Why God of War Keeping Kratos in Norse Mythology Might Feel Anticlimactic

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 18, 2025 4 Views 6 Min Read
Why God of War Keeping Kratos in Norse Mythology Might Feel Anticlimactic



The God of War franchise is currently stuck at a crossroads with where it wants to take the series after the events of Ragnarok. Between Ragnarok and the ending of its Valhalla DLC, Kratos seems to have finally made peace with himself, potentially marking an end to his journey or at least preparing him to take a step back from the story. God of War may be in a tricky spot, but speculation and theories have suggested a new pantheon of gods could be on the horizon, just not with Kratos leading the way.

At the end of Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus parted ways in a bittersweet send-off, as the latter ventured out on his own. This has left many fans predicting that Atreus will play a larger role in the next God of War and possibly introduce a new realm. Since 2018, God of War has explored the Norse realm, and while fascinating, Kratos and Atreus’ time with the pantheon seems complete. However, with Kratos’ newfound self-acceptance, he could make his official home in the Norse realm. While this would be good for Kratos as a character, it could also make the next game’s story less exciting.

God of War Heimdall Fight

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The Next God of War Series Shouldn’t Miss The Chance To Have Another Heimdall

One of God of War’s best strengths is its implementation of mythology, and Ragnarok’s use of Heimdall should inspire a new character in the next saga.

Keeping Kratos in the Norse Realm Risks a Less Compelling Story

Now that the fight against Odin is over and Kratos has grown into a more accepting and peaceful version of himself, it’s unclear where he can go from here. It seems likely that Kratos’ will stay with the Norse gods. Although it will be great to see him at peace, any portion of the next God of War game that returns to the Norse realm might pale in comparison to Atreus’ destination.

Theorized New Realms Atreus May Discover

  • Egyptian
  • Mesoamerican
  • Japanese

These proposed cultures come from the Valhalla boss fights with Tyr. As players return to fight Tyr each round, he continues to add weapons to his arsenal, and the majority are from non-Norse cultures. Theories have suggested that these diverse weapon choices could be a hint from Santa Monica as to where Atreus may be headed. While the Egyptian pantheon is the most likely (and geographically convenient), Mesoamerican and Japanese myths and folklore could also deliver players a treasure trove of fresh gods to be introduced to.

In Valhalla, Tyr fights with a Norse spear and shield, a Mesoamerican macuahuitl, an Egyptian khopesh, and a Japanese katana.

There is also the possibility that Atreus may stumble upon multiple realms, but that would be challenging to balance properly, so that’s a less likely route. Either way, a brand-new realm will likely overshadow Kratos’ time with the Norse realm simply because it’s a fresh world and characters to explore.

Experiencing the Excitement of God of War’s Pantheon Change in a New Light

Before the 2018 reboot, God of War focused on the Greek pantheon before making the switch to a Norse-focused story. Now that the franchise seems ready to move on to another world, the prospect of once again having that same level of excitement for a new pantheon is what makes another God of War title so compelling. The Norse world is fascinating, but it feels like Santa Monica has taken the story as far as it can go.

Theories have suggested that Atreus could get a full-blown spin-off game, but this has yet to be confirmed.

However, there is still the possibility that the studio could surprise audiences. The Norse story may appear wrapped up, but there could be an unexpected threat on the horizon that Kratos and his companions must take on while God of War‘s Atreus is on his own journey. This remains to be seen, but whatever the next God of War has in store, Kratos and Atreus setting the stage to potentially showcase two different worlds is intriguing.

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