Summary
TheGod of Warreboot series has been two of the most successful video games in recent memory, with the 2018 installment going on to win Game of the Year and the sequel,God of War Ragnarok, arguably barely losing 2023’s Game of the Year award to FromSoftware’sElden Ring. However, before 2018’sGod of War, the primary protagonist, Kratos, began his journey in 2005 with the very firstGod of Wargame. What began as a quest for revenge against Ares, who tricked Kratos into murdering his own wife and daughter, has come to a point where he has now overcome the guilt and pain of his past to become a better person, as well as a better father to his son Atreus.
God of War’s Kratos has been around for a long time, with the entire series now approaching its twentieth anniversary. The God of War has been through a lot, from fighting for power to, more recently, fighting for his family, but it seems his journey isn’t even close to being over yet.God of War Ragnarok’sValhallaDLChad the chance of a lifetime to see the beloved character’s tale come to a close, but rather than taking it, it opted to further develop his arc and essentially prepare him for an entirely different life ahead of him. As such, it might be just enough evidence to suggest that the old God of War isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla’s Ending Proves Kratos Isn’t Going Anywhere
God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla Could Have Retired Kratos, But It Didn’t
God of War Ragnarok’sValhallaDLC is an incredibly emotional addition to the 2023 hit, as it takes Kratos on a personal journey of overcoming his guilt and the shame of his past — something that has haunted him and even come between him and Atreus sinceGod of War(2018). For the most part, the reboot saga’s narrative has revolved aroundthe development of Kratos' character, though his relationship with Atreus has been used to accelerate this development and thus has become a major highlight as well.
Kratos has proven to be a tormented man from the beginning ofGod of War’s story, but thankfully,Valhallawrapped that up bytransforming Kratos from a God of War into a God of Hope. He confronts the younger version of himself on the throne, berating every cruel act he had committed but also acknowledging that he has learned from his mistakes and is a better man because of them. At long last, this concludes Kratos' personal story and even gives him a chance to retire, but he doesn’t. Instead, he replaces his younger self on the throne and agrees to join Freya in being the god that people need.
If Valhalla Didn’t Retire Kratos, He Must Be in It for the Long Haul
The very fact thatGod of War Ragnarok: Valhalladidn’t retire Kratoswhen it had the chance heavily suggests that Santa Monica is not through with Kratos. Despite Atreus now seemingly taking on a more prominent role, Kratos may continue to fill those shoes until the series is entirely over. This is good news for those who have become attached to this older, wiser version of Kratos, but from a narrative standpoint, retiring him might have been the better move. His story has gone on for ages now, and it is arguably time for someone to take his place. Nevertheless, Kratos is alive and well, and ready for the next journey that Santa Monica may prepare for him. Although nothing is confirmed, it almost feels safe to say Kratos isn’t going anywhere.
