The deep meaning of God of War (2018)
By: Leroy Miranda-Mejia
When you think of gods, you may think of Zeus, Odin, and Anubis. But have you heard of Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta? He was tricked by Ares into killing his family and sought out revenge on Olympus. After he got his revenge, he fled to the lands of Norse mythology, where he made a family. There, he prioritized his son, Atreus, after his wife passed, but the barrier protecting them began to fail.
Kratos is visited by a stranger covered head to toe in strange tattoos, and the two exchange insults before ultimately fighting. Kratos has learned to hold back but realizes he can’t against new threats, and fearing for the life of his son, he takes him on a journey between realms to spread his wife’s ashes. After meeting new allies, a witch tells Kratos that he has to tell his son that he is a god.
Hesitantly, Kratos tells Atreus that he is a god, and later on, Atreus recklessly kills a demigod. Kratos has to explain to Atreus that there are consequences for killing gods. Atreus retaliates, asking how his father knows, unaware of his father’s murderous past. Later, they meet with the stranger, and with the help of his son, Kratos manages to kill him. They finally enter The Realm of Giants and find murals depicting key events of their travels. They then find out Atreus’s real name is Loki.
The angle is that God of War isn’t just about fighting gods but breaking cycles and highlighting the emotional journey these two go through, having to trust each other and move on from the death of a wife and mother. Kratos learns to control his strength and open up, and Atreus learns about responsibility. Throughout the game, Kratos was calling Atreus boy instead of his name, but near the end, he starts calling him by his name because Kratos realizes that he is a warrior. Both also fought basically everything and a lot of puzzles. Kratos’ strength was needed, and Atreus, with his tools and small body frame, helped each out. The game is a beautiful telling of a father-son relationship and the rocky road that it can be. This game shows how it’s not just an action game but a powerful story about personal growth and how it’s okay to ask for help. I would 100% recommend playing and experiencing it for yourself.
Sources: https://ign.com/wikis/god-of-war-2018/God_of_War_Complete_Walkthrough https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/11/11/kratos-god-of-war-evolution-story/ https://share.google/9S2gVKBg4H7tebdoX