The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV — Complete Story Recap & Ending Explained
Rean's rescue leads to the Great War, the Rivalries of the Divine Knights and the truth behind Erebonia's curse.
Read spoiler-light review →
This recap reveals the central mysteries, character deaths, betrayals and ending of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV. Read the spoiler-light review first if you have not completed the story.
Class VII refuses to leave Rean behind
After the Great Twilight, Rean has lost control of himself and is held by Osborne's forces. The new Class VII, the original classmates and allies from across Zemuria regroup in Eryn to rescue him. Their mission expands into preventing the Empire's planned war with Calvard, while the curse spreads fear, hostility and obedience through Erebonia.
The Great One and Ishmelga
The seven Divine Knights contain divided power once belonging to the Great One. Ishmelga, the Ebon Knight, was corrupted and spread a curse through Erebonian history, exploiting rulers, the Gnomes and repeated conflict. Osborne accepted Ishmelga's bond in exchange for saving the mortally wounded young Rean, but his own secret design is to bring the curse into a form that can finally be destroyed.
The Rivalries and Osborne's defeat
Rean and his allies pass through the Rivalries, confront Awakeners and bring together forces from Liberl, Crossbell and Erebonia. They finally defeat Osborne and the power using him, only to discover that how the curse is confronted determines the ending. The enormous cast matters because many of these connections were established in earlier games.
Ending explained: normal and true outcomes
In the normal ending, Rean absorbs Ishmelga and sacrifices himself alongside Crow and Millium to contain the threat. In the true ending, he expels the curse, and the combined allies defeat Ishmelga as the Great One. The Divine Knights relinquish their remaining power, allowing Crow and Millium a new lease on life. The war ends almost as soon as it begins, Crossbell's occupation is addressed, and the cast eventually celebrates Olivert and Scherazard's wedding.