document_title: List of Girl Meets World characters

question_text: who plays the dad in girl meets world

question_tokens: who plays the dad in girl meets world

text: List of Girl Meets World characters

text: Main characters[edit]

text: Riley Matthews[edit]

text: Riley Matthews (Rowan Blanchard)[1] is the daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews, and has a younger brother named Auggie.

text: At the start of the series, Riley is 12 years old and in seventh grade. She and her best friend, Maya Hart, explore school and life together while making new friends along the way. She and Maya are in middle school for the first two seasons and then high school beginning in the third season. Riley is very much like her father, having similar personality and character traits, but in the season two episode "Girl Meets Cory and Topanga" she finds out how goofy both her parents were in their childhood and now realizes that she is like both of them.

text: In the pilot episode, Riley develops a crush on Lucas Friar, whom she met on the subway on the way to school; he later becomes her classmate in Cory's history class; they go out for the first time in "Girl Meets First Date". During season two Riley and Maya discover that they both like Lucas and he also likes the two of them, but Riley is Lucas' choice in season three's two-part episode "Girl meets Ski Lodge".

text: She is periodically portrayed by Lindsey Lamer in flashbacks to Riley and Maya's childhood, and as an adult in one episode by Mariah Buzolin.

text: Cory Matthews[edit]

text: Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) is Riley and Auggie's father and Topanga's husband. He has taken a job as a history teacher at John Quincy Adams Middle School for the first two seasons and then Abigail Adams High School beginning the third season. In both settings, his class consists of his daughter and her friends and his history lessons relate to their lives, becoming life lessons for them. In addition to being Riley's father, he often acts as a father figure to Maya. He also acts as a mentor to his students, much like Mr. Feeny was to Cory, Topanga, and Shawn in Boy Meets World.

text: Maya Hart[edit]

text: Maya Hart (Sabrina Carpenter) is Riley's best friend. Maya was raised in a single-parent household by her mother Katy; she is tomboyish, social and street smart, but has a troubled past rooted in the fact that her father Kermit abandoned her and Katy before Maya turned five. Consequently, Maya is wild and rebellious as evidenced by her actions, such as protesting homework and almost lighting a class assignment on fire, but her friendship with Riley and the Matthews' family keep her grounded most of the time.

text: In the second season three-part episode "Girl Meets Texas", Maya is shown to have deeper feelings for Lucas than she normally lets on; Riley notices Maya's feelings and decides to step back from Lucas and let Maya start a relationship with him, which turns out to be awkward. In season 3, Maya goes through an identity crisis stemming from the fact that she loves Riley so much that Maya was influenced by her, which turned out to be an underlying reason why she liked Lucas. After Riley helped bring Maya back to her true self, she realized that she doesn't like Lucas but was protective of Riley and showed her support for Riley and Lucas as a couple.

text: Beginning in the first season, Maya develops a crush on Cory's younger brother Joshua. He downplays it as a schoolgirl crush until season 3 when, in the two-parter "Girl Meets Ski Lodge", Maya tells him she genuinely likes him, and he finally admits he has feelings for her as well; he tells her that there is a chance for them and that he is willing to play the long game and see what happens. In the third season, after her mother Katy marries Shawn Hunter, Shawn presents Maya with adoption papers, and Maya accepts, proclaiming herself as Maya Hunter.[2]

text: Maya is periodically portrayed by Ivy George in flashbacks to Maya and Riley's childhood, and as an adult in one episode by Ruby Lewis.

text: Lucas Friar[edit]

text: Lucas Friar (Peyton Meyer) is another member of the group and at first was both Riley and Maya's love interest until Maya decided Riley and Lucas were good for one another.

text: Originally from Austin, Texas, Lucas has gentlemanly manners and common sense, and has shown to be the protector of the group as he is fearless and unstoppable when defending his friends. Because of his Texas upbringing, Maya often addresses Lucas stereotypically calling him derisive but good-natured names like "Huckleberry", "Ranger Rick" and "Bucky McBoingboing"; in "Girl Meets 1961" Lucas finds out that he is from a family of cowboys and had a great grandfather who had a brief career as a musician. In "Girl Meets the Secret of Life", it is revealed that Lucas is a year older than his classmates, and his father was transferred to New York giving Lucas a fresh start. He had been expelled from his former school in Austin. The reason for his expulsion involved sticking up for his friend Zay Babineaux after he got into trouble with some students.

text: Auggie Matthews[edit]

text: Auggie Matthews (August Maturo) is Riley's precocious young brother and Cory and Topanga's son. In the pilot episode he believed himself to be Riley's twin, and wants to be like his father when he grows up.

text: Topanga Matthews[edit]

text: Topanga Matthews (Danielle Fishel) is Riley and Auggie's mother and Cory's wife. Topanga is Cory's high school girlfriend and they have been friends since they were babies. Topanga has become a successful lawyer and is a loving and protective mother as shown in "Girl Meets Sneak Attack". She later inherits Svorski's from the late Mrs. Svorski, later changing the bakery's name to Topanga's.

text: Farkle Minkus[edit]

text: Farkle Minkus (Corey Fogelmanis) is close friends with Riley and Maya, but is also infatuated with them. In "Girl Meets Sneak Attack", it is shown that he cares for the two and will do anything for them to be happy. He is smart, eccentric, and a big flirt. He is shown to be the teacher's pet in many episodes. He is the son of Cory and Topanga's former classmates, Stuart Minkus and Jennifer Bassett; of the two, Farkle bears great similarities to his father.

text: Farkle cares a great deal about his education and always keeps his grades up in class. In the season two episode "Girl Meets I Am Farkle", his IQ score is found to be exceptionally high, so his guidance counselor has him take a series of tests to find out whether or not he has Asperger's Syndrome, which he and his friends are relieved to find that he does not; in this same episode he begins a relationship with his former arch-nemesis, Isadora Smackle, who reveals she was diagnosed with Asperger's at age five.

text: Recurring characters[edit]

text: Evelyn Rand[edit]

text: Evelyn Rand (Jackée Harry) meets Riley and Maya on the subway in the pilot; they later call her Crazy Hat because of the obscure hats they see her wearing at the subway station. She is revealed to be a successful businesswoman.

text: Ava Morgenstern[edit]

text: Ava Morgenstern (Ava Kolker) is Auggie's girlfriend. Being slightly older, she manipulates Auggie into doing whatever she wants, remaining oblivious to how this affects him. Ava's personality appears to be a product of her mom's way of raising her. Early on, Topanga makes it clear that she does not like Ava, but in the season 2 episode "Girl Meets STEM", she takes Ava's side: Ava is furious when she and Auggie get exactly the same trophy after Ava singlehandedly defeats Auggie's soccer team 29-0. In the season 3 premiere "Girl Meets High School: Part One", Ava comes to Cory, Topanga, and Auggie when her parents are splitting up. In "Girl Meets I Do," Ava attends Shawn and Katy's wedding where she meets Mr. Feeny.

text: Smackle[edit]

text: Isadora Smackle (Cecilia Balagot) is Farkle's arch-rival. In "Girl Meets I Am Farkle", it is revealed that she was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when she was five years old. By the start of "Girl Meets High School, Part 1", she has joined the others at Abigail Adams High School, having become Farkle's girlfriend and the unofficial sixth member of the group.

text: Katy Hart[edit]

text: Katy Hart (Cheryl Texiera) is Maya's mom. For Career Day at school, Katy reveals to Maya's class that though she works as a waitress she aspires to be an actress. Katy frequently fails to show up to any event of importance to Maya, believing herself to be a hindrance to her daughter's future. Her relationship with Maya is strained at first, reminiscent to that of Shawn and Chet Hunter from Boy Meets World, but they become much closer after Shawn reveals to Maya in "Girl Meets Master Plan" that Maya's father deserting her family was not Katy's fault; Katy maintained the story that she drove him away believing that a girl should think well of her father. As the series progresses Katy becomes a manager for "Topanga's" bakery. After meeting Shawn, she develops feelings for him. The two get engaged in "Girl Meets Upstate" and subsequently wed in "Girl Meets I Do".

text: Ms. Kossal[edit]

text: Gabriella Kossal (Aisha Kabia) is the art teacher at John Quincy Adams Middle School who is impressed with Maya's art.

text: Dewey/Doy[edit]

text: Dewey/Doy[a] (Cooper Friedman) is a friend of Auggie who pronounces his name "Doy" much to the annoyance of Topanga. He does not like his name and cries each time somebody corrects his pronunciation.

text: Zay Babineaux[edit]

text: Zay Babineaux (Amir Mitchell-Townes) is Lucas' old friend from Texas who later moves to New York and enrolls at J.Q. Adams Middle School, becoming the unofficial fifth member of the group. He fancies himself a smooth talker, but his words and actions more often get him into trouble rather than out of it. When Zay and Lucas were classmates at their old school in Texas, Lucas was usually the one who bailed him out, which was the situation that got Lucas expelled.

text: Charlie Gardner[edit]

text: Charlie Gardner (Tanner Buchanan) is an eighth grader at John Quincy Adams Middle School who admires Riley. In "Girl Meets Semi-Formal", he asked Riley to the semi-formal, right before Lucas was going to.

text: Sarah[edit]

text: Sarah (Sarah Carpenter) is a classmate of Riley and Maya at both John Quincy Adams Middle School and Abigail Adams High School. She mostly serves as a background character in many episodes, but achieves prominence in "Girl Meets Hollyworld" as a screenplay writer for a movie her father, the director DW Preminger, is casting. The episode "Girl Meets Commonism" shows her on the honor board panel and reveals her last name to be Carpenter.

