Prince of Persia
From Assassin's Creed Wiki
Video game series made by Ubisoft Montreal in which acted as the inspiration for Assassin's Creed and featured many similar aspects.
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[edit] Games
[edit] The Sands of Time
Plot Summary
The Persians invade a city and claim the Dagger of Time and the Hourglass of Time. They then travel to a nearby friendly fortress where the Prince opens the Hourglass and unleashes the Sands, not knowing that they turn everyone they touch into evil Sand Creatures. Protected from the Sands by the Dagger, the Prince must use it's time control powers to reach the Hourglass and reverse the catastrophe.
[edit] Warrior Within
Plot Summary
Warrior Within picks up an undetermined amount of time after the end of Sands of Time with the Prince being hunted by an immortal beast called the Dahaka. The Prince learns from an old mystic that the Dahaka is hunting him because he disrupted the timeline in Sands of Time, and that the only way to stop the Dahaka is to travel to the birthplace of the Sands, go back in time using a time portal, and stop the Sands from being created. So the Prince sets of to seek an audience with the Empress of Time, but finds himself an unwanted guest...
[edit] Two Thrones
The Two Thrones follows the ending of Warrior Within in which the Prince kills the Dahaka and successfully alters Kaileena's (The Empress of Time) fate. While on a ship en route to his home city of Babylon, the Prince tosses the magical medallion overboard, as he no longer needs it. Promising Kaileena that no harm would come to her in Babylon, upon returning he is horrified to learn that his city has been ravaged by war. Additionally, his ship is attacked which results in both the Prince and Kaileena being thrown overboard, although Kaileena is taken prisoner after drifting ashore.
After fighting his way through the city to find her, the Prince realizes that as a result of his efforts on the Island of Time to prevent the Sands of Time from being created that the events of the original game never happened, and The Vizier was never killed. Worse, he now possesses the empty hourglass, the Dagger of Time, and the magical staff. The Vizier is now in search of the Sands of Time, and has captured the Empress of Time to get them. Just as the Prince finds Kaileena, the Vizier kills her, and unleashes the Sands of Time, which strike and mutate the Vizier's lieutenants into hideous sand monsters. Then, by impaling himself with the dagger, the Vizier transforms into a terrifying immortal winged creature. The Prince is also struck by the sands of time, although the effects on him are not revealed until later in the story. The unleashed sands of time cause the Palace to fall apart and collapse. The Prince falls as the floors collapse around him, but not before stealing the Dagger of Time.
Later, The Prince finds that the sands of time have split him into two personalities: his usual self, which although flawed strives to be good and noble; and the "Dark Prince" who represents the more cruel, avaricious, and arrogant aspects of his psyche, and is manifested as a bitter and cynical inner voice. Whenever the Dark Prince is dominant - in the absence of water, and when he is able to feed on the Prince's fear and anger - the Prince assumes his dark, corrupted form, although his mind remains intact. In his natural state, the corruption of the sands is limited to a glowing sore on his wounded left arm (where the sands had fused a razor-sharp chain weapon known as the Daggertail into his flesh), although the Prince is alarmed to discover that the sore spreads further with each metamorphosis into the Dark Prince.
Meanwhile, the Vizier has transformed his army (and even some of the population of Babylon) into sand monsters. While searching for a way to defeat the Vizier, the Prince once again encounters Farah, who does not remember him, and is surprised that the Prince knows her name- as a result of all the Prince's time-travelling, the events of the first game (including the ending in which the Prince fought the Vizier in Farah's bedroom) never happened. Although initially wary of the Prince, she agrees to help him defeat the Vizier.
As they travel together, the Prince continues to endure the inner struggle between his noble aspirations (which resonate with the brave and compassionate Farah) and the Dark Prince, whose voice is a constant reminder of the Prince's darker tendencies. The Prince's growing affection for Farah compels him to embrace a more selfless perspective, beginning with concern for Farah and developing into compassion for his downtrodden people. As this begins to happen, he realizes that the Dark Prince, who claims to be part of him, is in fact a sand monster, who is vying for control of the Prince and his kingdom. A particularly heroic and selfless deed proves a turning point in his mission, as his heroism inspires a new hope in the populace. Their spirits lifted by the knowledge that their Prince fought to save them from the Vizier, they rise up in defiance of his army so that their Hero might stand a better chance. This provided enough of a diversion for the Prince and Farah to get through the horde of sand warriors guarding the palace.
As they approach the throne room, however, they are ambushed by the Vizier. He captures Farah and sends the Prince plummeting deep into a dry well, only to survive by transforming into the Dark Prince. As he goes further into the well, the Dark Prince's voice grows stronger and more hostile, fuelled by the lack of water and the Prince's desperation. He eventually comes across a dark room to find his father's lifeless form lying on the ground. Overcome with grief, taunted by the Dark Prince - "What now? Perform another Grand Rewind? Or perhaps go back to the Island and return to a time when he might be saved, maybe, rescue a damsel in distress along the way?" - the Prince recognises his own childishness, the immaturity underlying his constant efforts to undo his mistakes. He resolves never to walk down that path again, that he would accept the consequences of his actions. With this resolution, he silences the Dark Prince and reverts to his natural form - without water. Taking up his father's sword he makes his way up the tower to complete his mission.
Using the Dagger of Time and his father's sword, the Prince is able to defeat the Vizier and free Farah. With the Vizier's death, his army vanishes and Kaileena's soul is freed from his grotesque form. She thanks the Prince by cleansing him of his corruption and removing the daggertail, before leaving this world for another that more suited to her presence. However, as the Prince leans down to reach for his father's crown, he is confronted by the form of a dark warrior who says to him, "All that is yours is rightfully mine, and mine it will be", as prophesied at the end of Warrior Within. Before the Prince's eyes, the dark warrior metamorphoses into the Dark Prince, who swings his Daggertail and draws the Prince into the mental realm where the two battle for control. With some help from the voice of Farah - "This place reeks of sadness and cruel intentions" - the Prince realises that battling his inner demon only serves to feed it, and to trap himself within its realm. In the end he turns away and follows the voice of Farah. Starved of anger, greed, and pride, the Dark Prince is finally defeated.
Veterans of The Sands of Time are treated to a tribute and reference to the first game in the trilogy. When Farah asks The Prince how he really knew her name, he begins to tell her the story of the first game, using the same monologue as the introduction and ending of that game, bringing the Sands of Time trilogy full circle: "Most people think time is like a river, that flows swift and sure in one direction. But I have seen the face of time, and I can tell you, they are wrong. Time is an ocean in a storm. You may wonder who I really am and why I say this. Come, and I will tell you a tale like none you have ever heard... "
