Sekiro ending steps: How to get best ending Return, Purification ending, plus Shura and Immortal Severance endings
All the ending steps for all four finales in Sekiro.
Sekiro endings require a series of steps to uncover, all of which can't be found in a single playthrough.
Outside of one key story decision, there are many optional steps for the true ending Return or Purification ending you won't easily come across without help - which is where this Sekiro endings page comes in.
Needless to say there are Sekiro spoilers that follow, so make sure you have reached a significant way through the game before continuing. If you want a loose idea, then it's from the return to Ashina Castle is where you'll start making the decisions about which Sekiro ending you'll come across.
Sekiro endings on this page:
If you're looking for how to defeat the many bosses leading up to these points, then our Sekiro guide, boss list and walkthrough can help.
How to get Serkio's Shura 'bad' ending
Shura ending requirement: Reach Owl story choice
This is the fastest and probably best regarded as the game's 'worst' ending. When you reach the top of Ashina Castle for the second time as part of the main story, you'll be offered a choice from Owl. Choose to forsake Kuro.
Defeat the bosses after doing so to end the game prematurely and receive the Shura 'bad' ending.
How to get Serkio's Immortal Severance ending
Immortal Severance ending requirement: Reach Owl story choice
This is probably regarded as the game's 'normal' ending. When you reach the top of Ashina Castle for the second time as part of the main story, you'll be offered a choice - choose to Break the Iron Code and Stay Loyal to Kuro.
Now continue playing until you reach the end of the game, where you'll be given the option to give Dragon Tears to Kuro. Do so for the Immortal Severance ending.
How to get Serkio's Purification ending
Purification ending requirements: Reach Owl story choice, then complete the following steps before defeating Divine Dragon
This ending gives you an extra option during the game's 'normal' Immortal Severance ending.
Broadly, here's what you need to do for Sekiro's Purification ending:
- When you reach the top of Ashina Castle for the second time as part of the main story, you'll be offered a choice - choose to Break the Iron Code and Stay Loyal to Kuro
- Talk to Kuro.
- Eavesdrop on several conversations and converse with Emma several times.
- Eventually, confront Emma to receive the Father's Bell Charm.
- Pray at the nearby idol to visit the Hirata Estate in the past. Explore the area until you encounter Owl (Father) a second time.
- Once defeated, you'll receive the Aromatic Flower.
- Continue playing until you reach the end of the game, where you'll be given the option to give Dragon's Tears to Kuro, and a second choice with Dragon's Tears and Everblossom. Doing this gives you the Purification ending.
It's easier watched than described, so we recommend you watch the Purification ending steps play out, such as from this video by BAI Gaming:
Looking for more Sekiro pages like this? First up, the first main Sekiro patch notes for update 1.03 are live. Otherwise, our Sekiro boss guide, boss list and walkthrough hub has everything in one place, including pages on Lady Butterfly, Genichiro Ashina Way of Tomoe, Folding Screen Monkeys, Corrupted Monk, Guardian Ape, Great Shinobi Owl, Emma and Isshin Ashina, True Corrupted Monk, and Divine Dragon. We also have in-depth pages like Sekiro tips and tricks to get you started, Sekiro Skills, skill tree and Esoteric Text locations explained, our deep dive on the Sekiro combat system, Posture, and Perilous Attacks, or details on all Sekiro Prosthetic Tool locations, how to cure Dragonrot and Rot Essence in Sekiro, Gourd Seed locations, a Divine Confetti farm route method, all Treasure Carp Scale locations, all, Prayer Beads locations and all Snap Seed locations, too. And when you're ready - the how to beat Isshin Sword Saint and an Isshin Sword Saint cheese, plus the many Sekiro endings.
How to get the Return ending, or Sekiro's 'true' ending
Return 'true' ending requirements: Reach Owl story choice, then complete the following steps before defeating Divine Dragon (there's some contradictory advice, with some saying you should start talking to Kuro before defeating Owl at Ashina Castle, and others say you can do the Owl choice first, then progress through the rest. As such, how you want to tackle it is up to you!)
Getting the Return 'true' ending in Sekiro is the most complicated of all.
As with the Purification ending, watching it play out might be easier to understand than reading it - Gamer Guru's video below is particularly good - but we'll describe it as clearly as we can, with specific videos along the way to break down the more convoluted parts.
Finding the Holy Chapter: Infested and getting the Rice for Kuro
1. First, you need the Holy Chapter: Infested. You can find this in two locations, both within Senpou Temple.
In the Main Hall, a monk there will give it to you before a certain character is killed. If not, go to the Temple Grounds spawn point, dive right into the lake, and it's there at the bottom.
2. Travel to the Senpou Temple's Inner Sanctum, and chat to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. Hand the book over, and then you'll receive some rice. Consume it, fast travel away and back again.
Keep doing this, requesting rice and consuming it, and after a while, she will fall ill.
3. The Divine Child of Rejuvenation will then ask you to bring her Persimmon - you'll likely have one on you already, but if not, the Shegendo Memorial Mob shop will have you covered.
Alternatively, a persimmon farming spot will do the trick:
You'll receive the Rice for Kuro once you've given her a Persimmon.
4. Now undergo the Owl boss fight, and choose to break the Iron Code and stay loyal to Kuro.
5. Once Owl has been defeated, chat to Kuro at Ashina Castle. Give Kuro the 'Rice of Kuro' item, then fast travel and back again, to receive the Sweet Rice Ball. Consume it.
6. Return to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation, and she will give you dialogue remarking on Kuro giving you the rice.
(If this does not trigger, you may need to repeat the loop of requesting rice from her, consuming it, warping away and ultimately healing her with another persimmon.) After the dialogue, warp away and back again, so she disappears.
Finding the Holy Chapter: Dragon's Return
7. Visit the Hall of Illusions - it's one of the 'important places' in your travel menu - where the Divine Child of Rejuvenation will be waiting. Go through all the dialogue.
8. Travel to Senpou Temple's Main Hall, and explore the cave where at the very end is the Holy Chapter: Dragon's Return. The path is found easiest via a video, such as this by Primera on YouTube:
Finding the two Serpent Viscera
9. Take the book back to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation at the Inner Sanctum. You'll need to find two Serpent Viscera items at the first warp point in the Senpou Temple, and follow a specific route along the cliffs to get the Fresh Serpent Viscera.
This video by Trane067 can show how:
10. The second Serpent Viscera is in the Sunken Valley Bodhisattva Valley spawn point, where you'll follow another route along a river bed to get the Dried Serpent Viscera.
This video by Gaming with Abyss can help show you how:
The final steps for Sekiro's 'true' ending Return
11. Return to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation at the Inner Sanctum once more. Give the two Serpent Viscera to her, then warp away and back again. You have to eavesdrop at the locked door.
12. Visit Kuro, who will ask you to get the Dragon Tears from the divine realm. Don't do this just yet.
13. Now go back to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation at the Inner Sanctum one final time, and you'll receive the Frozen Tears.
14. Continue the game as normal - getting the Dragon Tears from the Divine Dragon - and play until the very end, where you'll be given the choice - choose the option to give the Dragon Tears and the Frozen Tears.
This will give you Sekiro's 'true' ending Return.
Don't fancy doing Sekiro's 'true' ending Return yourself? You can watch it right here, courtesy of Shirrako:
Phew! Whichever Sekiro ending you managed to get, give yourself a pat on the back. Getting there isn't easy!