Slashing Mongols into bits across its titular island was the easy part forGhost of Tsushima’s Jin Sakai. It was his inner turmoil that was the real battle. The guilt of failing to stop the initial invasion, then of going against Lord Shimura, and the trauma of his father’s death during his childhood were much bigger demons than Khotun Khan and his horde could ever be.
When he’s not trying to escape the Khan, he’s trying to escape his past - one that has been marred by tragedy and guilt. Just when things start getting better, his father-figure Shimura condemns him for using dishonourable tactics in a fight that honour cannot win. No amount of dips in a hot spring can help with that. Jin’s struggle is internal as much as external.
The sequel, Ghost of Yotei, will be set 300 years after the events of the first game, and will follow a female protagonist named Atsu. As excited as everyone was to hear of another game in the series, some were disappointed for a number of reasons.A small minority of these were annoyed purely because the protagonist is a woman–a sentiment that deserves no recognition. However, most were sad that they wouldn’t get to play as Jin again, a character that they grew fond of.
While seeing Jin return would have been nice, Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island DLC gave him the ending that he deserved. While battling the Eagle Tribe of Mongol invaders, Jin was shocked to learn that his father Kazumasa Sakai terrorised the locals back when he was alive. Add to that the hallucinations that the Eagle Tribe’s poison inflicted upon him, and Jin was reliving his worst nightmare. The cruel side of his father and the shame of not being able to save him materialises before him, and what was once his haunting past became a terrifying new reality.
When he finally defeated his inner demons, Jin’s story was finally over. He came to terms with the fact that his father Kazumasa Sakai was not the bastion of honour that he thought, and that they were in no way alike. He no longer blamed himself for the death of his father, unburdening himself from a lifetime of guilt. Tsushima was safe, Iki island was safe, and the storm raging within him had finally cleared. Jin’s story ended well, and he got the beautiful conclusion that he deserved.
This isn’t exactly an original formula, but there’s no doubt that it works well when executed properly. Sony knows exactly how effective it can be. God of War: Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC was more than just a roguelike combat challenge for Kratos. It confronted him with events from his Greek chapter, where he was cruel and unforgiving.
While the base game showed us that Kratos had developed as a person and a father, the Valhalla DLC actually made him confront his past self. And, as Jin did at the end of his journey, as too did Kratos forgive himself for his past and forge a new path for himself.
A story of redemption ends with oneself, and bringing back Jin for Ghost of Yotei would have rendered his redemption meaningless. It’s a shame that we can’t play as Jin again, but his legacy is worth preserving. This way, the legend of the Ghost of Tsushima can live on.
