General Kaliero
F = ma, beeyotches.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze is the best, deepest character in at least the recent history of gaming. Born in 1459, Ezio's story truly begins in 1476, when his father and brothers are executed on trumped up charges by a powerful rival family. Ezio vows to exact revenge upon everyone responsible for their deaths, using the equipment and knowledge, inherited from his father, of the ancient Assassin order. His uncle Mario, in their ancestral villa in Monteriggioni, further instructs him in the use of weapons, and the philosophy of their order. A year later, Ezio, Mario, and a small band of mercenaries made for San Gimignano and Ezio's old enemy, Vieri de'Pazzi. Ezio kills him after a brief duel, and tries to extract a confession, but when Vieri makes one last snide remark before dying, Ezio flies into a rage, abusing and insulting his corpse. His uncle Mario reminds him of an Assassin tradition: Respect for those they have killed.
Over a period of 22 years, Ezio takes that to heart as he continues his work. His revenge slowly turns to a higher purpose as the men he kills are revealed to be part of a larger plan, members of the Templars, who are orchestrating a plot to create worldwide order through the loss of free will. Ezio, fully taking on his role of Assassin, strives to prevent this from happening, and in 1499 tracks down the leader of the Templar order and duels him man to man. Soundly beating him down, Ezio at the last moment withdraws his blade, completing his spiritual journey and realizing the futility of revenge. "Killing you won't bring my family back... I'm done."
This is not the end for Ezio. Cesare Borgia leads an attack on Monteriggioni in 1500, destroying the Villa as Ezio and the townspeople flee. Ezio escapes to Rome, where with the guidance of Niccolo Machiavelli he works to collapse the Borgia rule, freeing the people of the city from poverty and corrupt leaders. Along the way, he begins a Brotherhood, training people dissatisfied with the Borgia to be Assassins themselves. By 1503, with a small army of Assassins, Ezio is elevated to Grand Master of the Assassin Order. In a final, desperate gambit, Ezio manages to completely break the Borgia family's power.
Ezio's journey is a long one, and one well worth seeing. Beginning as an angry young man desperate for revenge, over decades of development he matures into a responsible adult, clever and methodical, capable of running a small army of Assassins across the known world while directly battling the powerful Templar order. He does what must be done for the good of all, but never loses the elements that make him human. His shown emotions range from violent rage to intense sadness to joy and grim determination. By the end, he is a man who refuses to let his power control him, instead remaining faithful to the ideals of his order and his status as just one of many, who deserve to be free. He is deep, flawed, and truly human.
That is why I think Ezio deserves a lifetime achievement reward.