Revealed: The Character Linking Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Codename Hexe!

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Approximately a month since its launch, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” has emerged as one of the top-selling games of 2025. As per industry expert Mat Piscatella, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” has reigned as the best-seller in the US for three consecutive weeks and is the second highest-grossing game of the year to date. Enthusiasts of the Assassin’s Creed series are undoubtedly rejoicing over the success of “Shadows”, while also anticipating the franchise’s future with the upcoming mainline title, “Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe”. Although details about this game are scarce, a character from “Shadows” might play a significant role in linking the two games intriguingly – Alvaro Catarribera, the Spanish Assassin.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Alvaro Catarribera Explained

Initially in ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’, the link between Fujibayashi Naoe’s mother and the Assassin Brotherhood remained veiled in secrecy. This mystery unfolds only when Naoe and Yasuke cross paths with Tokugawa Ieyasu and meet Hattori Hanzo again. It is then that Naoe’s lineage as an Assassin is disclosed. Upon investigating an ancient kofun which served as a former Assassin headquarters, Naoe and Yasuke stumble upon a journal belonging to a foreigner named Alvaro Catarribera. With Yasuke’s help in translation, the journal reveals that Catarribera was once part of the Spanish Brotherhood of Assassins during the 16th century. In the modern day, brief fragments of Catarribera’s thoughts and memories are played through the animus to an as-yet unidentified character.

Initially, Catarribera was an ardent follower of the Brotherhood, consistently championing freedom for others while abiding by the principles of the Assassins’ Order. However, during a specific operation, he inadvertently took the life of an innocent girl using his concealed weapon, causing deep regret and self-blame. As a result, Catarribera was expelled from the Spanish Brotherhood, leaving him haunted by recurring nightmares. He then journeyed to various locales, including Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. In Macao, China, he encountered two Templars and learned of their plan to expand their power into Japan. Moved by this revelation, Catarribera pursued the Templars to Japan in 1549, where he rediscovered his commitment to the Assassins’ Creed’s ideals of liberty and the preservation of the innocent.

Alvaro Catarribera’s Foundation of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins

During his initial sojourns in Japan close to Nagasaki, Catarribera saved a young woman named Tsuyu. This girl later married Fujibayashi Nagato and became the mother of Naoe. Together with Tsuyu, Catarribera established the Japanese branch of the Assassins, known as the Kakushiba ikki, with Tsuyu being his initial recruit. The two Assassins soon attracted additional members and allies such as Fujibayashi Nagato, Hattori Hanzo, Momochi Sandayu, and others including Emperor Go-Nara, who handed over the protection of the three Imperial Regalia to them in response to the rising Templar danger. Later on, Catarribera decided to depart Japan for unknown destinations but appointed Tsuyu as the Master Assassin of the Kakushiba ikki before his departure.

In the game ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’, only Alvaro Catarribera’s voice can be heard, but his character can be visually seen in the parallel manga ‘Assassin’s Creed: Shadows – Iga no Monogatari’, which was published alongside the game on March 20th, 2025.

Alvaro Catarribera’s Potential Role in Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe and Beyond

It’s unclear when Alvaro Catarribera was born and how old he would have been during the establishment of the new Kakushiba ikki in 1582. However, considering his travels and arrival in Japan in 1549, it can be roughly calculated that Catarribera might have been between 50 to 70 years old if he was still alive during the main events of “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” If so, there’s a possibility that he may appear in “Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe,” which is speculated to be the next major Assassin’s Creed game following “Shadows.” Originally announced in 2022, “Codename Hexe” is expected to release around 2026, due to the numerous delays experienced by “Shadows.”

Information about “Codename Hexe” is scarce officially, but whispers and leaks hint that the game will be set amidst the 16th or 17th century witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire. If these speculations hold true, “Codename Hexe” may incorporate Alvaro Catarribera in diverse ways. Witch trials and executions took place in the Holy Roman Empire as early as the 1400s and persisted up to the late 1700s, making it possible for Catarribera to appear during his time with the Spanish Brotherhood at the beginning of the 1500s or post-Japanese Brotherhood in the late 1500s or early 1600s. If he’s featured in the former scenario, “Codename Hexe” might offer players an insight into how Catarribera was excommunicated. Alternatively, “Codename Hexe” could depict Catarribera journeying to Europe to unite his Kakushiba ikki with the European Assassins.

The Potential Appearance of Alvaro Catarribera in Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC

In terms of potential links between “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” and “Codename Hexe,” Alvaro Catarribera could potentially be a significant figure. Should he reappear in the next game, his presence might extend to future “Shadows” downloadable content (DLC). At present, only the Claws of Awaji Expansion for “Shadows,” set on Awaji Island and planned for release around 2025, has been officially confirmed.

In the game, as Naoe and Yasuke strive to retrieve a potent long-lost artifact on Awaji Island, possibly an Artifact of Eden, Catarribera might make an appearance to assist them following news about the original Hidden Leaf Clan’s annihilation and the vanishing of this treasure. The introduction of Catarribera in the DLC could offer additional history and potentially pave the way for his appearance in Codename Hexe, should he choose to seek help from the European Assassins afterward.

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2025-04-17 06:05