By Ben Mapp
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 this November, and joining the new protagonist Shay in his conquest of the North Atlantic during the Seven Years’ War is veteran character and a fan-favourite from Assassin’s Creed III, Haytham Kenway. Whilst Haytham’s involvement in the game might only be minor (although hopefully it isn’t), we’re taking a look back and why exactly his character is so damn likeable. After all he is the son of a legendary pirate, the father of a naïve Assassin, and a ruthless agent of the ancient Templar Order. Whatever you might think of Assassin’s Creed III, one thing that most people seem to agree on is that the addition of Haytham was a damn good move. There’s nothing quite like a volatile villain with a strong British accent and an affection for Native American ladies to let you know exactly who you’re fighting, but Haytham as a character is anything but two-dimensional.
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is coming to Xbox 360 and PS3 this November, and joining the new protagonist Shay in his conquest of the North Atlantic during the Seven Years’ War is veteran character and a fan-favourite from Assassin’s Creed III, Haytham Kenway. Whilst Haytham’s involvement in the game might only be minor (although hopefully it isn’t), we’re taking a look back and why exactly his character is so damn likeable. After all he is the son of a legendary pirate, the father of a naïve Assassin, and a ruthless agent of the ancient Templar Order. Whatever you might think of Assassin’s Creed III, one thing that most people seem to agree on is that the addition of Haytham was a damn good move. There’s nothing quite like a volatile villain with a strong British accent and an affection for Native American ladies to let you know exactly who you’re fighting, but Haytham as a character is anything but two-dimensional.
Let’s run over the important back story details first of all to get our heads around who exactly Haytham Kenway is. Haytham is the son of Edward Kenway, the cheeky Welsh protagonist of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, who was also a pirate and later Assassin and ruled the islands of the West Indies for a time.
After later retiring to England to focus on his family life, Edward began teaching Haytham to be a warrior from a young age. Edward’s later murder and the kidnap of Haytham’s older sister Jennifer is what incited Haytham to pick a side in the Assassin/Templar war. Inclined by a family friend called Reginald Birch and promised revenge if he offered his skills to the latter Order, Haytham became an agent for the Templars. Haytham would eventually avenge his father’s death and rescue his sister from servitude in the Ottomon Empire, but only after fully dedicating himself to the Templar Order. Much of this is never revealed in the games themselves, so let’s turn our attention to Haytham as he appears in-game (not counting his cameo at the end of Black Flag). Assassin’s Creed III for the most part takes place during the American Revolutionary War where you play as the insipid rookie Assassin, Connor Kenway. Connor is the half British/half Mohawk spawn of Haytham and a native woman (with a thoroughly unpronounceable Mohawk name), conceived during Haytham’s initial expedition to the New World many years after his own father’s death. However the first few hours of the game puts you firmly in the shoes of Haytham himself. The opening mission takes place in London during an opera, where Haytham must navigate the theatre silently during a musical performance in order to assassinate a target on the upper floors (who turns out to be an old acquaintance). Eventually, after following an investigation to the feuding states of Colonial America and then reaching a semi-literal dead end, Haytham decides to set up shop as the young country’s first Templar Grand Master.
Whilst rallying the local Templar operatives together and uniting them all in an attempt to purge all Assassins from the land, Haytham is much too busy to even contemplate that the native woman he had bonked just one time in a cave had actually bore him a son, and that she was raising that son far away out on the American Frontier. Eventually, inevitably, their two paths cross after Connor reaches maturity. But we’ll come to the interesting father/son dynamic a little later on.
After later retiring to England to focus on his family life, Edward began teaching Haytham to be a warrior from a young age. Edward’s later murder and the kidnap of Haytham’s older sister Jennifer is what incited Haytham to pick a side in the Assassin/Templar war. Inclined by a family friend called Reginald Birch and promised revenge if he offered his skills to the latter Order, Haytham became an agent for the Templars. Haytham would eventually avenge his father’s death and rescue his sister from servitude in the Ottomon Empire, but only after fully dedicating himself to the Templar Order. Much of this is never revealed in the games themselves, so let’s turn our attention to Haytham as he appears in-game (not counting his cameo at the end of Black Flag). Assassin’s Creed III for the most part takes place during the American Revolutionary War where you play as the insipid rookie Assassin, Connor Kenway. Connor is the half British/half Mohawk spawn of Haytham and a native woman (with a thoroughly unpronounceable Mohawk name), conceived during Haytham’s initial expedition to the New World many years after his own father’s death. However the first few hours of the game puts you firmly in the shoes of Haytham himself. The opening mission takes place in London during an opera, where Haytham must navigate the theatre silently during a musical performance in order to assassinate a target on the upper floors (who turns out to be an old acquaintance). Eventually, after following an investigation to the feuding states of Colonial America and then reaching a semi-literal dead end, Haytham decides to set up shop as the young country’s first Templar Grand Master.
Whilst rallying the local Templar operatives together and uniting them all in an attempt to purge all Assassins from the land, Haytham is much too busy to even contemplate that the native woman he had bonked just one time in a cave had actually bore him a son, and that she was raising that son far away out on the American Frontier. Eventually, inevitably, their two paths cross after Connor reaches maturity. But we’ll come to the interesting father/son dynamic a little later on.
