Most gamers will be jumping into God of War Ragnarok for the satisfying combat that has made God of War a staple of gaming. However, for many, the thing that makes God of War special is its story, which takes inspiration from European mythology. This time around, with God of War Ragnarok picking up where 2018’s God of War left off, there may be far too many elephants in the room, which could be a problem, as having too many big reveals could make all of them feel less impactful.
RELATED: God of War: How the Greek Gods Shaped Kratos Before He Traveled to the Norse World
The Role of Loki Remains a Mystery
Atreus is introduced in 2018’s God of War. He is the son of Kratos and Faye, who is a Frost Giant from Jötunheim, which makes him part-god and part-giant. For a long time, Kratos keeps Atreus ignorant of the fact that he is part-god, and it is easy to understand why. Kratos has seen how the gods war against each other, and how the gods go on to kill their parents. By convincing Atreus that he is a mortal, Kratos hoped to keep him away from that cycle of violence. However, after Atreus falls ill, Kratos is forced to reveal the secret.
During the last leg of Kratos and Atreus’ journey to scatter Faye’s ashes at the highest point of the Nine Realms, Atreus encounters a wall depicting his mother, and it also refers to him as Loki. Kratos explains that Atreus was named after a Spartan warrior, though Faye had named him Loki at first and this was the name she had told the Jötnar.
Atreus’ Grecian name associates him with King Atreus of Greek mythology, who was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, and the brother of Thyestes. He was a vengeful man who, after discovering his wife was having an affair with his brother, slaughtered his brother’s sons. Atreus’s Nordic name is far more interesting, however. In Norse mythology, Loki is a trickster figure who is the son of Faye (also known as Laufey). According to legend, with the onset of Ragnarok, Loki will align himself with the Jötnar, war against the gods, and eventually defeat Heimdallr who wields the Hofud sword.
Norse mythology may hint at what is to come in God of War Ragnarok where gamers will see how Atreus copes with the fact that he is a god, how he plays into the role of Loki, and how he goes about trying to stop Ragnarok from occurring.
Odin Should Make an Appearance
Odin is mentioned quite a few times in God of War (2018), although he is never seen. He is an important figure because he is the father of Baldur and the ex-husband of Freya, who becomes the sword enemy of Kratos after he kills Baldur. Throughout 2018’s God of War, players discover that Odin once imprisoned Mimir and tortured him. Mimir explains that Odin is clever, and he loves collecting prophecies. He tries to be all-seeing and all-knowing and to help him with this endeavor he releases many ravens to survey the world. Fortunately, Kratos can destroy these spies.
RELATED: God of War: Ragnarok - Explaining Angrboda’s Role in Norse Mythology
Norse mythology does not give too many clues about God of War’s Odin. In mythology, he is depicted as a savior of heroes who dwells in Valhalla, and he is associated with wisdom, poetry, and healing. The mythological Odin does not align too much with God of War’s Odin, except for both of them being wise, which suggests that Santa Monica has decided to take the character in a different direction. In God of War Ragnarok’s trailer, Mimir says Odin has tricks up his sleeves they have not dared to consider. After building him up for an entire game, if he does appear, it is certain to be a monumental event.
Kratos Has a New Enemy to Deal With: Thor
Most gamers who played God of War (2018) are aware of Freya’s vow to seek revenge on Kratos for killing Baldur. However, a smaller percentage of gamers have seen the game’s true ending which shows a tiny glimpse of a cloaked figure. That person is Thor, and he also has a bone to pick with Kratos: He is affected by Baldur’s death because he is Baldur’s half-brother. Through Thor, the cyclical nature of violence is revealed, and once it is started it is remarkably difficult to halt.
The appearance of Thor raises a lot of questions. The most important question is how, if at all, will Kratos beat Thor. His foe is the god of thunder, and he wields the Mjolnir, which is a powerful hammer capable of devastating destruction. Some gamers have speculated that a showdown between them will result in the Mjolnir becoming God of War Ragnarok’s new weapon for Kratos to play with. Thor’s appearance also raises questions about how he will work together with Freya who is also seeking revenge. Whether the two will be a harmonious team or whether they will squabble and bicker will determine how much of a challenge they will be to defeat.
God of War Ragnarok’s release is just around the corner, and Santa Monica’s track record has gamers hyped for the next leg of Kratos and Atreus’ journey. The winter to end all winters is looming, and Kratos and Atreus are on the cusp of discovering plenty of secrets about themselves and the world of the gods. With so many major revelations awaiting, the game should be sure to give each reveal the gravitas it deserves.
God of War Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022.
MORE: God Of War: 6 Things It Changed From Norse Mythology
