Desmond Miles is the Animus user who becomes the modern-day protagonist of Assassin’s Creed II.
The Animus is a machine that lets a person relive genetic memories inherited from ancestors. In Assassin’s Creed II, Desmond uses it to experience the memories of Ezio Auditore, an Assassin from Renaissance Italy.
Desmond’s modern-day storyline connects the historical adventures to the series’ larger conflict between the Assassins and Templars. He was previously the playable modern character in the original Assassin’s Creed, where he relived Altaïr’s memories.
William Miles is Desmond’s father, while Clay Kaczmarek is another important modern-day subject connected to the Animus. Layla Hassan becomes the central modern-day character in later games, including Origins and Odyssey.