Assassin’s Creed Ragnarokis still just a rumor, but with expectations ofan official revealsteadily ramping up and little hints being dropped by Ubisoft, it’s impossible not to speculate on what the game will entail. That included the infamous Pieces of Eden: it’s only natural thatAssassin’s Creed Ragnarok(if that’s really the title) would involve one, but what if the game actually featured more than one?
The standard forAssassin’s Creedgames is generally one Piece of Eden and the Assassins' focus on locating it or using it somehow. However, given everything currently happening in the franchise universe,Ragnarokcould very easily include up to three different Pieces of Eden considering its very name suggests an adventure of apocalyptic proportions, depending on how the game’s story develops.
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The Staff of Hermes Trismegistus
The most obvious Piece of Eden is the one that everyone alreadyknowsLayla Hassan has in her possession: the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus. The Staff was given to Layla after she found the entrance to Atlantis and consequentially, Kassandra/Alexios waiting to be released from their burden by passing the Staff on to the Heir of Memories. It’d be more confusing if the Staffwasn’tpresent inRagnarok, and given the effect it’s already beginning to have on Layla, some sort of role in the next game feels like a pretty safe bet.
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, and specificallyitsFate of AtlantisDLC, has already presented some interesting questions about the Staff and how it’ll play into future adventures with Layla: at the end of the DLC, it is revealed that if its wielder can’t master the Staff, they’ll become corrupted by it. And Layla, unfortunately, is already beginning to suffer that fate after she critically wounds her enemy Otso Bergs and outright kills her ally, Victoria Bibeau. The obvious assumption for the next game’s story is that Layla will be working to prevent Ragnarok in whatever form it takes, but there’s also the possibility that she (and the Staff) will inadvertently set Ragnarok in motion. Not to mention, Layla’s current troubles are heavily reminiscent of another major character and event inAssassin’s Creedhistory, Desmond’s son Elijah and the Koh-i-Noor.
The Koh-i-Noor
The idea of Ragnarok being set in motion and a great disaster striking Earth is heavily reminiscent ofDesmond Miles' missionto stop the enormous solar flare inAssassin’s Creed 3. As players will remember, he successfully saved Earth from the solar flare but ended up freeing Juno at the same time–and therein began his son Elijah’s role as a Sage.
Those who don’t keep up with theAssassin’s Creedcomic books might not be as familiar with this storyline as they are with those in the games. Essentially, Elijah’s mission was to defeat Juno, which he ended up doing, but he also ends up taking the Koh-i-Noor for himself and disappearing entirely.The Koh-i-Nooris quite possibly the most powerful Piece of Eden of them all, and it can clearly corrupt its user just like the Staff of Hermes. On its own, the Koh-i-Noor can project a shield and expel blasts of energy, it contains the consciousness of the Isu Durga, and it creates holograms while also maintaining the ability to track where other Pieces of Eden are and “bind their fates together,” which could spell bad news for Layla and the Staff.
Given that Elijah is out there somewhere with his own Piece of Eden, hecould turn up inRagnarokand trigger an apocalyptic disaster himself, or perhaps forge a relationship with Layla that leads to the both of them going down that dark path. With Ubisoft obviously taking Layla in a similar direction, it’ll be interesting to see if Elijah is involved as well. He could be the thing that corrupts her permanently or the thing that ultimately spurs her to master the Staff and avoid the same fate.
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The Apple of Eden
Then, there’s the Apple of Eden: it’s the most well-known Piece of Eden among fans, and it’s made an appearance inmany entries of the franchise. The Apple also isn’t actually singular: there are nine Apples currently known to exist, increasing the likelihood that one of them will pop up again sometime. However, the real indicator that an Apple of Eden could show up inRagnarokwas actually something that came up inThe Division 2, another of Ubisoft’s titles.
An Apple of Eden showed up as an easter egg inThe Division 2,which could definitely mean that Ubisoft is bringing them back forRagnarokas well. In terms of powers, the Apples can project mind-controlling illusions, manipulate physics, create tangible holograms, manipulate energy, conjure curses, turn people invisible, and negate the effects of the Staves of Eden. And that last ability, given the above speculation, could be exactly what brings an Apple (or Apples) of Eden into play forRagnarok. Coming into contact with an Apple of Eden could very well be Layla’s saving grace, or at least be a tool that makes it possible for her to finally gain mastery over the Staff of Hermes.
The question remains, then:whichApple could show up inRagnarok? Two of them are confirmed to have been destroyed, and four are currently in unknown locations, which just leaves three: one in thepossession of the Templars, one in the hands of William Miles, and one with Callum Lynch (aka Michael Fassbender’s character from theAssassin’s Creedmovie).
Of course, all of this is still just speculation, since Ubisoft has yet to even formally revealAssassin’s Creed Ragnarok–though further speculation suggests that game reveal could be quite soon, barring coronavirus delays like thecancellation of E3which is normally the time games like this get their reveal. Still, it’s clear that the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus will most likely be present inRagnarok, and there are compelling reasons for the Koh-i-Noor and Apple of Eden to make appearances as well.
Time will tell where Ubisoft chooses to taketheAssassin’s Creedstoryline next,and also potentially answer the question: how many Pieces of Eden does it take to start (or perhaps avert) an apocalypse?
Assassin’s Creed Ragnarokis rumored to be in development.
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