Detailed Analysis - Main Narrative DLC
Having experienced Desmond’s journey, we were also allowed to explore the life of Subject 16 in the same manner. While trapped in the Animus, Desmond would gain access to the memories of the subject 16 construct that he encountered in the Animus. After hearing so much about subject 16’s life, the only chance we had to meet him was the version that was focused on helping Desmond and so we were not able to get to know the man. Despite being a driving force in helping Desmond achieve a Synch Nexus, we never actually got to talk much to 16. Any time we would see him, they were always brief conversations that highlighted his vast knowledge, his loneliness, and his trying to understand more about the kind of man Desmond is.
In The Lost Archive DLC, we can delve deeper into 16’s journey, his emotional states, and a devastating secret that will probably change Desmond and the team in subtle but important ways. Introduced as a Novice to the Brotherhood, Clay Kaczmarek (Subject 16), was sent by William to infiltrate Abstergo to discover a new groundbreaking technology that could further alter the scales of the Assassin-Templar war, in the favor of the Templar’s. As we explore Clay’s memories we get to learn more about his family and some of his childhood hopes. It’s sweet and also saddening to learn more about Clay’s childhood, like how he wanted to become an astronaut as a child, given we know how his story ends and how sadly he couldn’t go down this path.
As an Assassin novice, he was sent to Abstergo to learn more about the yet unknown Animus project, by William Miles, Desmond’s father. After learning more, they arranged for Clay to be bought in as a test subject, with an undercover Assassin on the inside, Lucy Stillman. Lucy would protect Clay while he was at Abstergo and act as his handler. The moment he completed his mission, it was hers to get him out safely. Throughout his tenure at Abstergo, he communicated often with his father, who was disappointed that Clay took a desk job. Clay’s father presents himself as a man who wants his son to have ahigh paid job while also doing a hard day’s work. Something which irritates Clay but does not deter him from his task and sends cheques to his father.
Using the Animus, he comes into contact with Juno, who told him of the disaster but also told him to help Desmond Miles. In between his sessions in the Animus and phone conversations with his dad, he would continually sneak out of his ward so he could access the Abstergo Databanks. After he found what he needed, he asked Lucy to help get them out but she didn’t. Throughout Clay’s last 2 memories, we learn a difficult truth, that Lucy had defected to the Templars and was working for them the whole time. We learn that she kept Clay trapped at Abstergo and helped Desmond escape as part of the Templar’s plan to find the Apple and in effect the Temples. As Clay continued to lose his sanity, in large part to Lucy’s complacency, Clay in moments of desperation, hacked the Animus core to hide all the secrets he uncovered, for Desmond to one day discover. Over the course, we also discover that Clay, Desmond, Ezio and Altair shares the original DNA line from Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve being first introduced in AC2, we always wondered exactly who they were and from Revelations we still were not able to get definitive answers but their genes allow for the control and immunity of POEs and Eagle Vision.
Learning about Lucy’s treachery, was a massive Revelation. We now understand that Juno had Desmond eliminate her, to ensure that Desmond and his Assassins could travel to the Grand Temple safely, without imminent threat from the Templars. Because Lucy defected to the Templars, Clay lost his life unnecessarily and could have gone on to become a great Assassin. Clay’s memories allow the player to achieve a final closure with him and to finally learn his story. Having set the path for Desmond at the start of his journey as an Assassin, Clay allowed Desmond to learn much more about his role and life as an Assassin and also taught Desmond many things about the POEs and their place in history. He also expanded on the Precursor history like how Adam and Eve stole an apple and this piqued the interest of the players. Clay’s final memories allowed us to understand exactly what he went through and how he felt about all the things he left behind. These memories allowed us to say one final goodbye to the infamous Subject 16 and it’s good that they were expanded upon greatly in the DLC as while his interactions with Desmond in the main story were interesting and brilliant, they didn’t leave a lot of room for discovery. As a final act of heroism, he saved Desmond from the Animus deletion and ensured his survival so Desmond can continue on his final journey.