April 26, 2022|

Filed under: Featured, Guest Article, History, Speculation, Super Smash Bros. Series, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Dream Smasher: Ezio Auditore (Guest Article)

This guest Dream Smasher was created by @EchoSaefir on Twitter, and thanks to Cart Boy for help with edits.

Of the many series created by Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed stands out as one of the most compelling thanks to its clever combination of history and science fiction. Although the series has had its ups and downs, just how much it’s captured the interest of general audiences since its debut is undeniable. With a legacy spanning fifteen years, multiple awards praising its storytelling, enticing gameplay and characters, and a ton of crossovers, the series that started as a simple Prince of Persia spin-off has become one of the biggest and most recognized properties in modern gaming. And while this impressive résumé has been acknowledged in gaming’s premier crossover, Super Smash Bros., through a Mii costume based on its first protagonist, Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, how would a fully playable character translate to the platform fighter? With the franchise steadily rising higher after the return to form that was Origins, and a recent push of its most popular protagonist with a bunch of merchandise and collaborations, I believe an exploration of how Assassin’s Creed’s Ezio Auditore da Firenze could play in Smash is in order.

Who Is Ezio Auditore?

(Courtesy of Voyager)

Ezio Auditore da Firenze is the main protagonist of Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, and undoubtedly the saga’s most beloved lead. Ezio was born in Florence, Italy in the year 1459 to Giovanni and Maria Auditore. His father worked publicly as a banker, but behind the scenes, he followed in his family’s footsteps as an assassin. Under the cover of darkness, Giovanni worked with Italian Noble Lorenzo de Medici to destroy the templars, a secret order that aimed to maintain order and control over the world. Giovanni would eventually be betrayed by his best friend, Uberto Alberti, and hung alongside two of his sons, Federico and Petruccio. Ezio managed to escape the authorities, however, and stumbled upon his family’s legacy. Trained by his uncle Mario, Ezio learned the ways of the assassins and eventually mentors Italy’s entire Assassin Brotherhood during the Renaissance.

Despite his tragic background, Ezio remains cocky and assertive. He’s naturally skilled in urban navigation and, according to uncle Mario, was a fast learner in the ways of combat and stealth. Ezio’s also a bit of a ladies’ man, known for his romantic conquests of many noblewomen. Though, he has a bit of a temper and lives his life filled with the regret of being unable to save his father and brothers. But above all, his ability and sense of justice are what define him. Despite not having grown up in the world of assassins his predecessors and successors did, Ezio’s hard work and natural skill cement him as one of, if not the greatest assassin the world never knew.

Importance to Nintendo & Series

While Assassin’s Creed has seen more releases on other platforms, it’s maintained a strong presence on Nintendo systems from the start. Ezio starred in Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery on the DS back in 2009, and his trilogy is available on the Nintendo Switch. Beyond that, Ezio has handily proven himself as an icon of not only his series, but gaming as a whole. His history has been felt across many other games and promotions, with one of his biggest roles being as a guest character in Bandai Namco’s Soulcalibur V, even being featured on its front cover. Other mascots have been given this honor in previous entries, chief among them being Nintendo’s own Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Heihachi Mishima from Tekken, and even characters beyond gaming like Star Wars’ Darth Vader and Yoda. Ezio’s also had a bit of a resurgence this year, with Ubisoft taking advantage of Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection’s Switch release by promoting him in even more crossovers (like Epic Games’ Fortnite) and creating new merchandise celebrating his iconography.

Having proven himself as one of the most beloved characters in modern gaming, and bearing the most in-universe significance of any Assassin’s Creed character, Ezio’s place as the franchise’s quintessential face is irrefutable. Recent entries regularly bring him up, often through simple nods, and his outfit continues to show up in every entry as an unlockable style. Just listen to the trailer for Altaïr’s Mii costume in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which used Ezio’s own theme instead of anything relating to the first installment. He’s an icon, and regardless of who the most recent Assassin’s Creed protagonist is at any given time, Ezio is the most timeless and fitting candidate among his counterparts for a spot in Smash.

