Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad

Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad (Arabic: الطائر ابن لا أحد, romanized: Aṭ-ṭāʾir ibn lā ʾaḥad, lit. 'The Bird, Son of No One') is a fictional character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game series. He first appears as the main playable character in the original Assassin's Creed game, which takes place during the Third Crusade. His later appearances include the spin-offs Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles and Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, which also feature him as the protagonist, and the sequels Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, in which he is playable only during certain sequences. Philip Shahbaz voiced Altaïr in the original game, while Owen Thomas took over the role in Bloodlines and Cas Anvar voiced him in Revelations.

Within the series' alternate historical setting, Altaïr was born in 1165 into the Assassin Brotherhood, an organization inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins dedicated to protecting peace and freedom. Raised and trained by the Assassin leader in Masyaf, Al Mualim, following the loss of his biological parents, Altaïr rose through the Brotherhood's ranks to become one of its most skilled agents. Though initially arrogant and cruel, Altaïr manages to overcome his flaws to become one of the wisest Assassins to ever live. After killing Al Mualim for betraying the Brotherhood, Altaïr succeeds him as Mentor and works to reform the Assassins with the help of a powerful artifact called the Apple of Eden. His further adventures see him protecting the assassin cause from their sworn enemies, the Knights Templar, as well as the rapidly expanding Mongol Empire. Near the end of his life, Altaïr builds a secret library to safeguard his knowledge and the Apple, which would become his final resting place in 1257. Due to his many contributions to the Brotherhood, Altaïr would be honored as one of its most legendary Mentors for centuries after his death.

The character has been generally well received, with praise for Altaïr's skills as an Assassin and personal growth. However, some have criticized his lack of backstory in the first game, as well as Philip Shahbaz's vocal performance. Alongside Ezio Auditore da Firenze, he is typically considered the face of the franchise and one of its most popular characters, leading to several crossover appearances outside the Assassin's Creed series.