You're standing on the rooftop of Ashina Castle. The rain is lashing down, the atmosphere is thick with tension, and Great Shinobi Owl—your foster father, the man who literally found you on a battlefield and gave you a purpose—is standing right there. He’s giving you an ultimatum. It’s the moment every Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice player dreads because it’s not just a dialogue choice. When you decide whether to help Kuro or obey the Iron Code, you are effectively choosing which game you’re playing for the next several hours.
It's brutal.
Honestly, the first time I hit this screen, I sat there for ten minutes. From a lore perspective, the "Iron Code" is everything Wolf has known. It’s the set of rules that governs a shinobi's life. Rule number one? The father is absolute. But then there’s Kuro. The Divine Heir. The kid you’ve been bleeding for since the reservoir. The game asks you to choose between your upbringing and your heart, but what it doesn't explicitly tell you is that one of these choices cuts your game short by about 30%, while the other opens up the "true" experience.
The Iron Code and the Path to Shura
If you choose to obey the Iron Code, you’re siding with Owl. You’re saying that the laws of the shinobi matter more than your personal bond with Kuro. It sounds like the "loyal" thing to do if you’re a traditionalist, but in the world of Sekiro, it’s the darkest path possible. This is the "Shura" ending.
Choosing to obey the code means you immediately betray Kuro. You become a vessel for mindless slaughter. What happens next is a sharp pivot in the narrative. You don't go to the Fountainhead Palace. You don't see the Divine Dragon. Instead, you face off against Emma, the Gentle Blade, and an aged Isshin Ashina. These fights are beautiful, tragic, and incredibly difficult, especially since you’re likely under-leveled compared to where you’d be in the other endings.
Winning these fights triggers a cinematic where Wolf basically loses his humanity. He becomes Shura—a demon of war who kills simply for the sake of killing. It’s the "bad" ending, but it’s a masterclass in storytelling. You feel like a villain because, well, you are one. You’ve abandoned the boy who trusted you to follow a code written by a man who is clearly using you for power.
Why Most Players Should Help Kuro
For the vast majority of people playing Sekiro for the first time, you should help Kuro.
When you choose to stay loyal to the Divine Heir, you break the Iron Code. You defy Owl. This triggers a legendary boss fight right there on the roof against your father. It’s one of the best encounters FromSoftware has ever designed because Owl uses the same tricks you do. He uses firecrackers. He mikiri counters your stabs. He’s a mirror of your own playstyle.
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But beyond the fight, staying with Kuro is what allows the game to breathe. It unlocks the final third of the map. You get access to:
- The Fountainhead Palace, which is arguably the most visually stunning area in the game.
- The Divine Dragon boss fight, which is more of a cinematic spectacle but a necessary one for the story.
- Multiple ending variations like "Immortal Severance," "Purification," and "Return."
- More Prayer Beads and Memory upgrades to actually reach your full power potential.
If you obey the code, you miss all of that. You’re basically paying for a full game and only playing 70% of it.
The Nuance of the Choice
Kuro wants to sever the ties of immortality. He sees the "Dragon Heritage" as a curse that corrupts people, leading to things like the stagnant waters in Mibu Village and the obsession of Genichiro Ashina. By helping him, you’re agreeing to find a way to make him a normal mortal boy again.
It’s a selfless path. It’s about Wolf finding his own will instead of being a tool.
Mechanical Consequences You Can't Ignore
Let’s talk meta for a second. If you’re a trophy hunter or a completionist, the choice to help Kuro or obey the Iron Code is a massive hurdle. You cannot get all the trophies in a single playthrough because of this split.
If you go the Shura route (Obey the Code), you get a specific combat art called "One Mind." It’s a rapid-fire series of slashes that looks cool but is somewhat niche. If you help Kuro, you eventually get "Dragon Flash" or the ability to pursue "Sakura Dance" in the Gauntlets.
More importantly, the Shura path locks you out of the Lapis Lazuli upgrade materials. You can only get these rare gems in the Fountainhead Palace. Since the Shura ending stops before you get there, you won't be able to max out your prosthetic tools like the Lazulite Shuriken or the Sacred Flame.
What Actually Happens if You Try to Refuse?
Funny enough, the game tries to prevent you from making a "mistake" if you aren't sure. If you try to talk to Kuro earlier in the game and express doubt, or if you try to side with Owl but haven't met certain criteria, the game sometimes loops the dialogue. But at the pivotal moment on the roof, the choice is final.
There is no "oops" button.
If you choose to obey the code and side with Owl, the game asks you "Are you sure?" or gives a secondary prompt to confirm your betrayal of Kuro. If you click through it, you’ve locked yourself in. You’ll be fighting Emma within seconds.
Actionable Strategy for Your Playthrough
Don't just click a button based on a whim. Think about your current power level and what you want out of the game.
Go with the Iron Code (Side with Owl) if:
- You are on New Game Plus and already have the other endings.
- You want the "Shura" achievement/trophy.
- You want to see the unique boss fights with Emma and Isshin (Ashina version).
- You're looking for a shorter, more cynical playthrough.
Help Kuro (Defy Owl) if:
- This is your first time playing. Seriously. Don't ruin your first run by ending it early.
- You want to see the "true" final boss, Isshin, the Sword Saint (who is a completely different fight).
- You want to upgrade your prosthetic tools to their maximum level.
- You care about the emotional payoff of Wolf and Kuro’s relationship.
The reality is that Sekiro is a game about cycles. Most people who love it will play it through four times to see every ending. But if you’re only going to play it once, break the code. Defy the father. Protect the boy. The path of the Shura is a lonely, short road that leaves you wondering what was over the horizon in the Fountainhead Palace.
To get the most out of your decision, ensure you have backed up your save file if you're on PC or using cloud saves on console right before talking to Owl. This allows you to witness the Shura ending for the trophy and then immediately reload to continue the longer, more substantial path of loyalty to Kuro. This isn't just about "beating the game"—it's about seeing the full scope of what FromSoftware built. Defying Owl is the moment Wolf truly becomes an individual, and it’s the most rewarding narrative beat in the entire experience.