Colors & Design

Ezio, like most members of the Assassin Brotherhood, wears the iconic white cloak and hood above his head. Compared to some of the earlier members of the Order, however, Ezio’s outfit is much more ornate, truly taken out of Renaissance Italy. With an intricate belt championing the Assassin Brotherhood’s insignia, a cape across his left shoulder, and numerous designs lining his outfit, his attire represents the era he lives in as much as it does his personality. Despite all this, the outfit is intended to make blending into the background easier. Assassins are not intended to be public figures, which is why the hood obscures the most recognizable traits of Ezio’s face. Speaking of which, his face is very recognizable, featuring a noticeable scar across his upper lip from an early confrontation with Vieri de’ Pazzi, a member of a templar family.

Half of Ezio’s palettes in Smash would feature his aforementioned style, a combination of his look in Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and the other half would depict his older appearance, as seen in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Years after his initial liberation of Italy from templar hands, this take on Ezio’s outfit is rougher and more practical, reflecting his change in attitude as he grew colder and more distant. This costume also foregoes the Order’s traditional white, instead using a dark blue as its main color, with bronze gauntlets instead of silver. Much of Ezio’s physical features remain the same, but his beard has grayed in color and slightly increased in length.

(Courtesy of Voyager)

The younger Ezio’s alternate colors could be based on some of the options he can dye his armor to in Assassin’s Creed II (Venetian Wine and Tuscan Emerald), with the fourth color resembling the Armor of Altaïr, the main unlockable armor set from his first game. Furthermore, each of them would sport a different cape (Plain Cape, Medici Cape, Venetian Cape, and Auditore Cape, respectively). Meanwhile, his older appearance could use the dye colors for armors in Revelations (Topkapi Gold, Royal Violet, and Mediterranean Cobalt).

How Would He Play?

Now, let’s have a look at Ezio’s stats:

Can he crawl? Yes
Can he wall jump? Yes
Can he wall cling? Yes
How many jumps does he have? 2
Does he have any exclusive abilities, like Peach’s float? No
Weight Class: B+
Height Class: C
Speed Class: B+
Is he mirrored when he faces left? No

(A more detailed look at the stats)

Ezio is as much a fighter as he is an assassin. His fighting style is fluid, yet precise. Simple, yet deadly. Thus, I believe he doesn’t need a gimmick to stand out on the battlefield. This doesn’t mean he’d be plain, but there isn’t any overarching mechanic that embodies his overall moveset. However, he does have a few tools that help him uphold the Assassin Brotherhood’s motto: “We work in the dark, to serve the light.” For instance, his down special sees him obscuring the battlefield with a smoke bomb, allowing him to prepare a surprise attack or make his escape. And of course, the gun hidden in his signature blade can inflict massive damage from afar, at the cost of leaving him wide open for attack. He can also quickly get in or out of confrontation thanks to his side special, which increases his speed as long as the button is held down, but reduces the amount of moves he has at his disposal and the power of said attacks.

At the core of his gameplay, Ezio’s all about waiting for the right opportunity to deal devastating blows to his opponents. He’s got an aggressive playstyle that benefits from the opponent’s mistake, yet he has the defensive options needed to stand his ground and prepare for the right moment to tear his enemies to shreds. With the aid of his trusty hidden blades and the sword inherited from his predecessor, The Sword of Altaïr, Ezio balances his hotheadedness with the teachings of his uncle Mario to yield a fighting style that distinguishes him from any other Italian, be it a plumber or templar.

Boxing Ring Title: “L’assassino di Firenze”

Series Icon

Stock Icon

(Courtesy of Voyager)

Kirby Hat

Move Type

Description

On-Screen Appearance:

Ezio falls from the sky onto a cart of hay, then gets out and prepares for battle. During his descent, the screech of an eagle can be heard, referencing a similar sound effect from Assassin’s Creed II.

Stance:

Ezio maintains a cautious stance, moving his fingers around at the ready to use any of his tools.

Idle #1:

Ezio reveals his hidden blades, inspects them, then retracts the weapons.

