How God of War Ragnarök’s personalities contrast to real Norse misconception

07.11.2022

Kratos

Wholly produced by Santa Monica Studio, Kratos initially comes from old Greece. Obviously this implies that he doesn’t have a foretold duty to play in the Norse misconception of Ragnarök. However, completion of God of War (2018) clearly hints Kratos’ fatality come Ragnarök.

Loki (Atreus)

Kratos and Atreus face away from the viewer, looking at a shadowy angelic figure with antlers, in 2018’s God of War.

God of War (2018) finished with a large expose that Kratos’ kid, Atreus, is called Loki to the Jötnar (the titans). While the spin recontextualizes the Norse duology of games, it has some significant effects for Ragnarök.

In standard Norse misconception, Loki’s greatest duty to play is in fact as a moms and dad. Loki dads 3 kids with the titan Angrboda (that we’ll reach quickly): Fenrir, the large wolf; Hel, the siren of the abyss; and also, would certainly you think it, that charming cheat Jörmungandr, the World Serpent.

Fenrir and also Jörmungandr play a huge part in Ragnarök. As for Loki himself, it’s forewarned that he will certainly sign up with the side of the titans in the last battle in between his individuals and also the Aesir (Odin, Thor, and so on.) gods.

Mimir

In God of War (2018), Mimir is the cut head that hangs from Kratos’ belt and also informs tales concerning the Norse pantheon. Few are much better for this duty: He made use of to be a therapist to Odin himself, a minimum of in the game.

This is a mild discrepancy from the Norse misconception. In the standard tale, Mimir (additionally called Mim) is recognized everywhere for exactly how smart and also wise he is — thus Mimir’s self-appointed “smartest man alive” title in the games. However, as opposed to being entraped in a tree by Odin, Mimir is guillotined throughout the preliminary battle in between the Aesir and also Vanir — the Aesir are gods that come from Asgard and also the Vanir are the gods from Vanaheim. (In God of War tradition, this problem occurs much in the past Kratos transplants in Midgard).

Odin does, nonetheless, discover Mimir’s head after the fight and also renovates it. He asks the head of Mimir for recommendations — consisting of recommendations on exactly how to manage Ragnarök — yet Mimir himself doesn’t have a certain duty to play in the initial armageddon misconception.

Freya

Freya is the mystical Witch of the Woods in God of War (2018); she’s the ex-wife of Odin and also mom to their kid, Baldur.

In regards to Norse folklore, the fascinating point you must find out about Freya is that it’s uncertain — in the initial tale — whether Freya (a Vanir siren) and also Frigg (an Aesir siren) are in fact the exact same individual. There’s no scarcity of argument on this subject amongst scholars, although it appears most currently concur they are one.

Regardless of academic quibbles, it appears quite clear that they are, actually, the exact same individual in God of War’s cosmos. In the misconception, Frigg is Odin’s partner and also Baldur’s mom, whereas Freya was wed to Odr and also comes from Vanaheim. Based on the very first game, we understand that Freya is a Vanir siren in God of War, that she was wed to Odin, which her kid is Baldur.

Neither Frigg neither Freya are stated in the Ragnarök rhymes, and also it’s presumed they (or she, depending upon your analysis) make it through the battle.

Thor

Thor was teased in God of War (2018), yet the game just ever before revealed his hand floating over the handle of Mjölnir — the god of rumbling’s dependable hammer — throughout a mid-credits stinger. In God of War Ragnarök, we understand he’ll be among the primary villains, represented by The Walking Dead’s Ryan Hurst.

In the globe of God of War, Thor is even more of a terrible bully and also beast than he remains in various other modern-day analyses — particularly Marvel comics and also the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor is normally brave and also worthy in standard misconception, and also an honorable protector of Asgard. But he’s additionally a little bit of a drunken, periodically fierce butt. Based on Mimir’s tales in God of War, the games are plainly leaning right into Thor’s even more wanton, uncertain propensities.

In regards to the standard Ragnarök prediction, Thor is predestined to eliminate Jörmungandr, the Midgard snake. However, instantly after, Thor is intended to just take 9 actions prior to Jörmungandr’s poison eliminates him. It’s additionally worth keeping in mind that, in God of War (2018), Mimir states that Thor will certainly punch Jörmungandr so hard throughout Ragnarök that the snake takes a trip back in time.

This implies that Thor either won’t eliminate Jörmungandr in God of War Ragnarök, or that there are 2 variations of Jörmungandr in the game — previous and also future — and also Thor will certainly eliminate one and also time-smash the various other.

Odin

Odin is the Zeus — the boss — of the Norse pantheon. As he did around Thor in the very first game, Mimir remembers a lot of tales concerning the All-Father’s propensity for control.

In standard Norse misconception, Odin is the papa to both Thor and also Baldur, and also strays the worlds searching for info. And also in the misconception he’s a little bit of a self-indulgent bastard. He is represented as a one-eyed old male, having actually compromised his best eye for expertise. Odin is additionally often described as the “Hanged God”; he as soon as hanged himself from Yggdrasil — the globe tree that attaches the 9 worlds — for 9 night and day, which permitted him to view runes. Odin is among one of the most noticeable personalities in Norse folklore.

In regards to his destiny throughout Ragnarök, Odin ultimately is up to Fenrir, the large wolf and also kid of Loki.

