Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of the best-selling games of 2019. It adds a nice Japanese twist to the usual From Software Soulsborne formula. Sekiro is full of diverging paths and side quests. Players can choose to skip all of them and still complete the game. In fact, some people have even finished Sekiro in 30 minutes. However, if you’re a completionist, you probably want to see everything this masterpiece has to offer. Sekiro has multiple endings depending on the things you do and the decisions you make during the game.
It might seem like a slog to unlock all the potential endings for Sekiro, but it is worth the effort. All the different endings in the game give you a deep insight into the lore and story of the game. You’d also be able to connect and know more about the mysterious characters in the game. Sekiro has a really vague story like all From Software games but completing all the endings can really unlock the potential hidden in the game’s lore.
How many endings are there?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has a total of 4 main endings. All of them give a good insight into why the country is at war and what’s happening around you. However, getting these endings is not easy in any way. The requirements to get the endings in Sekiro are pretty vague. In addition to that, as the endings get better, the requirements get tougher. This means that the best endings in the game require a lot of intricate tasks that players could easily miss during a play through. It is also possible to miss something and get locked out of an ending.
So, let’s look at some of the endings of Sekiro and how to get them. These are in order from worst to best. The guide ahead contains SPOILERS so if you’re trying to avoid those, stop reading.
1. The Shura Ending
This is probably the worst ending in the game and is also, subsequently, the easiest to get. The Shura ending can be started when you get sent back to the Ashina Castle for the 2nd time. Fighting through it and reaching the top will result in an encounter with the Owl, the Shinobi who raised and trained Sekiro as a child. You’ll found out that Owl was behind the attack on Ashina Castle and Hirata. Owl will then tell you to join his side and betray the Divine Heir. If you choose to be on Owl’s side, you’ll have to face some bosses that are unique to this ending only. When those bosses are defeated, the game would be over and you’d get the ending. Not that exciting, to be honest. This ending is best saved for a second play through.
2. The Immortal Severance Ending
This is a really simple and straightforward ending to the game which most players would get. You just have to follow the instructions of the Divine Heir to achieve the Immortal Severance ending. Going back to the point on top of the Ashina Castle with Owl, choose to remain on the Divine Heir’s side when Owl asks you to obey the Iron Code. This will trigger a boss fight against Owl. You will then have to sever Kuro’s immortality by finishing his plan.
Kuro’s plan will require you to travel into the Divine Realm and get some Dragon Tears. This will lead to another boss fight in the Silvergrass Fields. This is the same beautiful shinobi battle stage you fought Genichiro at during the opening stages of the game. Completing the boss fight will then start the Immortal Severance ending. This is probably the most average ending and most players would get this on their first play through.
3. The Purification Ending
While progressing through the Immortal Severance ending, you’ll hear dialogue about an Everblossom branch required to save Kuro. However, you’ll find out that the tree that produces the blossom in Ashina has withered unfortunately. The game will tell you that there is no way you can retrieve the blossom. The truth though, is that you can still track it down with some effort.
You can get the blossom by triggering some conversations and gathering information. The start is the same as the Immortal Severance ending. You refuse to side with Owl, and then talk to Kuro about the Dragon Tears. After leaving, go and find Emma in the watchtower where you see Ashina after beating Genichiro. After heading there, eavesdrop on their conversation from the outside.
Go back and talk to Kuro again to get a rice ball from him. The description would suggest that Kuro is bothered by something. Hide behind the screen at the back of the room and eavesdrop on Kuro talking to himself. After this, talk to Emma in the same room. You might have to rest at the idol until she appears. Emma will tell you to help Kuro. Agree to that, rest at the idol, and then talk to her again. This will trigger her to talking about the Everblossom again.
Rest at the idol again and then travel all the way to the Old Grave located in the Ashina Castle. Just go inside the castle and drop down to get there. After that, open the backdoor to the castle to get to the place where the Blackhat Badger is. Go left from the door to get to the grave and find Emma there. Talk to her and then travel to the Dilapidated Temple via the Idol. You’ll see Emma talking to the sculptor here. Tread around behind the temple and eavesdrop their conversation.