text: Boy Meets World alumni[edit]

text: The following characters from Boy Meets World make appearances in the series in the form of recurring roles, guest appearances, or cameo appearances. They are listed in order of appearance:

text: Mr. Feeny[edit]

text: George Feeny (William Daniels) is Cory's omnipresent mentor who is now in his late 80s. Feeny makes a cameo appearance in the pilot episode, his only appearance in the first season. Mr. Feeny was Cory, Shawn, and Topanga's teacher in junior high, their principal in high school, and their professor in college. Throughout these years, Feeny was the Matthews' next-door neighbor and a close friend to the Matthews family as well as Shawn Hunter. In "Girl Meets Gravity", Cory calls Feeny to check up on him after the death of Mrs. Svorski. In "Girl Meets Pluto", Cory, Shawn, and Topanga, along with Riley and Maya, return to Philadelphia to dig up a time capsule from Feeny's backyard where they are caught by Feeny. He asks Riley and Maya how Cory has been to them as he receives some positive answers. He returns in the season three episode "Girl Meets I Do" where he comes to New York to wed Shawn and Katy as Ava meets him. Feeny comments that he is a lot of things. When Auggie calls him "grandpa," Feeny quoted "except that." He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Minkus[edit]

text: Stuart Minkus (Lee Norris) is Cory, Shawn, and Topanga's former classmate, appearing as a main cast member in the first season of Boy Meets World, and as a guest star in an episode of the fifth season. Although Cory and Shawn often bullied Minkus, the boys also looked to him for advice on girls and life, and Stuart was good friends with Topanga, later becoming a fierce rival, which carries over to this series. Making his return in "Girl Meets Maya's Mother", it is revealed that he is Farkle's father. He appears at Career Day at school, whereupon he instantly renews his rivalry with both Cory and Topanga, and is proud to mention his position as the CEO of Minkus International. In "Girl Meets I Am Farkle", it is revealed that Stuart is married to Jennifer Bassett, an ex-girlfriend of Shawn's. He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Harley Keiner[edit]

text: Harley Keiner (Danny McNulty) is Cory's good friend and former high school bully. In Boy Meets World, Harley was much older than the rest of the students due to being held back. He now works as the janitor[4] at John Quincy Adams Middle School, as seen in "Girl Meets the Forgotten". He mentions in "Girl Meets Flaws" that Cory helped him get the job. Reminiscent of the original series, Harley likes to address Cory by the nickname Johnny Baboon. Harley is regretful for his past behavior and looks to steer kids from going down the wrong path. However, it is mildly implied that Harley's aggressive side isn't entirely gone as he mentions that without music, he's prone to do things. He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Alan Matthews[edit]

text: Alan Matthews (William Russ) is Cory, Eric, Joshua, and Morgan's father, Topanga's father-in-law, and Riley and Auggie's grandfather. Alan has a close relationship with Cory and owns a wilderness store which he originally ran with his eldest son Eric in Boy Meets World. He appeared along with his wife Amy and younger son Joshua in "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays". He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Amy Matthews[edit]

text: Amy Matthews (Betsy Randle) is Cory, Eric, Joshua, and Morgan's mother, Topanga's mother-in-law, and Riley and Auggie's grandmother. Amy has a close relationship with her children, especially Morgan, who is her only daughter. She would often disagree with Cory and Topanga as a couple when they made important decisions even though she is fond of them. She appeared along with her husband Alan and younger son Joshua in "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays". She returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Joshua Matthews[edit]

text: Joshua Matthews (Uriah Shelton) is Cory, Eric, and Morgan's teenage brother, and Riley and Auggie's uncle. He was born premature, underweight, and almost died just hours after his birth. He first appears with his parents in "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays", where he is 17 years old and is still living with them in Philadelphia. Maya has a major crush on him, although Joshua tries to make their three-year age difference clear to her. He visits his brother's home throughout the series, and enrolled at New York University prior to the end of season one. In the season three, two-part episode "Girl Meets Ski Lodge", he helps Cory chaperone his class's field trip. During the trip, he tells Maya that there could be a possibility for them in the future. He also appeared in "Girl Meets Bear" before returning in the series finale.[3]

text: Joshua was the only member of the immediate Matthews family never to have a prominent role in Boy Meets World; he was originally portrayed by creator Michael Jacobs's son Daniel in Boy Meets World.

text: Shawn Hunter[edit]

text: Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong) is Cory's best friend since childhood, Topanga's close childhood friend, and uncle figure to Riley and Auggie. Since the end of Boy Meets World, Shawn has traveled around as a writer and a photographer. He first appears in "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays" and later forms a friendship with Maya, and develops feelings for her mother Katy. Cory and Shawn have a close relationship with each other that, as shown in Boy Meets World, is at times even stronger than the relationship between Cory and Topanga.

text: In the season three episode "Girl Meets Upstate", it is revealed that he has a cabin in Upstate New York. At the end of the episode, he gets engaged to Katy. In "Girl Meets I Do", Shawn gets married to Katy. In the series finale, Shawn presents Maya with adoption papers and Maya accepts.[3][2]

text: Eric Matthews[edit]

text: Eric Matthews (Will Friedle) is Cory, Joshua, and Morgan's older brother, and Riley and Auggie's uncle. He first appears in "Girl Meets Mr. Squirrels". Like in the original series, Eric is a goofball and lovable, but is quite dimwitted sometimes. Now a full-grown adult, he appears to have matured a little, but is still considered to be the fun uncle in the Matthews family. As evidenced in the original series, Eric has good people skills. Since leaving Philadelphia, Eric has gone on to become the Mayor of St. Upid Town, New York, a fictional community near the borders of New York State and the Canadian Province of Quebec, after all those who would have supported his mayoral opponent died in a landslide, according to Eric.

text: To blend in with the locals, he wears a hermit costume, an homage to his faux alter ego, Plays with Squirrels, that was seen in the Boy Meets World episode "Seven the Hard Way". A running gag is that he tends to mispronounce Maya's name. He eventually is elected senator and is faced with a decision involving his friend, Jack Hunter. He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Angela Moore[edit]

text: Angela Moore (Trina McGee) is Shawn Hunter's former high school girlfriend. Her father has since died and she has been married to a soldier for four years and is looking to potentially become a mother. Angela makes an appearance in "Girl Meets Hurricane", where she not only reveals to Shawn the tragic news that her father Sgt. Moore (Julius Carry) died in a fishing accident, but also that she has gotten married to a man in the service. Her reason for meeting up with Shawn is to get some advice and counseling about her fears of becoming a mother because she is worried that she may end up like her own mother. Shawn encourages Angela to start a family with her husband and experience the joy of being a parent. After this, Angela encourages Shawn to pursue a relationship with Katy and leaves to go back home.

text: Chet Hunter[edit]

text: Chet Hunter (Blake Clark) is Shawn and Jack's late father who died of a heart attack in the sixth season of Boy Meets World. During his lifetime, he was in and out of his children's lives. Since his passing, he occasionally returns to Shawn as a spirit guide as seen near the end of "Girl Meets Hurricane".

text: TJ Murphy[edit]

text: Thomas Jonathan Murphy (J.B. Gaynor) was an orphan whom Eric met while he was playing Santa Claus at the mall one Christmas. After Eric gave Tommy a toy for Christmas, Tommy became convinced that Eric was really Santa Claus and asked Eric for parents for Christmas. Eric, touched by the boy's request, decided to volunteer as Tommy's big brother. The two spent a great deal of time together, leading Eric to consider adopting him, but he later changed his mind so Tommy could go live with a family who could provide better support for him.

text: Many years later, he resurfaces in "Girl Meets Mr. Squirrels Goes to Washington" as a political activist and founder of a website called Thorn in Your Side that reports on political scandals with the latest one being about Senator Jefferson Davis Graham. He volunteers to help when Eric is nominated to run for senator of New York, though the others are unaware of his identity. Later at a debate against Eric's opponent Senator Jefferson Davis Graham, Tommy reveals his identity and speaks of Eric's compassion and how Eric had sacrificed himself for Tommy's future. Eric joyfully reunites with Tommy who expresses his desire to continue working with Eric's campaign.

text: Mr. Turner[edit]

text: Jonathan Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) was an English teacher who taught Cory, Shawn, and Topanga in high school. He was a laid back teacher who wore a leather jacket and rode a motorcycle. At one point, he became a father figure to Shawn and admits to loving him like a son. After his motorcycle accident, Jonathan fell in love with his nurse and married her.

text: Mr. Turner returns in "Girl Meets the New Teacher", where he is now a superintendent who personally hired Cory Matthews to teach history at John Quincy Adams Middle School. He is called in to oversee the class of Harper Burgess to see if she is worth keeping around after Principal Yancy threatened to fire her and Cory; like Mr. Turner in Boy Meets World, Harper uses comic books in her lessons and rides a motorcycle to work. Riley sees Mr. Turner as an uncle figure as he has formed an even closer affinity with the Matthews family than before, visiting their home often. Although thankful to him for being a good educator, Topanga holds a grudge against Turner because he gave her an A- in high school. He returned in the series finale.[3]

text: Jack Hunter[edit]

text: Jack Hunter (Matthew Lawrence) is Shawn's paternal half-brother and was Eric's best friend in college. Jack competed with Eric for the affection of Rachel McGuire. He and Rachel joined the Peace Corps at the end of Boy Meets World, but Jack eventually left while Rachel stayed behind. The two have since lost touch, while Eric and Rachel still talk often.

text: Reappearing in "Girl Meets Semi-Formal", Jack now works for a corporation that is not environmentally friendly and has been assigned to persuade Senator Eric Matthews to allow his company to build a pipeline somewhere. Eric takes it upon himself to try and show Jack a simpler time to change his ways by taking him to the semi-formal dance where he meets Riley.

