Who is the strongest protagonist in *Assassin’s Creed*? Ezio wins again

I finally booted up my system on Saturday afternoon. I was originally planning to check out the latest updates on the Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag remake, but ended up getting pulled in by another community topic first. Recently, information related to the Black Flag remake has been surfacing one after another, which has definitely pushed longtime players’ expectations even higher. Riding this wave of attention, the overseas outlet everyeye.it also took the opportunity to rank the most popular protagonists in the Assassin’s Creed series, and sitting firmly in first place was the same familiar face: Ezio.

This result doesn’t surprise me at all. For someone like me, who usually can only scroll through gaming news during the commute and squeeze in actual playtime on weekends, the thing I care most about in a character is simple: are you worth following around for dozens of hours? Ezio stands out because he didn’t just shine in a single game. From Assassin’s Creed II to Brotherhood to Revelations, his entire growth arc was fully realized. Youth, prime, old age—it feels like following a long-running series that never fell apart at the end, where the time you put in genuinely feels worthwhile.

The original article points out that the key reason Ezio stays firmly at the top is “the complete character growth across the trilogy and the ultimate level of character-building.” That’s not really an exaggeration. Many protagonists in the series are highly distinctive, but very few are like him, with even their costume design deeply tied to the different stages of their lives. From the spirited confidence of Assassin’s Creed II, to the seasoned competence of Brotherhood, to the weathered aura of Revelations, the changes in appearance aren’t just cosmetic swaps—they speak for the character.

That said, Assassin’s Creed isn’t a series where only Ezio can carry the spotlight. Altaïr has that cold, trailblazing aura of a true founder figure. Connor has his own sense of inner conflict. Edward Kenway wins fans over with pure pirate charisma. Arno Dorian and Bayek have their supporters too. But if you had to pick one person who best represents the entire series, Ezio really does feel like that veteran employee at a company who can handle major projects, mentor newcomers, and never drop the ball—so reliable it’s almost absurd.

What makes the point even clearer is that Ezio’s outfits were later repeatedly used as reward costumes across the series for years. When a character keeps being used by the official side as the “face” of the franchise like that, it already says a lot about their status. The overseas article also mentions that in a major poll in 2024, he was voted one of the most popular video game characters of all time. That kind of recognition beyond the series itself is far more convincing than simply comparing combat ability.

Still, the most interesting thing about this news isn’t just that “Ezio is number one again,” but that it reminds people that the core asset of the Assassin’s Creed series has always been its characters. Especially at a time when news about the Black Flag remake is heating up, players naturally start revisiting Edward, and while they’re at it, they end up pulling out the entire lineup of series protagonists for comparison all over again. This kind of community buzz is important for an old IP—it’s like digging out an old coat from the bottom of the closet and realizing it’s still the most durable one you own.

If you’re a new player who’s never played the older Assassin’s Creed games, my advice is straightforward: if you really want to catch up, prioritize the Ezio trilogy. The reason isn’t just that it carries the most nostalgia, but that it offers a strong balance between time invested and experience gained. For working adults, games are a bit like ordering takeout—you can tolerate paying a little more, but the worst feeling is spending both money and your weekend only to be left with that exhausted thought of, “Why does it feel like I still haven’t gotten to the real point yet?” Ezio’s story, at least in terms of character experience, remains one of those classic choices that’s still more than worth it.