Meet the Characters of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
From Software is trying an entirely new approach approach to storytelling in Shadows Die Twice, and it's definitely an interesting tactic. In this Sekiro characters guide, we'll be putting together a list of all the characters that you're going to meet within the opening hour of the game, so don't worry about spoilers here.
Characters List
For a start, we should state that there won't be any story spoilers whatsoever in this guide. We'll simply be outlining all the information that you need to know about the major characters of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice going into the game for the very first time.
- Sekiro
- Divine Heir
- Emma
- Owl
- Hanbei the Undying
- Head Priest
- Sculptor
- Old Maid
- Dying Monk
- Isshin Ashina
Sekiro/Master Shinobi/The Wolf
It's this character that you'll be playing all of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as. At the very beginning of the game, The Wolf (also somewhat confusingly known as Sekiro) is tasked with protecting the Young Lord (more on him below), but after a battle goes horribly wrong, Wolf not only loses the child Lord, but also one of his arms, leaving him with a makeshift prosthetic.
The mission of The Wolf in Sekiro is simple: get the Young Lord back, at any cost. The Wolf can equip new gadgets and gear to his prosthetic arm in Sekiro, meaning you can have items like swords, shields, and axes equipped to your arm.
Young Lord/Divine Heir
The Young Lord, also known as the Divine Heir, is the descending of an ancient and powerful bloodline in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. We can safely assume that the Young Lord's parents are dead by the events of Sekiro, which would make him next in line to the throne.
There's actually a lot we don't know about the Divine Heir going into Sekiro. All we know is that he's the child that everyone wants to get their hands on, and so it's Wolf's job to keep prying forces at bay.
Emma
Another character of Sekiro that's shrouded in mystery is Emma. What we do know about the character is that she resides in the Dilapidated Temple area of the game, which basically acts as the hub area for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
The healing item that The Wolf uses in Sekiro is known as the Healing Gourd. If you can bring Emma Gourd Seeds, she can provide upgrades for your Healing Gourd, strengthening the amount of health it can give you. For a walkthrough of how to do this, check out our Sekiro Healing Gourd guide.
Owl
Owl is the mentor of the titular Sekiro. It's said that Owl found an orphaned Sekiro on a battleground after some sort of cataclysmic event near the end of the Sengoku period of Japan.
It's Owl that's going to guide and mentor The Wolf through the events of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. There's a lot that remains unknown about the aged mentor, such as his background.
Ashina Isshin
The Ashina Clan are the rival faction to the ruling house of Japan in the period during which Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes place. Ashina Isshin is a legendary swordsman, and it was he who founded the powerful clan.
It's not entirely clear, but it seems like Ashina Isshin might be deceased by the events of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. All descriptions we've found of Ashina Isshin are written in the past tense, unlike other characters, and it's his grandson that's actually the primary antagonist of the game.
Ashina Clan Commander
Although we don't know the name of the Isshin Clan Commander, we do know that he's the grandson of Ashina Isshin, he who founded the Ashina Clan. It seems like by the time that Sekiro takes place, this antagonist has taken full control of the clan.
The Ashina Clan Commander captures the Young Lord, and kills Sekiro at the beginning of the game, setting in motion the events of Shadows Die Twice. It seems like the Ashina Clan Commander will be the primary antagonist of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Sculptor of the Desolate Temple
The Sculptor is an elderly Buddhist monk, that resides in the Dilapidated Temple along with Emma. It's the Sculptor that brings Sekiro back from the dead near the beginning of the game.
Like The Wolf, the Sculptor is also missing an arm. However, despite producing the prosthetic for Sekiro, the Sculptor hasn't made one for himself.
As of right now, these are all the characters that we know are going to play a significant role in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
There’s plenty more Sekiro guides where that came from. Click these links to learn about Beating the Folding Screen Monkeys, or to learn about what the endings mean for the game.