Detailed Analysis - Main Narrative
Kratos and Atreus' Journey
At the start of God of War (2018), it was made clear that the heart of the story would be the evolving relationship between Kratos and Atreus. After his wife Faye passes, Kratos is forced to take on the role of teacher, protector, and most importantly, father. Given Kratos’ history and personality, it wasn’t exactly a surprise when he stumbled on multiple occasions when it came to teaching his son control, how to survive, and how to embrace his Godhood with wisdom. Their journey is one that kept the player’s attention through every step. After the end of God of War, it only made sense that Santa Monica would decide to continue the pair’s emotional journey. When we see Kratos and Atreus again at the start of Ragnarök it’s no surprise that in the years since we’ve seen them, their relationship as Father and Son has greatly improved and they have a much deeper love and respect for each other.
Where Kratos was initially stoic and dismissive he has since softened and become more approachable and kinder to his son and when Atreus was naïve and perhaps foolhardy he has become stronger, more intelligent, and a more capable warrior. Kratos and Atreus have come to seek very different things and have been deeply affected by their last journey as well as the revelations that were uncovered. With Kratos, he is concerned for the safety of his son and has focused on making Atreus into a much more capable warrior who can survive without Kratos. Atreus on the other hand has become much more capable but has also become more blindly obedient as he seeks to uncover the prophecies of Loki and believes that his mother and the Giants had a much bigger purpose in store for him. It also doesn’t help that Atreus is coming into abilities that neither of them understands and this makes Atreus desperate and more hungry for answers.
Both of these personalities clash many times during the story and even during the side narratives and this makes for some interesting dialogue and storytelling. While Kratos is committed to following Atreus on his path of self-discovery, he is also committed to making sure Atreus heeds his advice as, while Atreus has grown tremendously he doesn’t seem to grasp the events that lay before him. Atreus is committed to taking part in Ragnarök when it happens and is adamant that other people should play the part the Giants have foreseen but he does not stop to fathom the ramifications nor listen to Kratos when he understands more about war than Atreus.
While their journey together is an incredible piece of storytelling, the writers and devs made a good choice in creating sections of the games where Kratos and Atreus would be apart as it helps to show how much they have changed and how they are without one another. Kratos, while still lethal and skilled, becomes desperate when it comes to his son’s safety and makes decisions he would have made in the past. Atreus, without Kratos’ discipline and grounded instructions, runs more on chaos but is no less a capable God, but he has a long way to go before he is ready to do the things that Kratos can. During their time apart there are some fascinating implications and possibly difficult truths to accept for both Gods as they move forward on their Journey. Kratos realizes that without Atreus he falls back easily into his old ways of being distrustful and angry and how he doesn’t seem to care about anyone who isn’t family or useful. For Atreus, it is how while he may be his people’s best hope for a future, it is that he cannot move forward on his path without his father to keep him centered.
Across their journey, we can see how well Kratos and Atreus can have more conversations in a not-so-serious matter. Little things like Atreus being excited about his beard growing and Kratos not sure whether to take it seriously or not are some of the moments through the story that makes Kratos and Atreus more relatable and more human. Big moments like the loss of a dear friend, show that Kratos knows how best to comfort Atreus and how to help him work out his feelings, like hunting for deer, in a way that is reminiscent of the first game. While Kratos is stubborn in his ways, he is not past learning and being impressed by his son. When Kratos apologizes to his son for not trusting him, Atreus takes the lesson Kratos taught him and repeated it back to him, “Don’t be sorry, Father. Be better.” much to Kratos’ pride.
The journey of Ragnarök is in a lot of ways about letting go and being able to move forward. Kratos hangs onto his past because his pain runs deep and if it wasn’t for the painful events of his past he wouldn’t be the man we know today. Atreus still has a deep love and reverence for his mother and wants to make her proud and he believes fulfilling the Giant's prophecy is the best way to do this. Through multiple instances, Kratos and Atreus that they have to let go of many things but this is much easier said than done. For Kratos, to move forward, he must let go of his past as “The Ghost of Sparta” and of Atreus as he grows up. Atreus has to let go of his aspirations to do what is best instead of thinking of himself and fulfilling the role of “Champion of the Jotnar” which he believes is what the giants wanted him to be.