text: Jennifer Bassett Minkus[edit]

text: Jennifer Bassett Minkus (Kristanna Loken) was once Shawn Hunter's girlfriend back in high school. However, she was an extremely arrogant and vindictive person who tried to keep Cory and Shawn apart. She returned in "Girl Meets I Am Farkle" where it is revealed that she is married to Stuart Minkus, and is Farkle's mother.[5] It is shown that Jennifer is a changed woman proving herself to be a sweet, caring mother of Farkle and wife of Stuart. She supports her son while waiting to find out if he is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

text: Morgan Matthews[edit]

text: Morgan Matthews (Lily Nicksay and Lindsay Ridgeway) is the younger sister of Cory and Eric, older sister of Joshua, and Riley and Auggie's aunt. Both actresses who played Morgan in Boy Meets World, Nicksay (who portrayed Morgan in seasons one and two) and Ridgeway (who portrayed Morgan in seasons three through seven), returned in the series finale, where both portrayed Morgan on-screen simultaneously. This was the character's only appearance in Girl Meets World.[3]


document_title: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

question_text: who are you in assassin's creed 4

question_tokens: who are you in assassin 's creed 4

root

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

text: Gameplay[edit]

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is an action-adventure, stealth game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. The game features three main cities; Havana, Kingston, and Nassau, which reside under Spanish, British, and pirate influence, respectively.[9] It also features 50 other individual locations to explore, including atolls, sea forts, Mayan ruins, sugar plantations, and underwater shipwrecks, with a 60/40 balance between land and naval exploration.[1] It has a more open world feel, with missions similar to those found in Assassin's Creed, as well as fewer restrictions for the player. The world opens up sooner in the game, as opposed to Assassin's Creed III, which had very scripted missions and did not give players freedom to explore until the game was well into its first act.[9][10][11][12] The player will encounter jungles, forts, ruins, and small villages and the world is built to allow players much more freedom, such as allowing players to engage, board, and capture passing ships and swimming to nearby beaches in a seamless fashion.[1][13] In addition, the hunting system has been retained from Assassin's Creed III, allowing the player to hunt on land, and fish in the water, with resources gathered used to upgrade equipment.[1]

tag: p

text: A new aspect in the game is the Jackdaw, the ship that the player captains. The Jackdaw is upgradeable throughout the game, and is easily accessible to the player when needed.[10] In addition, a new underwater component has been added.[9] The player has access to a spyglass, allowing the examination of distant ships, along with their cargo and strength. It can also help determine if an island still has animals to hunt, treasures to find, high points to reach for synchronization or additional side-quests to complete, such as assassinations and naval contracts.[9] An updated form of the recruit system introduced in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has returned,[9] allowing Edward to recruit crew members. While Kenway's crew will remain loyal to him, they can be promoted to captain acquired ships, and are needed to assist in boarding enemy vessels, they cannot assist in combat or perform long-range assassinations, as in previous games. Ubisoft removed this aspect of the brotherhood system, believing it allowed players to bypass tense and challenging scenarios too easily.[14]

text: In the present day, at the offices of Abstergo Entertainment—a subsidiary of Abstergo Industries—in Montreal, Quebec, players engage in modern-day pirating through the exploration of Abstergo's offices, eavesdropping and hacking, all without combat. As well, various "hacking" games, similar to previous cluster and glyph puzzles, are present, that uncover secrets about Abstergo.[15]

text: Multiplayer also returns, with new settings and game modes, though it is only land-based.[9]

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: Characters[edit]

text: The main character of the game is Edward Kenway (Matt Ryan),[16] a Welsh[17] privateer-turned-pirate and eventual member of the Assassin Order. Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway, and grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor), the two playable characters of Assassin's Creed III. Real-life individuals that are encountered include the pirates Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch[note 1][18] (voiced by Mark Bonnar),[16] Benjamin Hornigold,[9] Mary Read,[9] Stede Bonnet,[9] Anne Bonny,[9] Calico Jack,[9] and Charles Vane[9] (Ralph Ineson).[16]

text: Setting[edit]

text: As is the case in previous games in the Assassin's Creed series, the story is divided into two intertwined halves, with one in the present day, one in a historical setting, and the events of each influencing the other. Although the present-day story had previously established that an Animus was required to view one's ancestors memories, the ending of Assassin's Creed III reveals that Abstergo can now view a host's genetic memories simply by sequencing the host's DNA. As such, the player character is hired by Abstergo Entertainment to investigate a pivotal character in Desmond's ancestry, the Assassin Edward Kenway.[19] A notorious pirate and privateer operating during the Golden Age of Piracy, Kenway's story is set in the Caribbean, and mixes open-ended ship-based exploration with combat and land-based adventures in Cuba and Jamaica, and on a number of Caribbean islands, parts of southern Florida and eastern Mexico.[20][21][22]

text: Plot[edit]

text: Samples taken from Desmond Miles' body in the moments after his death have enabled Abstergo Industries to continue to explore his genetic memories using the Animus' newfound cloud computing abilities. The unnamed player character is hired by Abstergo Entertainment, from their Montréal headquarters, to sift through the memories of Edward Kenway, an eighteenth-century pirate, the father of Haytham Kenway and the grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton. Ostensibly, this is to gather material for an Animus-powered interactive feature film, but in reality, Abstergo—the Templars of the present time—are searching for a First Civilization structure known as the Observatory, and are using the memories of Edward Kenway to find it.

text: As Kenway, the player must unravel a conspiracy between high-ranking Templars within the British and Spanish empires who, under the guise of cleaning up piracy in the Caribbean, have used their positions to locate the Sage—later identified as Bartholomew Roberts—who is the only man that can lead them to the Observatory, a First Civilization device which can monitor anyone anywhere in the world when provided a blood sample, which they intend to use to spy on and blackmail world leaders. Kenway becomes an unwitting player in their plot when he kills a rogue Assassin, Duncan Walpole. Seeing an opportunity for profit, Kenway takes Walpole's place at a meeting of Templars in Havana, where he meets Woodes Rogers as well as Cuban Governor, and Templar Grandmaster, Laureano Torres. His recklessness endangers the entire Assassins' Order, prompting him to pursue the Sage and the conspirators from the Yucatán Peninsula to Jamaica, eventually catching Roberts on the island of Príncipe off of the African coast.

text: Meanwhile, a band of notorious pirates—including Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch, Benjamin Hornigold, Mary Read (under the alias "James Kidd") and Charles Vane, among others—dream of a pirate utopia where man is free to live beyond the reach of kings and rulers. With Kenway's help, they seize control of Nassau and establish a pirate republic. However, poor governance, a lack of an economy and an outbreak of disease bring the pirate state perilously close to collapse, with the founders divided on the best way forward. Kenway attempts to resolve the dispute, but is too late to stop the Templars from exploiting the situation for their own ends.

text: Eventually, Kenway and Roberts uncover the location of the Observatory and retrieve the artifact powering it, but Kenway is betrayed by Roberts at the last moment. After a brief stint in prison for the crimes of piracy, Edward escapes with the aid of Ah Tabai, the Assassin Mentor, and elects to join their Order. Chasing down and eliminating Roberts and the Templar conspirators, Kenway retrieves the artifact and returns it to the Observatory, sealing it away for good. He is left facing an uncertain future with his newfound convictions until he receives a letter informing him of the passing of his wife and the imminent arrival of his hitherto unknown daughter, Jennifer Scott. Kenway travels back to England, promising Ah Tabai that he will continue the fight against the Templars back home in England. Some years later, Kenway, Jennifer (using her mother's surname in her memory) and Kenway's young son Haytham are about to watch a play in an English theatre.

text: In the present day, the player is contacted by John, Abstergo Entertainment's information technology manager. John convinces the player that their employers know more than they are telling, and encourages them to investigate in more detail. He convinces the player to hack several Animus terminals and security cameras, and then has them deliver the information taken to Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, who are working undercover to infiltrate Abstergo. When the facility is locked down after the hackings are discovered, John arranges for the player to access the Animus' core, at which point Juno materializes into an incorporeal form. She reveals that although it was necessary to open her temple to avert disaster, the world was not ready for her, and she is unable to affect it or possess the player character as her agents intended. John is unmasked as the reincarnated form of the Sage and attempts to murder the player to cover up the failed attempt at resurrecting Juno, but is killed by Abstergo's security before he can do so, thus implicating him as the one responsible for the hacks. As Roberts, the Sage admits to Kenway that he owes no allegiance to the Assassins or the Templars and instead uses whoever he thinks represents his best chance of achieving his ends. With the Sage dead, the player is contacted by the Assassins as they continue their infiltration of Abstergo, but neither side is able to explain the Sage's presence or identify his followers, the Instruments of the First Will.[note 2]

text: Freedom Cry[edit]

text: The Freedom Cry downloadable content is set twenty years after the events of Black Flag and follows Adéwalé in his mission as an Assassin.

text: While attempting to intercept Templar activities in the West Indies Sea, Adéwalé is shipwrecked off the coast of Haiti. Making his way into Port-au-Prince, he establishes that the Templars are working with Bastienne Josèphe, the proprietor of a local brothel and a sympathiser to the Maroons, a faction of freedom fighters made up of liberated slaves led by Augustin Dieufort. Despite his obligations to the Brotherhood of Assassins, Adéwalé becomes sympathetic to their cause, and joins with the Maroons in hijacking a vessel, Experto Crede, in order to interrupt the slave trade.

text: Whilst working for Bastienne, Adéwalé begins to uncover a conspiracy within the French provincial government ruling Port-au-Prince. The local governor, Pierre de Fayet, plans a clandestine scientific expedition to measure the curvature of the earth and gather geographical data, which they intend to sell to the highest bidder with the promise of naval superiority. Adéwalé successfully sabotages the expedition by substituting the illiterate slaves being used by the expedition for literate members of the Maroons.

