God of Warisone of the greatest video game series of all time, with its protagonist etching his name in the annals of history. Kratos is an iconic hero that fans can’t get enough of, with his one-dimensional rage-fuelled nature endearing him to many fans during the PS2 era before his mature persona turned him into one of the most nuanced and interesting video game protagonists of all time as he strives to get over his murderous past and become a better father.
The modernGod of Warduology was a blast to play through, but props should be given to the original trilogy for letting players enjoy one of the bloodiest and most action-packed stories of all time that fans love to bits. Given Kratos' immense power as a protagonist, it’s easy to see why he should be proud of some of his biggest achievements over the course of the games.
5Getting His Revenge On Ares, The God Of War
Payback For Being Forced To Kill His Wife And Son
Ares is the first biggest hurdle in Kratos' journey to become the God of War. In a bid to turn his Spartan warrior into the perfect soldier, Ares tricks Kratos into killing his wife and daughter in a murderous rage. This snaps Kratos out of his bloodlust as he’s covered in the ashes of his family as punishment for committing such a heinous deed. He swears revenge against Ares and spends the bulk ofGod of Wardoing everything in his power to face off against this god.
WhenKratos finally faces off against Ares, it’s a battle that tests everything from his physical capabilities to his heinous strength. He must overcome the trauma that Ares is forcing him to re-experience before finally getting his hands on the God of War and giving him the death he deserves. It’s a massive achievement for Kratos who is eventually allowed to ascend the throne and become the new God of War in Olympus.
4Unravelling Baldur’s Immortality And Killing Him
A Pivotal Death That Sparks The Onset Of Fimbulwinter
After his murderous rampage in Greece,Kratos flees and seeks solace in the Midgard. He meets Faye and has a child with her before her eventual passing. While he strives to enjoy a peaceful and uneventful life in this region, things take a turn for the worse when Baldur learns about his existence and goads the God of War into battling him so that he can finally feel pain and work around the cursed boon his mother placed on him.
During Kratos' adventure to spread the ashes of his late wife in Jotunheim, he encounters Baldur in combat numerous times. Finally, after receiving an arrow that reverses Baldur’s immortality, the two engage in a battle for the ages before Baldur eventually turns his attention towards Freya. Not wanting the cycle of violence to extend any further than required, Kratos breaks Baldur’s neck and kills off this powerful god for good.
3Launching A Successful Offense Against Asgard
Stopping Odin In His Tracks
ThroughoutGod of War Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus do their very best to prevent this apocalyptic event from coming to pass. However, messing around with prophecy is not something that is recommended, and the duo eventually realizes that it’s better to trigger Ragnarok prematurely instead of invoking its full wrath when every player in this climactic battle has matured. Not only does this prevent the damage that will be incurred, but it also prevents Odin’s diabolical plans from coming to pass.
Kratos amasses a massive army and uses the agents of Ragnarok to stop Odin in his tracks. Leading this powerful force is something that only an accomplished general like Kratos could’ve accomplished, leading to climactic confrontations against Thor and Odin that eventually end the latter’s diabolical plans and bring peace to the Northern Realms, albeit at the cost of some valuable lives.
2Bringing Back The Titans To Wage War On Olympus
Enacting His Revenge On The Gods In The Most Violent Manner Possible
Kratos has never shied away from taking revenge for being wronged, and such is the case inGod of War 2when he is forsaken by Zeus and the gods for reasons unknown. It’s only later that he finds out that Zeus is his father and he decides to nip Kratos' threat in the bud to prevent the cycle from repeating. After all, he was responsible for overthrowing the Titans who gave birth to him, but his fears inadvertently led to his eventual downfall.
Afterdeclaring all of Olympus to be his enemy, Kratos does the unthinkable and brings the Titans back to launch a full-scale offense on the gods. It’s one of the most extreme actions he’s taken, with this gamble paying off despite his allies trying to betray him and treating him like a means to an end.
Almost Killed Himself For The Sake Of Everyone Else
The original iteration of Kratos was fueled by rage and bloodthirst, but he didn’t let this govern one of the most important decisions he’s ever made as a god. The Pandora’s Box seemed empty, but its evil corrupted the gods and also imbued Kratos with the power of hope. After dismantling Olympus, Athena’s spirit implored chaos to give her this power so that she could rule Olympus and rebuild everything.
However,Kratos didn’t want the cycle of divinity to repeat once again. He threw himself onto the Blade of Olympus, seemingly killing himself to restore hope to all of mankind. It’s a valiant sacrifice that shows Kratos' character, and fans were glad to see a post-credits scene hinting at the fact that everyone’s favorite protagonist was alive after all.
