Highlights
- Kratos’ journey in God of War Ragnarok showcases a deeper reflection on his past and guilt, leading him towards peace and empathy.
- The Norse saga introduces a more introspective Kratos, focusing on self-acceptance and growth for a better future.
- After this character development, it’s time to move away from Kratos’ guilt and focus on new themes, possibly through Atreus.
God of War has always had a great narrative, but the series set the bar even higher with its last two entries, which have taken a more somber, intimate, and thoughtful approach to Kratos’ mythological tale. 2018’s God of War and follow-up God of War Ragnarok managed to do something truly special by not only seamlessly adopting a new mythology and setting, but also by showing a different side to the titular god.
God of War‘s Norse saga has been defined by its ponderous and reflective storytelling. The games are still as violent as ever, with the new, visceral combat system adding more weight and intention to each of Kratos’ attacks, but the days of reveling in brutality and exuberant cruelty seem to be over. Kratos, now with a new child and the remembrance of Calliope, his late daughter, looming large in his mind alongside the murders of his father and other kinfolk, is ushered on a journey of self-reflection and prompted toward peace and empathy. All of this culminates in the fantastic Valhalla DLC for Ragnarok, which sees Kratos finally accepting his past, suggesting that there is hope for a more productive and guilt-free future.
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Kratos’ Self-Doubt Arc Is Over
The Ending of God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Has to Matter
Although Kratos isn’t quite retired by the end of Valhalla, he has seemingly completed his two-game journey of guilt, shame, and self-reflection. 2018’s God of War and God of War Ragnarok are all about him fighting for a better future—a fight that sees his mental state and worldview undergo numerous permutations—but this journey is motivated by the shame he feels over his past. To be sure, Kratos has quite a bit to feel bad about, as his warpath has resulted in the deaths of countless people, not all of whom deserved it. But the guilt that has plagued him is shown to be just part of his healing process rather than the optimal end-state for the character.
Valhalla shows that Kratos can leverage acceptance to become a stronger, healthier force for good. Kratos’ new position as the Norse God of War ought to be aided by his stronger understanding of his own history and emotional state. His decisions should no longer be driven by a desire to flee from the past, as many of them were in God of War 2018. Assuming Kratos does return in the next God of War game, he might still have a little bit of self-doubt and shame, but he can no longer be mired in it, as this would undermine his emotional journey.
It’s Time for God of War to Explore New Themes
There’s a good chance that Atreus will lead the next God of War game, opening the door to new storytelling opportunities. The advantages of Atreus replacing Kratos are myriad, but chief among them is that the franchise will be able to look toward the future, rather than reflect on the past. As a young god who is just now becoming independent, Atreus’ story will be all about pushing forward and shaping his own destiny, for better or worse. Whatever Kratos’ involvement in the story is, it should connect to Atreus’ story, at least thematically.
The so-called ‘sad dad’ trope, which modern Kratos adheres to, is a bit old hat now, which is all the more reason for the franchise to take the character in a new direction.
God of War might still have some use for Kratos, even if he isn’t helming the franchise. His character arc may be best punctuated by him laying down his arms permanently, but this should be out of a desire to push into a better future, not because he is tortured by his past misdeeds.
God of War: Ragnarok
God of War Ragnarok is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It serves as the sequel to God of War (2018) and the conclusion to Kratos and Atreus’ journey through Scandinavia. Loosely based on Norse mythology, players will fight mythological creatures while witnessing the events of Ragnarok.Â
- Released
- November 9, 2022
- ESRB
- M For Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- Metascore
- 94
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
