For years, the story of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins was very much a mystery. Even though players knew of its existence, there was never a mainline game that really delved into its lore. Luckily,Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas arrived to finally deliver on that tale. Not only does it finally bring the franchise to the long-awaited setting of Japan, but it also sheds light on exactly what went down for this chapter of the Brotherhood.
From the secondAssassin’s Creed Shadowsstarts, players are thrust into the shoes of future assassin, Naoe. They get to watch as the Brotherhood is vanquished, help rebuild it to its former glory, and discover the events that led up to both throughout their adventure. While not every detail has been revealed, the story thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowstells is a fascinating one. And through post-launch content, the Brotherhood’s journey through Japan will likely only get more expansive.
The Japanese Brotherhood Has an Extremely Interesting Story to Tell
The Japanese Brotherhood is Devastated by the Time of AC Shadows
BeforeAssassin’s Creed Shadows, Naoe’s mother, Tsuyu, was tasked withestablishing a brand-new Brotherhoodin Japan alongside other assassins. They ended up succeeding, and the Japanese Brotherhood prospered across the continent, with one of their main goals being to protect the three Imperial Regalia. However, they were eventually hunted down by a mysterious group of samurai known as the Shinbakufu. These samurai ended up massacring the assassins, leaving only three alive and taking two of the Regalia. The survivors fled with the final piece, hoping to keep it from their enemy.
By the timeAssassin’s Creed Shadowskicks off, the Brotherhood has dwindled even further, with onlyNaoe’s father Nagato and Sandayubeing surviving members of the original team. However, they too quickly meet their end at the hands of Oda Nobunga and his army. Nagato is struck down at the start of the game while protagonist Naoe is left for dead. As players push further into the game, they also discover that Yasuke killed Sandayu, leaving the entire Brotherhood decimated.
It is Up to Naoe and Yasuke to Rebuild What Was Lost
In his dying breath, Nagato tells Naoe to follow the blade. So, once she recovers from her wounds, she makes it her mission to avenge his death. As she does so, she also begins to build her own version of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. She spends much of her time constructinga Hideout for them to call home, and many of the allies she encounters end up joining her fight. As she continues to take out members of the Shinbakufu, even Yasuke ends up joining her team,
Together, they work to rid the world of evil while also rebuilding much of what was lost. This is the primary focus ofthe rest ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' story, which makes for a pretty intriguing tale. While otherAssassin’s Creedgames have also had players rebuild a destroyed Brotherhood, this type of story has not really been told for a little while now. Instead, players have either not really played as an Assassin or have worked within a pretty well-built Brotherhood, so this is an exciting change of pace.
Since more content is coming toAssassin’s Creed Shadows, there are likely even more stories surrounding this Brotherhood waiting to be told. Players still do not really know what its early days looked like, and Ubisoft has barely scratched the surface of some of the surviving members' stories, so he future is very much unwritten. But for now, players will just have to wait and see where Naoe and Yasuke’s journey takes them next.