Tyr

Atreus encounters Tyr in a still from God of War Ragnarok

Tyr is the god of battle in Norse misconception, although in God of War (2018) he’s illustrated in Mimir’s tales as even more of a mediator, having actually taken a trip in between not just the Nine Realms yet additionally in between pantheons. (The game recommends he checked out Egypt, Greece, and also various other places also). The initially game additionally asserts that Tyr is dead, although he’s present in prerelease video and also sneak peeks for Ragnarök.

In the misconception, Tyr is additionally related to legislation and also justice. He’s mainly called the god that had the ability to assist bind Fenrir the wolf before Ragnarök. When the Aesir gods tried to lock up Fenrir as a kid, the wolf rejected to be chained — not relying on the gods to ever before allow him out — unless Tyr would certainly position his hand right into the wolf’s mouth as an indicator of count on. Fenrir was best to be questionable, as the gods had no purpose of allowing him go, so Fenrir little bit off Tyr’s hand as vengeance. In the trailer for God of War Ragnarök, Tyr still has both of his hands, which is mystical, as he’s recognized particularly for the Fenrir tale.

In regards to the Ragnarök misconception, Tyr is slated to deal with Garm, a gigantic pet dog that lives in Hel. They are intended to eliminate each various other — a quite typical style when it pertains to Ragnarök.

Brok and also Sindri

Brok and Sindri, two dwarven brothers, stand in their smithery from God of War (2018)

Brok and also Sindri, called the Huldra siblings in God of War (2018), are 2 dwarves that created both the Leviathan Axe, the ax made use of by Kratos, and also Mjölnir, the hammer possessed by Thor.

In the misconception, Brok (typically meant “Brokkr”) and also Sindri are seldom stated. However, they remain in reality the initial developers of Mjölnir. After sustaining Thor’s craze, Loki compensations the boys of Ivaldi — that, enjoyable reality, is the proprietor of the workshop in God of War (2018)’s Niflheim area, and also is routinely referenced throughout the game — to produce a triad of things: brand-new hair for Lady Sif (Thor’s partner), a spear for Odin, and also a collapsible ship.

Loki after that mosted likely to Brok and also Sindri and also matched them versus Ivaldi’s boys, bold them to make something much better. Brok and also Sindri after that made a ring called Draupnir (which reproduced itself), a beautiful boar called Gullinbursti, and also Mjölnir. Loki talented these prizes to the gods, yet the different dwarves desired Loki’s head as settlement. In Merchant of Venice style, Loki claimed they can take his head yet not his neck, so the dwarves simply stitched his mouth closed rather.

The dwarves aren’t stated in the story of Ragnarök.

Angrboda

Angrboda is a brand-new personality to God of War, having just showed up in trailers for Ragnarök. She wasn’t stated in all in God of War (2018). In the trailer, she looks like a girl about the exact same age as Atreus.

In the Norse misconception, very little is learnt about Angrboda. She is frequently described as the “mother of monsters,” and also is among Loki’s love rate of interests. The 2 of them are the moms and dads of Jörmungandr, Fenrir, and also Hel.

Jörmungandr

Jörmungandr, the large snake that lives in the Lake of the Nine, is a fan-favorite personality from God of War (2018) — or, well, he’s my favored a minimum of.

In the game, he asserts that Atreus appears acquainted, regardless of Atreus having never ever satisfied him in the past. This appears to recommend that there’s some timey-wimey things taking place right here, which Jörmungandr recognizes Atreus from at some time in the future. The Jörmungandr we satisfy in the game has actually additionally currently seen Ragnarök, nevertheless, as Mimir claims that Thor will certainly punch him so hard he will certainly return in time.

In the misconception, Jörmungandr stays in the seas of Midgard and also is so big that he is twisted around the whole globe. Come Ragnarök, he and also Thor will certainly eliminate each various other. (Just an enjoyable side reality: Germans in the Middle Ages would evidently criticize Jörmungandr and also his motions along Midgard for quakes that affected their communities!)

Fenrir

Fenrir didn’t make a look in God of War (2018).

As we stated in Tyr’s entrance, Fenrir was locked up by the Aesir gods in order to maintain him from creating mayhem in the different worlds — which set you back the Norse god of battle his hand. Fenrir is additionally Jörmungandr’s bro in the misconception (in addition to bro to Hel), and also is one more kid of Loki and also Angrboda.

Come Ragnarök, Fenrir will certainly eliminate Odin by ingesting him entire. Fenrir will certainly after that be killed by Odin’s kid Vidar, that is the Norse god of revenge.

Skoll and also Hati

Atreus, a young teen boy, stares up in the sky as one of the two wolves, Skoll or Hati, fly through the air. The other wolf is standing next to Atreus in God of War Ragnarok.

The 2 wolves Skoll and also Hati are fleetingly stated in God of War (2018). They make a look in among the several Jötnar temples concealed around the game, in addition to in an especially ridiculous problem in Tyr’s holy place.

In the Norse misconception, Skoll and also Hati chase after the moon and also the sunlight via the skies. It’s claimed that when the wolves catch and also feed on the celestial spheres, Ragnarök will certainly start. They are, allegedly, the boys of Fenrir.

In the trailer for Ragnarök, Atreus fires an arrowhead right into the skies and also 2 wolves follow it, transforming day to evening.

Source: Polygon