text: Tensions begin to arise within the Maroons when Adéwalé plots further raids against the slave trade. Bastienne objects, as de Fayet will only punish those trapped in slavery further as punishment. Adéwalé ignores her, but is horrified when he witnesses a frigate fire on an unarmed slave ship to prevent the slaves from joining the Maroons. Adéwalé boards the slave ship and manages to save a few slaves from drowning before the ship capsized with the rest. He plans retribution, but Bastienne cautions that taking revenge will weaken the Maroons' cause; if Adéwalé is to kill de Fayet, then he should do so acting as an agent of justice. After assaulting the Governor's Mansion, pursuing him through the city and fighting off a local garrison, Adéwalé finally corners and kills de Fayet, who claims that slaves are incapable of self-governance and turn to armed uprising at the slightest provocation. Adéwalé points out that none of the slaves or overseers came to his aid, and instead let him die. After killing de Fayet, Adéwalé returns to say goodbye to Bastienne before returning to the Assassin Order, but pledging to use his newfound convictions to aid people who are oppressed rather than the cause of their would-be liberators.

text: Development[edit]

text: In early February 2013, during its quarterly financial call to investors, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the next Assassin's Creed game, due for release some time before April 2014, would feature a new hero, time period, and development team.[23] On February 28, 2013, Ubisoft posted their first promotional picture and cover for their next Assassin's Creed game, following leaked marketing material days before.[24] It announced the title of the game as Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and featured an unnamed character holding a flintlock and a sword with a black flag in the back ground containing the Assassin's symbol with a skull.[24] A reported glitch on the official Assassin's Creed IV website suggested the game will release on next-gen consoles and October 29 as the release date,[25] which was confirmed by the first trailer for the game, released on March 4, 2013 (originally leaked on March 2, 2013, but was quickly pulled by Ubisoft).[1][26][27]

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was announced with a cinematic trailer on March 4, 2013.[26] Development began in mid-2011 at Ubisoft Montreal by a separate team from the one on Assassin's Creed III, with additional work done by Ubisoft studios in Annecy, Bucharest, Kyiv, Montpellier, Singapore and Sofia.[9]

text: Lead content manager Carsten Myhill stressed away the sentiment that the sequel should have been a spin-off in the same vein as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood or Assassin's Creed: Revelations, given the ostensible similarities with Assassin's Creed III. He stated "The whole feeling of the game is completely fresh and new. It will feel very different from Assassin's Creed III. I think it completely warrants the Assassin's Creed IV moniker, not only with the new name and setting, but the attitude and the tone of the experience."[28] Assassin's Creed IV is the first main series numbered title to carry a subtitle, a decision which Myhill says was made to clearly distinguish the pirate theme from the rest of the franchise.[28]

text: By utilizing the AnvilNext engine, the development team is able to work with one engine for both the next-gen and current-gen versions of the game, as the AnvilNext engine was designed with next-gen capabilities in mind, while still working on current-gen systems.[1] In addition, each system will have their own intricacies and feature sets, with support for the different controllers and utilizing features specific to each console.[1] The PC version supports Nvidia's TXAA.[29]

text: Music[edit]

text:
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack)

Soundtrack album by Brian Tyler

Released
October 14, 2013 (2013-10-14)

Genre
Video game soundtrack

Length
1:41:33

Label
Ubisoft Music

tag: table

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack) was composed by American composer Brian Tyler, who also composed the soundtrack of the previous Ubisoft title Far Cry 3. Additional compositions and arrangements were provided by Sarah Schachner, Omar Fadel,[30] Steve Davis, Mike Kramer, Jeremy Lamb, Matthew Llewellyn, and Robert Lydecker. The soundtrack was released on Amazon MP3[31] and iTunes on October 14, 2013.[32] Two other soundtracks have also been released:

text:
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — Sea Shanty Edition), a second soundtrack containing a set of 16 sea shanties composed by various artists, was released on Amazon MP3[33] and iTunes on October 29, 2013.[34]
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition), a complete soundtrack including the two previous soundtracks as well as the multiplayer soundtrack composed by Joe Henson and Alexis Smith, was released on Amazon MP3[35] and iTunes on December 2, 2013.[36]

tag: ul

text: The score to the Freedom Cry DLC was composed by French composer Olivier Deriviere. It was recorded at Avatar Studios in New York with La Troupe Makandal, a dedicated group for Haitian music, and at Galaxy Studios in Belgium with the Brussels Philharmonic.[37]

text:
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Original Game Soundtrack) / Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc One)

No.
Title
Music
Length

1.
"Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Main Theme[a]"
Sarah Schachner
2:13

2.
"Pyrates Beware[a]"
Schachner
3:16

3.
"On the Horizon[a]"
Brian Tyler, Schachner
3:01

4.
"The High Seas[a]"
Tyler
2:44

5.
"The Fortune of Edward Kenway[a]"
Schachner
1:57

6.
"In This World or the One Below[a]"
Tyler, Schachner
2:49

7.
"Under the Black Flag[a]"
Schachner
3:21

8.
"The Ends of the Earth[a]"
Tyler
2:53

9.
"Stealing a Brig[a]"
Tyler
1:52

10.
"Fare Thee Well[a]"
Tyler
5:14

11.
"The Buccaneers[a]"
Tyler
4:05

12.
"Marked for Death[a]"
Tyler
3:21

13.
"Last Goodbyes[a]"
Tyler
2:24

14.
"Take What Is Ours![a]"
Tyler
3:15

15.
"I'll Be with You[a]"
Tyler
6:04

16.
"Lay Aboard Lads[a]"
Tyler
2:24

17.
"A Pirate's Life[a]"
Tyler
2:02

18.
"Men of War[a]"
Tyler
2:57

19.
"Order of the Assassin[a]"
Tyler
3:10

20.
"In the Midst[a]"
Tyler
3:05

21.
"The British Empire"
Tyler
3:08

22.
"Batten Down the Hatches"
Tyler
1:37

23.
"Modernity"
Tyler
2:14

24.
"A Merry Life and a Short One"
Tyler
1:16

25.
"Queen Anne's Revenge"
Tyler
4:42

26.
"Confrontation"
Tyler
3:15

27.
"Prizes Plunder and Adventure"
Tyler
2:12

28.
"Meet the Sage"
Omar Fadel
3:36

29.
"Into the Jungle"
Tyler
1:46

30.
"The Spanish Empire"
Tyler
3:57

31.
"The Islands of the West Indies"
Tyler
3:06

32.
"Ships of Legend"
Tyler
2:02

33.
"Secrets of the Maya"
Tyler
3:24

34.
"Life at Sea"
Fadel
3:10

Total length:
1:41:33

text:
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — Sea Shanty Edition) / Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc Two)

No.
Title
Music
Length

1.
"Randy Dandy Oh[a]"
Sean Dagher, Nils Brown, Michiel Schrey
1:35

2.
"Maid of Amsterdam[a]"
Brown, Schrey, Dagher
1:41

3.
"Leave Her Johnny[a]"
Dagher, Brown, Schrey
2:12

4.
"Whisky Johnny O'[a]"
Schrey, Dagher, Brown
1:21

5.
"Good Morning Ladies[a]"
Dagher, Brown, Schrey
1:38

6.
"Fish in the Sea[a]"
Schrey, Dagher, Brown
1:29

7.
"Dead Horse[a]"
Dagher, Brown, Schrey
1:07

8.
"Running Down to Cuba[a]"
Schrey, Dagher, Brown
1:29

9.
"Trooper and the Maid"
Charlotte Cumberbirch, Dagher, Nelson Carter, Richard Irwin, David Gossage
1:57

10.
"William Taylor"
Dagher, Brown, Schrey, Cumberbirch, Carter, Irwin, Gossage
2:16

11.
"Patrick Spens"
Schrey, Dagher, Irwin, Gossage
1:52

12.
"Fathom the Bowl"
Linda Morrison, Dagher, Carter, Patrick Graham, Gossage
2:13

13.
"Admiral Benbow"
Schrey, Dagher, Brown, Carter, Irwin, Gossage
1:53

14.
"All for Me Grog"
Morrison, Dagher, Carter, Graham, Gossage
2:06

15.
"Buleria"
Marco Marin, Dominic Soulard, Eric Breton
2:06

16.
"Verdiales"
Marin, Soulard, Breton
1:26

Total length:
28:22

text:
[show]Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Game Soundtrack — The Complete Edition) (Disc Three)

No.
Title
Music
Length

1.
"Saba Island"
Joe Henson, Alexis Smith
3:37

2.
"Santa Lucia"
Joe Henson, Smith
3:10

3.
"Tampa Bay"
Joe Henson, Smith, Christian Henson
3:19

4.
"Prison"
Joe Henson, Smith
3:00

5.
"La Havana"
Joe Henson, Smith
3:18

6.
"Portobelo"
Joe Henson, Smith
3:45

7.
"Saint Pierre"
Joe Henson, Smith, Christian Henson
3:23

8.
"King Of The Seven Seas"
Orivian
3:08

Total length:
(Disc 3) 26:40
(Complete) 2:36:35

text: ^[a] signifies a song that is included in the "Skull Edition"[38]

text: Marketing and release[edit]

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was released worldwide for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 29, 2013,[5][6][7] while the Wii U was released on October 29, 2013 in North America,[3][6][7] November 21, 2013 in Australia, November 22, 2013 in Europe[2] and November 28, 2013 in Japan.[39] The Wii U version in Europe was delayed from its original November 1, 2013 release date.[2] It was announced on March 1, 2013 that the game will also come to the PlayStation 4, and on May 21 that it will release on the Xbox One.[4] Both versions were launch titles, with the PlayStation 4 version releasing on November 15 and November 29, 2013 in North America and Europe, respectively,[6][7] and November 22, 2013 worldwide for Xbox One.[6][7]

text: Ubisoft partnered with Sony to bring exclusive content to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 versions of the game,[40] which will feature the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, Aveline de Grandpré, in three missions. The Aveline content, which was written by Liberation writer Jill Murray, picks up after the conclusion of her story in Liberation.[41] The content is also available on the PC platform, through the Uplay Gold Edition.[42]

text: On June 21, 2013, it was announced that the Microsoft Windows version had been delayed "a few weeks" from its intended release of October 29, 2013.[43] Its new release dates were later revealed to be November 19, 2013 in North America and November 22, 2013 in Europe.[2] Lead designer Jean-Sebastien Decant explained that the delay was caused by the team working on the "master version" first, making sure it works and then proceeding to the other versions. For Black Flag, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version was the master, before the team adapted it to the other consoles.[44]

text: On October 31, 2013 Ubisoft announced that the Uplay Passport requirement would be removed from Assassin's Creed IV and all future games. Uplay Passport came with all new copies of the game and was required for accessing multiplayer and Edward's Fleet minigame. Owners of used copies could download Uplay Passport for a fee before the removal.[45][46]

text: A Japanese manga adaptation of the game, written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kenji Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's Jump X magazine on August 10, 2013.[47] The manga however contradicts many parts of the game's actual storyline, despite the manga being an adaptation of the game.