After listening to their conversation, talk to Emma again and get an offering bell from her. This can be used on the Buddha statue in the temple to head back to the Hirata Estate. Fighting your way through the estate will lead you to a younger and tougher Owl. Defeat him and you’ll get the Everblossom branch. After getting the Everblossom, just go through the game normally until the Silvergrass Field fight. You will be prompted to use the Everblossom on Kuro at the end of the game. Do that, and voila, you have successfully unlocked the Purification ending.
This is a very complex ending and requires you to complete a lot of dialogue and eavesdrop events. The ending is worth the effort though as it is one of the best endings you can get in Sekiro.
4. The Return Ending
This is probably the best ending you can get in Sekiro. Subsequently, this is also the hardest one to get. All of the steps required for this have to be completed before defeating the Divine Dragon as some of the things get locked out after that fight.
Start off by completing the Senpou Temple area. At the end of the area before the Genichiro fight, talk to the Temple leader in front of the large Buddha statue. Get the Holy Chapter: Infested Text from him and go to the Inner Sanctum with it. (If you’ve already defeated Genichiro, you can find the text in a pond in Temple grounds. Get the underwater diving ability by defeating the Corrupted Monk to get the text in that case).
Once you’re in the Inner Sanctum, you’ll meet the Divine Child and eat the rice she offers. You can also give it to the Old Woman. The goal here is just to tire the Divine Child out. This can be done by taking a couple of batches of rice from her. Doing this will trigger her to ask for a persimmon which you can buy from the Memorial Mob Merchant in Shugendo near Senpou. You can also get a persimmon by killing enemies in the Senpou Temple area. Talk to the Divine Child again after giving her the Persimmon and she’ll give you even more rice. If you keep talking to her, she’ll eventually give you rice for Kuro.
Give the rice to Kuro and get the rice ball in return from him. Go back to the Inner Sanctum to find out the Child has gone. After that, go to the Hall of Illusion and talk to her. She’ll tell you about another text to be retrieved from the leader of the Senpou Temple. Go inside the cave behind the temple and drop down. Turn back and swim underneath the wall from which you just dropped down. Going down the path will lead you to skeletal monks. Retrieve the text from the monk wearing brighter clothes and bring it back to the Divine Child. Rest up and talk to her now.
The Divine Child will tell you to get two fruits from the Great Serpent. You need the Puppeteer Ninjutsu kill to get the fruits. Go to the entrance to the Abandoned Dungeon at Senpou Temple where Kotaro is. You’ll find a crank with a kite if you head down and turn right from the entrance. There will also be a short round hat Senpou Assassin there. Make him crank the kite by using the Puppeteer skill on him. Climb up to the mountain now with the massive tree and grapple on to the kite.
Face towards the mountain you just came from and climb down to the left side where the snake-skin is hanging from the trees. You’ll find the entrance to a cave alongside a Sculptor’s idol. Going through will lead you to a wooden beam to walk onto. Look down from the beam and deathblow the Great Serpent to get the Fresh Fruit. Now, move to the Sunken Valley to retrieve the Dried Fruit. Go to the snowy mountains from the Riven Cave Sculptor’s idol and jump down when you see the statues. Grapple on to a tree below and head towards the valley to the right.
You’ll now be at the cave entrance that leads to the merchant. Move through the cave until you reach the Giant Serpent. Hug the stone pillar and drop yourself on the left side of that place away from the serpent. After moving for a little while, you’ll encounter a monkey here that you need to backstab with the Puppeteer kill. The monkey will then distract the snake giving you a chance to grapple and enter the temple. You’ll find the Dried fruit inside this temple.
Go back to the Inner Sanctum and give the fruits to the Divine Child. Rest once or twice while checking the door in between until the Child gives you the Frozen Dragon Tear. Take the tear and complete the game normally going through the usual stuff. After the Silvergrass field fight, you’ll be prompted to use the Frozen Dragon Tear. Do it and you’ll unlock the Return Ending. This is arguably the best ending you can get in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and there is nothing more satisfying than getting this ending.
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