By the close of Ragnarök’s incredible story, Kratos and Atreus come to a bittersweet but no less loving and proud crossroads. Believing his people are still out there and need to be found, Atreus decides to leave the Norse world and find them. Kratos being who he is wants to go with him, but Atreus is adamant that it has to be him on his own and Kratos agrees, more than that he is incredibly supportive of the decision which is shocking considering what he has been through to keep him close. Atreus can leave knowing that his father won’t revert to his old ways and will be okay. Kratos and Atreus’ incredible journey has been a pleasure and a joy to watch as they each have different highs and lows and it's been amazing watching them grow together. As Atreus moves on to worlds and places unknown he can move forward knowing that his father will be fine and watch over everyone they love and Kratos can let Atreus go because he trusts him to be safe and is no longer afraid for his safety. As Atreus leaves, Kratos finds a shrine depicting his past but also his future, of how the Ghost of Sparta will be no more and Kratos will instead be known as the “God of Peace” and be loved and respected instead of feared and hated. While both Gods are heading toward a goal and future that will benefit all, it is sad to think that they may never see each other again but who knows what can happen next?
A Son's Path
Since the revelation of Loki and as he has grown, Atreus has become restless and naturally curious. During the years of Fimbulwinter Atreus has been sneaking away from home to find information about the giants and Loki with the help of Sindri. Atreus has become obsessed with the Giant's prophecies and yearns for more from his life and can take things presented to him and make them about what he would want. When Odin and Thor first come to their home, they blindside Kratos by demanding Atreus stop his search for Týr, The Norse God of War who is long dead or so we think. This act breaks Kratos’ trust and so Atreus must rebuild it and he thinks the best way to do this is by showing Kratos the giant prophecies. Atreus is obsessed with finding Týr because he believes that he is meant to start Ragnarök and lead the war alongside “The Champion of the Jotnar”. From the first moment he learns of this champion, Atreus immediately thinks it’s him and that he is meant to fight at Ragnarök and so this begins a journey of stumbling toward War.
An aspect of Atreus’ character is his apparent need for war because he thinks it’s what his people and ultimately his mother wanted for him. This plot is not so much annoying as it is dumbfounding because Atreus is smart enough to understand exactly what war entails and what it could happen to so many people, especially when his father is a former God of War. His childish need to be important is a massive driving force for the story of Ragnarök and while near the end we understand why war is needed it still doesn’t excuse Atreus’ brash and often arrogant behavior. He is called out on this on many occasions but always rebuffs it as this is what he felt his people wanted but when you take that away, Atreus doesn’t develop a reason until later in the story. Along his path are his friends who while they seem like they are meant to help him prove to be catalysts for his behavior. Sindri councils calm and reason and to remember the past which is solid advice but doesn’t allow for personal growth. As he embarks on his journey he encounters a strange broken mask that is said to allow the user to gain infinite knowledge which Atreus tries to take advantage of but makes some very important decisions about the mask’s future thanks to Kratos’ trust and council.
When Atreus meets another giant, Angrboda, (who is meant to be his wife in Mythology), he is of course excited, especially since she has the same mindset as him, that the prophecies are set in stone and everyone should play their part. This shows just how childish Atreus still is because as soon as he sees that Ragnarök will have a negative outcome for him he starts hating the prophecy and the idea of war and starts to work against the outcome. By the end, Atreus has discovered many things about himself and becomes a strong and capable warrior in his own right, and is set to become a kind-hearted and resilient God. Atreus learns many things about his people including the fact that they have wandered too far away lands and so he goes in search of them. Atreus has shown on his own that he is more than capable of leading his own God of War game and while he may not be able to handle the things that Kratos has but he is well on his way.
The Aesir
Through their experiences and all the tales they heard in the last game, Kratos and Atreus are well-versed in just what the Aesir gods are capable of and how smart and strong they are. Learning from Mimir about the atrocities that Thor and Odin have committed against so many, I was initially thrown off when we first met Thor and eventually Odin. While their entrance certainly had the weight and gravity that I’d come to expect, I was surprised about how the 1st interactions went. First was Thor who asked if he could come in and how he bought mead (wine). This wasn’t exactly what I expected from the man who has murdered so many for a few reasons and especially to offer Kratos and Atreus wine since they killed his sons. What turns from a relatively pleasant meeting quickly turns tenuous as Odin appears not far behind Thor. Odin is about what you would expect from an old man who comes off as friendly but is calculating and has the look of someone who could kill you as soon as you cross him or are no longer useful. The old man offering peace was not what I expected but then again that’s exactly what he would want you to think. Kratos refuses as he does not want to get involved with Odin’s affairs and so it ends with a fight with Thor.
