The previously-unreachable realm of Asgard will be a playable location. A former ally-turned-foe Freya will also stand in the way of our heroes. “Also suffering the loss of his sons and half-brother, Thor’s legendary bloodlust and wrath will be aimed at Kratos and Atreus,” reads the PlayStation blog. The trailer even offers a glimpse at Mjölnir wreathed in lightning ahead of what promises to be an epic scrap. Whatever they choose will define the fate of all those living in the Nine Realms as Ragnarök approaches.”įans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be delighted to know Thor will be a key antagonist within the game. “Together, Kratos and Atreus will have to make a choice about which path they will take. “He wants to keep his son safe, above all, and their confrontation with Baldur has vindicated the belief that only tragedy will come from further entanglements with the Aesir. “Kratos, still bearing the knowledge of his past mistakes, wants to spare Atreus the bloody lessons he learned from his conflict with gods,” reads the plot synopsis. The word itself itself means “Doom of the Gods” in Old Norse, and the conflict is fast approaching. Based on the established literature of the apocalypse, and the destruction he's already sown whilst making it happen, it stands to reason that at the very least Odin will end up being one of the more memorable and dangerous threats players face next year.As you can see (and probably guessed from the game’s title), Kratos and his offspring Atreus have inserted themselves into cataclysmic climax to Norse mythology: Ragnarok. Currently unrevealed players in the events of Ragnarok, like Starkadr, Fenrir, and Sutr, would all fall short in comparison to the head of Asgard, simply because there will have been two games that have actively explored his motivations and desires by the time the story ends. Still, Odin's unseen but constantly felt presence works more effectively than any physical threat that's so far been shown on-screen. As hard as it is to imagine potential motivations for him doing something like that right now, considering the parallels that have already been drawn between Odin and the equally paranoid and manipulative Zeus, this aspect of the story could also end up being something that turns out to be repeated as well. After all, on the male side of his family, there's a deeply established precedent for sons killing or imprisoning their parents, as evidenced by Kratos, Zeus, and Cronos. If Santa Monica Studio follows the template it established in the Greek-saga, and follows up on the first game's prophetic mural, Atreus could also theoretically end up being the final threat that's waiting for his father. Having faced brutal opponents with elemental powers in the past like Aries, a character reminiscent of Thor on multiple levels, someone like Odin and the unique abilities he has would represent a completely fresh challenge for players and Santa Monica Studio alike. What makes Odin particularly formidable is his complete mastery of magic, and his spear Gungnir, which is said to never miss once thrown. In both Santa Monica Studio's universe and the stories of Norse mythology, the king of the gods is said to be the fourth most powerful entity in the religion, behind only Starkadr, Fenrir, and Sutr, characters likely to be aligned with their fellow giant Atreus. While often depicted more as a schemer and the brains behind Asgard's many plots, Odin's intelligence is actually matched by equally impressive combat skills and experience.
For those reasons, and the fact that he was the one who manipulated Baldur into hunting Kratos and Atreus in God of War 2018, there's a sizable chance that he's the one actively pulling his other son's strings in the sequel. Despite actively fighting to prevent the war to end all wars, Odin's destructive actions are ultimately what makes sure the apocalypse becomes inevitable. Driven by a deep-seated paranoia and narcissistic desire to protect his throne at all costs, the 'Allfather' is central to the events of Ragnarok. Despite the god of thunder's popularity, his father Odin is arguably a far more pivotal player in the overall destiny of pantheon. What puts Thor's status as the biggest threat in even more doubt, is the fact that Norse mythology features a much more dangerous character for Kratos to face off against.