Since its introduction in 2007, Assassin's Creed has evolved from a series of stealth action games into open-world RPGs. However, even though the franchise has changed and adapted over the years, it has still featured some of the most engaging and relatable protagonists in gaming. With each new entry, these characters have helped reel players in with their unique looks, like Connor from Assassin's Creed III, or compelling stories, like Edward Kenway from Black Flag.

One of the franchise's most beloved characters is Ezio Auditore. Introduced in Assassin's Creed II, he had a total of four console games dedicated to his life, which makes him one of the series' most fully realized protagonists. One of the most interesting aspects of his story is his origin; Ezio became an assassin following the unjust death of his father and brothers. This led him to seek out justice and, ultimately, eliminate the corruption that infected Italy. In the end, Ezio's path was similar to that of a superhero.

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Like Batman, Ezio's drive for vengeance and justice drove him to take up the role of an assassin. An assassin's outfit is seen as more than just a uniform in the franchise, and it carries an obligation to uphold the creed. Before Ezio, his father Giovanni did just that -- a secret he kept from his family. However, following his death, Ezio found and wore his late father's assassin outfit.

At first, Ezio didn't fully understand the creed. He hunted the criminals who killed his family with a blind rage similar to Spider-Man chasing down the mugger that killed Uncle Ben. Ezio was untrained in the art of assassination, and it showed. His assassinations were sloppy and his public presence, while under the hood, gave him a reputation. Similar to Batman, Ezio became a vigilante, and he even ended up with wanted posters littered throughout Italy calling for his arrest.

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Ezio created a base of operations in his Uncle Mario's home of Monteriggioni. Here, he planned his next moves and gathered a small band of fellow assassins and friends (including his Uncle) to aid him. This would mark the start of Ezio's growth from a vigilante hero to a leader of the most successful Assassin's guild in the franchise's history.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood shows Ezio's path to leadership, portraying him as a more competent assassin who is able to balance his work and home life fairly well. He uses his skills and experience to teach others how to be assassins, like Batman training Robin, and Ezio and his students work together to eliminate the corruption still found in Rome and Italy.

Revelations marked the end of the Ezio trilogy, and showed an older version of him going on his final adventure as a full-time assassin. This tale of a middle-aged hero who sought a quiet life but must complete one last mission reflects characters like Wolverine in the film Logan. The game ends with Ezio getting a happy ending where he can start a family of his own, which is shown in the short film Assassin's Creed Embers. Ezio's story as told throughout the franchise makes him more than just another assassin -- it makes him the franchise's superhero.

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