In Assassin's Creed II, which historical pope becomes the game's final antagonist?

In Assassin's Creed II, Pope Alexander VI becomes the game's final antagonist.

The character is based on Rodrigo Borgia, the Spanish-born pope who led the Catholic Church as Alexander VI from 1492 to 1503. In the game, Rodrigo is also the Grand Master of the Templar Order and works to obtain the Apple of Eden. His political power and Templar role make him the principal enemy of Ezio Auditore's campaign.

The historical Rodrigo Borgia and the fictionalized Templar leader are related but not identical portrayals. Assassin's Creed II places a supernatural artifact and an ancient conspiracy into a Renaissance setting, while retaining recognizable names, offices, and locations from history.

Rodrigo is confronted at the Vatican in 1499, near the conclusion of Ezio's story. The ending then shifts attention toward the Vault and the message associated with Minerva, so defeating the pope does not resolve every mystery in the series. The game's later historical figures include other popes, which is why the title Alexander VI is the precise answer here.