Haytham is voiced by actor Adrian Hough, whose spellbinding performance in the game received a much deserved BAFTA nomination. The likeability and continued interest in the character stretches even further than Hough’s vocal expertise however. As a Templar with an embedded set of ideals, Haytham can be nearly always unpredictable in his actions. It is not revealed immediately that he is a Templar in-game and so many of his actions come across as more questionable than previous playable characters (as the player presumes him to be an Assassin from the offset). This is illustrated during the sequence early on where Haytham is sailing aboard the Providence during his first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from London to Boston. He is immediately hostile to many members of the crew during the voyage and survives a couple of confrontations with more than a few of them, swatting them away like flies in combat and enforcing his own commanding presence. Haytham is not one to follow the commands of others, and does so only when he knows it will benefit him. He is a very observant character who seems to know a person’s background simply on instinct, even if he is meeting them for the first time, and so ultimately knows exactly which kind of pressure tactics to use in order to get what he wants. He threatens to decapitate the captain of the Providence after he tries to publicly scold Haytham in front of the crew.
Whilst Haytham never tortures anyone on the ship (although he does kill one of the crew), he later allows for his own son Connor to be imprisoned, beaten and nearly executed for not sharing his ideals, before initiating a fragile truce with the Assassin. Manipulation, it is revealed, is one of Haytham’s more finely tuned characteristics. But as a character he is also a little changeable, not so much in ideals but in his methods. During the almost-execution of Connor for instance, it is Haytham who offers assistance after a rescue attempt by Connor’s own comrades fails. It is unclear whether or not Haytham’s sudden change of heart was instigated due to a paternal responsibility, or merely to benefit himself as Connor, with all of his murderous skills as an Assassin, might’ve made a worthy ally in the ongoing war to unify America against the British. I would bet on the latter of the two, although it’s possible that Haytham believed the former. Haytham understands that no one, not even a trained Assassin, is beyond conversion to the Templar Order. Had he gone about things differently he might have even succeeded in turning Connor to his cause.
Whilst Haytham never tortures anyone on the ship (although he does kill one of the crew), he later allows for his own son Connor to be imprisoned, beaten and nearly executed for not sharing his ideals, before initiating a fragile truce with the Assassin. Manipulation, it is revealed, is one of Haytham’s more finely tuned characteristics. But as a character he is also a little changeable, not so much in ideals but in his methods. During the almost-execution of Connor for instance, it is Haytham who offers assistance after a rescue attempt by Connor’s own comrades fails. It is unclear whether or not Haytham’s sudden change of heart was instigated due to a paternal responsibility, or merely to benefit himself as Connor, with all of his murderous skills as an Assassin, might’ve made a worthy ally in the ongoing war to unify America against the British. I would bet on the latter of the two, although it’s possible that Haytham believed the former. Haytham understands that no one, not even a trained Assassin, is beyond conversion to the Templar Order. Had he gone about things differently he might have even succeeded in turning Connor to his cause.
Haytham was made aware of the death of Connor’s mother early on in the game’s story by his cold-blooded colleague Charles Lee, but chose to reserve this information for just the right moment when it would best suit him. After Connor and Haytham reunite at a military fort headed by George Washington, he reveals that Washington himself had ordered the attack on Connor’s village (which had led to the death of Connor’s mother and several friends), an act which had sparked Connor’s initial quest for vengeance. Haytham did this to sway the Assassin to his cause. However Connor sees Haytham for what he really is and instantly severs their alliance, abandoning his father at the fort and going after Charles Lee (the man who led the attack on his village). Haytham’s own persistence is what eventually leads to his downfall in the end. The next time the two men meet would be their last.
In a final attempt to convert Connor to the Templars, Haytham ambushes him at Fort George during a massive naval strike. The two men battle it out as the fort starts to fall apart all around them, with Haytham eventually getting the upper hand of the two. Connor plays coy briefly before impaling Haytham in the throat with a perfectly-timed strike with his hidden blade, causing Haytham to bleed to death – but not before stating “Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand. Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities. I should have killed you long ago.” Haytham was never torn between his Templar beliefs and forming a bond with his son, but by choosing to risk leaving Connor alive at the earlier execution, Haytham has in fact sealed his own fate. Connor killed Haytham and then finally tracked down Charles Lee, avenging his mother quietly in a local pub.
Whilst Connor’s storyline felt somewhat unfulfilling mostly due to the fact that his character was blander than even Altair, Haytham’s character was a total contrast to his son’s. Haytham was enticing and – most certainly – the most riveting part of Assassin’s Creed III. Despite all of his faith in the Templar Order, Haytham is flawed and full of humanity. His attitude is authentic and, despite the faults of the game in question, he was truly a pleasure to behold.
In a final attempt to convert Connor to the Templars, Haytham ambushes him at Fort George during a massive naval strike. The two men battle it out as the fort starts to fall apart all around them, with Haytham eventually getting the upper hand of the two. Connor plays coy briefly before impaling Haytham in the throat with a perfectly-timed strike with his hidden blade, causing Haytham to bleed to death – but not before stating “Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand. Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities. I should have killed you long ago.” Haytham was never torn between his Templar beliefs and forming a bond with his son, but by choosing to risk leaving Connor alive at the earlier execution, Haytham has in fact sealed his own fate. Connor killed Haytham and then finally tracked down Charles Lee, avenging his mother quietly in a local pub.
Whilst Connor’s storyline felt somewhat unfulfilling mostly due to the fact that his character was blander than even Altair, Haytham’s character was a total contrast to his son’s. Haytham was enticing and – most certainly – the most riveting part of Assassin’s Creed III. Despite all of his faith in the Templar Order, Haytham is flawed and full of humanity. His attitude is authentic and, despite the faults of the game in question, he was truly a pleasure to behold.
"We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world be as it is..."
Haytham’s return in the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is highly anticipated for us, and we hope that he remains as consistent and as enjoyable to be around as he was the first time around. Do you agree with our evaluation of Haytham’s character? Did you enjoy his presence as much as we did? Are you looking forward to Rogue when it hits shelves in November?
Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter. We’d love to hear from you!
Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter. We’d love to hear from you!
RSS Feed
