Kratos | |
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God of War character | |
![]() Kratos with the Leviathan Axe, as he primarily appears in the Norse era of the series | |
First game | God of War (2005) |
Created by | David Jaffe |
Based on | Fárbauti of Norse mythology (2018–present) |
Designed by | Charlie Wen |
Voiced by |
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Motion capture |
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In-universe information | |
Alias | Ghost of Sparta |
Species | Demigod [5] |
Children | Calliope (daughter) Atreus "Loki" (son) |
Origin | Sparta, Greece |
Nationality | Greek |
Kratos (Ancient Greek : Κράτος , lit. 'strength') is a character and the protagonist of Santa Monica Studio's God of War series, based on Greek mythology and, later, Norse mythology. He first appeared in the 2005 video game God of War , which led to the development of eight additional titles featuring the character as the protagonist. Kratos also appears as the protagonist of the 2010 and 2018 comic series, as well as three novels retelling the events of three of the games. The character was voiced by Terrence C. Carson from 2005 to 2013, with Christopher Judge taking over the role in 2018's continuation, also titled God of War . Antony Del Rio voiced a young Kratos in Ghost of Sparta .
Throughout the Greek era of the series, Kratos is portrayed as a Spartan warrior who becomes known as the "Ghost of Sparta" after being deceived by his former mentor Ares into murdering his family. He later avenges their deaths and becomes the new "God of War" after killing Ares. Kratos is eventually revealed to be a demigod and the son of Zeus, who later betrays him. He embarks on several adventures in attempts to avert disaster or to change his fate, and is generally portrayed as a tragic figure. Vengeance is a central theme of the Greek era, and installments focus on Kratos's origins and his relationships with his family and the Olympian gods. In the Norse era, Kratos finds himself controlling his rage and learning how to truly be a father and mentor to his son, Atreus, helping him come to terms with his divinity. Along their journey, they combat monsters and gods of the Norse realm, which inevitably leads to the catastrophic battle of Ragnarök. Redemption is a main theme of the Norse era and Kratos comes to terms with his godhood, eventually taking the mantle as the Norse God of War championing the ideals of hope.
The God of War franchise is a flagship title for the PlayStation brand and Kratos is one of its most popular characters. The character has been well-received by critics and has become a video game icon, also having several cameos in games outside of the God of War series. Judge's performance as Kratos in the two Norse-based games was highly praised and received numerous awards and nominations.
In designing Kratos, God of War (2005) creator and game director David Jaffe attempted to create a character that looked brutal, but did not resemble a typical traditional Greek hero. [6] The character would not wear traditional armor as Jaffe wanted him to be individualistic. [6] Although using a fully masked character was initially approved, the concept was abandoned as the design seemed "soulless" and lacked a "defined personality". [6] Some models included unconventional elements, such as Kratos carrying an infant on his back, [6] while others had excessive detail, such as long hair and other "flowing things". [6]
Charlie Wen, director of visual development on God of War (2005) and God of War II , was responsible for designing Kratos. Wen said that his direction for designing Kratos was as much influenced by similarly themed films as it was by pop culture, which led him to conceive Kratos on a series of napkins at a restaurant, having forgotten his sketchbook, introducing the idea of the double-chained blades and eventually Kratos's iconic design. [7] [8] Double-chained blades were chosen as Kratos's signature weapon because they emphasized the character's animal nature while also allowing combat to remain fluid. [6] Wen visualized the double-chained blades activating simultaneously as Kratos threw them with a balance of ferocity and accuracy. Jaffe said of the final version of the character, "[Kratos] may not totally feel at home in Ancient Greece from a costume standpoint, I think he achieves the greater purpose which is to give players a character who they can play who really does just let them go nuts and unleash the nasty fantasies that they have in their head." [9]
Wen gave Kratos his most noticeable feature, his ash-white complexion, a story development that earns him the title "Ghost of Sparta." [10] Other distinctive features include a scar across his right eye and a large red tattoo that threads from his left eye, circles the left side of his torso, and ends at his left shoulder. The tattoo was originally blue but was changed late in production. [11] In the series lore, the scar is eventually revealed to be the result of a childhood encounter with the Olympian god Ares, while the tattoo is a tribute to his dead brother Deimos, who had similar birth markings. [12] Other changes that occur during the course of the Greek era of the series include the temporary addition of divine armor when Kratos is the God of War, an abdominal scar, ability-enhancing armor such as an epaulet called the Golden Fleece (all God of War II), and the Boots of Hermes ( God of War III ). According to an early God of War script, the character is 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 m) tall, [13] but this was later changed when Santa Monica Studios and Gnomon School delved deeper into the animation and rigging history of the games, showing Greek Kratos to be 2.34 metres (7 ft 8 in) tall, with Norse Kratos being 1.94 metres (6 ft 4 in) tall and weighing in at roughly 250 pounds (110 kg). [14] In 2018's God of War, the designers gave Kratos a more Nordic look, including a full beard. They also changed his main weapon to a magical battle axe to make the combat more grounded. Unlike previous games, players can change and upgrade Kratos's three different armor pieces, one of the game's various RPG elements. [5]
Kratos's appearance throughout the Greek games can be altered in bonus play; completing the game at certain levels of difficulty and in challenge modes unlock bonus costumes. Several costumes were available exclusively via pre-order and other promotions (e.g. God of War III, which features three costumes based on early sketches of the character) from the PlayStation Store. [15] Although many bonus costumes are consistent with story themes, others are humorous or farcical—such as the female costume "Athena" and the "Spud of War". [16]
