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{{short description|Assassin's Creed character}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
| image = Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.png
| series = ]
| first = '']'' (2007)
| last = ''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion'' (2018)
| creator = ]
| voice = ] (''Assassin's Creed'') <br/> ] (''Revelations'')
| portrayer = Francisco Randez
| occupation = ]
| origin = ], ]
| nationality = ]
}}
'''Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad''' ({{lang-ar|الطائر ابن لا أحد}}, meaning "The Bird, Son of No One")<ref>{{cite book |last=Bowden |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Bowden |title=Assassin's Creed: Underworld |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sq3MCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT156 |publisher=] |date=December 1, 2015 |page=156 |isbn=9780698189263}}</ref> is a fictional character in ]'s ] video game series, a ] master assassin who serves as the ] of the games set in the late 12th and early 13th century.<ref name="Miguel">{{cite news |last=Miguel |first=Urko |title=La saga Assassin's Creed cumple 10 años |url=https://areajugones.sport.es/2017/11/19/la-saga-assassins-creed-cumple-10-anos/ |date=19 November 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=Area Jugones |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mansilla |first=Chema |title=La evolución gráfica de la saga Assassin's Creed en vídeo |url=http://www.3djuegos.com/noticias-ver/175521/la-evolucion-grafica-de-la-saga-assassins-creed-en-video/ |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=3djuegos |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Alepitekus |title=Análise: Assassin's Creed Origins Cumpre o Prometido, mas Podia ter Feito Mais |url=http://www.comboinfinito.com.br/principal/analise-assassins-creed-origins-cumpre-o-prometido-mas-podia-ter-feito-mais/ |date=16 November 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=Combo Infinito |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Amalfitano |first=Ricccardo |title=Assassin's Creed festeggia il suo decimo anniversario |url=http://4news.it/assassins-creed-festeggia-suo-decimo-anniversario/ |date=13 November 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=4news |language=it}}</ref> He first appears as the main playable character of the original '']'' game, which takes place during the ] in 1191.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schubert |first=Martin |title=5 Dinge, die in Assassin's Creed Origins für frischen Wind sorgen |url=https://blog.de.playstation.com/2017/11/06/5-dinge-die-in-assassins-creed-origins-fr-frischen-wind-sorgen/ |date=6 November 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=] |language=de}}</ref> His later appearances include the spin-offs '']'' and '']''] and the sequels '']'' and '']'' (in which he is playable only during cetrain sequences).{{sfn|Tzvetkova|2017|p=312}}


{{R from merge}}
Altaïr is an ancestor (on the maternal side) of ],{{sfn|Tzvetkova|2017|p=312}} the protagonist of the modern-day portions of the first five main games.<ref name=Miguel/> Born to assassin parents in 1165, he has been a member of the ] for most of his life, beginning his training at a young age and rising to the rank of master assassin by his mid-20s.<ref name="GarcíaRosales">{{cite news|url=http://lavozdgo.com/2019/11/12/game-over-assassins-creed-ii-diez-anos-de-conflictos-entre-templarios-y-asesinos/|title=Assassin's Creed: Diez años de conflicto entre Templarios y Asesinos|last=García Rosales|first=Omar|date=29 November 2017|newspaper=La Voz de Durango|access-date=3 December 2017|language=es}}</ref> While very arrogant in his younger years, Altaïr managed to overcome his flaws and become one of the most skilled and wisest assassins to have ever lived. After being forced to kill his mentor, ], for betraying the assassins, he succeeded him as leader of the Assassin Order and worked to reform it. During his later journeys, Altaïr made several important discoveries that would benefit future generations of assassins, for which he would be remembered as a legendary figure within the Order. Near the end of his life, Altaïr built a vault underneath the assassin's base in ] to store his knowledge, as well as his most powerful artifact, the ], before sealing himself inside with it. The vault and Altaïr's remains wouldn't be discovered until centuries later, in 1512, by the Italian assassin ].


