Ninja Gaiden 4 Ending Explained

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This Article Contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Ninja Gaiden 4

For ten years, from 2015 to 2024, fans hadn’t seen any new Ninja Gaiden games. That changed in 2025 with the release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and Ninja Gaiden 4. Now, many are wondering if these games, particularly Ninja Gaiden 4, will bring the series back to its former glory. It’s too early to say for sure, but I believe a game’s ending is what truly determines its quality.

Ninja Gaiden 4 wraps up with a clear ending that follows its exciting and skillful combat. While the story isn’t the biggest draw for most players, it offers plenty of background details for those interested in the game’s universe. Be warned: the following section contains spoilers.

The Past in Ninja Gaiden 4

Near the end of Ninja Gaiden 4, you’ll play through flashback sections as the main character, Ryu Hayabusa. To understand what’s happening, here’s some background: Ryu has defeated the Dark Dragon multiple times, but it always returns. Eventually, the decision was made to seal it away in Tokyo. This split the Dark Dragon into two parts: its physical form, which appears throughout the city, and its spirit, which lives within the priestess Seori. The Dragon’s body causes a toxic rain to fall on Tokyo, making it almost uninhabitable except for the strongest fighters and monsters.

Achilles, a powerful demon, tried to come back to life using Seori, but Ryu stopped him. To make sure Achilles stays defeated, Ryu and Seori created a network of magical seals all over the world. Each seal is protected by a powerful weapon and guarded by a bound daemon, preventing anyone from breaking it. Afterward, Ryu and his companion Kagashi established and grew the Divine Dragon Order (DDO), placing one of these important seals at the top of their headquarters. Seori now seeks a way to fix the damage she unintentionally caused by helping Achilles. Currently, Achilles is believed to be gone for good.

The Present in Ninja Gaiden 4

Following the events of Ninja Gaiden 4, Yakumo and a small team of ninjas from the Raven Clan are on a mission to destroy the Dark Dragon. They plan to infiltrate the DDO headquarters and eliminate the Dark Dragon’s priestess, hoping to fulfill an ancient prophecy that foretells a Raven Clan master ninja will finally defeat the Dark Dragon permanently.

The prophecy suggests a ninja from the Raven Clan can only defeat the Dark Dragon after the priestess dies. While everyone thinks Seori is being held captive by the DDO, she was likely just visiting Ryu – though this isn’t immediately obvious to players. Seori stops Yakumo from acting by pointing out they don’t fully understand the prophecy and will need her assistance to break the seals holding the Dark Dragon, allowing them to finally destroy it.

The Raven Clan has long been rivals with the Hayabusa clan and generally considered less powerful. This has led to ongoing animosity between the two groups, and specifically between Yakumo and Ryu.

After that, Yakumo, along with members of the Raven Clan and Seori, begin the process of breaking the four seals they originally created years ago. Yakumo takes the lead, as everyone believes he’s the only one who can defeat the Dark Dragon. He’s joined in this effort by several key allies.

  • Umi – A Comms Specialist
  • Tyran – Martial Arts Master
  • Misaki – The newest member of the Raven Clan and a trusted advisor

Once the team starts working with Seori, they focus on finding and breaking each of the Dark Dragon seals. Yakumo takes the lead, defeating enemies and clearing each area, with help from Tyran’s training programs and Umi’s communication skills. Misaki ensures Seori’s safety by transporting her to each location when it’s clear. Throughout this process, a few key story moments unfold.

  • Yakumo clashes with Ryu, with the latter and Ayane investigating Yakumo. This scene would imply that Ryu is attempting to save Seori and stop Yakumo from freeing the Dark Dragon.
  • Seori gets kidnapped by a Fiend, whom Yakumo must rescue. This sequence, especially, highlights a burgeoning relationship between Yakumo and Seori.

The Fourth Dark Dragon Seal

Having broken the first three Dark Dragon Seals, Yakumo and his team return to DDO Headquarters to tackle the final one. Yakumo fights his way through, overcoming Kagashi – who is presented as the DDO’s strongest member. During this, players see a scene of Seori talking to Ryu, where she asks him to give Yakumo a special Dark Dragon item, but only if he proves himself worthy. The timing of this conversation is a little unclear – it might have happened while Seori briefly escaped Mizaki, or even while the party was already at DDO HQ at the beginning of the game. If it happened earlier, it suggests Ryu has been watching and evaluating Yakumo all along, which would also explain why Ryu hasn’t interfered with Yakumo’s journey.

At the final seal, Yakumo reunites with Mizaki and Seori. Seori begins a ritual to reveal the Dark Dragon’s spirit within her and asks Yakumo to end her life. Yakumo struggles with the request, conflicted between his responsibilities as a ninja and his feelings for Seori. Suddenly, Mizaki attacks Seori, revealing himself to be Achilles. This act releases the Dark Dragon, and Yakumo quickly defeats and kills Achilles. He then holds Seori as she expresses her regrets and admits she doesn’t want to die, and Yakumo breaks down in tears as the Dark Dragon soars above Tokyo.

Now, players control Ryu and experience memories of him and Seori creating the seals. After these flashbacks, the game switches back to the present, with Ryu racing to the top of DDO HQ. Finally, the perspective shifts again, this time to Yakumo.

Furious about Seori’s death, Yakumo confronts Ryu for a final showdown. After a fierce battle, Ryu acknowledges Yakumo’s strength. Ryu then presents Yakumo with Seori’s last gift—the Jewel of the Dark Dragon—which transforms into the Dark Dragon Blade. This blade, a fragment of the Dark Dragon itself, possesses a unique power: when wielded by a ninja of the Raven Clan, due to their inherited curse, it can destroy the Dark Dragon.

The Dark Dragon’s End in Ninja Gaiden 4

Yakumo defeats the Dark Dragon on the roof of DDO HQ, and then defeats its transformed form, which mimics his own. With the Dragon gone, Tokyo experiences clean air for the first time in years, finally free from its poisonous influence. This victory also breaks the curse that plagued Yakumo and his clan. Though he relied on the skills taught to him by Ryu and Seori (and mourned Seori’s loss), Yakumo’s success ultimately saved the world. While Yakumo and Seori don’t end up together romantically, they both achieve their goals thanks to their connection and shared purpose.

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2025-10-21 03:19