The character was given his name at a late stage in the development of the original game after the character had already been fleshed out. [17] Unaware of the actual mythological god named Kratos appearing in Prometheus Bound , the creators coincidentally chose Kratos, the same Greek word meaning "strength", of which the mythological figure is the personification. [18] [17] Stig Asmussen, who worked on the first two games and was game director of God of War III, called the naming coincidence a "happy mistake", [17] noting that the Kratos in the game and the one in Prometheus Bound are both "pawns". [17] Zoran Iovanovici of California State University, Long Beach observed with irony that, while the mythological Kratos is best known for chaining Prometheus, in God of War II, the video game character releases him. [17] Classical scholar Sylwia Chmielewski states that the video game character Kratos draws extensively on other figures from Greek mythology, including the heroes Perseus, Theseus, and Achilles, [19] [20] but his strongest influence is the hero Heracles (Roman Hercules), who appears in God of War III with the Romanized name and is the character's half-brother. [19]
For 2018's God of War, game director Cory Barlog explained that Kratos had to change his cycle of violence and learn how to control his rage. He said that Kratos had made many bad decisions, which led to the destruction of Olympus, and wanted to know what would happen if Kratos made a good decision. The birth of Barlog's own son influenced the idea of Kratos's character change. [5] The canceled live-action Star Wars television series was also an influence. [21] The bond between Kratos and his son is at the heart of the game, and Barlog said, "This game is about Kratos teaching his son how to be a god, and his son teaching Kratos how to be human again." Referencing the Marvel Comics character Hulk, Barlog said that in regards to Kratos, "We've already told the story of The Hulk. We want to tell the story of [Bruce] Banner now." [22]
Christopher Judge, best known as Teal'c from Stargate SG-1 , replaced T.C. Carson as the voice of Kratos in the 2018 game; Carson had voiced Kratos since the original God of War. Commenting in response to the change, Carson said, "Sony went in a new direction." [23] In explaining the actor change, Barlog said that the way the previous games were made, they were able to have someone else do the motion capture instead of the voice actor. Although Carson had done the motion capture for Kratos in Ascension , Barlog said the actor change was made because of the type of camera work they wanted to do. For the new camera work, they needed someone who was closer to Kratos's size to do the motion capture along with 10-year-old Sunny Suljic, who played Kratos's son, Atreus. Carson was unsuitable for this because he was much shorter than Kratos, who is over 6-feet tall: "Offsetting [Carson's height] for the size of a child, it turned out it was going to be almost impossible to try and actually shoot them and go in and redo the animations." Judge was chosen because he was 6-foot-3 and had the body of a professional football player. In stepping into the role of Kratos, Judge took it as an opportunity to add something new to the character. He researched the character and Carson's performance but decided not to imitate it. Since Santa Monica was going in a new direction, he decided to start fresh. [24]
Prior to beginning work on Ragnarök , Judge briefly quit the game after finding out that Eric Williams would be directing the sequel. Judge was uncertain about Williams; however, Barlog, who served as a producer and creative director on Ragnarök, was able to convince Judge that Williams was fully capable of directing the game, which Judge affirmed after working with him. [25]
Throughout the series, Kratos is portrayed as an antihero, [26] often performing questionable actions. Although his backstory is seen in the original God of War, Kratos's childhood is revealed in Ghost of Sparta and the birth of his daughter is explored in the God of War comic series (2010–11). In Ghost of Sparta, it is revealed that the oracle had foretold that the demise of Olympus would not happen by the hands of the Titans—imprisoned after the Great War—but rather by a mortal, a marked warrior. The Olympians Zeus, Athena, and Ares believed this warrior to be Deimos, Kratos's younger brother, who had a strange birthmark. Ares and Athena interrupted the childhood training of Kratos and Deimos in Sparta and kidnapped Deimos. Kratos attempted to stop Ares, but Ares swept him aside and scarred him across his right eye. Taken to Death's Domain, Deimos was imprisoned and tortured for many years by the god of death, Thanatos. Believing Deimos to be dead, Kratos marked himself with a red tattoo, identical to his brother's birthmark, to honor his brother. [12]
Through flashbacks in the comic series (2010–11) written by Marv Wolfman, Kratos meets his wife Lysandra and they have a daughter named Calliope. Upon birth, Calliope was stricken with the plague. In order to save his daughter, Kratos was granted a quest to find the Ambrosia of Asclepius, an elixir with magical healing properties. Five of the gods entered into a wager with Ares: each chose a champion to search for the Ambrosia with Ares's champion being Kratos. Kratos overcame all obstacles, including, among others, Hades's champion, the Barbarian Prince Alrik who eventually became the Barbarian King, and thus Kratos saved his daughter. [27] [28] [29]
Via flashbacks in God of War, it is revealed that Kratos became the youngest captain of Sparta's army (also shown in the 2010–11 comic series), but had a thirst for power. When Kratos was faced with total defeat at the hands of a barbarian horde led by the Barbarian King, the Spartan called to the Olympian god Ares for aid. Kratos was given the Blades of Chaos, destroyed his enemies, and blindly followed Ares, killing hundreds in his name. After Ares tricked Kratos into murdering his wife Lysandra and daughter Calliope in a temple dedicated to Athena, the Spartan was shocked out of his bloodlust and renounced service to Ares. As the temple burned, a village oracle cursed Kratos and condemned him to wear the "mark of his terrible deed"; the ashes of his family, which turn his skin pale white, earning him the title "Ghost of Sparta". [30]
