There is perhaps no other character more important in the world of Assassin's Creed than Desmond Miles, at least, where the present-day events are concerned. He was the main hero of the story prior to his eventful sacrifice, and those who have played as him in-game surely understand the impact Desmond Miles has on the story of Assassin's Creed as a whole.
To honor Desmond's character, it will be fun to look back at some of the more hidden details about the character. There are things about him not that many people know unless they really dig through everything related to Desmond.
10 He Was Trained At A Very Young Age
Since Desmond Miles was born, he was already prepped to be the assassin he turned out to be. Being born into the Assassins Brotherhood, Desmond was raised in a secluded hideout with a population of no more than 30 people. This place he grew up in is known as "the Farm."
Desmond trained alongside other children under the guidance of his father, William Miles. His training was very intense and his father was hard on him.
9 A Wayward Son
When Desmond Miles was trained at a young age, the harsh nature of his training often scared him. However, as he listened to more war stories about the assassins and the templars, Desmond grew more weary and apathetic rather than impassioned. He underestimated the real impact of the templars and treated the stories told by his parents as nothing more than conspiracies.
With his feelings towards the assassins, or lack thereof, during his 16th birthday, Desmond Miles decided to run away from the farm. Using his training so far, he managed to outrun the other assassins in the compound.
8 From Assassin To Bartender
After Desmond left the compound he grew up in, he spent time moving from one place to another. He often used hitch-hiking as his means of moving from city to city. Eventually, he encountered a man who advised him to travel to New York City. There, he would learn how to blend in with a crowd, undetected in plain sight.
Desmond got a job as a bartender while in New York City. While there, he created a specialty drink called the Shirley Templar.
7 He Fathered A Son In New York City
Desmond spent a lot of time in New York before he was abducted by Abstergo, marking the beginning of the first Assassin's Creed game. During one of his endeavors, Desmond met a woman he would unknowingly bear a child with.
This child was named Elijah, and he grew up without Desmond's knowledge. Elijah was later captured by a group called the Instruments of the First Will, a cult dedicated to worshipping the Isu Juno. Elijah's mother was killed during his capture. The boy pretended to side with the Instruments, biding his time, until he was strong enough to turn on them and exact revenge for the death of his mother. Elijah also turned out to be a Sage.
6 How Desmond Got Captured
Desmond did a very good job hiding from those who would track him down, both the assassins and the templars. He managed to remain undetected for years, with the help of his years of training as an assassin. He used a fake name while working as a bartender and he strictly used cash only for his transactions to avoid being tracked.
Unfortunately for Desmond, he slipped through the cracks when he provided his fingerprints for his motorcycle license. The Templar Order got to him first, which is why Desmond was in an Abstergo Facility during the events of the first game.
5 His Son Helped The Assassins Defeat An Isu
At the climax of Desmond's journey, he ultimately sacrificed his life to save the Earth from the Second Disaster. In doing so, he also released the Isu Juno. Desmond believed that saving the planet was a more immediate concern and that the assassins after him would handle the situation with Juno.
As it turned out, Desmond was right. The assassins did manage to defeat Juno, with the help of his own son, no less. Elijah is Desmond's illegitimate son who was also a Sage. After years of pretending to serve Juno with the Instruments of the First Will, Elijah finally revealed his desires to end the cult and the Isu they worshipped, and he did so while working with an assassin named Charlotte.
4 Literally One In A Million
There's a reason why Desmond was both the assassins and templars after he ran away from the farm, aside from the fact that he is affiliated with the assassins and the son of the de facto leader of the brotherhood.
As it turns out, Desmond Miles is literally one in a million. More accurately, according to William Miles, Desmond Miles is about one in ten million because of the rarity of his genes. Due to being the descendant of several lines of Assassins from both sides of his parentage, Desmond's genes contain a very high concentration of First Civilization, or Isu, DNA.
3 Inconsistent Eye Colors
Throughout the series, Desmond has appeared in over five games, discounting mentions and cameos. His design has graphically improved over the years, but there's one inconsistency about him that recurs over the span of his appearances, which is his eye color.
After Desmond left the Farm before the events of the first game, a "missing-person" poster of him states that Desmond has brown eyes. Yet, during the game, his eyes are golden. In the second game, his eyes reverted to brown, and then it was blue in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.
2 Desmond's Abilities And Character Animations
During his time in the animus, Desmond Miles has picked up the skills and abilities of his ancestors via the Bleeding Effect, a side-effect of prolonged usage of the animus.
During the events of the Ezio trilogy, the way Desmond climbs walls is similar to that of Altair's, while his movement and combat animation resemble that of Ezio's. In Assassin's Creed III, his movements are similar to that of Haytham Kenway.
1 The Original Plan For Desmond Miles
The original plan for Desmond Miles turned out to be very different from what actually happened. According to Nolan North, the voice behind Desmond Miles, the original plan was to have Desmond appear in six games.
In each game, Desmond would acquire the skills of his ancestors and each game would progressively get closer to the present day. During the sixth game, Desmond Miles would have had the combined ability of all of his ancestors, becoming the ultimate assassin.