In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, pirate captain Edward Kenway becomes an Assassin after taking the identity of Duncan Walpole.
Edward is a Welsh privateer and pirate active in the Caribbean during the early 18th century. He encounters Duncan Walpole, a Templar who is traveling to meet other Templars. After Walpole dies, Edward uses his clothing and documents to impersonate him, beginning a chain of events that draws him into the Assassin-Templar conflict.
The game combines open-world exploration, naval combat, piracy, and traditional assassination missions. Edward's ship, the Jackdaw, is central to travel and combat across the Caribbean. Historical pirates including Edward Thatch, commonly known as Blackbeard, also appear in the story.
Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway and the grandfather of Connor, connecting Black Flag to Assassin's Creed III. Adéwalé is his quartermaster and later becomes an Assassin, but he is not the protagonist.