In Ascension, it is revealed that because Kratos renounced Ares and broke his blood oath to the god, Kratos was imprisoned and tortured by the three Furies. He is helped by the oath keeper Orkos and eventually overcomes and kills the Furies. In order to completely be free of Ares's oath, Kratos is forced to kill Orkos, who begs Kratos to do so. Although free of his oath to the god, he is flooded with memories of killing his family. [31] He then vows to serve the other gods in order to receive forgiveness and relief from the nightmares of his past deeds, but he is openly defiant. [30]
In Chains of Olympus, Kratos is reluctant to help the gods when Helios is kidnapped and openly abandons them when Persephone offers him a chance to be reunited with his daughter. Kratos, however, was forced to reverse his decision when Persephone used the Titan Atlas in a bid to destroy the world and in turn, the spirit of Calliope. Knowing that while intervention would save Calliope, it would separate him from his family forever, a bitter Kratos kills Persephone, imprisons Atlas, and frees Helios. [32]
By the time of God of War, Kratos has been serving the gods for ten years and has grown tired of his service and nightmares. When he confronts his patron, Athena, she advises him that if he kills the rampaging Ares, the gods will forgive his sins. With this selfish motive, he again agreed, and after finding and using Pandora's Box, he was successful. Despite being freed of Ares's influence, including the Blades of Chaos, Kratos was forgiven but was not relieved of his nightmares. A dissatisfied and despairing Kratos tried to commit suicide but was saved by Athena, who guided him to Olympus. Awarded the Blades of Athena, Kratos becomes the new God of War. [30]
The comic series (2010–11) also shows Kratos's present search for the Ambrosia of Asclepius. This time, he plans to destroy the Ambrosia to prevent the worshipers of Ares from resurrecting their former master. In this quest, Kratos overcame several enemies, including the Chaos Giant Gyges, before destroying the Ambrosia. [27] Still haunted by the visions of his mortal past in Ghost of Sparta, and against the advice of Athena, Kratos embarked on a quest to find his mother, Callisto, in the city of Atlantis. Callisto attempts to reveal the identity of Kratos's father before being transformed against her will into a beast that Kratos is forced to kill. Before dying, Callisto advised Kratos to search for his brother Deimos in Sparta. Kratos first freed the Titan Thera from imprisonment, which caused the destruction of Atlantis, earning him the wrath of Poseidon. In Sparta, Kratos learned of Deimos's location: the Domain of Death. He found and freed Deimos, who remained hostile toward his brother. After a skirmish between the siblings, Thanatos attacked Deimos, but after being rescued by Kratos, the pair joined forces to battle their foe. At this point, Thanatos realizes Ares, Athena, and Zeus chose the wrong Spartan; it was Kratos who should have been taken, the "mark" being his red tattoo and his skin turned white from his family's ashes. Although Thanatos kills Deimos, the god is in turn killed by Kratos. Kratos then returns to Olympus, enraged at the gods. [12] In Betrayal, Kratos has been shunned by the other gods and decides to lead his Spartan army to overrun Greece. He is falsely accused of murdering Argos, and he kills Ceryx, the son of Hermes, for interfering in his search for the true assassin, who escapes. [33]
Kratos then joined the Spartan army in Rhodes, intent on destruction. Zeus, however, weakens Kratos and tricks him into abandoning his godly powers into the Blade of Olympus, which Zeus uses to kill him. Although he overcame all obstacles, Kratos was stunned at Zeus's betrayal and swore revenge as he died. Kratos fell into the Underworld, but was rescued by Gaia. Banished to Tartarus with the other surviving Titans after the First Great War, Gaia and her brethren seek the death of Zeus. Kratos, fueled by anger at his betrayal, agreed to aid the Titans and was instructed to find the Sisters of Fate, who are capable of returning him to the moment of Zeus's treachery. Kratos becomes determined and utterly ruthless—in the pursuit of his goal, he wounds a Titan, kills several Greek heroes without hesitation, and deliberately sacrifices two scholars, restoring his god-powers. All three of the Sisters of Fate are killed when they oppose Kratos, who is prepared to kill Zeus in a final confrontation. Zeus is only saved when Athena intervenes and sacrifices herself for him; only then does Kratos show remorse. He learns from a dying Athena that Zeus is, in fact, his father, a fact Zeus kept secret because he wished to avoid a repetition of what he did to his own father, Cronos. Kratos rejected any notion of a relationship and vowed to kill Zeus and destroy Olympus. Encouraged by Gaia, Kratos used the power of the Fates to retrieve the Titans before their defeat in the Great War, and with their assistance, stormed Mount Olympus. [34]
Although Kratos kills Poseidon, he is abandoned by Gaia when his first encounter with Zeus goes poorly. Stranded in the Underworld and now betrayed by both the Olympians and Titans, Kratos learned from the spirit of Athena, who also provided the Blades of Exile, that he needed to find the Flame of Olympus, which is the key to defeating Zeus. Kratos murders both Titans and gods, ignoring the warnings of his victims as he seeks the Flame. Realizing the key to pacifying the Flame and reaching Pandora's Box (engulfed by the Flame) is Pandora herself, Kratos came to care for Pandora, who reminded him of his lost daughter Calliope. Kratos shows humanity when he attempts to stop Pandora from sacrificing herself to quench the Flame but reluctantly allows the act when she says there is no other option, ultimately being provoked into doing so by Zeus after the latter states that Kratos would fail her like he failed his own family, causing Kratos to let her go and attack Zeus in a fit of rage. Finding the box empty, and driven berserk by Zeus's mockery, Kratos engages his father in another fierce battle. Although Gaia interrupts and tries to kill Kratos and Zeus, she is destroyed by Kratos, who then apparently defeats Zeus. Zeus returned in spirit form and attacked Kratos, who retreated into his psyche. Kratos forgave himself for his past sins with the help of Pandora. Pandora later appeared and told Kratos that hope would save him. Kratos was revived and easily destroyed Zeus. Athena confronted Kratos and demanded that he return the power of hope; the contents of Pandora's Box. In a selfless act, Kratos refused, stated his need for vengeance was gone and impaled himself with the Blade of Olympus, which dispersed the power across the world for mankind's use. Athena, disappointed with Kratos, removed the Blade and departed as Kratos collapsed next to the Blade of Olympus. The post-credits scene showed a trail of blood leading away from the Blade with Kratos's whereabouts unknown. [35]