Idle #2:

Ezio takes out a throwing knife and flips it in the air, then catches it and puts it back in his belt.

Walk:

Ezio simply and deliberately inches forward.

Dash:

Ezio dashes purposefully, ready to make his move.

Jump:

Ezio braces himself and leaps considerably high. For his second jump, he performs a frontflip.

Damage:

Ezio reels back with his left elbow going high, while his right hand goes low.

Crouch:

Ezio takes a knee. He remains very low to the ground, but with his body angled in anticipation.

Shield:

Ezio shields his body behind his cape and hangs his head a bit lower to make his face less visible.

Neutral Attack: Sequential Stab

Ezio stabs three times directly in front of himself with both of his hidden blades. He starts with a left hit, then one on the right, and finally a more forceful left hit. These stabs, as well as all the other ones, have two hitboxes, one for the palm strike, and one for the blade.

Forward Tilt:

Ezio swings his sword from right to left. Another input sees him following up with another swing from left to right.

Down Tilt:

Ezio pokes downward with a palm strike from his right hand, then extends its hidden blade. Opponents hit by just the poke are weakly repelled, and those hit by the blade are knocked upward.

Up Tilt:

Ezio arcs his sword upward, resembling the likes of Marth’s up tilt, but also taking inspiration from his Soulcalibur moveset.

Dash Attack:

Ezio jumps into the air and stabs downward with his left hidden blade.

Forward Smash: Biting Eagle

Ezio steadies his sword as the input is held. Upon release, Ezio dashes forward and stabs his steel forward, finishing by flinging it back and flipping it in his hands with a flourish.

Up Smash: Aquila Furioso

Ezio slashes from front to back above himself with his sword, then reverses the motion and finishes up by stabbing his sword into the ground.

Down Smash: Hidden Wrath

Ezio extends his two hidden blades and strikes both of them downward to his sides before slashing upward with them.

Neutral Aerial:

Ezio does a spinning slash around himself with his blade. Like with Roy’s neutral aerial, it excels as a quick, “get off me” attack and combo extender.

Forward Aerial:

Ezio swipes from high to low with his sword. If the input is pressed again, Ezio continues the attack by swiping diagonally from low to high.

Back Aerial:

Ezio extends the hidden blade on his right hand and swipes the blade behind himself.

Up Aerial:

A poking attack with the hidden blades. Ezio performs a palm strike upward with both his hands, while simultaneously extending the hidden blades.

Down Aerial:

Ezio drops down with both of his hidden blades out, ready to stab the first person he comes into contact with.

Grab:

Ezio grabs opponents by the scruff of their neck.

Pummel:

Ezio takes his right hand off the opponent’s scruff to punch them in the face.

Forward Throw:

Ezio punches his opponent in the gut, sending them flying.

Up Throw:

Ezio stabs the opponent in the stomach with both hidden blades, then tosses them straight into the air.

Down Throw:

Ezio pushes the opponent to the ground, then stabs them with his sword, which bounces them upward.

Back Throw:

Ezio spins the opponent backward and stabs them with the hidden blade in their back.

Neutral Special: Hidden Gun

Ezio’s only projectile move, he uses the gun hidden in his left hidden blade to fire a powerful shot that travels a moderate distance. However, this move takes a bit to come out, leaves him wide open, and Ezio can only take one shot before needing to manually reload the gun with another neutral special input.

Side Special: Free-Running

An assassin is known as much for their stealth as they are their acrobatics. When using this move, Ezio enters a special stance where he stands a bit closer to the ground, bending his knees and at the ready. As long as the special input is held, Ezio remains in this stance, in which he constantly runs while tilting the stick, and can horizontally leap further than normal (although, said jumps don’t go as high). In this state, has access to all his tilts and aerials, all gaining a significant boost in speed at the cost of damage. Overall, this move allows Ezio to close the distance on his opponents and get an attack in, which could allow him to either finish an opponent at his own risk, or start a flurry of attacks if he plays his cards correctly.