Thor is a challenge the God of War hasn’t had in a while. Baldur was tough but was never able to hurt Kratos the way Thor had. During the fight, Kratos is killed. If Thor had left him right there and there then his home would be safe but as arrogant as Thor is, he wants to meet the God of War who bested Baldur, killed Magni and Modi (Thor’s sons), and defeated Sigrun the Valkyrie Queen and so resuscitates Kratos using Mjölnir. Their fight ends in a draw with Thor satisfied and clearing Kratos of his blood debt. Thor and Odin wouldn’t be the last of the Aesir we meet. When Atreus decides to venture off on his own to find a way to save his father’s life he travels to Asgard where he meets a myriad of other Aesir.
The Aesir God Heimdall is an arrogant one who has allowed his gift of foresight to fight his battles for him and so he has never been touched in combat. To say we receive an icy reception from the vain God is an understatement and he sees right through Atreus’ intentions to use Odin’s knowledge to save his father. He also proves to be a challenge for Kratos and he must develop a new weapon to beat him. While Heimdall, Odin, and Thor are more arrogant and selfish Aesir we do meet some nice characters. Thrúd Thorsdottir makes a good impression almost instantly which is odd considering Atreus helped kill her brothers. A friendship grows between the 2 Gods which honestly shows off some of the nicer aspects of the Aesir as Thrúd is friendly, loyal, and eager to please, much like Atreus. Thrúd’s mother and Thor’s wife, Lady Sif, isn’t necessarily an enemy but is not happy about Atreus being in her home and near her daughter which is understandable seeing as the death of her sons weighs heavily on her. The relationship between the family is a highlight of the Aesir as instead of the typical ruthless bloodthirsty Gods we are treated to a family that wants to do better for themselves which is evident considering that Thor and Sif have been sober for a long time, before the events of Ragnarök. While these Gods get the spotlight there is one who I wish we could have seen instead of heard of and that is Forseti, the son of Baldur in mythology. It would have been interesting to see him and Freya bond over Baldur but sadly his presence is virtually not enough to make a difference which feels like such a missed opportunity.
After everything we’ve heard about Thor and Odin, it was interesting to spend some time with them and learn more about their intentions and the things that made them who they are. With Odin, he has a perpetual hunger for Knowledge that cannot be satiated. Thor became a murderer of Giants because he did it to impress his father and earn his love to very little avail. As a father, he was very cruel and quite terrible but after the death of his sons seems to have tried to improve himself for his daughter’s sake. It’s amazing how much Thor mirrors Kratos but also most fathers who struggle with keeping a strong front for their children when they are under a lot of pressure. Thor’s love for his daughter blinds him so much that he tried to kill Kratos while ignoring Thrúd trying to stop the fight. As the fight ends, Kratos and Thor come to an understanding about being better for their children but before Thor can have a chance to go good, he is quickly chastised and killed by Odin for disobeying his orders.
Týr
Týr is the Norse God of War and has been rumored to have been dead for some time although this is unknown. Týr was a God of War who fought for peace and was a beloved figure in all the Nine Realms. Where Ragnarök beings, Atreus has been led to believe that he is still alive as he is prophesied by the giants to lead the war on Asgard. Convinced they must find them, Kratos journeys with Atreus to Svartalfheim: The realm of the Dwarves which has been under Odin’s rule for quite some time. Kratos believes Atreus is chasing a fool’s errand and is reluctant to search but since they can no longer stay home, Kratos relents to help find him. While Kratos is not negative about the search, he does have the bad gift of stating things in a negative manner which Atreus has to deal with in their search. They eventually find Tyr who is not exactly who he once was. Tired and broken, it is up to Atreus and Kratos to save him and take him to their home. Atreus is desperate for Tyr to fulfill his role as the God of War but Tyr is determined to keep his vow of nonviolence. Despite Tyr being meant to be a source of wise counsel it is proven that he is more of a detriment than anything especially when their home is invaded. Near the end of the story, Brok begins questioning Tyr’s motives and it is then revealed that Tyr is Odin, and he Kills Brok. This would set up the chain of events that begin Ragnarök.
In the end, we eventually find the real Týr through a side narrative who is alive and well and has been a prisoner of Odin for quite some time. When we free him he is filled in on recent events and asks for some time which is granted. During our travels, we can go back to specific locations and find him again contemplating the state of the realms and how they are going to heal without Odin’s interference. This shows that the Norse God of War might not be done just yet and might prove a valuable help to Kratos in the future, though we won’t know since Ragnarök is the end of the Norse Saga. Týr’s survival was interwoven into a different side quest and feels like it should have been a highlight on its own instead of a passive aspect of the game’s story.