Many years after the events of God of War III, Kratos, having survived his apparent death from releasing the power of Hope in Greece, ends up in ancient Scandinavia in the Norse realm of Midgard and fathers a young son named Atreus, who is unaware of his true nature. Kratos has abandoned his double-chained blades as a symbolism of abandoning his old persona; instead, he uses a battle axe called the Leviathan Axe that originally belonged to his second wife and Atreus's mother, Laufey (called Faye by Kratos), who recently passed. Her last wish was for her ashes to be spread at the highest peak of the nine realms. At Midgard's peak, they learn from Mímir that the highest peak is actually in Jötunheim. Along their journey, they are confronted by the Æsir god Baldur, the brother of Thor, whose sons Modi and Magni assist their uncle but are killed by Kratos and Atreus. Around this time, Atreus falls ill. To cure him, Kratos must recover his old weapons, the Blades of Chaos, in order to battle the beings of Helheim as the Leviathan Axe is useless there as it inflicts frost damage. While retrieving the blades, Athena appears and goads him about his past. Kratos journeys to Hel and retrieves the cure by killing the troll that guards the realm. After curing him, Kratos reveals to Atreus that he is a god. The pair also receives assistance from a witch, later revealed to be the Vanir goddess Freya, the mother of Baldur, who had cast a spell of immortality on him that protects him but also causes him to no longer feel anything physically, which he resented her for.
Kratos and Baldur eventually battle, during which Baldur's spell is broken. Kratos decides to let Baldur go, but Baldur attempts to kill Freya, forcing Kratos to kill him. Freya swears revenge against Kratos for killing her son and taunts Kratos for not revealing his troubled past to Atreus. Kratos decides to tell Atreus that he has killed his fellow Greek gods, including his father Zeus (whose illusion he saw in Helheim) but that he and Atreus should learn from these experiences and not repeat past mistakes. The two then make their way to Jötunheim, where it is learned that Faye was actually a giant, also making Atreus part-giant. It is also revealed that Faye originally wanted to name their son Loki, but Kratos preferred Atreus, which was the name of an honorable Spartan comrade. The giants also referred to Kratos as Fárbauti. In Midgard, Fimbulwinter begins, and after sleeping in the family home, Atreus has a vision that Thor will come for them at the end of Fimbulwinter. [36]
Three years after the events of the previous game, Kratos, Atreus, and Mímir are confronted by the All-father, Odin, and the god of thunder, Thor, toward the end of Fimbulwinter. After dueling Thor, Kratos, Atreus, and Mímir set out on a journey across the nine realms in hopes of finding a way to prevent Ragnarök. Along the way, they are confronted by a vengeful Freya, but they eventually make amends. Unable to prevent Ragnarök, Kratos, Atreus, and their allies unite the realms in a war against Asgard. Kratos battles Thor once again, but Thor is killed by Odin for refusing to kill Kratos. Kratos, Atreus, Mímir, and Freya then engage Odin in battle and defeat the All-father as Asgard is destroyed. Returning home to Midgard, Atreus, as Loki, decides that he needs to go and find any remaining giants and bids a heartfelt farewell while Kratos learns that he is destined to become a revered god and along with Freya and Mímir, begins rebuilding the realms and restore peace. [37] He also appears in the Valhalla DLC. [38]
The Greek and Norse versions of Kratos have been featured as playable characters and costumes in several PlayStation games outside the God of War series. On August 21, 2008, Kratos was released as a downloadable character in Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds along with his Clubs of Chaos. [39] As a pre-order bonus for LittleBigPlanet from GameStop, customers received a Sackboy Kratos costume along with ones for Medusa and a Minotaur, as well as a God of War level sticker kit. [40] These were later released for purchase on January 26, 2009. [41] Kratos was then a guest character in 2009's Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny , which includes his own story mode. [42] [43] As a pre-order bonus for ModNation Racers from GameStop, customers received a Kratos Mod along with his Kart of Chaos. [44] These were later released for purchase on November 2, 2010. [45] Kratos's next guest appearance was in the PlayStation 3 version of 2011's Mortal Kombat (and the PlayStation Vita version released in 2012), which features his own fighting stage and arcade ladder mode. [46] The character then appeared in the 2012 crossover fighting game, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale , which includes two God of War inspired stages, several God of War items, [47] as well as series antagonist Zeus, who was released as a downloadable character on March 19, 2013. [48] Kratos's appearance in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale was seemingly made canon by a line of dialogue in 2022's God of War Ragnarök; Mímir asked Kratos about a tournament he was in to which Kratos replied that he did not want to talk about it. [49]
As part of the God of War franchise's 10th anniversary, Kratos appeared as a secret boss battle in the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita versions of Shovel Knight , released April 21, 2015. [50] [51] His next guest appearance brought him back to the world of LittleBigPlanet in LittleBigPlanet 3 as another Sackboy costume, this time in his Fear Kratos form, along with Sackboy costumes of Zeus, Hercules, Poseidon, and Athena, and a costume of Hades for the character Toggle. The costumes' release coincided with that of God of War III Remastered on PlayStation 4 in July 2015. [52] A costume of Kratos as well as God of War custom decorations were included in the "Crafted Edition" of Tearaway Unfolded , which released on PlayStation 4 on September 8, 2015. [53] TC Carson provided Kratos's voice in all of these guest appearances, [39] [43] [54] [55] except for LittleBigPlanet, ModNation Racers, LittleBigPlanet 3, and Tearaway Unfolded where the character is only a costume, and in Shovel Knight which only has text dialogue.