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ibn-La'Ahad, Altaïr}}
The character has been generally well received, with most of the praise directed at his skills as an assassin and growth throughout the series. However, some reviewers were critical of ]'s performance as Altaïr and the character's lack of backstory in the first game, which they felt made him two-dimensional and difficult to care about.

== Fictional character biography ==
Altaïr was born in 1165 to Umar Ibn-La'Ahad, an ] assassin, and his wife, Maud, who died of complications during childbirth. Umar was later executed by the forces of ] when he was revealed to have participated in a disastrous mission to assassinate the ruler, which resulted in Umar killing a nobleman who had caught him. He allowed himself to be executed and the last thing he heard was the voice of his son crying for him. It would later be revealed that another assassin, Ahmad Sofian, who had accompanied Umar, was to be executed in his place. Unable to live with the guilt of causing the death of a fellow Assassin, Ahmad apologized to Altaïr before committing suicide in front of him. Ahmad's son, ], was led to believe that his father had left the Assassin Order, so when Altaïr eventually confessed the truth about what had actually happened, Abbas refused to believe him and grew distrustful of him.

After his father's death, Altaïr was taken in by ], the Mentor of the Assassin Order, who raised and trained him at the ], the Assassins' headquarters. By the time he was 24 in 1189, Altaïr had lost his ] (in accordance to the Assassins' creed) and was more skilled than most of his fellow assassins.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Patrick |title=Assassin's Creed Origins acknowledges and abandons the series' mistakes |url=https://www.avclub.com/assassin-s-creed-origins-acknowledges-and-abandons-the-1820324907 |date=15 November 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017 |newspaper=]}}</ref> A flashback from '']'' shows the events leading to Altaïr's promotion to Master Assassin. In 1189, the ] attacked Masyaf and took Al Mualim hostage, aided by an Assassin turncoat named Haras. Altaïr killed Haras and saved Al Mualim, earning his and the other Assassins' respect.

The mobile spin-off '']'' takes place one year after this, in 1190, and depicts Altaïr's quest for an artifact called the Chalice, which is said to have the power to end the ]. During his journey, he discovers that "the Chalice" is in fact a woman named Adha, whom he had known and had feelings for, and that the Templars are also after her. Although Altaïr manages to kill the Templar leader, Lord Basilisk, he is unable to stop Adha from being captured and subsequently executed. Adha's death greatly infuriated Altaïr, and he swore revenge against everyone responsible.

In 1191, during the events of the original ], Altaïr is sent on a mission to ] to recover a hidden artifact from the Templars: the ]. The mission is a failure, and Altaïr breaks the tenets of the Order, leaving his fellow Assassins to face the Templars alone after a confrontation with the Templar grandmaster, ]. Altaïr flees to Masyaf to report his failure but is followed, resulting in Masyaf being attacked by the Templars. The Assassins are able to fend off their enemies, but Al Mualim opts to punish Altaïr by stripping him of his rank and sending him on a mission to assassinate nine Templars across the ]. Altaïr successfully eliminates his first eight targets, but when attempting to kill the last, Robert himself, he is tricked with a decoy: a woman named ]. Altaïr spares Maria after she reveals that Robert is meeting with ] to negotiate an alliance between the Crusaders and Saracens against the Assassins, and ultimately kills Robert, foiling his plan. Before dying, however, Robert reveals that Al Mualim betrayed the Assassins and allied with the Templars to obtain the Apple, only to then betray them as well in order to keep the Apple for himself. Returning to Masyaf, Altaïr is forced to fight through his fellow Assassin being controlled by the Apple before confronting Al Mualim, who tries to use illusions to fight him, but is ultimately defeated. With Al Mualim dead, Altaïr tries to destroy the Apple, but instead unlocks a map showing the locations of other Piece of Eden around the world.

In another flashback from ''Assassin's Creed Revelations'', immediately after Al Mualim's death, Altaïr cremates his body and decides to take over as Mentor of the Assassin Order, hoping to fix the damage Al Mualim had done. However, Abbas opposes the idea and steals the Apple from Altaïr, but is unable to bear its power, forcing Altaïr to retrieve it before it kills him. After this, Altaïr convinces his fellow Assassins about his ability to lead the Order and is formally elected Mentor.

