Assassin Creed 3

Plot

Immediately after the events of the previous game, Desmond Miles, along with his father William, and allies Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings, find the Grand Temple of the First Civilization in a cave in New York state and access it using their Apple of Eden, an ancient artifact of immense power. After partially activating the temple, Juno uses it to communicate with Desmond. Desmond is placed in the Animus where Juno's influence causes him to experience the life of his ancestor Haytham Kenway in England, 1754.

Haytham assassinates a patron at the Royal Opera House and steals a medallion; the Key to the Temple's inner chamber. Haytham is dispatched to the American Colonies to locate the Temple. While in Boston, he kills a slave trader, freeing a group of Mohawks including a woman named Kaniehti:io, who asks Haytham to refer to her as Ziio after he proves unable to pronounce her full name. She helps Haytham find the Temple in exchange for him killing General Braddock. Haytham and Ziio find that the Key is not able to open the temple itself. The pair develop a romantic relationship during their time together, which results in a son, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Haytham is then seen inducting a new member, Charles Lee into the Order, only for it to be shown to actually be the Templar Order instead of the Assassins.

The perspective then shifts to Ratonhnhaké:ton's childhood in 1760. His mother dies during an attack on his village which Ratonhnhaké:ton believes was led by the Templar Charles Lee. Years later, the village Elder informs a teenage Ratonhnhaké:ton that their tribe's duty is to prevent the Temple's discovery. The Elder gives him a transparent Sphere which allows Juno to communicate with him; she tells him of his importance and shows him the Assassins' symbol. The symbol leads him to the retired Assassin Achilles Davenport, who reluctantly begins training him as an assassin.

Achilles suggests Ratonhnhaké:ton rename himself "Connor" to enable him to move more freely throughout the Colonies, in fear that some colonists might reject him as a tribe member. While seeking supplies in Boston, Connor is framed by the Templars for instigating the Boston Massacre. Over the following years, Connor kills several Templars and aids in the Revolutionary War between the Patriots and the British. Connor meets with his father, and the two forge a temporary alliance to eliminate a rogue Templar. Later, Haytham uncovers a letter detailing George Washington's plan to displace several indigenous populations suspected of supporting the Loyalists, including Connor's tribe. Haytham also reveals that the attack that claimed Connor's mother's life was actually instigated by Washington himself during the Seven Years War. Connor angrily breaks ties with Washington and his father, the latter for concealing the truth from him. Connor returns to his village and learns that Lee has recruited several Mohawk warriors to turn back the Patriots sent to eradicate them. Connor neutralizes the warriors to avoid conflict, but his childhood friend Kanen'tó:kon cannot be reasoned with and Connor is forced to kill him.

Meanwhile, Desmond is occasionally roused from the Animus to retrieve power cells from Manhattan and Brazil, necessary for activating the Temple, before the Templar Daniel Cross can take them. William goes after the final cell himself but is captured by the Templars' modern-day front, Abstergo Industries. Desmond assaults the facility, kills Cross, Warren Vidic, and rescues his father.

Connor becomes conflicted about eliminating the Templars and hopes to work with Haytham towards a common vision of peace and freedom. However, Haytham remains convinced of the chaos of freedom and the necessity to control the nation by replacing Washington with Lee. Lee is disgraced by Washington for attempting to sabotage the outcome of the Battle of Monmouth and takes refuge in the heavily fortified Fort George. Connor infiltrates the fort and is confronted by Haytham; they duel, and Connor kills him. Connor later kills Lee and recovers the Key. With the Colonial Templars eliminated, Connor returns to his village only to find it empty, and the Sphere left behind. Using it, Juno instructs him to conceal the Key where it cannot be found; Connor buries the Key in the grave of Achilles' son, Connor Davenport.

In 2012, Desmond retrieves the Key and accesses the Temple's inner chambers. Juno informs him that activating the pedestal will save the world, but at the cost of his life. Minerva appears before them, opposing the plan as it will free Juno, who was sealed away in the temple to prevent her conquering humanity. Juno and Minerva explain that if the solar flare occurs, Desmond will be one of the few survivors in a post-apocalyptic world and become a mentor to the other survivors. After Desmond's later death, he will become revered as a god, whose well-intended legacy will be manipulated to control future generations, restarting the cycle of religious conflict throughout history. Desmond chooses to sacrifice himself in order to save humanity and give them the opportunity to fight Juno rather than be destroyed. William, Shaun, and Rebecca leave the temple as Desmond activates the pedestal; a global aurora protects the planet from the solar eruption. Juno commends Desmond's choice and declares that it is time for her part to begin.

In an epilogue in 1783, Connor takes down the Templar portraits in the Davenport Manor's basement and burns them, signifying the end of his journey. In addition, his return to his village is detailed further, showing he spoke to a hunter there, who revealed that the land had been sold to settlers in order to settle the new United States government's war debts. Connor also travels to the pier in New York, where he witnesses the last of the British Regulars leave America for good. However, he also sees evidence of the slave trade present in the newly formed nation, right next to the pier of citizens cheering at the departure of the British, learning that not all people have been freed.

Following this, a modern-day voiceover can be heard directing the player to locate a number of 'pivot points' that have been spread out across the memories' graphical representation of Colonial America. Once collected, the voiceover returns to congratulate them and informs that they have now connected to the cloud.