A Strange Family - Brok, Sindri, Freya, and Mimir
With God of War, family doesn’t always mean happiness or even love. With Kratos, he wiped out the entire Green Pantheon who were his family. Kratos has rarely found happiness even with his family and the desolate wastelands of Midgard don’t exactly give many opportunities for Atreus to make friends or get to know anybody else. Mimir has stayed with Kratos and Atreus for the last 3 years and has become an essential member of their group. It has even gotten to the point where Kratos has stopped calling him head and called him by his name and sometimes “Brother”. Brok and Sindri, after their disagreements, completely shut off contact with each other and it was only after interactions with Kratos and Atreus that made them want to reconcile which is a good thing as they are better together. Lastly Freya, despite harboring hate and bitterness towards Kratos for the murder of her son can redirect her rage towards Odin who is truly responsible. Together they work to survive Odin’s forces and survive Ragnarök if it comes.
While an odd bunch that normally wouldn’t be together under different circumstances they weirdly make an interesting group and dare anybody say, a family. Kratos is the grumpy father, Atreus is the teenage son, Mimir is the wacky uncle, Brok, and Sindri are the fun cousins, and Freya is the stepmother. While they all make an odd group it’s truly surprising how they come together so cohesively and work well together. Over the years Kratos and Atreus have grown to trust and admire all of these people and have come to depend on them. Brok and Sindri have also come to respect and admire Kratos and Atreus and have proved to be invaluable to their journey. Freya, while still apprehensive about the murder of her son and the dislike of Dwarves, has grown incredibly close to these people, despite the chip on her shoulder. Throughout their Journey, they prove themselves invaluable to one another time and time again with their skills, wisdom, and their knowledge.
They also aren’t entirely one-dimensional as their personalities perfectly complement one another. Kratos and Mimir are careful because of their wisdom but Atreus is always able to get them to enter situations they may have decided not to. Brok is rude but straightforward and Sindri is incredibly insightful if a little annoying. Despite the bad blood between Kratos and Freya, they make an excellent team. They have respect for one another and they can put much of their past behind them to maximize their potential it is rare to meet a character like Freya who can be very friendly with Kratos but still manages to not cross the line in terms of romance. While many people consider a romance impossible, many others wish for it instead but I feel it is best if Kratos and Freya remain allies as it adds layers to their partnership that she can trust and confide in, and Kratos in her as they fight through many hordes of enemies in the Norse realms. It is very rare for a group that is so different to be so good together and this should prove as a lesson to many other storytellers.
Brok and Sindri’s storyline is perhaps the most tragic in both Norse God of War games as there is much about their relationship that is further explored in this title. Earlier in the game, Sindri reveals to Atreus that Brok had died years earlier and had strived to fetch his soul and bring Brok back but was only able to get 3/4 of Brok’s soul. In God of War and specifically the Norse realms, the soul is comprised of 4 parts: Form, Mind, Direction and Luck. Brok, however, is missing his direction. Kratos and Brok discover this for themselves when they go on a quest to craft a weapon by recruiting a mermaid who can only communicate through the soul, which Brok only has most of his. As Tyr is revealed to be Odin in disguise after being called out by Brok, Odin fatally stabs Brok. Freya Tries to heal him but unfortunately is not able to. Before Brok dies he forgives Sindri for what he did but asks him to stop and let go of his brother. Sindri is devastated and calls out Atreus specifically for his selfishness, and arrogance and for how nothing Sindri did was ever enough to satisfy Atreus. After Ragnarök, a funeral is held for Brok which Sindri attends. He is given a proper Viking funeral surrounded by his friends and family but Sindri is still enraged and it doesn’t help that Atreus did not attend as he has already left on his journey. It is a pity as this likely means that Sindri and Atreus will never reconcile and Sindri may never be able to move on. The performances of Sunny Suljic (Atreus), Adam Harrington (Sindri), and Robert Craighead (Brok) are brilliant hallmark performances that don’t work too hard to make these characters and their situation believable and couldn’t have been performed so powerfully and with such heart.
The Norns
During Atreus’ visit to Asgard, Kratos is naturally concerned for his son and wants a way to get him back and so in an unexpected twist, visits the Norns: The fates of the Norse lands. Knowing how Kratos feels about fate, it is odd that he would choose to seek out the fates of the Norse lands for answers, considering his history. Kratos is not necessarily familiar with the Norns but he has come across a number of their treasure chests out in the world that he has unlocked and used the valuable resources inside.
In the original games, he killed the fates of his lands and turned their power on the Olympians. This was a worrying plat point as it showed Kratos slowly going back into his old ways and I for one was worried about the Norn's safety when Kratos decided to look for them alongside Freya. During their search they eventually hear the Norns whispering in their ear, reciting past titles and what the characters want deep down but how they can never get it. They also bring on some home truths about the characters that they haven’t been able to figure out for themselves. How Kratos seeks a redemption that he knows he cannot have and how Freya blames others for her pain but doesn’t seem to look at herself. It’s good that someone was able to say the truth to them without being silenced by them as is their fashion and shows that the Norns may be different than anything Kratos has seen before.