After these events, Altaïr eventually began to study the Apple, and recorded his findings in a journal known as the Codex. He also married Maria, after he convinced her to defect to the Assassins. He had two sons, Darim and Sef Ibn-La'Ahad. During this time, Altaïr used what he had learned from the Apple to create new techniques and innovations for the Assassins to use. He later journeyed in 1222 to ] in ], ],{{sfn|Edginton|2017|p=32}} with Maria, Darim and Qulan Gal to assassinate ].{{sfn|Edginton|2017|p=33}}{{sfn|Edginton|2017|p=34}}{{sfn|Edginton|2017|p=35}} They returned ten years later to discover that Abbas, Altaïr's rival, had usurped control of the Order. Abbas tried to force Altaïr to give him the Apple, revealing that Sef had been executed and told that Altaïr had ordered it. Angered, Altaïr used the Apple but Maria told him to stop, resulting in her being stabbed by one of the Assassins loyal to Abbas. Altaïr and Darim fled Masyaf and Altaïr fell into a deep depression. Years later Altaïr retook the Order with the help of Assassins led by Tazim Al-Sayf, the son of Malik.

He began rebuilding the Brotherhood, splitting it up into small "guilds" located around the world and began construction of a large library hidden under Masyaf, sealed by five keys containing his memories. When ] explorers, Niccolò and Maffeo Polo arrived in Masyaf after they were invited by Altaïr and Darim, he told them of his experiences and put into action his idea of dividing the Assassins into smaller groups with their help. Later, Masyaf was attacked by Mongols and Altaïr helped the explorers escape by using the Apple to fend off the attackers. He then divided his books by giving some to the Polos and sending some to Alexandria. He also gave the Venetians the memory keys to the library, before sealing himself into the library along with the Apple after saying goodbye to Darim. While in the library, Altaïr recorded one last memory on a key he kept with him and died moments after. His remains were found centuries later by the 16th-century assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

==Other appearances==
*In '']'', Altaïr appears as a playable character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://palgn.com.au/nintendo-wii/15269/academy-of-champions-soccer-review/ |title=Academy of Champions Soccer Review |publisher=] |first=Joseph |last=Rositano |date=September 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116184214/http://palgn.com.au/nintendo-wii/15269/academy-of-champions-soccer-review/ |archive-date=January 16, 2014 }}</ref>
*In '']'', Altaïr's outfit is available with the "Lost Archive" DLC and he appears as a playable character in certain missions.
*In '']'' and '']'', Altaïr's outfit is unlockable through a UPLAY download.
*In '']'', Altaïr's outfit is available by completing all of the constraints in the main story.
*In '']'', Altaïr's outfit is unlocked by having Uplay data from one of the previous ''Assassin's Creed'' titles (it does not matter which previous AC title it is, only that there is Uplay data of a past Assassin's Creed game present).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://support.ubisoft.com/en-us/faqs/000018265/unlockable-altair-ezio-and-connor-outfits |title=Unlockable Altair, Ezio, and Connor Outfits |access-date=20 June 2020 |work=] Support}}</ref> Altaïr's Swords, an Altaïr themed ship figurehead, and Altaïr themed sails can be obtained via the DLC "Crusader & Florentine pack". In the present day, an Abstergo Entertainment market analysis on Altaïr can be found via hacking computers. The Market Analysis reveals Abstergo was looking into the possibility of using Altaïr as a role model for Abstergo's outreach programs, but found his habit of flouting his cultures taboos (demonstrated by video of him burning Al Mualim's body) and passed on using Altaïr instead deciding to focus on fellow Assassin Abbas Sofian whose character they found more suitable for their purposes.
*In '']'', Altaïr's outfit can be unlocked using the mobile phone companion app to open a chest which has the outfit inside it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://forums.ubisoft.com/showthread.php/1013336-How-do-you-get-Altair-s-outfit-after-patch-5 |title=How do you get Altair's outfit after patch 5? |date=September 2010 |access-date=20 June 2020 |work=] Forums}}</ref>
*In '']'', Altaïr's outfit can be unlocked through as a UPLAY reward.
*In the video game '']'', player character ] can disguise himself with Altaïr's outfit.
*In the video game '']'' (2008), Altaïr's outfit is unlockable for the ] to wear.
*Altaïr's outfit also appears in the video game '']''.
*In the video game '']'', the player can obtain an Altaïr trophy.
*In the video game '']'', there is an ] which shows a dead assassin (which resembles Altaïr) in a haystack.
*Altaïr's outfit appears as an outfit for Noctis in the "Assassin's Festival" DLC for '']''.
* Altaïr's outfit appears as a Mii Sword fighter costume available via DLC for '']''.
* Altaïr's likeness was used for a line of ''Assassin's Creed'' character-themed wine labels as part of a joint collaboration between Ubisoft and winemaker ] in 2018; the full name of his label is "2017 Altaïr Ibn-La’ahad ] IGP ]".<ref name="Shack">{{cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/108582/ubisoft-announces-assassins-creed-wine-collection|title=Ubisoft announces Assassin's Creed wine collection|author=Brittany Vincent|date=November 16, 2018|website=Shacknews|access-date=December 21, 2020}}</ref>