text: Downloadable content[edit]

text: On October 8, 2013, Ubisoft announced that a Season Pass would be available for purchase at the launch of the game on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC, and would include the Freedom Cry single-player missions, Kraken Ship pack featuring elements to personalize the Jackdaw, as well as additional single-player and multiplayer elements.[48]

text: Freedom Cry sees the player take on the role of Adéwalé, a freed slave from Trinidad who became Edward Kenway's Quartermaster, and later a member of the Assassin Order. The story mode takes place 15 years after the events of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag where Adéwalé has become a trained assassin and finds himself shipwrecked in Saint-Domingue, where he comes face-to-face with some of the most brutal slavery in the West Indies. The DLC is written by Jill Murray, who wrote Liberation and the Aveline content for Black Flag.[49] In February 2014, it was announced that Freedom Cry would be released as a standalone title on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on February 18, 2014 for North America and February 19, 2014 for Europe. It was released for the PC on February 25, 2014.[50]

text: Blackbeard's Wrath allows the player to play any one of three new characters in Black Flag's multiplayer mode. These characters include Blackbeard, The Jaguar and The Orchid. This DLC is free with the Season Pass.[51]

text: Guild of Rogues adds three new characters to the multiplayer mode. These characters are The Shaman, The Siren and The Stowaway. It was not released for the Wii U.[52]

text: The PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 releases both contain an exclusive DLC, "Aveline". As an exception it is available on PC in the Uplay Digital Deluxe Edition and Jackdaw Edition only.

text: A Game of The Year Edition, called the Jackdaw Edition, was released only on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. It includes all available downloadable content.

text: Reception[edit]

text:
Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator
Score

Metacritic
(PS3) 88/100[53]
(WIIU) 86/100[54]
(X360) 86/100[55]
(PS4) 83/100[56]
(PC) 84/100[57]

Review scores

Publication
Score

CVG
9/10[58]

Edge
9/10[59]

EGM
9.5/10[60]

Eurogamer
9/10[61]

Famitsu
37/40[62]

Game Informer
8.25/10[63]

GameSpot
9/10[64]

Giant Bomb
[65]

IGN
8.5/10[66]

Joystiq
[67]

OPM (UK)
8/10[68]

OXM (US)
9.0/10[69]

PC Gamer (UK)
90%[70]

VideoGamer.com
7/10[71]

The Escapist
[72]

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic, with critics praising the open world gameplay, side-quests, graphics and naval combat. In November 2013, Hardcore Gamer ranked Black Flag as the 70th greatest game of the seventh generation era.[73]

text: Black Flag was generally praised as superior to Assassin's Creed III,[67][71] with Game Informer's Joe Juba noting that Ubisoft responded to criticisms the previous game faced and rectified them.[63] CVG's Matt Gilman called the game "a return to form for the franchise,"[58] while Mikel Reparaz of Official Xbox Magazine stated that "After weathering the somewhat diminishing returns of Revelations and ACIII, Black Flag is exactly the shot in the arm Assassin's Creed needed."[69] Two days after its release, IGN ranked Black Flag as the 2nd best game in the Assassin's Creed series, only behind Assassin's Creed II.[74]

text: Several reviewers directed heavy acclaim to the game's open world structure, with the Edge staff declaring that Black Flag "sets new benchmarks not only for Ubisoft's series but for open-world gaming."[59] Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell called the open world gameplay "a surprising breath of fresh sea air,"[61] with Gilman stating it "revitalizes the series."[58] The large scale of the open world was praised,[66] with Greg Tito of The Escapist saying that the game "opens up the whole Caribbean."[72] Reviewers also praised the game's side-quests and collectibles,[58] as it actively encouraged the player to explore the open world,[61][66] with GameSpot's Shaun McInnis saying that "Black Flag presents a world full of adventure and opportunity and full of reasons to go exploring."[64] The side-quests were generally agreed to be superior to the main missions,[60][63] with IGN's Marty Sliva stating that "Black Flag is at its best [when you] set out in search of your own fun."[66] The assassination side-missions were particularly praised.[63][70] The seamless exploration between ship, land, and sea without loading was also praised.[64][70]

text: The graphics were also widely acclaimed. The Edge staff stated that "From a graphical standpoint, Black Flag's world is built to amaze regardless of which console generation you're playing it on."[59] Reviewers praised the game's open world as "beautiful" and "gorgeous;"[58][64] Sliva called Black Flag "one of the best looking games of 2013."[66] The game's level of detail was also acclaimed,[60] with the open world's water, rain and sea, being cited as "amazing" to look at.[58][63]

text: The game's naval combat system drew much praise. Reviewers noted that the naval combat was Assassin's Creed III's best feature, and consequently praised Black Flag for improving on it.[59] Tito explained that, while Assassin's Creed III's naval missions were linear and limited, Black Flag offered the player much greater freedom by allowing them to explore, fight or sail whenever they wanted.[72] McInnis said that the game "places a huge emphasis on naval combat," and stated that it "builds on ACIII's naval side missions to create an experience every bit as important as running around on dry land."[64] The naval combat received praise for its additions of boarding ships and attacking forts,[72] as well as the seamless transitions between ship and sword gameplay,[64][70] with Tito calling it "a great dual system that rewards both skill in naval combat, and [in] pirate action."[72]

text: The stealth in the game was praised for being more flexible than previous games by allowing the player more options to accomplish their goals.[58][64] The Edge staff said that "Stealth games are only as good as the flexibility of their encounters, and in that regard Black Flag is the most generous Assassin's Creed game to date."[59] However, some also criticized the stealth for being frustrating,[63] due to its clunky and poorly defined controls.[61][71] Reviewers noted that fighting as Edward was similar to previous games,[68] with some criticizing it for being monotonous,[61] too easy,[58] and lacking nuance.[72] However, it was also praised for being "an effective and violent power trip,"[70] and for being "fluid and lively."[64] Some also complained about the enemy A.I. for lacking intelligence.[68][70][71] The simplified crafting system was praised for improving over Assassin's Creed III's,[64][69] with reviewers noting it took inspiration from Far Cry 3.[59][70]

text: The story received a positive response overall. Reparaz praised it as "engrossing" and one of the Assassin's Creed series' best. Reparaz and McInnis also complimented the characters, and praised the way the story explores the human side of pirates, painting them in a sympathetic and relatable light.[64][69] Bramwell felt that the story "flourishes," particularly praising the supporting characters and Edward's character arc.[61] PlayStation Official Magazine's Joel Gregory felt that Black Flag's storyline was nothing unique for the series, though he praised the characters as "far more interesting, more likeable, and more varied" than previous games.[68] While he praised the story's first half, Gilman was more critical of the latter half, adding that its flawed pacing and structure resulted in player apathy towards the characters.[58] Both Sliva and Juba also criticized the main story,[66] with Juba complaining about its lack of purpose, or a compelling antagonist, and felt that most of the supporting characters were underdeveloped.[63]

text: The story missions also had a mixed reception. Reparaz, who gave the game high praise, felt that they were the weakest aspect of Black Flag.[69] Juba and VideoGamer.com's Steven Burns both felt that most of the story missions were extremely repetitive and were tediously tiring.[63][71] Tito, however, felt that they were varied, and that the frustrating portions compensated by being challenging.[72] One particular aspect that received heavy criticism from most reviewers were the eavesdropping and tailing missions,[59][61][63][64][69][71][72] with several noting that these problems should have been fixed or removed entirely from the series.[58][68] The tailing objectives were also extended to ship/sea missions, with reviewers also criticizing this form of naval stealth.[59][67] The game's pacing and opening were praised, as it introduced the pirate gameplay without the need of an overly long tutorial,[60][66][70] with Juba noting it an improvement over Assassin's Creed III.[63]

text: Several reviewers labelled Black Flag a more pirate game than it is an Assassin's Creed one, due to its heavy focusing on pirating in gameplay, story, and characters.[59][67][68][70] Reviewers felt that it was better for the game; they praised Black Flag's more light-hearted fare and tone compared to previous games,[59][66][71] while also believing the game wisely avoided the usual convoluted Assassin's plot in favor of a simplistic pirate story.[66][70] Gilman stated that "Black Flag is a better pirate game than it is an assassin game,"[58] with PC Gamer's Tom Senior remarking that "Black Flag doesn't really want to be an Assassin's Creed game, and [...] that is a welcome move."[70] Reparaz called it the greatest pirate game he had ever played,[69] while Electronic Gaming Monthly's Ray Carsillo declared Black Flag to be "probably the best pirate simulation in gaming history."[60] Tito stated that Black Flag's gameplay reminded him more of a 3D version of Sid Meier's Pirates! than any Assassin's Creed game.[72] Edward Kenway's character as a self-motivated pirate rather than an Assassin was also praised by most.[61][64][66][71] Sliva believed that Edward's character was a "refreshing change of pace from a series that had started to take itself a bit too seriously,"[66] while he and Gilman stated that Edward was a "livelier" and more "palatable" protagonist than Assassin's Creed III's Connor.[58][66]

text: In December 2015, Game Informer ranked the game as the fifth best game in the Assassin's Creed series to date.[75]

text: Sales[edit]

text: During the first week of sales in the United Kingdom, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag became the best-selling game on all available formats, ahead of Battlefield 4.[76] However, the game's opening week sales were 60% down compared to 2012's Assassin's Creed III. Ubisoft blamed the fall in demand on uncertainty caused by the upcoming transition to eighth generation consoles.[77] According to NPD Group figures, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag was the third best-selling game of November 2013 in the United States, only behind Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4.[78] In May 2014, Ubisoft announced that the game had shipped over 11 million copies.[79]

text: Awards[edit]

text: Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag has received Game of the Year nominations from media outlets Cheat Code Central,[80] GameSpot,[81] and the Inside Gaming Awards,[82] It won the Spike VGX 2013 award for Best Action Adventure Game,[83] and the GameSpot awards for PS4 Game of the Year and Xbox One Game of the Year.[84][85]

text:
[show]List of notable awards and nominations for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Year
Award
Category
Result
Ref.

