True to its name, tearing the Mongols to pieces across the island was the easy part for Ghost of Tsushima's Jin Sakai. The real battle was his inner turmoil. The guilt of not being able to stop the initial invasion, the guilt of going against Lord Shimura, and the trauma of his father's death as a child made him a much bigger demon than Hotun Khan and his brood.
He is not trying to escape from Khan, but rather from a past marked by tragedy and guilt. Just when things start to look up, his father, Shimura, criticizes him for using dishonorable tactics in a fight that honor cannot win. Soaking in hot springs does not help. Jean's struggle is not only external but also internal.
The sequel, Ghost of Yotei, is set 300 years after the first game and follows the story of a female protagonist named Atsu. As excited as everyone was to hear about another game in the series, some were disappointed for various reasons. A few of these were annoying purely because the main character was female. This is a feeling that does not deserve recognition. However, most were disappointed that they would not be able to play Jin, the character they had grown to love.
It would have been nice to see Jin return, but Ghost of Tsushima's Iki Island DLC gave him the ending he deserved. Jin, who was fighting against the Eagle tribe of Mongol invaders, was shocked to learn that his father Kazumasa Sakai had terrorized the local population when he was alive. Add to that the hallucinations inflicted on him by the Eagle tribe's poison, and Jin was reliving his worst nightmare. His father's cruelty and the shame of not being able to save him become reality before him, and his once haunting past becomes a terrifying new reality.
When he finally defeated his inner demons, Jean's story finally came to an end. He has accepted that his father Kazumasa Sakai is not the bastion of honor he thought he was, and the two will never be the same. He no longer blames himself for his father's death and is freed from a lifetime of guilt. Tsushima was safe, Iki Island was safe, and the storm that had raged in his heart had finally cleared up. Gene's story ended well, and he got the beautiful conclusion he deserved.
This isn't strictly speaking the original formula, but there's no doubt that it works well if done right. Sony knows exactly how effective it is. God of War: Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC was more than just a roguelike combat challenge for Kratos. It brought him face to face with the events of the Greek branch, which he found cruel and unforgiving.
While the base game showed Kratos growing up as a person and a father, the Valhalla DLC actually had Kratos face his past self. And just like Jin at the end of his journey, Kratos forgives his past and forges a new path for himself.
The story of redemption ends with him, and bringing Jin back as Yotei's ghost would make his redemption meaningless. It's a shame he won't be able to play Gene again, but his legacy is worth preserving. This will help keep the legend of Ghost of Tsushima alive.