The character has been parodied twice in The Simpsons franchise. He appeared as the "God of Wharf" on a billboard advertising a chowder restaurant in The Simpsons Game . [56] He later appeared on the Guts of War II: Entrails of Intestinox kiosk at "E4"—a parody of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)—in The Simpsons television episode, "The Food Wife". [57] Kratos has also been parodied by Adult Swim's clay-mation television series, Robot Chicken . He was first parodied in season 5, episode 15, "The Core, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover", where it is shown how far Kratos (voiced by Brian Austin Green) will go to collect blood orbs. [58] Sony later teamed up with Robot Chicken to produce a marketing campaign advertisement for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale that parodied Kratos and other characters from the game. [59]
In the PlayStation 5 launch game Astro's Playroom , which contains several homages to PlayStation's history, a couple of robots dressed as Kratos and Atreus are seen reenacting the two traveling in their boat in 2018's God of War. [60] The Nordic Kratos then became a cosmetic outfit in Fortnite Battle Royale 's chapter two, season five event, Zero Point, which was released on December 3, 2020. Kratos is playable on all platforms that Fortnite is available on, marking the character's only appearance on the Xbox and Nintendo platforms as well as Apple and Android devices; these platforms, including Windows, have Kratos's default appearance, while players on the PlayStation versions get an exclusive armored Kratos, based on the golden armor obtained from defeating the Valkyries in 2018's God of War. [61] There is also an armor inspired by Kratos that is obtainable in the Director's Cut of Ghost of Tsushima , which released on August 20, 2021, for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The top half of the armor and helmet is ash-white like Kratos's skin and also features his red tattoo, while the rest of the armor looks similar to Kratos's Nordic gear, including chains wrapped around the forearms. [62]
Returning to the world of LittleBigPlanet, costumes of the Nordic Kratos, along with Atreus and Freya, as well as emotes for each, were released for Sackboy: A Big Adventure on November 9, 2022, the same day as God of War Ragnarök's release. [63] An armor set inspired by Kratos was added to Destiny 2 as part of its Lightfall – Season of the Deep release on May 23, 2023. The set is for the Titan character class and purchasable on all platforms Destiny 2 is available on (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows). It features Kratos's red tattoo and breechcloth, it is light gray in color (to mimic Kratos's ash-white skin), it has straps around the forearms (to mimic the chains), and it has a design resembling the folded-up Guardian Shield on its left forearm. A special finishing maneuver was also added that mimics the Blades of Chaos. [64]
Kratos is set to appear in Amazon Prime Video's upcoming anthology series Secret Level, which is currently scheduled to be released on December 10, 2024. [65]
Kratos is the main character in novelizations of the game series by Matthew Stover, Robert E. Vardeman, and James M. Barlow, retelling the games' events and offering deeper insights into their stories. The first novel was written by Stover and Vardeman together, titled God of War , and was published in May 2010. [66] The second was written solely by Vardeman, titled God of War II , and was published in February 2013. [67] The third novel, titled God of War – The Official Novelization , was written by Barlog and released in August 2018—this novelization is of 2018's God of War, skipping a novelization of God of War III. [68]
A live-action film adaptation of the original God of War was announced in 2005. [69] [70] Although pre-production saw new writers get hired to adapt the game, [71] it remained in development hell. Following the release of 2018's God of War, rumors about a potential adaptation of that game began circulating. [72] In May 2021, however, a Sony spokesperson confirmed that there was no film adaptation of any God of War in development, [73] but in May 2022, it was announced that a streaming television series adaptation was in development for Amazon Prime Video, [74] adapting the Norse era, beginning with the events of the 2018 installment. [75]
The character of Kratos has received a positive response from video game publications. Magazines, including Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition , [76] described him as one of the greatest and most iconic video game characters. [77] [78] [79] [80] Alex Navarro of GameSpot regarded Kratos as a "sympathetic antihero" and a "badass", describing him as endearing due to his unforgiving demeanor, but added that the slowly-developing story offered players "no understanding [of him]" in the original game's early stages. [81] GamesRadar+ included him as one of the 25 best new characters of the decade, stating that while he appears at first to be a generic character, players eventually learn that he is both an "unstoppable force of nature" and a "broken, tragic man". [82] Knowing of the talks regarding a God of War film, both Jesse Schedeen of IGN and Marissa Melisa of UGO Networks described Kratos as a character who deserved his own movie. [83] [84] In 2012, Justin Amirkhani of Complex said that Kratos had the best fighting game cameos for his guest appearances in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny and Mortal Kombat, [85] while Drea Avellan called him one of the "most badass" video game characters of all time in 2013. [86] Kratos's Blades of Chaos were also cited by Lance Cartelli of GameSpot as one of "the most badass swords in video game history". [87] Ivan Sulic of IGN said that the character was ruthless, merciless, and savage, noting his main motive in the Greek games was vengeance and that "all he desires is murder", [88] and stated that "in time", the player would begin to "love and loathe Kratos and hate Ares". [88] Patrick Shaw of GamePro said it was "Kratos' tragic fall and brutal ascension to the peaks of Mount Olympus that made the original God of War so memorable". [89] GamesRadar+ staff described Kratos as "one of PlayStation's most popular representatives", and described him as the "most memorable, influential, and badass" protagonist in games: "Being insanely violent isn’t exactly an uncommon trait amongst game characters, but driven by a rage wrought from his guilt (slaughtered thousands, including—oops—his wife and daughter) Kratos kills with such convincing visceral aggression it elevates him way beyond the status of brain-dead murder-bot". [90]