2013
5th Annual Inside Gaming Awards
Game of the Year
Nominated
[82]

Best Story
Nominated

Gamers' Choice
Nominated

Cheat Code Central's 7th Annual Cody Awards
Game of the Year
Nominated
[86]

Studio of the Year (Ubisoft Montreal)
Nominated
[87]

Best Graphics
Nominated
[88]

Best Action/Adventure Game
Nominated
[89]

Spike VGX 2013
Best Action Adventure Game
Won
[83]

Game Revolution's Best of 2013 Awards
Best Action-Adventure Game
Won
[90]

Best Publisher (Ubisoft)
Nominated
[91]

GameSpot's Game of the Year 2013 Awards
PS4 Game of the Year
Won
[84]

Xbox One Game of the Year
Won
[85]

Game of the Year
Nominated
[81]

PS3 Game of the Year
Nominated
[92]

Xbox 360 Game of the Year
Nominated
[93]

Hardcore Gamer's Game of the Year Awards 2013
Best Adventure Game
Won
[94]

The Sequel of Sequels
Won
[95]

Game of the Year
Nominated
[96]

Best Multiplatform Game
Nominated
[97]

Best Multiplayer
Nominated
[98]

Best New Character (Edward Kenway)
Nominated
[99]

Best Technical Graphics
Nominated
[100]

Destructoid's Best of 2013
Best Multiplatform Game
Nominated
[101]

Best Action Game
Nominated
[102]

Best Competitive Game
Nominated
[103]

Giant Bomb's 2013 Game of the Year Awards
Best Surprise
Won
[104]

Best Game
Nominated
[105]

13th Annual National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards
Art Direction, Period Influence
Nominated
[106]

Character Design
Won

Costume Design
Won

Game Design, Franchise
Nominated

Graphics, Technical
Nominated

Game, Franchise Adventure
Nominated

2014
GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2013
Game of the Year
Nominated
[107]

Best Multiplatform Game
Nominated

Best Action/Adventure Game
Nominated

IGN's Best of 2013
Best PS4 Multiplayer Game
Won
[108]

Xbox One Game of the Year
Won
[109]

Best Xbox One Action-Adventure Game
Won
[110]

Best Xbox One Story
Won
[111]

Best Wii U Action-Adventure Game
Won
[112]

Best Wii U Sound
Won
[113]

Best Overall Action-Adventure Game
Nominated
[114]

Best Overall Music
Nominated
[115]

Best PC Action-Adventure Game
Nominated
[116]

Best PS3 Action-Adventure Game
Nominated
[117]

Best PS3 Sound
Nominated
[118]

Best PS3 Story
Nominated
[119]

PS4 Game of the Year
Nominated
[120]

Best Xbox 360 Action-Adventure Game
Nominated
[121]

Best Xbox 360 Sound
Nominated
[122]

Best Xbox 360 Story
Nominated
[123]

Best Xbox One Sound
Nominated
[124]

Wii U Game of the Year
Nominated
[125]

Best Wii U Multiplayer Game
Nominated
[126]

Best Wii U Music
Nominated
[127]

The Escapist Awards 2013
Game of the Year
Nominated
[128]

Best Action-Adventure Game
Nominated
[129]

Official Xbox Magazine's Game of the Year Awards 2013
Best Action Game
Won
[130]

Game of the Year
Nominated
[131]

66th Writers Guild of America Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing
(Story by Darby McDevitt, Mustapha Mahrach, Jean Guesdon; Lead Scriptwriter Darby McDevitt;
Scriptwriter Jill Murray; AI Scriptwriter Nicholas Grimwood; Scriptwriter Singapore Mark Llabres Hill)
Nominated
[132]

17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards
Game of the Year
Nominated
[133]

Adventure Game of the Year
Nominated

Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Nominated

Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering
Nominated

Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering
Nominated

10th BAFTA Video Games Awards
Best Game
Nominated

Action/Adventure
Nominated

Game Design
Nominated

Music
Nominated

14th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards
Best Technology
Nominated
[134]

32nd Golden Joystick Awards
Best Visual Design
Won
[135][136]

Studio of the Year (Ubisoft Montreal)
Won

Best Audio
Won

Best Gaming Moment (Sea shanties)
Nominated

Game of the Year
Nominated

text: PETA criticism[edit]

text: The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal rights organisation criticised Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag for the usage of harpoons and "glorification" of whaling. The organisation said it was disgraceful that the video game industry doesn't condemn the addition.[137] Ubisoft responded to the claims by saying that Assassin's Creed's is based on history and is a "work of fiction which depicts real events during the Golden Era of Pirates". Ubisoft claimed they do not condone whaling, along with other mechanics and features in the 4th installment in the series.[138]

text: PETA has had a history of criticising video games, some of the notable cases being Mario and Pokémon.[139]

text: Series continuation[edit]

text: Assassin's Creed Unity, set in Paris on the eve of the French Revolution,[140] was released worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows on November 11, 2014.[141]

text: Additionally, Assassin's Creed Rogue is the sequel to Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and the prequel to both Unity and III, following Shay Cormac, an Assassin-turned-Templar who hunts members of the Assassin order. Taking place in North America during the Seven Years' War, the game was released worldwide on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 11, 2014.[142]

text: Other data[edit]

text: In November 2013 the video game company of Ubisoft financed the exhumation of the remains of the Spanish corsair Amaro Pargo to reconstruct his face for its possible appearance in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. For the first time in history,[143] a company in the video game industry exhumed the remains of a historical character in a pioneering campaign that got the attention of national and international media. In addition, this exhumation had important discoveries on the physiognomy of this mythical corsair.[144]


document_title: Babylonian captivity

question_text: who destroyed the first temple and exiled the two tribes of judah to babylon

text: Babylonian captivity

text: Biblical accounts of the exile[edit]

text: In the late 7th century BCE, the Kingdom of Judah was a client state of the Assyrian empire. In the last decades of the century, Assyria was overthrown by Babylon, an Assyrian province. Egypt, fearing the sudden rise of the Neo-Babylonian empire, seized control of Assyrian territory up to the Euphrates river in Syria, but Babylon counter-attacked. In the process Josiah, the king of Judah, was killed in a battle with the Egyptians at the Battle of Megiddo (609 BCE).

text: After the defeat of Pharaoh Necho's army by the Babylonians at Carchemish in 605 BCE, Jehoiakim began paying tribute to Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. Some of the young nobility of Judah were taken to Babylon.

text: In the following years, the court of Jerusalem was divided into two parties, in support of Egypt and Babylon. After Nebuchadnezzar was defeated in battle in 601 BCE by Egypt, Judah revolted against Babylon, culminating in a three-month siege of Jerusalem beginning in late 598 BCE.[7] Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, died during the siege[8] and was succeeded by his son Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah) at the age of eighteen.[9] The city fell on 2 Adar (March 16) 597 BCE,[10] and Nebuchadnezzar pillaged Jerusalem and its Temple and took Jeconiah, his court and other prominent citizens (including the prophet Ezekiel) back to Babylon.[11] Jehoiakim's uncle Zedekiah was appointed king in his place, but the exiles in Babylon continued to consider Jeconiah as their Exilarch, or rightful ruler.

text: Despite warnings by Jeremiah and others of the pro-Babylonian party, Zedekiah revolted against Babylon and entered into an alliance with Pharaoh Hophra. Nebuchadnezzar returned, defeated the Egyptians, and again besieged Jerusalem, resulting in the city's destruction in 587 BCE. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city wall and the Temple, together with the houses of the most important citizens. Zedekiah and his sons were captured, the sons were executed in front of Zedekiah, who was then blinded and taken to Babylon with many others (Jer 52:10–11). Judah became a Babylonian province, called Yehud, putting an end to the independent Kingdom of Judah. (Because of the missing years in the Jewish calendar, rabbinic sources place the date of the destruction of the First Temple at 3338 HC (423 BCE)[12] or 3358 HC (403 BCE)).[13]

text: The first governor appointed by Babylon was Gedaliah, a native Judahite; he encouraged the many Jews who had fled to surrounding countries such as Moab, Ammon and Edom to return, and he took steps to return the country to prosperity. Some time later, a surviving member of the royal family assassinated Gedaliah and his Babylonian advisors, prompting many refugees to seek safety in Egypt. By the end of the second decade of the 6th century, in addition to those who remained in Judah, there were significant Jewish communities in Babylon and in Egypt; this was the beginning of the later numerous Jewish communities living permanently outside Judah in the Jewish Diaspora.