==Reception==
The character was generally well received. In 2008, '']'' ranked Altaïr as the fourth greatest ] character of all time, declaring "Not everybody was overly enamoured with ''Assassin's Creed'', but we have nothing but respect for its protagonist ... If everything about the game he inhabited had been as polished and brilliant as him, we certainly would have felt very differently about ''Assassin's Creed''."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html |title=The Top 50 Xbox Characters of All Time |date=September 30, 2008 |work=] |access-date=July 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006054805/http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/the-top-50-xbox-characters-of-all-time-20090616-cdkl.html |archive-date=October 6, 2010}}</ref> The 2011 '']'' lists the character as the 30th most popular video game character.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/16/guinness-names-top-50-video-game-characters-of-all-time.aspx |title=Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time |first=Jeff |last=Marchiafava |date=February 16, 2011 |work=] |access-date=April 8, 2011}}</ref> He was voted as the ninth top character of the 2000s decade by '']'''s readers.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/12/03/readers-top-30-characters-results-revealed.aspx |title=Readers' Top 30 Characters Results Revealed |first=Bryan |last=Vore |date=December 3, 2010 |work=] |access-date=May 18, 2014}}</ref>

] nominated and gave the award Altaïr for their "Stars' 2007 Badasssss!" award.<ref name="Badasssss">{{cite news |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/12/05/stars-2007-badasssss-awards-continue?page=2 |title=Stars' 2007 Badasssss! Awards! Continue |author=IGN Stars |date=December 5, 2007 |work=] |access-date=April 8, 2011}}</ref> In 2008, Mikel Reparaz of ] ranked him as the sixth best assassin in gaming, stating "Cool talents aside, Altaïr's a pretty compelling character in his own right, gradually growing out of his arrogant-prick phase to become more noble and altruistic. And as he does, he begins to actually question the morality of what he's doing, something few of the other assassins on this list ever do."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-top-7-assassins/ |title=The Top 7... Assassins |newspaper=] |date=February 6, 2008 |access-date=December 4, 2017 |last=Reparaz |first=Mikel}}</ref> That same year, IGN's Jesse Schedeen listed Altaïr as one of the fighters they would have in their ultimate fighting game, saying he was a slightly more realistic and efficient version of the ] from '']''.<ref name="Players Wanted">{{cite news |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/15/players-wanted-ultimate-fighting-game-part-2?page=4 |title=Players Wanted: Ultimate Fighting Game, Part 2 |first=Jesse |last=Schedeen |date=October 15, 2008 |newspaper=] |access-date=April 8, 2011}}</ref> In 2009, he ranked first on '']'''s list of most memorable hitmen in gaming.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gelo |last=Gonzales |url=http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/games/the-5-most-memorable-hitmen-in-gaming |title=The 5 most memorable hitmen in gaming |newspaper=] |date=November 26, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129165441/http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/games/the-5-most-memorable-hitmen-in-gaming |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although Altaïr ultimately did not make the cut, ''Game Informer'' staff considered his inclusion in their "30 characters that defined a decade" collection, with Joe Juba saying, "Altaïr's rise to power is no less dramatic and impressive than Ezio's – it's just most of his transformation into a peerless master assassin took place off-screen."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/19/the-snubbed-list.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 |title=The Snubbed List |last=Bertz |first=Matt |date=November 19, 2010 |newspaper=] |access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref>

