Edward Kenway is the main playable character in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Edward is a Welsh privateer who becomes a pirate during the early eighteenth-century Golden Age of Piracy. After taking the clothing and identity of the Assassin Duncan Walpole, he becomes entangled in the conflict between Assassins and Templars. His personal ambitions initially center on wealth and independence rather than either faction’s philosophy.
Black Flag follows Edward across the Caribbean, including Nassau, Havana, and Kingston. His ship, the Jackdaw, is central to exploration, naval combat, trade, and travel. Through encounters with historical pirates such as Blackbeard, Edward gradually confronts the consequences of his choices and develops a more meaningful connection to the Assassin cause.
Edward is also part of the wider Kenway family. His son, Haytham, appears prominently in Assassin’s Creed III, while his grandson, Ratonhnhaké:ton, is that game’s principal Assassin protagonist. Edward Thatch, better known as Blackbeard, is a different character altogether.