How Assassin's Creed Mirage Lays the Perfect Foundation for AC Valhalla's Epic Viking Saga

Assassin's Creed Mirage and Assassin's Creed Valhalla contain major spoilers. The franchise's story is complex, with connections and references between the games. The timeline encompasses different time periods, god-like beings, and numerous organizations. Assassin's Creed Mirage can be enjoyed as a standalone story, but its ending disrupts this idea by embracing the intricate plot found in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Initially, Assassin's Creed Valhalla tells a simple Viking tale but quickly delves into a world of mythology. This mythology is eventually revealed to be a representation of ancient Isu history. The Isu were a technologically advanced civilization that existed 70,000 years ago and were eradicated by a catastrophic event. As a prequel to Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Mirage embraces this complex narrative, setting up its successor in significant ways.

How Assassin's Creed Mirage Ties into Assassin's Creed Valhalla

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players come across Basim, a member of the Hidden Ones, which serves as a precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood. Basim, accompanied by his apprentice Hytham, joins forces with Eivor, the main character, to progress through the game's storyline. However, it is later revealed that Basim has hidden intentions. At the conclusion of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, it is disclosed that Basim is the reincarnation of Loki, the Norse god, who is, in reality, an ancient Isu that was imprisoned by another Isu named Odin.

Loki successfully transfers his consciousness through Yggdrasil, an Isu device that enabled a select few Isu to survive the catastrophic event known as the Great Catastrophe. By passing down their identity via human DNA, Loki and Odin achieved continuity. Presently, Odin's consciousness resides within Eivor, resulting in Basim/Loki seeking vengeance against Odin for past transgressions dating back 70,000 years. The conflict between Basim/Loki and Eivor/Odin ultimately culminates in Basim being trapped within Yggdrasil after an intense confrontation.

Assassin's Creed Mirage introduces key moments in a significant manner. Early on, players encounter a side mission called Tale of Baghdad where they witness a young boy attempting a daring leap of faith to impress his friends. Inspired by Basim's successful jump, the boy named Hytham expresses his desire to become like Basim and seeks him out when he reaches an appropriate age, thus establishing their mentor-apprentice relationship in Valhalla.

Undoubtedly, the Basim/Loki twist in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the most notable aspect that Mirage builds up, particularly towards the game's conclusion. Following the defeat of the Order of the Ancients in Baghdad, Basim returns to Alamut Castle and stumbles upon a hidden chamber beneath the hideout. Using his blood as a catalyst, Basim unlocks the chamber and uncovers an ancient Isu prison filled with Memory Seals. Through these Seals, Basim delves into his past life as Loki, understanding that the tormenting entity from his dreams, the Jinni, actually represents Loki's torture inflicted by Odin long ago. Fully embracing his previous existence, Basim chooses to become the complete reincarnation of Loki. The final line of dialogue in Assassin's Creed Mirage sees Basim pledging to track down those who would attempt to confine him, directly setting the stage for his mission in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.