Kratos and Atreus lie at the center of the story of God of War. Kratos, a familiar and beloved cult icon, and Atreus, a newcomer who has earned the adoration of fans. There was a time when the idea of having a new character at the center of God of War seemed inappropriate. Now, having both Kratos and Atreus as the protagonist and the deuteragonist of the series just feels perfect.
The relationship between these two characters, how it progresses from the start to the end of the game, is one of the most interesting aspects of God of War. Their relationship is so well-written that it deserves to be observed more closely and contemplated.
10 Kratos Spent Little Time With Atreus In His Earliest Years
Back when Atreus was still very young, and when Faye was still alive, Kratos would often go to the woods to “test” himself. He does this in order to keep his rage in check. Initially, Atreus thought his father would go out to hunt.
Kratos never took Atreus hunting due to Faye’s request, as Atreus was a very sickly kid. Because of this, Kratos and Atreus barely had time with one another, which is why their relationship is so distant at the beginning of the game.
9 The Director And His Son Inspired Kratos And Atreus
Cory Barlog, the game director of God of War, has stated that the relationship between Kratos and Atreus is heavily inspired by his own relationship with his son. One aspect of this is the idea of having Atreus translate Old Norse to Kratos, which is similar to how Cory’s son would often help him understand Swedish.
Kratos and Atreus’ adventure is also born out of Cory Barlog’s desire to have an adventure with his son one day.
8 Atreus’ Spartan Rage
Similar to his father, Atreus also has the ability to use Spartan Rage. However, he is still unable to control it at his age. When Modi ambushed them at Tyr’s Vault, Atreus got so angry that his Spartan Rage activates, but he is unable to control it and his body breaks down.
There’s also a minor difference between Kratos’ Spartan Rage and Atreus’. When Kratos activates his Spartan Rage, small amounts of fire will exude from his body. In Atreus’ case, however, his body pulses electricity.
7 Why Kratos Calls Him “Boy” So Much
Kratos calls Atreus “boy” more times than he refers to him by his actual name in this game. This aspect of the game has actually become a recurring joke within the game’s fanbase. The creators of the game, however, did not purposefully do this to be humorous.
In actuality, the reason why Kratos calls Atreus “boy” so many times is because Atreus’ name was decided late in the development of the game. For that reason, Christopher Judge, the actor for Kratos, was told to simply refer to the son as “boy” until a name was decided.
6 Kratos’ Boat Stories
Before Mimir joins the party, the responsibility of telling stories during boat rides will fall upon Kratos. His stories may not be as exciting as Mimir’s, nor are they told in a better fashion, his stories do hold symbolism for his past and foreshadow events in the future.
One example is the story of the horse who sought vengeance upon his enemy. Unable to defeat his enemy, he made a deal with a hunter. In the end, the horse was able to achieve vengeance but lost his freedom in the process. This mirrors Kratos’ relationship with Ares. Another example is the story of the thief and his mother, which foreshadows Freya and Baldur’s conflict.
5 The Original Plan Was For Kratos To Be Meaner To Atreus
It is a common happenstance in any works of media for the first draft to be incredibly different from the final product. Of course, God of War is no different. However, one particular early plan for Kratos and Atreus’ relationship was so different, it would have made the game feel very different and much darker.
An early God of War version had a Kratos character that was much more like his early iterations. He was originally very mean to Atreus that one person noted that it was like playing a “child-abuse simulator.”
4 Another Version Had A Calmer Kratos
Things didn’t go too well for Santa Monica Studios when they had Kratos go too hard on Atreus. It also would have felt too familiar and go against the goal of creating a God of War game that has evolved from the past. As a countermeasure, the developers had Kratos go easier on “boy,” but at one point, Kratos had become way too easy.
As if an anti-thesis to the “child-abuse simulator,” They made Kratos too nice, calm, and relaxed that people now said he was like Qui-Gon Jinn. Thankfully, they managed to find the right balance in the end and made it make sense to the story.
3 Atreus May Gain The Ability To Turn Into An Animal Because Of Kratos’ Parentage
When Atreus learns of his godhood, one of the first things he asks his father is if he had the ability to turn into an animal. Kratos responds that he does not know.
Norse mythology readers will attest that Atreus soon will have the ability to turn into an animal because it is one of Loki’s powers. However, that too makes sense in this world. Atreus’ grandfather, Zeus, also had the ability to shapeshift. It is highly possible that he will inherit that ability. Interestingly, when Atreus experience intense emotions, a storm will start forming or his body will become enveloped with electricity.
2 Why Kratos Says Atreus Is Not Ready At The Beginning Of The Game
At the beginning of the game, Kratos tasks Atreus with hunting a deer as a test to see if he’s ready for the upcoming journey. Although Atreus successfully hunted the deer and helped in dealing with the troll that ambushed them, Kratos remarks that Atreus is not ready. He further proves a point by telling Atreus to hit his hand and blocking them every time.
What Kratos is doing here is testing Atreus’ rage. Atreus is quick to temper, which is why he’s not ready. Testing one’s rage is also something Kratos knows fully well considering he spent a long time testing it himself prior to the events of the game.
1 Their Image On The Mural
During the game’s final stage, Kratos and Atreus happen upon a giant mural. When Atreus remarks that the mural is about their story, Kratos corrects him and tells him that it is Atreus’ story. One very interesting image in this mural is the one portraying Atreus cradling Kratos.
Whether this indicates that Kratos will die in the arms of Atreus in the future or anything otherwise is unknown. What is known is that the players will see that exact scene play out in a future God of War game.
NEXT: God Of War (PS4): 10 Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed The First Time Through
