Should You Kill Or Spare Blade Twin In Rise Of The Ronin?

The final story decision players will make in involves whether to kill or to spare their custom character's Blade Twin. While there are several choices that may affect the story, like choosing to be pro- or anti-shogunate in , the choice at the end of the Blade Twin boss fight is perhaps the most impactful in the game. As a result, players may want to know what's involved in this choice, and what implications it has for the ending they'll inevitably get.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for various endings of Rise of the Ronin.]

The player character's Blade Twin is their recurring rival. The two grew up together, trained together, and fight each other twice over the course of the game. It's during that second battle — 's final boss — that players will have the opportunity either to spare their Blade Twin, or kill them once and for all. They'll have to win the boss fight regardless, but after wearing their Blade Twin down, the player can make this pivotal decision. And it doesn't just affect what comes immediately after — it changes the entire outcome of the game.

In short, the player's choice of whether to kill or spare their Blade Twin determines which of 's endings they'll see. If they choose to kill the Blade Twin, they'll deliver a final blow, and their rival will crumple to the ground. However, they won't die right away; their eyes will widen as they look into the distance, and a calm smile will come over their face as they announce, ""

Killing the Blade Twin doesn't fully prevent them from exacting their plan. Their agents will still set fire to part of the city. Still, they'll then have a brief flashback to their childhood, remembering when their own hometown was similarly set alight. They'll grapple with regret in their final moments, thanking the player character for stopping them before things went too far. After that, the ending will proceed almost as normal. For their efforts, the player will receive a armor set resembling their rival's