Sekiro guide: How to get the Purification ending

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice looks and plays quite differently compared to developer FromSoftware's other titles, i.e., Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. However, it still retains the core gameplay and narrative structure of the "Souls-borne" games, starting from a punishing difficulty curve to the branching storyline with multiple endings.

While Sekiro starts quite linear in terms of its narrative, as you reach the middle point in the story, it opens up multiple different paths that you can take, which ultimately decide the fate of the game's world as well as its ending. There are a total of four endings, each with its own set of prerequisites.

Three of the endings are quite easy to get simply by playing the game, exploring, and keeping notes of NPC conversations. However, the Purification ending is quite tricky to even understand, and also unlock, since its prerequisites are quite obscure. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you unlock the Purification ending in Sekiro.

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How to get the Purification ending in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice?

To get the Purification ending, you need to defeat Owl again, but in his more powerful form (Image via FromSoftware)

The Purification ending essentially is the same as the Immortal Severance ending but with a slight difference. Apart from the Divine Dragon's Tear, you also need to acquire the Aromatic Flower, which is obtained by defeating Owl, but in the past, in his prime. While you do get to fight Owl once before, his past version is on a whole other level of difficulty.

Here are the steps to get the Purification ending in Sekrio Shadows Die Twice:

• Continue the story normally until you reach the point where Sekrio returns to Ashina Castle after having defeated the Guardian Ape and acquired the Mortal Blade.
• Making your way to the top of the Ashina Castle, where you once fought Genichiro, you will find the Great Shinobi Owl waiting for you.
• Talking to Owl gives you two choices, either to stay loyal to Kuro or betray the Iron Code. You must stay loyal to Kuro, which will initiate the boss fight against Owl.
• Defeat Owl and proceed to talk to Kuro and Emma in Ashina Castle - Upper Tower.
• After exhausting both Kuro and Emma's dialogue, go behind a wall adjacent to them and eavesdrop on their conversation. You must repeat the eavesdropping process a couple of times until Emma moves to the top of the stairs in the room.
• Talk to Emma again and agree with her about Kuro's request.
• Emma will then move to the Old Grave Sculptor's Idol in Ashina Castle. Go there and talk to her again.
• Next, go to the Dilapidated Temple and eavesdrop on Emma and the Sculptor's conversation until they run out of their dialogue. After that, go talk to Emma again.
• Inquiring about your findings will result in Emma giving you the Father's Bell Charm, which transports you back to the past in Hirata Estate.
• Unlike your previous venture into Hirata Estate, using the Father's Bell Charm will transport Sekiro to an alternate version of the past where Owl has taken over the estate and is waiting for his son's arrival.
• Reach the same place where you once defeated Lady Butterfly, and you will find Owl waiting for you there, instead.
• This version of Owl is in his prime and is titled Owl (Father).
• Defeat Owl and you will receive the Aromatic Flower.

After defeating Owl, defeat Isshin to get to the final steps of Sekiro's Purification ending (Image via FromSoftware)

The next steps of acquiring the Purification involve progressing through the game normally and defeating Isshin, the Sword Saint. After the final boss fight, give Kuro both the Divine Dragon's Tears and the Everbloom (acquired via the Aromatic Flower), to trigger Sekiro's Purification ending.