Critics have acclaimed Kratos's portrayal in the 2018 God of War (2018), with many complimenting his more layered and relatable personality compared to previous incarnations. Dave Thier of Forbes wrote how "Kratos is a character this time", calling him "fleshed-out" and "surprisingly engaging", [91] while Jonathon Dornbush of IGN felt that the game "transforms him from the previous games' flat embodiment of the bloodthirsty warrior cliché into someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of my favorite protagonists in recent media". [92] Similarly, Stephen Farrelly of Red Bull stated, "This God of War reflects a new, more nuanced Kratos in that it's measured, deep and ... complex". [93] According to Mike Hume of The Washington Post , Kratos "taught him as a father." Even if the teachings are occasionally challenging, he claimed that Kratos takes it upon himself to teach Atreus because he is aware of the difficulties in the world. Kratos is aware of the risks his son will encounter on their travels. He added that Kratos and Atreus strike a balance in their love and connection. Atreus improves himself as a result of paying attention to his father's advice. Kratos develops compassion as he begins to see the world more like his son does. [94] Nathan Ingraham of Engadget , though admitting it was an exaggeration, wrote how "Kratos is more nuanced and shows more emotion in the game's opening hour than he did in the entire previous trilogy". [95] Nick Plessas of Electronic Gaming Monthly said the story's most memorable moments were the interactions between Kratos and Atreus. He also noted, "There is often some comic relief to be found when Kratos' curtness and Atreus' charming naivety collide". [96] Briana Lawrence of The Mary Sue said that Kratos and Atreus father-son adventure reminds them that they're not alone, [97] while Jakejames Lugo of Red Bull said father-son-duo share a remarkable relationship and make for stunning virtual photography subject. [98] Kratos was cited as one of the best video game characters of the 2010s by Polygon writer Colin Campbell, particularly his appearance, and "In 2018's God of War, he retains his skills as a warrior, but is now a father whose gruff, tough-love approach to parenting belies a touching capacity for love and tenderness toward his son, and a deep grief for his late wife". [99]
On the other hand, Kratos's character has also been given criticism, predominantly during the Greek era of the series. Prince of Persia producer Ben Mattes said in an interview that he considers Kratos "a supercool character, but it's black and white; his personality is pure rage, his dialogue is pure rage, his character design is pure rage—it's kind of easy". [100] Jeremy "Norm" Scott, creator of the comic strip Hsu and Chan , stated in Electronic Gaming Monthly that Kratos was average and "did not exist, except as an avatar for the player". [101] Jesse Schedeen of IGN described Kratos as the sixth-most overrated video game character and said that "Kratos is the typical testosterone-fueled He-Man that modern entertainment has too much of." [102] Dante Douglas of Paste refers to power fantasy as the "Muscle-Bound Warrior Man" and claims that it is the most common way that men are sexualized in video games. He mentions that one well-known example is Kratos, whom he also cited as being characterized by their hypermasculinity. He went on to say that one of the primary distinctions between the sexualization of female characters and Kratos and other instances of "power fantasy" is their agency. Instead of being intended for sexual stimulation, the male character's sexual activities serve as avatars for straight male gamers to demonstrate their might through "conque[st]". [103] Jaffe expressed distaste toward the direction of Kratos's character development in the Norse era games, arguing that experiences reflective of ageing developers were ill-fitting for the character. [104]
During the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Terrence C. Carson's portrayal of Kratos in the original God of War was awarded with Outstanding Character Performance - Male by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences; [105] a few years later, Carson's performance in God of War III received a nomination for Outstanding Character Performance during the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. [106] At the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, Kratos was nominated for "Character of the Year" and awarded the "Biggest Badass" award. [107] He was included in GameSpot's "All Time Greatest Video Game Hero" contest and reached the "Elite Eight" round before losing to Mario. [108]
The portrayal of Kratos in 2018's God of War was received favorably by the industry, with new voice actor Christopher Judge earning a BAFTA Award for Performer at the 15th British Academy Games Awards. [109] He was also nominated for Best Performance at The Game Awards 2018. [110] While he came up short for the award in 2018, Judge would win Best Performance for his role as Kratos in God of War Ragnarök at The Game Awards 2022. [111] [112] For both 2018's God of War and Ragnarök, Judge's portrayal of Kratos won him and the creative team the Outstanding Achievement in Character awards from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. [113] [114] In 2024, a poll conducted by BAFTA with around 4,000 respondents named Kratos as the ninth most iconic video-game character of all time. [115]
Two series of action figures based on God of War II have been produced by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA). The first set included two versions of Kratos: one wielding the Blades of Athena, and the second wearing the Golden Fleece and holding a Gorgon's head. The second set included a twelve-inch figure that plays six game quotes. [116] A second two-figure set was also released, with Kratos wearing the God of War armor. [117] In October 2009, United Cutlery created a scaled replica of Kratos's Blades of Chaos, which included a custom display stand with the God of War logo. [118] Kratos was also featured in a line of action figures released by DC Unlimited and based on God of War III, which included the characters Zeus, Hades, and Hercules. [119] Between February 1, 2010, and March 31, 2010, 7-Eleven sold a limited-edition Slurpee drink called "Kratos Fury", in addition to four exclusive God of War III cups, which featured codes that could be used to access God of War III and Slurpee-themed downloadable content on the Slurpee website. [120] Video game website X-Play filmed a parody music video of Robin Thicke's "Sex Therapy" [121] featuring Kratos and Aphrodite played by Jessica Drake. [122]
