood.
While both serve pivotal roles in upholding the brotherhood and uncovering secrets from their genetic ancestors, their origins and ancestral ties differ greatly. Desmond descends from famous assassins like Altaïr Ibn-La‘Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze. On the other hand, Layla‘s origins start in 1980s Egypt without any crossover to Desmond‘s lineage.
In this comprehensive analysis, we will dive deep on:
- The origins of Layla and journey from Egypt to becoming an assassin
- Desmond‘s lineage mapped out across centuries including major historical assassins
- Comparative data looking at both their ancestral timelines side-by-side
- Explaining their unique "meeting" in the Grey at end of Valhalla
- My perspective on similarities / differences in the key modern-day assassins
So if you‘ve ever wondered "is Layla related to Desmond?" or what connections exist between these pivotal characters – let‘s explore!
Layla‘s Origins & Path to Being an Assassin
Born in 1984 in Cairo, Layla came from humble beginnings with no initial ties to the ancient brotherhood. Her parents, Ashraf and Zeniab Hassan, immigrated to Queens, New York when Layla was only 2 years old in 1986. She had two younger brothers growing up – Rami and Kaden.
Bright and driven from a young age, Layla later attended University pursuing a degree in Physics. However, she dropped out just shy of graduating after being recruited by Abstergo Industries. She joined the Templar-run organization in their Animus project to dive into genetic memories and locate artifacts.
Layla quickly identified herself as a skilled assassin marrying her intelligence with combat abilities. She utilized her Animus findings to uncover Isu artifacts across Egypt including the famed Spear of Leonidas. However, she also defected from Abstergo going rogue yet maintaining her alignment with assassin ideals.
In Assassin’s Creed Origins, Layla worked covertly with the Egyptian Brotherhood to uncover the secrets of the Isu vault and help defeat the Order of the Ancients. This cemented her status as a key modern day assassin.
Layla Hassan‘s Key Details
| Year of Birth | 1984 |
| Place of Birth | Cairo, Egypt |
| Ancestral Lineage | No Direct Assassins |
| First Appearance | Assassin‘s Creed Origins (2017) |
| Status | Alive (Turned Immortal in Valhalla, 2020) |
So while Layla plays a pivotal role upholding assassin ideals in the modern day, her background lacked any ancestral ties to the brotherhood. Desmond, on the other hand descended from a long lineage of key assassins throughout major periods in history.
Desmond Miles‘ Lineage Tied to Legendary Assassins
Unlike Layla, Desmond Miles came from an ancestral line directly tied to the brotherhood. He descends from many legendary assassins who fought against Templar control for centuries. This includes:
Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad (1165-1257CE) – Syrian assassin active during Crusades and later Mentor of the Levantine Brotherhood
Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1459-1524CE) – Legendary Italian assassin based in Florence during the Renaissance period
Edward Kenway (1693–1735CE) – Welsh pirate turned assassin active in the Caribbean during the Golden Age
Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor (1756 – unknown) – Native American assassin fighting during the American Revolution
Desmond used the Animus to relive memories of these ancestors. In parallel, Layla later revisits some of their histories showing no shared lineage. So how exactly do the bloodlines between these two modern assassins differ?
Comparative Ancestral History
| Timeline | Layla‘s Lineage | Desmond‘s Lineage |
|---|---|---|
| 12th century CE | No Recorded Ancestors | Altaïr Ibn-La‘Ahad |
| 15th century CE | No Recorded Ancestors | Ezio Auditore da Firenze |
| 18th century CE | No Recorded Ancestors | Edward Kenway, Ratonhnhaké:ton |
| Modern Day | Layla Hassan (b. 1984) | Desmond Miles (b. 1987) |
This helps illustrate how Desmond is truly a descendant of lineage of key assassins – many whom Layla interfaced with in the Animus but has no familial connection to.
So with no ancestors in common and vastly different upbringings, what enables Layla and Desmond‘s unique convergence seen in Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla?
The Grey & Layla Meeting "The Reader" (Desmond)
One of the biggest questions fans had after the ending events of Valhalla was – how and why does Layla meet Desmond in "The Grey"? What is this mysterious realm that she access using the Reader‘s DNA by the end?
Prior – we must revisit Desmond‘s arc. In Assassin‘s Creed 3, he sacrificed himself to save the world from devastation – using his connection through the Apple of Eden. This severed ties with his physical form, uploading memories to "The Cloud" per Abstergo records.
Yet, his essence lived on as an enigma known as The Reader accessing a simulated "Beyond" reality called The Grey. This realm existed between mortal world and actual afterlife.
When Layla activated the Yggdrasil chamber using Desmond‘s DNA sample on Reader device in England, she got transported to The Grey. She met essence of Desmond, no longer bound by mortal coil or genetics. So while this convergence was profound, it further showed no familial connection.
They now share a connection bridging life and beyond – one metaphysical rather than biological. As two modern champions upholding the Creed, their crossing paths maintains balance erasing boundaries of time and mortality. But from ancestry perspective, Layla and Desmond walk separate bloodlines.
My Take on Modern Assassins – Parallels but No Relations
As an assassin‘s creed analyst and lore enthusiast, I‘ve extensively researched lineage trees. After breakdown above clearly evidencing no crossover between Layla‘s Egyptian roots and Desmond‘s lineage of top assassins – I can definitively conclude they share no relations.
While some fans may speculate distant connections or question backgrounds not fully disclosed – available information confirms separate origins. Perhaps this makes their mystical convergence via The Grey all more fascinating.
I believe both modern assassins have intriguing parallels upholding ideals of the brotherhood. Like how they both used regressions into their ancestor‘s histories to uncover Isu secrets. Plus straddled chaotic double lives maintaining Creed allegiance while being inside Abstergo.
Yet their non-overlapping backgrounds also enables wider perspective armed with diverse experience. Each brings unique skills and vantage points shaped by their pasts to uplift brotherhood ideals in contemporary age. Making them compelling studies in how Creed ideology persists through ages!
So in closing, I believe Layla meeting Desmond was about bridging boundaries between life and afterlife – to maintain eternal battle against Templars. These fated modern warriors uplift the Creed in their own ways, converging mystically with no mortal constraints. United by tiresome duty and sacrifice despite walking separate bloodlines across centuries!
