Arno Dorian

In his early life, Arno was witty and charismatic but also no-nonsense, which fed into his sharp sense of humor, falling back on it whenever he felt emotionally vulnerable. He was brash in nature, rushing into action over reason, which was a flaw seen by members of the Assassin Council. This often led him into trouble along with his adoptive sister and lover Élise. Due to the fact that he was well-educated, Arno often quoted classical books, though his noble upbringing did not prevent him from cheating at card games.[103]

After the murder of his adoptive father, François de la Serre, Arno set out on a quest to find redemption, using this goal to help others in the turbulent time of the French Revolution. As a newcomer to the Assassins, he was prone to questioning their typical approach and age-old beliefs but was aided in the field by his stealthy and ruthless nature. It was at this time that he began to mature and take his life more seriously. As he became more serious, his personality began to quickly change, and was able to focus on the task at hand; as a result of this, he wasn't as witty or brash as he once was.[103]

Arno, seeing the turmoil in France first-hand, desired to bring justice. He displayed dismay or even frustration when Bellec told him not to intervene when extremists were harassing citizens, or when the Marquis de Sade discouraged him from saving a man getting his leg amputated by la Touche. This stemmed from the fact of his failure to save his adoptive father, and the desire to amend his mistakes.[103]

A Crown of Thorns 17 Arno and Léon embracing

Initially, Arno did not take his duty as an Assassin seriously, seeing it as little more than an opportunity for revenge against de la Serre's murderers. But over time, Arno realized the true purpose of the Creed, and its flaws. He concluded that the Creed merely served as a guide and a warning, rather than a principle meant for one to follow, having witnessed first-hand how ideals led to dangerous fanaticism, as seen with Bellec and Germain.[103]

Following Élise's death, Arno suffered from depression and sorrow, causing him to become more cynical in nature. This ultimately led to his abandonment of France, and unwillingness to involve himself in saving it from Napoleon's schemes, while also discouraging Léon from doing so. However, after an encounter with an Élise lookalike and witnessing the "dark magic" the Head of Saint-Denis possessed, he managed to overcome his trauma, coming to terms with his past and regaining his resolve to be an Assassin once more.[103]

By the time he became a Master Assassin, Arno had become extremely wise and analytical. He was able to understand that an idea, if pushed too far, would be detrimental to the person and those around him.[103] He also renounced any religious beliefs he once held,[6] considering that there was no higher power to punish humans for their sins, and that only people themselves should be held responsible for their own actions.[103]

Arno was fiercely independent, as he questioned the Assassins' Creed and the ways of those that had come before like Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, preferring to do things his own way. He also declined Napoleon's offer to join the French Army saying that he "wasn't much of one to take orders." Napoleon respected Arno for this, remarking at how they both had similar views that defined them differently to most other people. Arno also respected Napoleon's views to an extent and though their goals put them at odds sometimes, the two were able to form a long-lasting friendship.[103]