The final choice of Ghost of Tsushima gives you the option to lose your uncle or your honor. We've laid out the consequences of both below, as well as what rewards they offer you.
Guide by Joel Franey Contributor
Updated on
After defeating your uncle in Ghost of Tsushima, you'll have the option of whether to give him a warrior's death, or walk away and let him live. We've laid out what option you should pick in the spare or kill Lord Shimura choice, and what happens in both cases, including rewards.
The following contains major spoilers for the plot of Ghost of Tsushima. Read on at your own risk!
On this page:
- Should You Spare or Kill Lord Shimura in Ghost of Tsushima?
- Kill Lord Shimura
- Spare Lord Shimura
- Spare or Kill Lord Shimura Rewards
Should You Spare or Kill Lord Shimura in Ghost of Tsushima?
Whether you spare or kill Lord Shimura in Ghost of Tsushima should depend largely on your own personal feelings about the matter, as the actual rewards don't change much (though there is a slight difference, which we'll cover below).
The actual choice is relatively straightforward: after defeating Lord Shimura in a duel, he'll ask you to kill him, granting him a warrior's death and some kind of closure. You'll then be given the choice of whether to grant his wish, letting him die honorably while also reassured that his nephew had some little samurai honor, or to spare him, letting him live but with the shame of defeat and the knowledge that his nephew is truly no longer honorable.
Kill Lord Shimura
If you choose to kill Lord Shimura, Jin drops to one knee to look him in the eye, drawing his tanto knife, and tells him he will ensure his uncle is remembered as a great warrior, a wise leader and a father. Shimura thanks him and tells Jin to find him in the next life.
Jin finally stabs his uncle in the chest, killing him and breaking into sobs. The game then fades to white and runs credits. Once they're done, we see Jin orchestrating his campaign against the remaining Mongol forces from his own little Batcave, built out of a derelict house. It's unclear how much time has passed between these two scenes.
Spare Lord Shimura
If you choose to let your uncle live, Jin admits he has no honor, but says he will not kill his own family. Shimura presses upon Jin that the Ghost is always going to be hunted, but Jin simply acknowledges this and bows before his wounded uncle, putting on the mask of the Ghost and walking away to Shimura's clear distress. Again, we fade to white and run credits before coming back to Jin in his makeshift lair some time later.
If you want all the guides you'd ever need on Ghost of Tsushima, why not check out our full Guides Hub here? Whether it's bosses, collectibles or getting the best armor and weapons, we've got everything you'll need to liberate Tsushima here.
Spare or Kill Lord Shimura Rewards
The only rewards for either ending are a new set of dyes for your Ghost armor, granting you a new look in either ending. If you killed Shimura, you'll get the "Righteous Punishment" white coloration for your armor, as well as the Ghost mask and headband. If you spared him, you get the "Vow of Vengeance," a crimson red dye that we feel is the superior of the two. However, as far as we know there's no way to get both dyes in one playthrough, though we'll be sure to update if we find out more.
Now you've beaten the game, there's all manner of fun content to enjoy here at USG. Mike's review of Ghost of Tsushima is waiting here, or why not read our interview with Daisuke Tsuji, the voice of Jin Sakai himself?
