By far one of the most famous figures of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens' tales captivated a nation, with his 'Dickensian' qualities coming to encompass stories that focussed on poverty, social misfortune, and comically sinister characters. However, some will probably be a little confused as to why the man who penned Oliver Twist is popping up in an AC game - but there may be a reasonable explanation as to his appearance. Dickens lived a rather tumultuous life - one burdened with ill health at one moment and monetary hardship at the other. The man was also an advocate of social justice and engaged in a wide array of philanthropic endeavours, but he also had a very secretive side. In 1860 it is believed that Dickens burnt all of his letters that he had received up until that point. Though that may be little to go on in the way of inferring Assassin and/or Templar involvement, it will more than likely form a part of why he has a part to play in the story of Jacob Frye. Coupled with the fact that Dickens also survived a rather traumatic train crash, there is a lot in the way to go on in placing the Assassins' storyline right at his feet. Are there any historical events that you think could influence Syndicate? Or do you think Assassin's Creed should try to stay away from big events? Be sure to post a comment and let us know!
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
