Desmond Miles relives Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad’s memories in the 2007 video game Assassin’s Creed.
Desmond is a modern-day descendant of Altaïr and other important Assassin figures. The Abstergo scientist Warren Vidic uses the Animus to access Desmond’s genetic memories, sending him into Altaïr’s experiences during the Third Crusade.
The Animus does not transport Desmond physically into the past. Instead, it reconstructs ancestral memories stored through his genetic lineage. This framing device lets the game alternate between a contemporary science-fiction storyline and a historical adventure.
Desmond remains the central modern protagonist through several early Assassin’s Creed games. A common mix-up is confusing him with William Miles, his father, or with Clay Kaczmarek, another modern-day subject connected to the Animus project.