Who is the modern-day protagonist in the original Assassin's Creed game?

Desmond Miles is the modern-day protagonist in the original Assassin's Creed game.

In the contemporary sections, Desmond is kidnapped by Abstergo Industries and connected to the Animus, a machine that lets him relive genetic memories inherited from his ancestors. The historical sections then follow Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad during the Third Crusade, but Desmond remains the central modern viewpoint character.

Desmond's role continues across several early series entries, including Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, Revelations, and Assassin's Creed III. Players sometimes confuse him with William Miles, his father, or with Clay Kaczmarek, another person connected to the Animus project. Warren Vidic is an Abstergo scientist who oversees Desmond's early sessions, not the protagonist.