The Origin Story of an Assassin

Building Morally Ambiguous Characters

Assassins are some of my favorite creatures to create. They are the Byronic hero of the literary world, moving through the shadows, doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. We root for these characters because they are vital in the international landscape, stopping wars, ending dictatorships, and otherwise ridding the world of vermin. They also protect, keep safe, and otherwise selflessly save the lives of many characters. They walk such a fine line, and the ones we (I) love the most are forever struggling with that tightrope, relying heavily on their strict but twisted moral code and sense of honor while still…well…murdering people for a living.