When finally meeting the Norns their visit was not exactly how you would expect. Kratos, of course, seeks his son but the Norns of course see past this and also determine that Kratos seeks knowledge about his fate and their answer is not good as they say “Kratos of Sparta” will die much to Kratos and Mimir’s displeasure who recites that there must be a way to defeat Destiny. This is where a big twist comes to fruition. The Norns do not weave anyone’s fate, rather they see the person’s choices and determine the individual's path because they are so predictable as they predict Kratos will kill Heimdall because he threatens Atreus and so this will start Ragnarök. The meeting with the Norns was certainly different than we excepted as we are used to Fates predicting their fate and hating if anyone detours from their path. The Norns are not like that and instead only predict what you do based on your past choices. It was an ingenious twist that the writers made because otherwise, Kratos would still be following his typical parade of murder to get his way but he can’t do anything against his nature and he can’t change anything by just killing people who call him out on what he does. This was a really good slap in the face for Kratos as he can’t exactly change himself, as well as a wake up call for Freya. They do make one prediction that goes in his favor, in the end, when they say Kratos of Sparta will die, and in a lot of ways they are right. By the end of his journey, Kratos has left his old life behind and can now have what he’s wanted to be for years, redemption, as the future God of Peace.
Laufey
Laufey was the 2nd wife of Kratos who we were never able to meet in the last game, not have a glimpse of. In Ragnarök, however, we are treated to a glimpse of the wife of Kratos in a memory… sort of. While in moments of vulnerability, Kratos dreams of a memory with Faye that beat back 3 important lessons/warnings for the old God. In the 1st memory, we join her on a hunt for a sick wolf that has gotten past their defenses and we get to know Faye a bit more. Faye is a wise, patient, and skilled individual who can get Kratos to open up more which is something new for Kratos. At the end of the dream, Kratos loses sight of her and only finds her when she shows up behind him to tell him time is running out and there is much to still do. This dream was almost like a visit from Faye, much to Kratos’ suspicion but this is never explained further which is a shame. The 2nd memory is when he is with Faye and a baby Atreus where Kratos has confessed that he is scared for his son. Faye gives masterful advice that they are not their failures and they must be better. Faye makes Kratos realize that he’s one of the few that can protect their son and do whatever it takes.
During the Journey, Freya seeks to encourage Kratos to start Ragnarök because she feels it’s necessary and of course, this stems from her seeking vengeance for her predicament and her son’s fate. Through a section of the mine, Freya constantly makes Kratos question why Faye’s intentions for him and his son. There is the implication that Faye knew exactly who Kratos was when they met and planned to marry him and have a child with him knowing that the child would be part Jotunn and that if any Aesir God threatened the child, Kratos would wipe them out. Kratos does not believe this and insists she never would have wanted that for him but again Freya reminisces about how Faye wanted Kratos to go to Jötunheim and see his prophecy of his death, to which he still doesn’t understand yet, much to Kratos’ confusion and annoyance. The last theory Freya suggests is that Atreus is not the fabled “Champion of the Jotnar” and that the role belongs to Kratos. As it happens Freya was only right about 1 of those 3 theories, that Kratos is meant to be the champion as he will always protect Atreus.
The 3rd dream is the night before Ragnarök where Kratos and Atreus spend potentially their last night together. Kratos dreams of when Faye marked the trees she would want to be used for her pyre much to Kratos’ disappointment as they still have time together and he would have chosen to be entombed to keep close. Kratos worries about the part of him that will die when she does, but Faye rebuffs this by asking him to open his heart to the world and he will discover his reason for living. Despite not having very little screen time, an excellent script and a good performance from Deborah Ann Woll help with bringing Faye to light as a wise warrior and good person. Faye imparts her last bit of advice, “To grieve deeply, is to have loved fully”. This is true of so many things and had been a driving force for many of Kratos’ actions, especially in the past. When Kratos lost his 1st wife and daughter he was devastated and sought to avenge them by killing Ares. For Faye however, all she wanted is for Kratos to keep his heart open, which is the best advice she could have given.
It is also revealed that she destroyed the original prophecy in Jötunheim depicting Kratos’ death and Atreus’ fate with Odin as she wanted the 2 to make their fate and decide their future. While she didn’t initially succeed as Atreus still wanted to take part in Ragnarök based on his people’s prophecy, it did provide Kratos and Atreus the want to change their fate and fight on their terms.