What happens if I let Lord Shimura live?
A Pivotal Decision, A Broken Code
As Jin Sakai stands over his defeated uncle Lord Shimura on the cliffs of Tsushima, he faces an excruciating choice – to honor Shimura‘s demand for an honorable death by katana, or to spare the last remaining family he has left. Jin ultimately decides he cannot sacrifice his uncle, telling Shimura "I won‘t kill my family" and dropping his sword. This shocking decision cements Jin‘s transformation into the Ghost, a new warrior free from the rigid samurai code. But it comes at a steep cost – Shimura warns Jin "You will be hunted for the rest of your days" as a traitor for defying centuries of tradition.
Why Spare Shimura After a Lifetime of Honor?
To understand why Jin takes this bold stance despite a lifetime of obedience to the samurai honor code, we must examine his journey leading up to this point. Trained from childhood in the noble ways of the samurai by his uncle Lord Shimura, Jin fiercely upheld principles like courage, duty, and glory in death. But the Mongol invasion forced painful compromises – to save Tsushima island from certain conquest, Jin adopted stealth tactics considered dishonorable, used to strike from the shadows without warning. Jin became a new symbol of resistance against the Mongols – the Ghost – feared by invaders and samurai alike.
In Shimura‘s eyes, Jin threw away the legacy of seven centuries of Sakai clan honor. But Jin‘s priority was protecting people, not clinging to rigid traditions unsuitable for the brutal new warfare brought by the Mongols. After traumatic losses and soul-searching nights alone, Jin emerges as the Ghost – essentially, a new kind of samurai for a new era of warfare in Japan.
No Turning Back: Life as a Marked Outcast
By deciding to reject Shimura‘s final plea for an honorable death, Jin seals his fate – life apart from clan and family as an exile ghost.
Jin Becomes an Enemy of the Shogun: As Shimura warns, the Shogun will undoubtedly decree Jin a traitor to be killed on sight. His disobedience in sparing Shimura is a full renouncement of the samurai code that underpins Shogunate rule.
Survival Means Embracing the Ghost: Now marked for death, Jin cannot return to the familiar roles of samurai clan heir or legendary swordsmaster. His only path is perfecting a new style of warfare using stealth, fear, and shadowy rage rather than honor.
Shimura May Relentlessly Pursue Vengeance: Will Lord Shimura now dedicate himself to ruthlessly hunting down and killing his former nephew, or will Jin‘s act of mercy make him reconsider? Much depends on whether family bonds overcome the demand for honor.
Ongoing Fight Against Mongols: Fortunately for Jin‘s survival, Tsushima remains under Mongol occupation. With the island not yet liberated and Khotun Khan‘s ambition unchecked, Jin has plenty of outlets for his ghost fighting skills against the invaders. This gives him both purpose and cover.
Hearts and Minds of Tsushima‘s People: As protector of the common people, tales of the Ghost‘s bold raids on Mongols win him growing public support. This offsets the disapproval of samurai traditionalists, making it harder for assassins to track him.
In refusing to kill Lord Shimura, Jin completes his journey to become the Ghost but sacrifices all that came before. Now truly alone, wanted by friend and foe alike, he faces a narrow path ahead: stay alive and keep fighting as the Ghost or die at the hands of vengeful samurai.
Contrasting Endings: Honor Versus Mercy
| Honor Ending (Kill Lord Shimura) | Spare Ending (Let Shimura Live) |
|---|---|
| Follows samurai code | Breaks samurai code |
| Shimura dies honorably by his nephew‘s hand | Shimura lives in shame of defeat |
| Jin redeemned as honorable in death | Jin marked as traitor, lives as fugitive "Ghost" |
| Players receive white Ghost armor dye | Players receive red "Vengeance" Ghost armor dye |
| Dawn Refuge farmstead home | Tradition‘s End stranded ship home |
| Bittersweet, tragic end; restored Sakai honor | Unexpected twist on honor; family bonds outweigh duty |
A True Ghost Emerges From an Impossible Choice
Ghost of Tsushima‘s emotional finale turns on a profound tension at the heart of samurai identity – duty versus family, honor versus mercy. The game presents no clearly right path, just as Jin faces an excruciating either-or decision of tragic proportions. In choosing compassion for Lord Shimura over rigid duty, players see Jin fully become the Ghost – forsaking the old samurai rulebook to follow his conscience to protect Tsushima as he sees fit.
Jin‘s journey echoes larger themes of Japan‘s history grappling with wrenching change, and the parallax view between traditionalist code and flexible humanism. Ghost of Tsushima resonates with its balancing of heart-wrenching character drama and thrilling ninja action. In doing so, it raises thought-provoking questions on the competing callings of honor, innovation, and conscience – dilemmas eternally relevant in any era.
