Any video game nut knows that video games and movies don’t mix. So when the live-action Assassin’s Creed movie came out in 2017, we fans weren’t expecting much. Well, it turns out, the formula failed once again. Disappointing, but not really unexpected. Personally, the Assassin’s Creed series is one of my favorite video game franchises, so watching it was pretty hard for me. Actually, it wasn’t too hard, because I turned it off nearly halfway through. It was boring, the cast looked like they were bored, and everything else was dull. Part of the reason why it failed is because Assassin’s Creed is a franchise that has too much content to filter in one movie. It’s a gaming franchise that’s covered almost every major event in history, going all the way back to Ancient Greece.
That’s precisely why I believed that the Assassin’s Creed series would be better used as a live-action television series. I’ve written about it once before and explained why a series would be able to explore the time periods to the fullest extent, unlike the movie. Well, apparently someone at Ubisoft and Netflix were thinking the same thing. It’s official that a live-action Assassin’s Creed television series is indeed coming to Netflix. The fanboy in me is excited, but the skeptic in me is worried. I love Netflix, but they’ve cancelled some great shows over the last two years. I’m stretching a bit here, but even if it does turn out to be great, Netflix can always throw us that unfortunate curveball. However, I’m willing to be optimistic for now, so I’m all in for this upcoming series.
The video game/movie formula, but they do seem to mix better with television. The Witcher series is proof and hopefully the beginning of a new formula that mixes well. What I’m anticipating most about this series is the multiple time periods I’m sure they’ll explore. If I had to guess, they’ll explore some of the most violent events in history or even more civilized times. They have many, many options to pick from, but I actually have a few in mind. Here are five time periods the live-action Assassin’s Creed series should visit.
5. Medieval England
The first time period I have in mind is medieval England, more specifically during the thirteenth century. For one, it’s a time where our first Assassin, Altair, was in his prime and having a season dedicated to this time period could tie into what he was doing. He’s interacted with several crusaders, so it’s possible he could’ve passed on the Brotherhood’s influence through them all the way back to England. Heck, he could even send a liaison from his own Brotherhood to England and help their Brotherhood form. It would be a good opportunity to throw that namedrop and get fans excited. In fact, since the series doesn’t mind tapping into some of the fairy tales of history, they could even have an Assassin fight alongside Robin Hood. An Assassin’s stealth abilities can be useful with Robin Hood and his band of merry men.
4. The Conquest of Genghis Khan
Speaking of Altair, he actually took on one of history’s greatest conquerors. In 1222, Altair journeyed to China with his son Darim, his wife Maria, and Qulan Gal. They traveled together for the sole purpose of assassinating Genghis Khan himself. The man accompanying him was the Mongolian Assassin Qulan Gal, a character that really needs more attention. This was a time when Altair was older and past his prime, so it would be interesting to see how he operated as an Assassin as an older man. He could act more as a wise mentor to his sons and try to educated them on the ideals of the Brotherhood. And yes, it’s about time we saw Qulan Gal in action, if not in the games, then in the show.
Most importantly, Genghis Khan built one of the largest empires in history, and his reign was soaked in blood. This would make for a great opportunity for the Templars to establish more prominent members to subjugate conquered civilizations, prompting the Assassins to take action. The show can make good use of this time period and dedicate a whole season to it. Plus, more Altair.
3. The Civil War
The Civil War is a time period where they can take two routes: one, they go with an African-American Assassin fighting for the Union. The other option is a more unexpected one. They can have an Assassin raised in the South and originally a soldier in the Confederate Army. I personally think the latter would be a more interesting choice, because it could be a good redemption story. Having a former greyback turn against his comrades to fight against slavery would be a intriguing story. He could eventually join the American Brotherhood and make friends with African-American Assassins. For one of America’s most significant time periods, there are many routes the show can go with this one, but I believe one of these two stories should be utilized.
2. The War of 1812
One of the Assassins that I believe should have his story continued is Connor. Out of all the main Assassin protagonists, he is often considered to be the least favorite. It’s not hard to understand why, since he was rather stern. He didn’t smile much, because he was just very stern. Part of the reason is because he suffered from serious childhood trauma, but I would’ve like to have seen his character grow beyond that. In Assassin’s Creed III, we saw him as a lone Native American warrior. The series is a good opportunity to see how he evolved after the third game. I think a good time period to set him in would be during the War of 1812. Time has passed, and now Connor should be a high ranking member of the Colonial Brotherhood.
One thing that fans loved about Connor was his strong dedication to justice. He fought for his people, he fought for the colonists, and he fought because others wouldn’t. The War of 1812 would be a complicated time for him, because he would once again be fighting the British. However, he would also contend with the American Colonists, since many Native American tribes sided with the British. Compared to George Washington, Andrew Jackson won’t likely be so sympathetic towards him and his people. It’ll be really interesting to see how Connor and his Brotherhood handle dealing with both sides, while contending with the Templars.
1. Feudal Japan
Now this is one of the most widely requested time periods for the games. A samurai Assassin? We’ll take it. Now if the games won’t explore that period, then the show certainly can. The biggest advantage the show can use for using feudal Japan is that it’ll have an original character unrelated to familiar characters. It’s a good way to expand the franchise while adding fresher faces. If they want to do feudal Japan, they need to do it during the Sengoku period. This period was also known as the Age of Warring States, where Japan was going through near-constant civil war and political intrigue. It lasted from 1467 to 1615. This sounds like a perfect time for the Japanese Templars to use their influence to take control of Japan. It was also during this time when the shinobi, aka ninjas, were becoming more prominent.
Where the Templars try to take control, the Assassins will be there to challenge them. Are we going to get an Assassin/Ninja character who will take on the Templar Samurai? Now that sounds like an awesome fight. As I typed that sentence, the more I want it to happen.
Final Thoughts:
What time periods do you think would fit into the show, Assassin’s Creed fans? We could see familiar faces or characters we haven’t seen before, but either way, I’m excited to see where this show is going.
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