text: According to the book of Ezra, the Persian Cyrus the Great ended the exile in 538 BCE,[14] the year after he captured Babylon.[15] The exile ended with the return under Zerubbabel the Prince (so-called because he was a descendant of the royal line of David) and Joshua the Priest (a descendant of the line of the former High Priests of the Temple) and their construction of the Second Temple in the period 521–516 BCE.[14]

text: Archaeological and other non-Biblical evidence[edit]

text: Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem, his capture of King Jeconiah, his appointment of Zedekiah in his place, and the plundering of the city in 597 BCE are corroborated by a passage in the Babylonian Chronicles:[16]:293

text: In the seventh year, in the month of Kislev, the king of Akkad mustered his troops, marched to the Hatti-land, and encamped against the City of Judah and on the ninth day of the month of Adar he seized the city and captured the king. He appointed there a king of his own choice and taking heavy tribute brought it back to Babylon.

text: Jehoiachin's Rations Tablets, describing ration orders for a captive King of Judah, identified with King Jeconiah, have been discovered during excavations in Babylon, in the royal archives of Nebuchadnezzar.[17][18] One of the tablets refers to food rations for "Ya’u-kīnu, king of the land of Yahudu" and five royal princes, his sons.[19]

text: Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian forces returned in 588/586 BCE and rampaged through Judah, leaving clear archaeological evidence of destruction in many towns and settlements there.[16]:294 Clay ostraca from this period, referred to as the Lachish letters, were discovered during excavations; one, which was probably written to the commander at Lachish from an outlying base, describes how the signal fires from nearby towns were disappearing: "And may (my lord) be apprised that we are watching for the fire signals of Lachish according to all the signs which my lord has given, because we cannot see Azeqah."[20] Archaeological finds from Jerusalem testify that virtually the whole city within the walls was burnt to rubble in 587 BCE and utterly destroyed.[16]:295

text: Archaeological excavations and surveys have enabled the population of Judah before the Babylonian destruction to be calculated with a high degree of confidence to have been approximately 75,000. Taking the different biblical numbers of exiles at their highest, 20,000, this would mean that at most 25% of the population had been deported to Babylon, with the remaining 75% staying in Judah.[16]:306 Although Jerusalem was destroyed and depopulated, with large parts of the city remaining in ruins for 150 years, numerous other settlements in Judah continued to be inhabited, with no signs of disruption visible in archaeological studies.[16]:307

text: The Cyrus Cylinder, an ancient tablet on which is written a declaration in the name of Cyrus referring to restoration of temples and repatriation of exiled peoples, has often been taken as corroboration of the authenticity of the biblical decrees attributed to Cyrus,[21] but other scholars point out that the cylinder's text is specific to Babylon and Mesopotamia and makes no mention of Judah or Jerusalem.[21] Professor Lester L. Grabbe asserted that the "alleged decree of Cyrus" regarding Judah, "cannot be considered authentic", but that there was a "general policy of allowing deportees to return and to re-establish cult sites". He also stated that archaeology suggests that the return was a "trickle" taking place over decades, rather than a single event.[22]

text: As part of the Persian Empire, the former Kingdom of Judah became the province of Judah (Yehud Medinata[23]) with different borders, covering a smaller territory.[22] The population of the province was greatly reduced from that of the kingdom, archaeological surveys showing a population of around 30,000 people in the 5th to 4th centuries BCE.[16]:308

text: An exhibition in Jerusalem has on display over 100 cuneiform tablets that detail trade in fruits and other commodities, taxes, debts, and credits accumulated between Jews driven from, or convinced to move from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar around 600 BCE. They include details on one exiled Judean family over four generations, all with Hebrew names.[24][25]

text: Exilic literature[edit]

text: The exilic period was a rich one for Hebrew literature. Biblical depictions of the exile include Book of Jeremiah 39–43 (which saw the exile as a lost opportunity); the final section of 2 Kings (which portrays it as the temporary end of history); 2 Chronicles (in which the exile is the "Sabbath of the land"); and the opening chapters of Ezra, which records its end. Other works from or about the exile include the stories in Daniel 1–6, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the "Story of the Three Youths" (1 Esdras 3:1–5:6), and the books of Tobit and Book of Judith.[26]

text: The Priestly source, one of the four main sources of the Torah/Pentateuch in the Bible, is primarily a product of the post-exilic period when the former Kingdom of Judah had become the Persian province of Yehud.[27] Also during this Persian period, the final redaction of the Pentateuch purportedly took place.[16]:310

text: Significance in Jewish history[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: In the Hebrew Bible, the captivity in Babylon is presented as a punishment for idolatry and disobedience to Yahweh in a similar way to the presentation of Israelite slavery in Egypt followed by deliverance. The Babylonian Captivity had a number of serious effects on Judaism and Jewish culture. For example, the current Hebrew alphabet was adopted during this period, replacing the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet.

text: This period saw the last high-point of biblical prophecy in the person of Ezekiel, followed by the emergence of the central role of the Torah in Jewish life. According to many historical-critical scholars, the Torah was redacted during this time, and began to be regarded as the authoritative text for Jews. This period saw their transformation into an ethno-religious group who could survive without a central Temple.[28]

text: This process coincided with the emergence of scribes and sages as Jewish leaders (see Ezra). Prior to exile, the people of Israel had been organized according to tribe. Afterwards, they were organized by smaller family groups. Only the tribe of Levi continued in its temple role after the return. After this time, there were always sizable numbers of Jews living outside Eretz Israel; thus, it also marks the beginning of the "Jewish diaspora", unless this is considered to have begun with the Assyrian Captivity of Israel.

text: In Rabbinic literature, Babylon was one of a number of metaphors for the Jewish diaspora. Most frequently the term "Babylon" meant the diaspora prior to the destruction of the Second Temple. The post-destruction term for the Jewish Diaspora was "Rome", or "Edom".

text: Chronology[edit]

text: The following table is based on Rainer Albertz's work on Israel in exile.[29] (Alternative dates are possible.)

text:
Year
Event

609 BCE
Death of Josiah

609–598 BCE
Reign of Jehoiakim (succeeded Jehoahaz, who replaced Josiah but reigned only 3 months) Began giving tribute to Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BCE. First deportation, including Daniel.

598/7 BCE
Reign of Jehoiachin (reigned 3 months). Siege and fall of Jerusalem.
Second deportation, 16 March 597

597 BCE
Zedekiah made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon

594 BCE
Anti-Babylonian conspiracy

588 BCE
Siege and fall of Jerusalem. Solomon's Temple destroyed.
Third deportation July/August 587

583 BCE
Gedaliah the Babylonian-appointed governor of Yehud Province assassinated.
Many Jews flee to Egypt and a possible fourth deportation to Babylon

562 BCE
Release of Jehoiachin after 37 years in a Babylonian prison.[30] He remains in Babylon

539 BCE
Persians conquer Babylon (October)

538 BCE
Decree of Cyrus allows Jews to return to Jerusalem

520–515 BCE
Return by many Jews to Yehud under Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest.
Foundations of Second Temple laid


document_title: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

question_text: where is the white castle that harold and kumar go to

text: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

text: Plot[edit]

text: Investment banker Harold Lee is persuaded by his colleagues to do their work while they leave for the weekend. Kumar Patel attends a medical school interview, but intentionally botches it to prevent getting accepted. Harold is attracted to his neighbor, Maria, but is unable to admit his feelings. After smoking marijuana with Kumar, and seeing an advertisement for White Castle, the pair decide to get hamburgers. After traveling to the nearest White Castle in New Brunswick, they find it replaced by "Burger Shack" but learn of another White Castle in Cherry Hill.

text: Kumar suggests stopping at Princeton University to buy more marijuana. Kumar buys marijuana from a student and they are discovered by campus security and forced to flee, losing their marijuana. Harold and Kumar resume their drive, and Kumar pulls over to urinate. A raccoon gets in the car and bites Harold. Kumar takes Harold to a hospital where Kumar's father and older brother work. Kumar steals ID badges to obtain medical marijuana, but after being mistaken for his brother, Kumar performs surgery on a gunshot victim and, after the surgery, the patient tells them how to reach White Castle.

text: Kumar spots Maria at a movie theatre. He decides to get her attention so Harold can talk to her, but Harold panics and crashes the car. They are rescued by Freakshow, a tow-truck driver, who takes them to his house to repair their car. Harold and Kumar are propositioned by Freakshow's wife, but after Freakshow suggests a foursome, Harold and Kumar flee in disgust. Kumar pick up a hitchhiker, Neil Patrick Harris, who is high on ecstasy. Harold and Kumar go into a convenience store to get directions and Harris drives away. The duo are then harassed by a racist police officer for jaywalking. Harold attempts to punch Kumar for teasing the officer, but ends up punching the officer, resulting in his arrest.

text: Kumar fakes a 911 call to draw the police away and breaks into the station to free Harold. Harold and Kumar flee. The pair encounters an escaped cheetah, and after smoking marijuana with it, they ride it. After encountering a group of extreme sports punks who have been harassing the pair, Harold and Kumar steal their truck. A police officer spots the speeding truck and chases them. They are trapped when they reach the edge of a cliff. Spotting the White Castle below, Harold and Kumar use a hang glider from the truck to reach their destination. The pair place their orders but are disheartened to find they have no money. Harris suddenly appears, and pays for their meal as an apology for stealing their car.

