When God of War was released in 2018 for the PS4, one of the most noticeable changes to the series by Santa Monica Studio was the decision to switch to Norse mythology.
Previously, the series had loosely followed ancient Greek mythology, with Kratos seeking revenge on many of the Greek Gods in order to change his destiny. So, how exactly did Kratos get to Norse mythology?
Page Contents
God of War (2018) Setting
Despite the previous games taking place in Greece and being based on Greek mythology, God of War for the PS4 transitions to Norse mythology, taking heavy influences from Norse cosmology and the different realms that were said to exist.
Primarily, Kratos spends much of the game in ancient Norway, in the realm of Midgard. Midgard is one of the Nine Worlds of Norse mythology, and represents the realm of mortals. Most of God of War takes place on Midgard, although 6 different realms can be played in total, including Alfheim (the land of the light elves) and the two primordial realms of Niflheim and Muspelheim.
How did Kratos get to Midgard?
The question of how Kratos reached Midgard has been posed to the game’s developers on multiple occasions, and the answer is simple, though some may find it underwhelming.
In early Germanic cosmology, Midgard simply refers to Earth and is the realm of the living that is not the permanent abode of any otherworldly beings, only humans.
In other words, Kratos merely travelled across Europe from Greece to Scandinavia in order to encounter the Norse gods that are present in the mythology. This concept could also mean that Kratos could experience the gods of other mythologies down the line, and would simply have to travel to the geographical location where they were mythologically present in order to come face to face with them.
Is Kratos Greek or Norse?
Kratos is a powerful warrior originally from Sparta on the Peloponnesian peninsula, making him Greek and not Norse. However, Kratos did have a Norse wife, Laufey, who bore his son, Atreus.
So, although Kratos is fully Greek, his son is half-Greek and half-Norse. Atreus’ name is taken from a Mycenaean king who lived on the Peloponnesian peninsula and was believed to be the father of Menelaus and Agamemnon.
Get in Touch
Hopefully this article answers the question of how Kratos got to Norse mythology from Greek mythology. If there is anything else you’d like to know about the God of War series, or any other game, let us know in the comment section below.
If you enjoyed this, you may like to read about obscure mythology stories over at Mythologyplanet.com.
For any other enquiries, contact me at basil@blogofgames.com
no, at the end of the game, kratos explains to atreaus how he got his name, from a spartan warrior who was different from everyone else
Yes mate, you are right. I meant that Atreus’ namesake was a Mycenaean king, thanks for giving me the chance to clarify and I hope you enjoyed reading!