Assassin's Creed Shadows: The History of Momochi Sandayu…

This article contains story SPOILERS for Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The Assassin's Creed franchise has featured countless history-inspired cameos over the last 18 years, from artists like Leonardo da Vinci, to world leaders like Cleopatra, to infamous pirates like Edward Teach. Historical cameos have remained a constant feature of Assassin's Creed, regardless of any major shifts in the series' gameplay, setting, or tone. Assassin's Creed Shadows continues this trend.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of the biggest entries in the franchise, and that extends far beyond just its map size. The main narrative of Assassin's Creed Shadows and most of its key character relationships are directly impacted by historical figures and real-world events consistently throughout the game. Momochi Sandayu is one such figure, appearing throughout Naoe's backstory.

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By Cameron Swan

The Real-World History of Assassin's Creed Shadows' Momochi Sandayu Explained

Momochi Sandayu - The Defender of Iga

Historical accounts of Momochi Sandayu's life are sparse and conflicting. For instance, while some sources believe Momochi was born in 1512, some believe his birthdate could be as late as 1525. But while many details of Momochi Sandayu's life are unclear, the one clear consensus among historians is that he played a pivotal role in Iga's history.

In 1579, Oda Nobunaga sent his son and a sizable army to claim Iga, a province that was refusing to bow to Nobunaga's attempted unification of Japan. It's widely believed that Momochi Sandayu led the rebellious Igan forces against Oda Nobukatsu, and according to most sources, it's believed he used guerrilla warfare to claim victory over Oda's army. These guerrilla tactics would later be known as Ninjutsu techniques.

Most historians believe that Momochi Sandayu met his end in 1581, when Oda Nobunaga led a second, successful invasion of the Iga Province. However, some legends state that Momochi survived the second Oda invasion, and managed to escape to a modest life of farming.

Some folklore claims that Momochi Sandayu trained legendary ninjas like Hattori Hanzo and Goemon Ishikawa, an outlaw and assassin who stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

Momochi Sandayu Plays an Important Role in Naoe's Life

Though his on-screen time is limited, Momochi Sandayu plays quite a prominent role in Assassin's Creed Shadows' story, particularly in relation to Naoe's early life. Years before the start of Assassin's Creed Shadows, Momochi joined the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins, also known as the Kakushiba ikki.

As part of the Kakushiba ikki, Momochi worked alongside Nagato and Tsuyu, Naoe's father and mother, as well as fellow shinobi Hattori Hanzo. Momochi first meets Naoe when she's on her way to defend her Igan village from Oda Nobukatsu's invasion. She proves herself to both Momochi and her father by killing a samurai, and she's quickly taken under Momochi's wing.

Over the next few years, Momochi teaches Naoe a wide range of shinobi techniques, including stealth, observation, and subterfuge, and he even gifts her a grappling hook. Just like in most historical accounts, Assassin's Creed Shadows' Momochi Sandayu dies during the second invasion of Iga, though here it's at the hands of Yasuke.

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