text: Kumar realizes he wants to be a doctor, but is afraid of conforming to the stereotype of Indians becoming doctors. Harold notices his co-workers pull up with two women and gets angry at them because they said they had to work with clients but were actually out partying. He tells them off and threatens to get them fired and humiliated if it happens again. After returning to their apartment they encounter Maria. Harold professes his feelings for her and they kiss. She informs Harold that she is leaving for Amsterdam but will return in ten days. Kumar convinces Harold to go with him to Amsterdam to pursue Maria, reminding him that marijuana is legal in the Netherlands.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
John Cho as Harold Lee, a second generation Korean-American man working at his first job in investment banking.
Kal Penn as Kumar Patel, a second generation Indian-American whose family thinks that he will become a doctor like his father and brother.
Paula Garcés as Maria Perez, Harold and Kumar's neighbor, on whom Harold has a crush.
Neil Patrick Harris as a fictionalized version of himself.
Ryan Reynolds as an OR nurse
David Krumholtz as Goldstein, Harold and Kumar's neighbor and Rosenberg's roommate
Eddie Kaye Thomas as Rosenberg, Harold and Kumar's neighbor and Goldstein's roommate
Brooke D'Orsay as Clarissa, twin sister student at Princeton University who agreed to smoke weed with Kumar
Kate Kelton as Chrissy, twin sister student at Princeton University who agreed to smoke weed with Kumar
Christopher Meloni as Randy/Freakshow, a car mechanic with infected pimples on his face and neck who fixed Harold and Kumar's car
Sandy Jobin Bevans as Officer Palumbo, a police officer
Fred Willard as Dr. Willoughby, medical school dean who interviewed Kumar
Robert Tinkler as J.D.
Anthony Anderson as the Burger Shack Employee
Siu Ta as Cindy Kim, student at Princeton University who has a crush on Harold
Malin Åkerman as Liane, Freakshow's wife
Dov Tiefenbach as Bradley Thomas, student at Princeton University who sold weed to Kumar
Gary Anthony Williams as Tarik Jackson, a philosophical black man in who has been arrested for being black
Gary Archibald as Nathaniel Brooks
Craig Stevens as Ralph
Jamie Kennedy as Creepy Guy (uncredited)
Ethan Embry as Billy Carver

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle – Soundtrack

Soundtrack album by Various Artists

Released
July 27th, 2004

Label
Bulletproof

text: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle : Original Soundtrack was released on July 27, 2004. It contains 16 songs from the film.

text:
"Chick Magnet" – MxPx
"One Good Spliff" – Ziggy Marley / The Melody Makers
"Yeah (Dream of Me)" – All Too Much
"Righteous Dub" – Long Beach Dub All Stars
"Skunk One" – Kottonmouth Kings
"Same Old Song" – Phunk Junkeez
"White Castle Blues" – The Smithereens
"Crazy On You" – Heart
"Cameltoe" – Fannypack
"Kinda High, Kinda Drunk" – Coolio
"Mary Jane" – Rick James
"I Wanna Get Next to You" – Rose Royce
"Hold On" – Wilson Phillips
"Ridin'" – Classic & 86
"Arrival at White Castle" – Heiruspecs
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" – Nicki French

tag: ol

text: Songs that are in the film but do not appear on the soundtrack include:

text:
"Also Sprach Zarathustra" – David Kitay
"Baby Baby" – Amy Grant
"Ballin' Boy" – No Good
"Click Click Pow" – Lexicon (real song title is "The Official")
"Warrior Dance" – Zion I feat. Pep Love
"Fall In Line" – Phunk Junkeez
"Faraway" – Dara Schindler
"Gangsta Gangsta" – J. O'Neal / D. Black
"Girl From Ypsilanti" – Daniel May
"Let's Get Retarded" – Black Eyed Peas (this song is the unedited version of their "Let's Get It Started" hit)
"Looney" – Moonshine Bandits
"Mariachi Speier" – Eric Speier
"On the Ganges" – Matt Hirt
"Rock to the Rhythm" – Lexicon (actual song name is "Rock")
"Rock Your Body 2004" – Stagga Lee
"Ooh Wee" – Mark Ronson

text: Release[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: In its opening weekend, the film grossed $5,480,378 in 2135 theatres in the United States and Canada. In total it had a worldwide gross of $23,936,908.[1]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: The film was positively received by critics, with a 74% rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 147 reviews; the consensus states "The likable leads and subversion of racial stereotypes elevate Harold and Kumar above the typical stoner comedy."[2][3]

text: Film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film 3 out of 4 stars and wrote "One secret of fiction is the creation of unique characters who are precisely defined. The secret of comedy is the same, with the difference being that the characters must be obsessed with unwholesome but understandable human desires."[4]

text: Sequels[edit]

text: Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is the 2008 sequel to White Castle. The movie revolves around Harold and Kumar trying to get to Amsterdam to find Maria, but when the two are mistaken for terrorists on the plane, they are sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

text: Both Hurwitz and Schlossberg announced plans to write a third Harold and Kumar film, with Greg Shapiro returning as producer, and Kal Penn and John Cho returning in their title roles,[5][6] While Todd Strauss-Schulson directed the film. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, was released on November 4, 2011 in 2D and 3D.


document_title: Child benefits in the United Kingdom

question_text: when was child benefit paid for the first child

text: Child benefits in the United Kingdom

text: The child tax allowance[edit]

text: The first modern child tax credit was introduced in the 1909 'People's Budget' of Lloyd-George. This introduced a £10 income tax allowance per child, for tax payers earning under £500 per annum. Following extensive Parliamentary debate, the Budget became law as the Finance Act (1909–1910) 1910 on 29 April 1910.[1] Since the income tax rate was then 1 shilling, two pence in the pound (5.83%), the value of the tax credit was therefore 11 shillings and eight pence per child. Since most people did not earn enough to pay tax, this was a subsidy for middle class parents. The nominal value of these tax credits were generally, though not always, increased in line with income tax rates. For instance, by 1916, income tax had increased to five shillings in the pound (25%), and the tax credit to £25, giving a value of the tax credit of £6 5 shillings.

text: Family Allowance[edit]

text: Calls began for a specific family payment in the early part of the 20th century. These were successfully opposed by those who saw men, earning higher wages than women, as bread-winners, supporting the family through their wages - family allowance payments were seen as socialist and/or feminist in nature.[2] In addition, eugenicist arguments perceived the poor as unworthy of support.

text: Over the 1930s, growing evidence showed that large numbers of children were born into poverty, with 47% suffering five years or more of malnutrition. Higher wages would not effectively target these children, as the majority of male workers had no dependent children. A White Paper of Family Allowances was published in May 1942, giving costings for various levels of family allowance. These were not immediately adopted, and following the publication of the Beveridge Report, which called for subsistence levels of payments, uprated with the cost of living, the Family Allowances Act 1945 was passed. This provide for a five shilling per week payment for each child, after the first. This was designed to support large families, and was set well below the nine shilling a week subsistence level (further devalued by inflation) recommended by Beveridge.[3] In 1952 the rate was increased to eight shillings per week. In 1956 the rate for the third and subsequent children was increased to ten shillings per week, and the maximum age for payments for dependent children was increased from 15 to 18.

text: In 1968 the rates were increased from 8 to 15 and then 18 shillings and from 10 to 17 shillings and then £1 respectively,[4][5] but this was paid for in part by a reduction in the value of child tax allowance, so that the poor would benefit, but the middle classes did not.[6]

text: In 1975, the rate was increased to £1.50 for each child after the first.[7]

text: Family Income Supplement[edit]

text: Family Income Supplement was introduced in 1970 by the new Conservative government of Edward Heath, following a child poverty campaign, effective from August 1971, and provided for a payment to families on low wages. Claimants were required to provide payslips, to prove they were in employment, for a minimum of 24 hours per week. Takeup of the benefit was initially poor, with only half of those eligible claiming.[8]

text: Rates were raised largely in line with inflation to 1979, but several above-inflation increases followed under the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher. By November 1984, rates had risen to a maximum £23/week for one child, and an additional maximum of £2/week for each subsequent child, based on a maximum income threshold of £90/week, plus £10/week for each additional child. In addition, the numbers of families in receipt of the benefit, which showed no increase in the number of recipients over the 1970s (in 1972, there were 89,000 in receipt, and in 1980, 88,000), grew increased sevenfold over the course of the 1979–1997 Conservative governments.

text:
Year
Claimants
Annual Growth rate[9]

1972
89,000
N/A

1980
85,000
0%

1985
199,000
18.5%

1990
300,000
9.8%

1995
600,000
13.6%

1999
780,000
6.8%

text: The Social Security Act 1986 provided for Family Income Supplement to be replaced with Family Credit, a similar scheme.

text: Child Benefit and the end of child tax allowance[edit]

text: The Child Benefit Bill was introduced in 1975 by Barbara Castle, introducing for the first time a universal payment, paid for each child, doubling the number of children within its scope. Like the family allowance, which it replaced, the new benefit was not means tested; an attempt by the Callaghan government to introduce this was thwarted in 1976 when cabinet papers were leaked to the Child Poverty Action Group.[10]

text: The rate payable was £1/week for the first and £1.50 for each subsequent child. An addition 50p was payable to lone-parent families. Unlike the family allowance, provision was made for the rate to be uprated, at the Secretary of State's discretion, each year. By the end of 1978 the rate had been increased to £3/week for each child, with an additional £2/week payable to lone-parent families.

text: In 1979 the Child Tax Allowance was removed, the value of the allowance taken up in higher child benefit payments, now £4/week, plus £2.50/week extra for lone-parent families.

text: Child benefit rates were uprated roughly in line with inflation until 1988, but subsequently was frozen until 1990, in order to curb welfare spending.[11] A new higher rate of child benefit, payable for the first child only, was introduced in 1991. This was £1 higher than the rate payable for subsequent children, which was again frozen, at £7.25/week. From 1991 Child Benefit increased in line with inflation, until 1998, when the new Labour government increased the first child rate by more than 20%, and abolished the Lone Parent rate.

text: Rates increased again in line with inflation until 2010, since which time they have been frozen.

text: Effective from 7 January 2013, Child Benefit, a universal benefit since its introduction, became means tested - those earning more than £50,000 per year would have part of their benefit withdrawn, and if earning over £60,000, would receive nothing at all. The charge was based on individual, not household income, hence two earners on £49,999 would receive full child benefit, while one earner earning £60,000 would receive none.[12][13]

text: Current rates[edit]

text: The following are the rates that apply as of March 2017.[14]

text:
Who the allowance is for
Weekly rate

Eldest or only child
£20.70

Additional children
£13.70 (per child)