At the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, a masked torch bearer has become a mystery. First appearing at the July 26 event as a strange boat rider, he helps a group of three kids transport the torch through the canals. The figure wears a white hood, what looks to be a fencing mask, and a dark vest. He (or she) is then seen throughout the show as a parkour expert, climbing rooftops with ease, participating in musical skits and performances, and in one instance ziplining above the river Seine live during the rainy weather. Here’s who the hooded torch bearer might be at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Who is the masked figure carrying the Olympic torch at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
It’s unclear who the masked figure is exactly, but many believe that it is a clear nod to the Assassin’s Creed video game series.
[Update 8/11/2024: The masked figure appeared again at the closing ceremonies as well, carrying the flag pole that was adorned with the Greek flag. This started the portion of the ceremony about rediscovery, with the “golden voyager” using the pole to find the Olympic Games again. It’s possible that we will never know the identity of this masked person.]
Another guess is that it is a modern interpretation of the Phantom of the Opera, since the figure arrived in the boat to recognizable chords of the famous musical. In general, the hooded torch bearer could be a reference to breaking and parkour, as breaking has been newly added to the Olympics and parkour originated in France.
That said, the hooded figure does look like Arno Dorian, the main character from Assassin’s Creed Unity, which takes place in Paris. The publisher and developer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Ubisoft, is also based in France. Even if there’s no direct sponsorship from Ubisoft here, the inspiration for the masked figure is clear.
It’s unknown if the masked figure will reveal his or her identity near the end of the opening ceremony (or perhaps the closing ceremony). It could be a celebrity, who might be switched in at the last minute, though leaving it as a mystery would be an interesting artistic choice too. We’ll update this guide if the identity of the hooded torch bearer is revealed.
