How Ghost of Tsushima Runs Parallel to the Traditional Superhero Origin Story

Ghost of Tsushima Updates: Ghost of Tsushima by  Sucker Punch Productions is a wonderfully created and well-paced action-adventure game that follows the life of  Jin Sakai, a samurai reborn after being left for dead by the invading Mongols. He is the head and only surviving member of the Sakai Clan.

Jin is the nephew of Lord Shimura and is in his care. Over the course of the game, Jin struggles with his ideologies and whether or not he should uphold his culture’s beliefs or forge a path of his own.  As Jin disrupts the Mongol activities and frees each town across the island, the locals begin to revere him as “The Ghost“.

At last, he chooses to go with the identity born from the ashes of his defeat at the game’s start: the Ghost. Thus we witness the birth of a superhero who emerges strongly from his failures which coincides with the traditional superhero concept.

Ghost of Tsushima: Traditional Superhero Origin Story

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The Ghost is introduced as a legend started by his ally and friend Yuna, a local thief who revived Jin when he was left to die by the Mongols. To the Mongols, the Ghost is a vengeful spirit without mercy and strikes swiftly even before anyone could get an idea of who he is, he vanishes into thin air. He kills Ryuzo inside the castle.

Jin fully embraces his role as the Ghost and surrenders for his crimes. He later escapes when he realizes that Khotun and his allies are planning to use poison on his people. This enrages Jin and he infiltrates the ship Khotun is in and kills him.

The island is at last restored and the Mongols have lost their path and the wind blows in favor of Jin. But Jin is summoned by his uncle Lord Shimura who tells him that Jin is ordered to be executed for destroying the stability of their island through his Ghost persona.

This forces a battle between the uncle and nephew where Jin emerges victorious. Jin has the option to either kill his uncle or abandon him. As he no longer lives by the samurai code, Jin abandons his uncle. Regardless, he becomes the enemy of Shogun.