Sekiro

Lore & Background

Throughout his quest, Wolf confronts the twisted consequences of immortality. The Dragon's Heritage, granted by a foreign deity called the Divine Dragon, can grant immortality through a bloodline. Wolf's lord Kuro is the last of this line. Wolf seeks to perform the Immortal Severance ritual, which would result in Kuro's death and eliminate the Dragon's Heritage. To do so, he must collect materials including the Mortal Blade from the Divine Child, the sole survivor of experiments with the Rejuvenating Waters. Wolf's path is defined by his rejection of the Dragon's Heritage; he seeks not to steal power for himself, but to sever the curse entirely. This leads him to challenge the very concept of death in a world where mortality has become a commodity, ultimately deciding the fate of humanity and his lord. Depending on the items gathered, three endings are available: Immortal Severance, Purification, and Return.

In Their Own Story

The rain falls cold upon the stone steps of the temple, masking the sound of approaching footsteps. Wolf stands motionless, his prosthetic arm clicking softly as he tests its balance against the wet wood. Below, the shadows lengthen, hiding the faces of those who would take what little remains of Kuro's humanity. He draws his blade, the steel singing a low note in the humid air. There is no fear in his heart, only the weight of the oath that binds him to this broken world. Wolf assaults Ashina Castle to rescue Kuro, where he meets Isshin and is given the name "Sekiro". He duels Genichiro and defeats him, but Genichiro survives using corrupted immortality from the Sediment of the Rejuvenating Waters. Wolf then sets out to collect materials for the Immortal Severance ritual, confronting Owl, who faked his death and was the one who stabbed Wolf three years ago. If Wolf refuses Owl's orders to renounce loyalty to Kuro, he kills Owl in combat and enters the divine realm to recover the final ingredient from the Divine Dragon itself. Upon returning, he finds Ashina under attack by the Interior Ministry's troops and eventually finds Kuro under attack by Genichiro, who sacrifices himself using a second Mortal Blade to revive Isshin in his prime. After killing Isshin, depending on the items gathered, three endings are available.

Reader's Guide

Sekiro begins as a loyal retainer whose life is shattered by war and betrayal. His primary role is that of a protector, tasked with guiding Kuro away from the influence of those who seek to use the Dragon's Heritage for power. His combat style relies on precise deflection rather than brute force, utilizing a unique prosthetic arm equipped with various tools like a grappling hook, shuriken, smoke bombs, and blades. This reflects his adaptability as he learns to overcome supernatural foes that cannot be killed by conventional means. The defining arc of Wolf is his internal struggle against the temptation of immortality. He must choose between a world where death is conquered or one where life retains its natural cycle, ultimately choosing to sever the Dragon's power to free humanity. The game features stealth elements, allowing players to instantly eliminate or severely damage most enemies if they can get in range undetected. If the player character dies, they can be revived on the spot if they have resurrection power, which is restored by defeating enemies, instead of respawning at earlier checkpoints.

Did You Know?

• The word "sekirō" (隻狼) is a contraction of "sekiwan no ōkami" (隻腕の狼), which translates as "one-armed wolf."
• The subtitle "Shadows Die Twice" was initially meant to be used as a slogan for the teaser trailer until Activision requested it be kept for the final name.
• The game was revealed via a teaser trailer at the Game Awards 2017 in December, showing the tagline "Shadows Die Twice."
• Development of Sekiro began in late 2015 following the completion of Bloodborne's downloadable content, The Old Hunters.
• The team initially considered developing the game as a sequel to Tenchu; however, it quickly outgrew the concept.