Kratos, The God of War

The God Of War series follows Kratos’ story from Greek (GOW 1-3) to Norse mythology (GOW 4-Ragnarok). Wanting to live in the face of death, Kratos calls upon the God of War, Ares. In return for being granted powers and the Blades of Chaos, Kratos must now serve under Ares’ command. As such, he is ordered to kill countless people under the name of Ares, the last victims being his wife and child. Consumed by rage, Kratos is cursed by an oracle, creating the Ghost of Sparta. Wanting to get revenge on Ares and rid himself of his sins, he pledges himself to several other gods that help him find a way to slay a god. After ten more years of being a slave to the gods comes Pandora’s Box. With this, Kratos has what he needs. Searching for Ares, Kratos travels to the city of Athens. In their battle, Kratos is killed and sent to Tartarus, the underworld. Unable to accept his fate, he quickly makes his way out of the underworld and returns to Athens, finally using Pandora's Box on Ares and killing the God of War.

     Without a God of War, Athena asks Kratos to climb to Olympus and take up the throne. As the new God of War, Kratos kills countless gods, making the rest despise him. As the biggest threat to Olympus, Kratos is killed by Zeus and sent to Tartarus. Continuing to cheat a permanent death, Kratos leaves the underworld and goes to the Temple of The Fates to slay them and take control of his own fate. With this, he goes back to kill Zeus, only then finding out that he’s his son. With every god’s death, their domain plunged out of control. With the death of Zeus and Olympus, the world was destroyed. Humanity suffered because of Kratos’ vengeance. With nothing left in his life, Kratos chooses to kill himself, this time for good.

     With the release of God of War 4, everything changed. Switching from Greek mythology to Norse mythology, we see Kratos with a new life in Midgard with his son, Atreus. On their journey to spread the ashes of Kratos’ late wife, Faye, from the highest point in all the realms. On their search for the highest point, they encounter two critical characters: Freya, who helps them traverse through most of the nine realms, and Baldur, a man who is not only cursed never to feel pain but sent by Odin to kill Kratos. Traveling from Midgard throughout Alfheim, Helheim, Muspelheim, and Niflheim, the two finally realize where they must go. They must spread Faye's ashes in Jotunheim, Faye’s birthplace. Before they can go to the home of the giants, they encounter Baldur once again, attacking Kratos. Unknowingly breaking his curse, Kratos stabs Baldur and kills him in front of his mother. Enraged by her son's death, Freya promises to destroy Kratos in the worst way possible and disappears. Once they finish him off, they head to Jotunheim and climb the highest mountain. On their way up to the summit, they see paintings of their journey… past, present, and future. They see themselves traveling through the realms, and the whole time Atreus is referred to as Loki, the god of mischief, lies, and deceit. One who plays a significant role in Ragnarok, the great calamity that is prophesied to occur after Fimbulwinter.

     Three years have passed since the events of GOW 4. The game begins as Fimbulwinter draws to a close. After surviving an ambush from an angry Freya, Kratos and Atreus come home to discover their wolf Fenrir in his last moments. After Fenrir dies, Atreus' emotions overwhelm him, and he uncontrollably shapeshifts into a bear and attacks his father. Managing to calm him down, Kratos takes Atreus back to their home, where they get a few unexpected visitors. Thor and Odin attempt to make a deal. In return for leaving them alone, Odin wants Atreus to stop his hunt for Tyr, the current God of War whose location is unknown to anyone. Kratos refuses and fights Thor to a draw. Unable to stay in their home, they take refuge in the Real between Realms, far from Odin’s grasp. After finding out Tyr’s alive, Kratos reluctantly agrees to help Atreus, if only to prevent Ragnarök, and they travel to the Svartalfheim to rescue the traumatized Tyr. The group then travels to Alfheim, where they visit an ancient shrine to better understand Ragnarok. Fighting against both the Elves and Tyr's newfound pacifism, they learn of an alternative prophecy to Ragnarok, one in which only Asgard is destroyed, but all other realms survive under a new champion, presumably Atreus. After returning to the Realm between Realms, Atreus dreams of his father dying and him joining Odin’s side. Confused, he wakes up in Jotunheim and learns of the Giants’ past. To escape Odin's wrath, they transferred their souls into stones. Returning to Midgard after being gone for several days, he is met by Freya, whose powers have been restored. Turning over a new leaf, she decides to join him and Kratos in defeating Odin. Arguing with his father about his disappearance, Atreus encounters Odin in person, asking him for help, and Atreus decides to come with him and find out what he really wants. Odin wants to prevent Ragnarok and find pieces to the key to infinite knowledge. Sent to gather the fragments, Atreus completes the key and returns to the refuge to inform the group. Tyr unexpectedly agrees to fight and reveals he knows of a secret way to Asgard. Suspicious of Tyr's sudden change of heart and referring to Atreus as “Loki,” he is called out and reveals he had been Odin in disguise the entire time. The group drives Odin away and retrieves the mask. Atreus and Kratos dedicate themselves to Ragnarök, entering Muspelheim to assist Surtr in achieving the destined primordial form that will destroy Asgard. After preparations are completed, Kratos sounds the Gjallarhorn, opening all realm travel to begin the siege of Asgard. Before they can fight Odin, they must distract Ragnarok, the large being attacking Asgard. Odin then engages Kratos, Atreus, and Freya. Overpowering and defeating Odin, Atreus shatters the mask and traps Odin's soul in a spiritual stone much like the Giants of Jotunheim, freeing the nine realms from his wrath. After the siege, Atreus reunites with Angrboda in Midgard, who shows him and Kratos a mural his mother Faye had destroyed so that they could determine their own fate. Looking further into the shrine, Kratos discovers a mural depicting him as a beloved, peaceful god loved by all. Finally achieving peace, Kratos is hopeful about his future and recruits Freya to help rebuild and restore peace and free the real Týr in Niflheim. Atreus resolves to find the other surviving Giants and bids a heartfelt farewell to his father. The two, able to change their fates for the better, set out to right Odin’s wrongs.