Up Special: Grappling Hook

While it’s not a tool Ezio himself has used, other playable assassins have. Ezio shoots a grappling hook upward from the hidden blade on his right hand. Like with Joker, this Grappling Hook allows Ezio to directly attach himself to edges or pull fighters to him when grounded.

Down Special: Smoke Bomb

An assassin lives in the shadows, and this tool will help Ezio do so on the battlefield. After pressing the button, Ezio drops a smoke bomb that immediately goes off. It doesn’t deal any damage, but it leaves a cloud of smoke that completely obscures its vicinity. While in the smoke, only Ezio and his teammates are completely covered. If an opponent tries to use the smoke to their advantage, their silhouette would still be visible. Ezio can throw a maximum of two bombs at once, and they always detonate at his feet (even in the air), so he cannot aim them. The smoke also dissipates after a few seconds, and once either of two bombs has, Ezio can throw another.

Final Smash: Requiescat in Pace

This move starts with Ezio firing a shot with his hidden gun. If the shot hits an opponent, a cinematic starts with Ezio in the white space of the animus, crouching and staring at his collapsed opponent. He says “Che nessuno ricordi il tuo nome. Requiescat in pace. (May no one remember your name. Rest in peace.)” and stabs them with the hidden blade on his other arm as the camera pans out and the screen goes white, before the action returns to the battlefield. If the cinematic ends with the victim at 100% damage or above, they instantly lose their stock. Otherwise, they are dealt a lot of damage, but instead of being sent flying, they are left on the floor, open to attack. Additionally, the initial gunshot goes through opponents and deals massive damage to any additional enemies it hits, although only the first one hit is present in the cinematic.

Up Taunt:

Ezio removes his hood and keeps it off, but by performing this taunt again, he puts it back on.

Side Taunt:

Ezio draws his finger across his neck, then spits on the ground. During which, he says one of several lines:

“Sai, l’armi serve a duellare! (You know, weapons are made for fighting!)”
“What are you waiting for?”
“I can’t be that good!”

Down Taunt:

Ezio makes a “C’mon” gesture and says one of several lines:

“You’re questioning my skills? Just wait til I get up close!”
“Fatti sotto, porco! (Come on, pig!)”
“Don’t be shy!”

Victory Pose #1:

Ezio exclaims “Insieme per la vittoria! (Together for victory!)” and raises his sword as a bunch of members of the Italian Assassin Brotherhood rush forward.

Victory Pose #2:

Ezio is seen kneeling at the top of a tower as an eagle roams above him. The camera spins around him as he watches over his surroundings. He then says “We work in the Dark to serve the Light. We are assassins.”

Victory Pose #3:

This animation’s camera is on Ezio’s arms, from the perspective of his victim. The foe is looking at Ezio’s chest. Then, as they look up, Ezio speaks softly, saying “Vai, amico, libero da fardelli e paure (Go forward, friend, unburdened and unafraid). Requiescat in pace (Rest in peace).” The camera blinks once more before staying, focusing in and out of Ezio’s face.

Victory Fanfare: A remix of the main beat of “Ezio’s Family” would serve as his victory fanfare, probably emulating the song’s remix from Soulcalibur V.

(Courtesy of @_TheyWhoRemain_ )

Outro

While it started with a simple concept, the Assassin’s Creed series has grown a lot since its humble beginnings, particularly with their protagonists’ depth and characterization. And yet, Ezio remains one of the most popular and compelling characters not only in the franchise, but the medium at large. To many, Ezio is the Assassin’s Creed character. Although the series has already been recognized in Smash Ultimate, regardless of how small that representation was, it’s interesting to think about how we could see its stake improve in the future. There are certain hurdles with representing Assassin’s Creed in Smash, mostly due to its more mature themes, but I don’t believe it’s impossible at all. In fact, I believe it’s the most fitting Ubisoft franchise to get a playable fighter come next game. The perfect mix of fantastical and unrealistic, while also being very popular and recognizable. And no matter how many assassins, templars, or warriors protagonize Assassin’s Creed games until then, Ezio remains the greatest pick for bringing light to the world of Smash.