Kratos's visage has appeared on the PlayStation Portable Chains of Olympus exclusive bundle pack, [123] and on the PlayStation 3 God of War III sweepstakes prize [124] video game consoles. A limited-edition 10 inches (250 mm) figurine of Kratos was the grand prize of a sweepstakes in a promotion for God of War Collection in November 2009. [125] A 6 inches (150 mm) figure of Kratos was included in the God of War: Ascension—Collector's Edition . [126] In June 2014, a Kratos Pop! Vinyl Figure was released. [127] The same year, Sony partnered with Gaming Heads to produce a limited-edition (500 units) life-size bust of Kratos. It is 28 inches (710 mm) tall and sits upon a Greek-inspired column. [128] A "Fear Kratos" version of the bust was also produced (100 units) that year, based on the Fear Kratos costume from God of War III. [129] In 2015, Sony again partnered with Gaming Heads to produce a limited-edition (1,250 units) lunging Kratos statue. The statue is 19 inches (480 mm) tall and features Kratos wielding the Blades of Exile. [130] For the God of War franchise's tenth anniversary (March 2015), Gaming Heads produced two limited-edition "Kratos on the Throne" statues, depicting the final scene of the original God of War. Both statues are 29 inches (740 mm) tall; the Regular Edition (1,250 units) features Kratos in his normal attire, and the Exclusive Edition (500 units) features Kratos in his God of War armor. [131] In November 2015, Sony announced a new Kratos statue to be released the following month, which was also in celebration of God of War's ten-year anniversary. The limited edition (500 units) statue made of polystone was designed by Santa Monica and stands over 26 inches (660 mm) tall with details such as leather, cloth, and metal pieces. [132] In 2023, a rubber duck depicting Kratos has been made. [133]
In Norse mythology, Móði and Magni are the sons of Thor. Their names translate to "Wrath" and "Mighty," respectively. Rudolf Simek states that, along with Thor's daughter Þrúðr ("Strength"), they embody their father's features.
God of War is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). First released for the PlayStation 2 on March 22, 2005, the game is the first installment in the God of War series and the third chronologically. Loosely based on Greek mythology, it is set in ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, a Spartan warrior who serves the Olympian gods. The goddess Athena tasks Kratos with killing Ares, the God of War and Kratos' former mentor who tricked Kratos into killing his wife and daughter. As Ares besieges Athens out of hatred for Athena, Kratos embarks on a quest to find the one object capable of stopping the god once and for all: Pandora's Box.
God of War II is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). First released for the PlayStation 2 on March 13, 2007, the game is the second installment in the God of War series, the sixth chronologically, and the sequel to 2005's God of War. It is based on Greek mythology and set in ancient Greece, with vengeance as its central motif. The player character is protagonist Kratos, the new God of War who killed the former, Ares. Kratos is betrayed by Zeus, the King of the Olympian gods, who strips him of his godhood and kills him. Slowly dragged to the Underworld, he is saved by the Titan Gaia, who instructs him to find the Sisters of Fate, as they can allow him to travel back in time, avert his betrayal, and take revenge on Zeus.
Terrence C. Carson is an American actor, best known for portraying Kyle Barker on the FOX sitcom Living Single, and as the first actor to portray Kratos in the God of War video game series, playing the role from 2005 to 2013. He has also been the voice of Mace Windu in various Star Wars media.
God of War: Chains of Olympus is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Ready at Dawn, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It was first released for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld console on March 4, 2008. The game is the fourth installment in the God of War series, the second chronologically, and a prequel to the original God of War. It is loosely based on Greek mythology and set in ancient Greece, with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls Kratos, a Spartan warrior who serves the Olympian gods. Kratos is guided by the goddess Athena, who instructs him to find the Sun God Helios, as the Dream God Morpheus has caused many of the gods to slumber in Helios' absence. With the power of the Sun and the aid of the Titan Atlas, Morpheus and the Queen of the Underworld Persephone intend to destroy the Pillar of the World and in turn Olympus.
God of War III is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. First released for the PlayStation 3 on March 16, 2010, it is the fifth installment in the God of War series, the seventh chronologically, and the sequel to 2007's God of War II. Loosely based on Greek mythology, the game is set in ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, the former God of War, after his betrayal at the hands of Zeus, King of the Olympian gods, whom he learned was his father. Reigniting the Great War, Kratos ascends Mount Olympus until he is abandoned by the Titan Gaia. Guided by Athena's spirit, Kratos battles monsters, gods, and Titans in a search for Pandora, without whom he cannot open Pandora's Box, defeat Zeus, and end the reign of the Olympian gods to have his revenge.
God of War: Betrayal is an action-adventure mobile game developed by Javaground and Sony Online Entertainment's (SOE) Los Angeles division, and published by Sony Pictures Digital. Released for mobile phones supporting the Java Platform, Micro Edition on June 20, 2007, it is the third installment in the God of War series, and the fifth chronologically. Loosely based on Greek mythology, Betrayal is set in ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, who became the new God of War after killing the former, Ares. Kratos is framed for the murder of Argos and pursues the true assassin across Greece, resulting in a confrontation with Olympian messenger Ceryx.
Cory Barlog is an American video game designer, director, and writer who is the current creative director of video game development at Santa Monica Studio. He is best known for his work on the God of War series.
