Kratos is a mess. If you look back at where this all started in 2005, he wasn't exactly a nuanced character. He was a screaming ball of ash-covered muscle whose primary personality trait was "stabbing things." But somehow, over two decades, Santa Monica Studio turned a mindless revenge flick into a generational epic about trauma and cycles. People often get lost in the weeds with the timeline, but the storyline of God of War is actually a pretty straightforward tragedy that eventually turns into a hard-earned redemption story.
It starts with a bad deal. Kratos was a Spartan general who was about to lose a battle against a barbarian horde. He called out to Ares, the God of War, offering his soul for victory. Ares, being a typical Greek god, decided to play a cruel joke. He bonded the Blades of Chaos to Kratos’ arms—literally searing them into his flesh—and tricked him into murdering his own wife and daughter in a blind rage. A local oracle cursed Kratos, causing the ashes of his dead family to cling to his skin forever. That’s why he’s ghostly white. It’s not a design choice; it’s a permanent badge of shame.
The Greek Era: A Cycle of Spite
Most people remember the original trilogy as Kratos just killing everything that moved. While true, the underlying motivation was always the refusal of the gods to take away his nightmares. Kratos spent ten years serving the Olympians, hoping they’d erase the memory of his family’s screams. They didn't.
After he kills Ares in the first game, Kratos becomes the new God of War, but he’s still miserable. By the time we get to God of War II, Zeus is tired of Kratos’ whining and warmongering, so he betrays him. This is where the storyline of God of War shifts from a personal vendetta to a full-scale war against reality itself. Kratos travels back in time, grabs some Titans, and literally scales Mount Olympus to tear it down.
The finale of the Greek saga, God of War III, is bleak. Honestly, it’s hard to root for Kratos by the end. He kills Poseidon, causing the oceans to flood the world. He kills Helios, and the sun goes out. He kills Hermes, and a plague sweeps the land. By the time he finally punches Zeus to death, Greece is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Kratos realizes he’s been a pawn for everyone—Ares, Athena, even the Titans—and he tries to end his own life with the Blade of Olympus to give "Hope" back to humanity. He fails to die, obviously. You can’t have a franchise if the protagonist actually stays dead.
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The Shift to Midgard
There’s a massive gap between the Greek and Norse games. We don't see exactly how Kratos got to Scandinavia, though the comics and some dialogue in Ragnarök suggest he wandered the earth for centuries, trying to outrun his past. He eventually settles down with a woman named Faye and has a son, Atreus.
This is where the storyline of God of War gets interesting for modern audiences. Kratos is old. He’s tired. He’s trying to be a "man" rather than a "god." When Faye dies, her final wish is for them to spread her ashes at the highest peak in all the realms. This simple road trip turns into a disaster because the Norse gods are just as paranoid and violent as the Greek ones.
The Mystery of Faye and the Giants
The 2018 soft reboot works because it’s a mystery. You spend the whole game wondering why Baldur—a god who can’t feel anything—shows up at Kratos' front door looking for a fight. It turns out Faye wasn't just a mortal woman. She was Laufey the Just, a Giant who had foreseen the entire journey Kratos and Atreus would take.
The bond between father and son is the engine of the plot. Atreus is sick for part of the journey because he’s a god who thinks he’s a mortal, and that internal conflict is literally killing him. Kratos has to dig up his old Blades of Chaos—the ones he swore he’d never use again—to go to Helheim and save his son. It’s a powerful moment of a parent accepting their past to save their child’s future.
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When they finally reach Jötunheim, they find a mural. It’s all there. The Giants predicted everything. They also find out that Atreus’ name is actually Loki. Yeah, that Loki. This revelation recontextualizes the entire storyline of God of War, turning a personal story about grief into a precursor for the end of the world.
Ragnarök and the Subversion of Fate
God of War Ragnarök deals with the idea of whether or not we can change. Odin is the primary antagonist here, and he’s not a muscle-bound brute like Zeus. He’s a manipulator. He’s a cult leader. He wants to know what happens after death, and he’s willing to sacrifice everyone, including his own family, to find out.
The tension in the later storyline of God of War comes from the prophecy that Kratos will die in Atreus' arms. For the first time in the series, Kratos isn't fighting for revenge; he’s fighting to make sure his son doesn't become a monster like him. He tells Atreus, "Don't be sorry. Be better." It’s basically the thesis statement for the entire modern era of the series.
The ending of Ragnarök is actually surprisingly hopeful. Instead of destroying the world like he did in Greece, Kratos helps save the people of the realms. He refuses to kill Thor, choosing to break the cycle of sons killing fathers. When the dust settles, Atreus goes off on his own to find the remaining Giants, and Kratos sees a new mural. This one shows him being loved and worshipped—not as a god of war, but as a god of hope.
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Key Details Many Fans Miss
People often debate the power scaling or the "why" behind certain plot points. Here are a few things that actually matter for understanding the full arc:
- The Voice Change: The shift from Terrence C. Carson to Christopher Judge wasn't just about mo-cap capabilities. It represented the aging, weathered soul of a man who has spent centuries in silence.
- The Blades vs. The Axe: The Leviathan Axe was built by the Huldra brothers (Brok and Sindri) to counter Mjölnir, but it also represents Kratos’ attempt at a "cold" and controlled life. The Blades of Chaos represent his fire and his shame.
- Mimir’s Role: He isn't just comic relief. Mimir acts as the bridge between the player and the lore, explaining that the Norse gods are basically a dysfunctional mafia family.
- The Valhalla DLC: This is the true "ending." Kratos enters a meditative trial where he literally has to sit across from his younger self. It’s the final piece of character development where he forgives himself for the atrocities in Greece.
Why This Story Matters Now
The storyline of God of War resonated because it grew up with its audience. The kids who were playing the ultra-violent PS2 games in their bedrooms are now parents themselves. They understand the fear of Kratos—the fear that your kids will inherit your worst traits. It’s a story about the "generational curse."
Most games would have just kept Kratos as a killing machine. By making him vulnerable and quiet, the writers turned him into one of the most complex figures in gaming history. He went from a guy who pushed a boat captain down a hydra’s throat for a laugh to a man who gently teaches his son how to hunt.
If you’re trying to catch up or explain this to someone, don't get hung up on the names of every Valkyrie or the specific geography of the Nine Realms. Just focus on the fact that Kratos is a man trying to prove that his past does not define his future.
Actionable Insights for Fans and New Players
- Play the 2018 game before Ragnarök: You can’t skip it. The emotional payoff in the sequel depends entirely on seeing the "quiet" moments of the first game.
- Read the Lore Markers: In the Norse games, the flavor text isn't just filler. It explains Faye’s rebellion and the internal politics of the Vanir and Aesir gods.
- Watch the "Raising Kratos" Documentary: It gives incredible insight into how the story was pivoted and how much the actors brought to the script.
- Don't ignore the Valhalla DLC: It’s free, and it’s the most important narrative bridge for Kratos as a character since the 2018 reboot began. It basically reconciles the Greek and Norse versions of the character into one cohesive person.
The series is likely moving to a new mythology next—maybe Egypt or Japan. But the core will remain the same. It's about a man who was a monster, trying his best not to be one anymore. That's a story that works in any setting.