What happens to Arno after AC Unity?
After his great love Elise tragically dies at the end of Assassin‘s Creed Unity, a heartbroken Arno falls into a deep depression that drives him to abandon the Brotherhood. For years, he wanders the French countryside trying to drink away his sorrows and find meaning in life after Elise‘s death and his failure to reconcile the Assassins and Templars.
Eventually however, Arno manages to regain his sense of purpose and saves France from Napoleon Bonaparte‘s plans to acquire a dangerous Piece of Eden artifact. Rededicating himself to the Assassin Order, Arno returns to Paris and works his way up to the prestigious rank of Master Assassin in his later years.
But what exactly happens to Arno after the credits roll in Unity? Let‘s analyze the fascinating untold tale of Arno‘s life after his adventures in the French Revolution.
Wandering Years: Drinking and Wallowing After Elise‘s Death
With the love of his life tragically killed, Arno unsurprisingly falls into a long depression that lasts for years as he tries to drink away his sorrows. According to the AC Wiki, Arno travels around the French countryside during this time, drifting without direction or purpose.
Some fans on Reddit have speculated that Arno may have even left France for a time to wander through Europe and more fully lose himself to grief. Ultimately, it‘s unclear exactly what Arno was doing during these "lost years." But it is known that he parted ways with the Assassin Brotherhood for an extended period of time while struggling with loss and trauma.
Could Arno Have Had a Child with Elise?
An interesting theory that has sparked debate is the idea that Arno could have somehow had a daughter named Juliette Marie Dorian with Elise after her death in Unity. This daughter is mentioned in a Wiki article. However, her listed year of birth (1808) is clearly multiple years after the death of Elise during the French Revolution (1794), making it impossible for Elise to have physically given birth to her.
Many fans have speculated that since we don‘t fully know what transpired during Arno‘s wandering years, he may have met another woman years later who gave birth to his daughter. Some stretch theories even suggest supernatural Assassin/Isu means could have been involved! Regardless, it remains ambiguous if Juliette Marie Dorian really existed as Arno‘s descendant. Ubisoft has yet to confirm her place in lore outside of sketchy Wiki mentions.
This sort of tantalizing half-clue gets at why Arno remains such an intriguing, mysterious figure to many fans years later!
Return to Purpose: Thwarting Napoleon‘s Schemes
Eventually, after years of drunkenly meandering through the countryside, Arno regains his sense of obligation to the Creed and to protecting France. When the power-hungry Napoleon Bonaparte begins scheming to locate an Apple of Eden to further his conquests across Europe, Arno springs into action.
Racing to find the artifact first, he discovers Napoleon excavating underground Isu vaults. Arno successfully retrieves the Apple, thwarting Napoleon‘s plans and proving he still has formidable skills even years after his Revolution adventures.
Some gaming sites have speculated that this daring operation to stall Napoleon may have been Arno‘s formal return to service in the Brotherhood as well. Otherwise, how would he have gotten wind of the Pieces of Eden changing hands? Regardless, saving France from a power-crazed dictator seems a pretty good redemption story!
Return to the Creed: Regaining His Rank as Master Assassin
After foiling Napoleon‘s schemes in the early 1800s, Arno decides to officially rejoin the Assassin Brotherhood, continuing his work from the shadows to uphold liberty and justice in France. Considering his keen skills, natural talent for stealth and combat, and inside knowledge of Templar methods, Arno becomes a high-ranking member.
According to records from the AC wiki, Arno Dorian eventually rises to become a Master Assassin – one of the highest ranks achievable – meaning he reaches a level of mastery over combat, stealth, parkour, and wisdom that few others obtain.
Despite losing years to grief and soul-searching through the countryside, Arno ultimately regains his status as a senior member of the Brotherhood who likely takes on a key leadership role. Not too shabby for the troubled young upstart from the outset of Unity!
How Arno‘s Legacy Compares to Other Famous Assassins
When analyzing the achievements and demonstrated skills of the major historical Assassins throughout the franchise, Arno Dorian stands out as what some consider the most talented "pure" assassin shown. His natural aptitude outshines even the likes of fan favorites like Ezio Auditore in key areas:
| Assassin | Parkour Abilities | Stealth Capabilities | Combat Prowess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezio Auditore | Proficient | Advanced | Exceptional |
| Connor Kenway | Average | Intermediate | Masterful |
| Arno Dorian | Elite | Elite | Advanced |
As the table shows, Arno reached an extreme level of ability in crucial skills like stealth and navigation, proving essentially unequaled in fields like parkour and infiltration. Meanwhile, Ezio exceeds in combat prowess but demonstrates less subtlety overall. And Connor overtly favors combat over stealth.
When surveying records of various assassination operations and solo infiltrations, Arno likely completes the most complex and daring missions with elegance – completing objectives without even needing to draw his sword. Between all these factors, a strong case can be made for Arno Dorian as the most impressively well-rounded Assassin of his generation shown in-game.
Tragic Loose End: Shay Patrick Cormac
One dangling loose end left over from Arno‘s early days involves the villainous Templar Shay Cormac. Long before the French Revolution, when Arno was only a young child, the expert killer Shay turned against the Colonial Brotherhood and assassinated Arno‘s father in cold blood.
Yet despite likely harboring bitterness and rage towards his father‘s murderer, for unknown reasons Arno never crosses paths with or gets his revenge against Shay over the course of his long career. Perhaps he pursues the lead unsuccessfully or simply remains ignorant of Shay‘s identity.
Regardless, the two individuals with interconnected pasts never meet face-to-face or fully conclude their personal storylines. Leaving a tragic, unfinished note for fans following both historic Assassins and Templars.
Summing Up Arno‘s Fascinating Untold Story
Assassin‘s Creed Unity centers on Arno‘s quest for vengeance and redemption during the bloody French Revolution. But his journey certainly doesn‘t conclude after the credits roll! Losing himself to depression and soul-searching in the years after Elise‘s death, many thought Arno might fade away in disgrace.
Yet through force of will and renewed sense of purpose, Dorian not only reemerges to heroically foil the conquests of Napoleon – he eventually earns the distinguished rank of Master Assassin. While details on his later years remain relatively scarce and mysterious, it‘s clear that Arno overcame traumatic loss and doubt to cement his place as one of the most uniquely gifted members of the Brotherhood in history.
Between possible secret children, greater mastery of skills than either Ezio or Connor, and unfinished business with the killer of his father, the enigmatic figure of Arno Dorian clearly carries an untold story brimming with potential just waiting to be further explored and revealed!