God of War is an action-adventure game franchise created by David Jaffe and developed by Sony's Santa Monica Studio. It began in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 (PS2) video game console and has become a flagship series for PlayStation, consisting of nine installments across multiple platforms. Based on ancient mythologies, the series' plot follows Kratos, a Spartan warrior who becomes the God of War and comes into conflict with various mythological pantheons. The earlier games in the series are based on Greek mythology and see Kratos follow a path of vengeance against the Olympian gods; the later games are based on Norse mythology and see Kratos go on a path of redemption while also introducing his son Atreus as a secondary protagonist.
Ares has appeared frequently in modern popular culture; he usually appears as the ancient Greek god of war in the most generally familiar classical mythology.
The characters of the God of War video game franchise belong to a fictional universe based on Greek mythology and Norse mythology. As such, the series features a range of traditional figures, including those from Greek mythology, such as the Olympian Gods, Titans, and Greek heroes, and those from Norse mythology, including the Æsir and Vanir gods and other beings. A number of original characters have also been created to supplement storylines.
God of War is a six-issue American comic book limited series set in the Greek mythology era of the God of War universe. The series was written by Marv Wolfman, illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, and the cover art for each issue was produced by Andy Park, who was also an artist for the video game series. The first five issues of God of War were published by WildStorm. Due to the company's closure in December 2010, the final issue was published by their parent company, DC Comics. The series' launch coincided with the release of the video game God of War III in March 2010. The final issue was published in January 2011, followed by a trade paperback in March.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Ready at Dawn and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It was first released for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld console on November 2, 2010. The game is the sixth installment in the God of War series and the fourth chronologically. Loosely based on Greek mythology, Ghost of Sparta is set in ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, the God of War. Kratos is still haunted by the visions of his mortal past and decides to explore his origins. In Atlantis, he finds his mother Callisto, who claims that his brother Deimos is still alive. Kratos journeys to the Domain of Death to rescue his brother. After initial resentment from Deimos, the brothers team up to battle the God of Death, Thanatos, Deimos' captor.
God of War: Ascension is a 2013 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). The game was released for the PlayStation 3 in March 2013. It is the seventh installment in the God of War series and a prequel to the entire series. Loosely based on Greek mythology, it is set in ancient Greece with vengeance as its central motif. The player controls the protagonist, Kratos, the former servant of the God of War Ares, who tricked Kratos into killing his wife and daughter. In response to this tragedy, Kratos renounced Ares, breaking his blood oath to the god. Kratos was, therefore, imprisoned and tortured by the three Furies, guardians of honor and enforcers of punishment. Helped by the oath keeper, Orkos, Kratos escapes his imprisonment and confronts the Furies, aiming to free himself of his bond to Ares.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a 2012 crossover fighting game developed by SuperBot Entertainment, in conjunction with Bluepoint Games, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It features various characters drawn from different PlayStation video game franchises competing against each other in multiplayer battles. The game was released in November 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita video game consoles.
God of War is an action-adventure video game series, the first era of which was loosely based on Greek mythology. Debuting in 2005, the series became a flagship title for the PlayStation brand and the character Kratos is one of its most popular characters. The series consists of nine games across multiple platforms; the first seven make up the Greek era of the series. Five of the Greek era games have been re-released through three separate compilations for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) platform: God of War Collection (2009), God of War: Origins Collection (2011), and God of War Saga (2012). With the exception of God of War III in the God of War Saga, each collection features remastered ports of the games that were not originally released on the PS3. God of War III was later remastered as God of War III Remastered and released on PlayStation 4 (PS4) in July 2015. God of War: Betrayal, God of War: Ascension, God of War (2018), and God of War Ragnarök are the only installments that have not been remastered for a newer platform or included in a collection.
God of War is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for the PlayStation 4 in April 2018, with a Windows port released in January 2022. It is the eighth installment in the God of War series, the eighth chronologically, and the sequel to 2010's God of War III.
Sunny Suljic is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Bob in Yorgos Lanthimos's 2017 drama The Killing of a Sacred Deer and as the voice and motion capture actor for Atreus, the son of Kratos, in the 2018 video game God of War, for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Performance in a Video Game and the D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character. He reprised the role in the game's 2022 sequel, God of War Ragnarök, for which he was nominated for Best Performance at The Game Awards 2022, the BAFTA Award for Performer in a Leading Role, and the D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character. In 2018, Suljic had his first lead role in Jonah Hill's film Mid90s, for which he received a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer nomination.
Warriors Orochi 4, released as Musou Orochi 3 in Japan, is a 2018 hack and slash video game developed by Koei Tecmo and Omega Force for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment of the crossover series Warriors Orochi, a combination of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released in Japan on September 27, 2018, and in North America and Europe in October.
God of War Ragnarök is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released worldwide on November 9, 2022, for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, marking the first cross-gen release in the God of War series, and is set to be released for Windows on September 19, 2024. It is the ninth installment in the series, the ninth chronologically, and the sequel to 2018's God of War. Loosely based on Norse mythology, the game is set in ancient Scandinavia and features series protagonist, Kratos, and his now teenage son, Atreus. Concluding the Norse era of the series, the game covers Ragnarök, the eschatological event which is central to Norse mythology and was foretold to happen in the previous game after Kratos killed the Aesir god Baldur.
Cory Barlog: I wanted to reimagine the gameplay, give players a fresh perspective and a new tactile experience while delving deeper into the emotional journey of Kratos to explore the compelling drama that unfolds when an immortal demigod makes a decision to change.
Oracle: From this night forward, the mark of your terrible dead with be visible to all! The ashes of your wife and child will remain fastened to your skin, never to be removed! Narrator: And with that curse, all would know him for the beast he had become, his skin white with the ash of his dead family. The ghost of Sparta had been born.