Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is filled with side characters that are also hidden easter eggs. Reda in AC: Valhalla is one such character that is recurring from AC: Origins. Origins took place in the BC era while the current timeline is set in 800 somewhat AD, which begs the question, how old is Reda in Valhalla?
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, with its release, perfected the RPG esque elements that Ubisoft was aiming towards since the release of AC: Odyssey.
Apart from the open-world factor, Valhalla also improves on solid story writing and well-developed characters. Some of these characters have in-depth lore and signify more history than is visible to first-time players.
Returning players from Assassin’s Creed Origins will definitely recognize one such character, the merchant Reda! So what exactly is the story behind Reda, and how did she survive long enough to appear in both titles that are centuries apart.
1. How Old is Reda in AC: Valhalla?
Reda was first seen in Assassin’s Creed Origins, where she has a couple of interactions with our beloved Bayek. Reda is a nomadic merchant initially making the rounds of the landscape of Egypt. Fast forward to a few centuries ahead, and Reda is still present but in a different setting this time.
The backdrop, this time around, is Saxon England which is on the brink of a Viking invasion. Ironically, Reda more or less looks the same as he did in AC:Origins.
Assassin’s Creed Origins, however, took place in 49 BC, whereas Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes place in 873 AD. Reda is present in both of these timelines, making her at least 922 years at the time of the Viking invasion. Talk about hanging around for some Norse battles!
Reda in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is present in both the timelines of Valhalla as well as Origins. Following a linear timeframe, Reda in Assassin’s Creed is believed to be at least 922 years old!
Obviously, there is more to Reda’s story than meets the eye as even with a strict and healthy lifestyle, a human could barely exceed 100 years of age. There are multiple theories that justify Reda’s presence in both the titles and each of them is more plausible than the other.
2. The Secret to Reda: How did Reda Survive For So Long?
I was absolutely glad to see an acquaintance from past adventures pop up while I was delivering the Codex to Haytham. The surprise was multiplied when Reda gave me access to a letter that Bayek sent to Aya, which hit home with nostalgia!
Still, the question that remains is how did Reda get a letter from Bayek and live long enough to show it to Eivor. There are multiple theories that pop up, justifying Reda’s place in the current timeline.
I think some of them are on a pretty solid foundation and might even be true given how previous characters have used the same techniques to reappear in multiple titles even though they are centuries apart.
Theory 1: Reda is an Isu!
Now, this is one such theory that gained attention because it has already happened before. If you have not finished the game, turn back now as major spoilers to AC: Valhalla will follow.
Just as other Isu’s like Odin and Loki used a special drink that let them reincarcerate at a later time period, Reda could have been one of the Isu. We see in a hidden video in AC: Valhalla how Odin’s trusted eight embrace their end in Ragnarok and decide to drink the mead that would help them reincarnate in the Valhalla timeline.
Eivor and Sigurd are the equivalents to Isu Havi and Isu Tyr, so it is possible that Reda is one of the Isu too, with the power to be reincarnated.
Reda can be one of the Isu that has the ability to be reincarnated in different timelines. This would explain her presence in both Origins and Valhalla.
I personally don’t believe this to be the case as all the other Isu that were present in Valhalla had bigger roles, and Reda, as such did not have much impact on the storyline. Though it is possible that Reda may play an important role later in the series, so this theory might still be true.
Theory 2: Reda Possesses a Piece of Eden
Pieces of Eden are sophisticated types of technology created by the Isu. Apart from a few exceptions, these pieces were made solely for the purpose of controlling the minds of the human slaves of the Isu. The Pieces of Eden, especially the Shrouds of Eden, has been paramount in the AC universe and was a central plot point in most titles.
The staff that we see Layla wielding when she enters the hidden Norse temple at the end of Valhalla is also a piece of Eden that grants healing and regenerative abilities to its holder. It was the only reason that Layla was alive inside the temple, given that it was filled with deadly radiation. Reda is believed to hold one similar piece of Eden (maybe the scarf around her?) that grants her the ability to sustain over centuries and also guard her against the ravages of time.
Reda is believed to possess a ‘Piece of Eden,’ an Isu technology that grants her health and immunity from the passage of time. Reda is able to live a long life thanks to the powers of the Piece of Eden that also allows her to appear in both AC: Origins and Valhalla.
This theory seems more plausible because Reda is shown to hold many ‘rare artifacts’ in the game universe, and it is quite possible that he came across a piece of Eden during his vast merchant routes.
Theory 3: Reda is the Descendant of the Original Reda
If we put aside all the mythical powers and Isu theories and focus on more realistic explanations. Then the most logical explanation is that Reda in AC: Valhalla is one of the descendants of the Reda from the Origins timeline.
Reda comes from a family of merchants that were all called by the name of ‘Reda, ‘ and it is highly possible that the letter from Bayek the Hidden One is passed down through generations from the Reda of Origins to the Reda of Valhalla.
Reda in Assassin’s Creed could possibly be a descendant from the family of nomad merchants that all go by the name of ‘Reda.’ The Reda in AC: Origins got the letter from Bayek and has since passed it down to the Reda of Valhalla.
I personally think this theory is the most sensible, and it also explains the presence of the letter in Reda’s inventory. Still, the other theories also carry equal weight, but I really want the ‘Piece of Eden’ theory to turn out to be true as it would make for some fun sequences in future releases.
3. About Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Developed and Published by Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the latest instalment in the Assasin’s Creed series launched in November 2020. The action-adventure, role-playing video game is available to play on Playstation 5/4, Xbox One/ Series X/S and PC.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes players back to the Vikings’ glory days around the 9th century through the eyes of a Viking invader from Norway named Eivor. By playing as Eivor, gamers must represent the clan and help fellow warriors in the battle against Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. The game brims with phenomenal main quests along with noteworthy side quests. AC Valhalla will also embrace many new features like dual-wielding of various weapons and armours.
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