Shizuka Gozen

"This entire world... And all within it... Will be extinguished before me!"

- Shizuka Gozen

Shizuka Gozen (静御前, Lady Shizuka) is the main antagonist and final boss from Samurai Shodown (2019).

Story
Shizuka died some time before the game's events. However, her bitterness and grief over her own death and that of her beloved made her soul unable to move to the afterlife. As a result, she ends corrupted by an evil influence and opens the gate to the Underworld, returning as a vengeful demonic force which spreads chaos and destruction throughout Japan.

In order to stop the chaos plaguing the country, the Bakufu government sends in their most trusted agents, the ninja Hanzo Hattori and the ronin Jubei Yagyu, to investigate the source of the evil and stop it, while the heir to the shogunate, Yoshitora Tokugawa, also decides to investigate the matter by himself. Meanwhile, various other warriors are drawn into the conflict, either seeking to stop the evil by themselves or for their own personal reasons.

Shizuka is fought as the game's final boss, in the barrier between the human world and the Underworld. Upon being defeated, she regains her consciousnes as the demonic force controlling her fades away. Remembering that she also had her fair share of happy moments despite all of the sorrow and pain, she thanks the warriors for saving her and bids them farewell as she is finally able to move to the afterlife. With her passing the land of Japan recovers from the chaos and is restored, as if nothing had happened.

Trivia

 * Shizuka is based on the historical Shizuka Gozen, a famous court dancer and the mistress of Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
 * The post credits scene of the game shows the fiery Palenke Stone which gets surrounded by a purple aura, implying the evil god Ambrosia was responsible for Shizuka's corruption. This also ties into the next game in the series' timeline, the first Samurai Shodown, teasing the resurrection of Shiro Tokisada Amakusa.