On the other hand, Philip Shahbaz's vocal performance, particularly his American accent, was criticized. Hilary Goldstein of IGN, in her review of the original ''Assassin's Creed'', called the voice acting for Altaïr "abysmal," going on to say that he "speaks with an American accent and sounds as if he is auditioning for community theatre."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/11/13/assassins-creed-review |title=Assassin's Creed Review |last=Goldstein |first=Hilary |newspaper=] |date=November 13, 2007 |access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref> ZTGD's Joey Guacamole offered a similar opinion in his review of the game, calling it one of the worst voice acting performances of recent memory.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ztgd.com/reviews/assassins-creed/ |title=Assassin's Creed |last=Guacamole |first=Joe |newspaper=ZT Game Domain |date=January 17, 2011 |access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref> ]'s Kevin VanOrd was somewhat less critical of Shabaz's performance, writing that he did an "all-right" job as Altaïr, but still found him lacking compared to the other actors in the game.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/assassins-creed-review/1900-6182795/ |title=Assassin's Creed Review |newspaper=] |date=November 13, 2007 |access-date=December 4, 2017 |last=VanOrd |first=Kevin}}</ref> Some critics also took note of his undisclosed backstory in the original game. ]'s Will Tuttle, when comparing the character to ''Assassin's Creed II'''s protagonist Ezio Auditore, wrote that while Altaïr was "undeniably badass," the lack of any backstory or motives made him difficult to care about.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/assassins-creed-2/1046764p1.html |title=The Consensus: Assassin's Creed II Review |newspaper=] |date=November 17, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2017 |last=Tuttle |first=William}}</ref> IGN, using results from a reader's poll and comments, also listed Altaïr as the ninth most overrated video game character, calling him to a "poor man's Prince of Persia" and declaring him a two-dimensional, very formulaic character.<ref name="Overrated">{{cite news |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/24/top-10-most-overrated-videogame-characters |title=Top 10 Most Overrated Videogame Characters |first=Jesse |last=Schedeen |date=April 24, 2009 |newspaper=] |access-date=April 8, 2011}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowden |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Bowden |title=Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5unqr93gYBQC |publisher=] |year=2011 |pages=464 |isbn=9780141966717}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowden |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Bowden |title=Assassin's Creed: Revelations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W6FQ4_wJSFEC |publisher=] |year=2011 |pages=528 |isbn=9780141966724}}
* {{cite book |last=Tzvetkova |first=Juliana |title=Pop Culture in Europe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zk83DwAAQBAJ |chapter=Video Games |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zk83DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA303 |publisher=] |year=2017 |pages=414 |isbn=9781440844669}}
* {{cite book |last=Edginton |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Edginton |title=Assassin's Creed: Reflections |editor-first=Valeria |editor-last=Favoccia |editor2-first=Giorgia |editor2-last=Sposito |editor3-first=Carlos |editor3-last=López |editor4-first=Tom |editor4-last=Williams|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXgrDwAAQBAJ |chapter=Memory 2: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXgrDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 |publisher=] |year=2017 |pages=29–35 |isbn=9781785862410}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Altaïr ibn-La'Ahad}}
* on ]

{{Assassin's Creed}}

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