Kratos is a god-slayer, with a bloody track record of killing those erstwhile immortals who stand in the way of his goals, and it's likely that this will be no different in God of War Ragnarök. Stories suggesting that Kratos actually kills such Aesir luminaries as Thor, Heimdall, Tyr or even Odin in God of War Ragnarök are theories that might be proven (or proven wrong), but if he does, they certainly won’t be the first gods he has slain through his many adventures in Ancient Greece and Midgard.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for the God of War series.]Introduced for the PlayStation 2 in 2005, the God of War series introduced players to Ancient Greece and the bitter, often bloody feuds, love affairs, and political maneuverings among the competing deities of Mount Olympus. Playing as Kratos, the Spartan general turned God of War, players follow the protagonist as he serves and battles other gods, forming alliances and suffering betrayals as he finds his way through the conflicts and relationships of the ancient pantheon. Many gods have died by his hand over the course of the series, including 2018's God of War, where he encounters the new but no less treacherous pantheon of the Aesir, the ancient Norse gods and rulers of the nine realms.

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The events of God of War set the stage for its sequel, God of War Ragnarök, featuring combat with bosses and gods once more. Players will once again join Kratos and Atreus as they battle the egomaniacal, vengeful, lustful, and power-mad gods of the Norse pantheon in an effort to stave off Armageddon and preserve the lives of all the inhabitants of the nine realms. That effort will once again bring Kratos into conflict with the deities, perhaps even requiring him to kill gods as famous as Odin and Thor. Fortunately, Kratos has a lot of experience killing gods in the God of War franchise, presented below in chronological order.

Kratos Killed Ares, The Original Greek God Of War

An image of Ares in God of War

As a Spartan general, Kratos accepted the aid of Ares to defeat his enemies, thus binding himself to the service of the original God of War, who gifts him with the powerful Blades of Chaos. In an effort to make Kratos into the perfect soldier, Ares tricks him into killing his own family, causing Kratos - who can't be killed off in GoW's - to break with Ares and seek revenge. Kratos finds Pandora’s Box, enabling him to kill Ares. Then, with the aid of Athena, Kratos himself is elevated to Mount Olympus to become the new God of War.

Kratos Accidentally Killed Athena In God Of War 2

Athena was killed by Kratos in God of War.

In the sequel to the first God of War, Kratos reverts to being a mortal, sacrificing his godly powers to defeat the Colossus of Rhodes. Wounded, Kratos is killed by Zeus and sent to the underworld. His escape and subsequent journey result in Kratos killing some important figures from Greek mythology, including such heroes as Theseus and Perseus and the former Titan Prometheus, forced by Zeus to endure perpetual torture. Ultimately, though, it is Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, whom Kratos kills; though she had often aided him, in the end - like something out of an original God of War fantasy novel - she puts herself between Zeus and Kratos’ blade, sacrificing herself for the King of the Gods.

Persephone Was Killed By Kratos In God Of War: Chains Of Olympus

Persephone was killed by Kratos in God of War

Released in 2008 for the PSP, God of War: Chains of Olympus was a prequel to the original God of War. The game once again finds Kratos in the Underworld. There he kills Charon, the legendary boatman who ferries souls across the river Styx, before confronting Persephone, wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld, who offers Kratos the chance to be reunited with his daughter.

Related: God of War Ragnarök Theory: [SPOILER] Will Kill Kratos

But Persephone, angry at Zeus, betrays Kratos, who kills her. With her dying breath, Persephone condemns Kratos to eternal suffering - given his misery in later games, this seems to canonically have been prophetic. Kratos also binds the titan Atlas to the Pillar of the World, earning his lasting enmity.

In God Of War 3, Kratos Kills Just About Everyone

Kratos killed many gods in God of War III.

God of War 3, a best-ranked game in the series from 2010, sees Kratos allied with the Titans as they seek to overthrow Zeus and the pantheon of Mount Olympus. Along the way, Kratos kills a host of famous gods, including Poseidon, the God of the Sea; Hades, the God of the Underworld and husband to the late Persephone; Helios, the God of the Sun, whom Kratos decapitates; Hermes, the Messenger God, who won’t be delivering any messages after Kratos tears off his legs; Hera, Zeus’s wife and Queen of the Gods; and Hephaestus, the Blacksmith God and father of Pandora, who also dies in the game. Finally, the legendary hero Hercules, while not a god himself, still suffers the same fate. Ultimately, Kratos battles and kills Zeus, leaving the pantheon in tatters.

Kratos Killed Thanatos In God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta

An image of Thanatos grimacing in God of War

Another PSP release, God of War: Ghost of Sparta first appeared in 2010. In the story, Kratos seeks out his deceased brother, Deimos, from whom he was separated in childhood when Ares stole him away. Kratos finds Deimos in Death’s Domain, ruled by Thanatos, the God of Death. In GoW: Ghost of Sparta Thanatos kills Deimos (apparently there was death beyond the Domain of Death in Ancient Greece) and Kratos in turn slays Thanatos, exacting his revenge.

Kratos Killed The Norse God Baldur In God Of War 2018

An image of Kratos snapping Bladur's neck in 2018's God of War.

Transported to the nine realms and the Norse pantheon in 2018’s God of War, Kratos, now accompanied by his son Atreus, travels to the highest point in the land to scatter the ashes of his late wife, Faye. Along the way, they are harassed by Baldur, son of Odin and Freya, brother of Thor. After several encounters, Kratos spares Baldur’s life, only to see him turn on Freya and try to murder her. To save Freya, Kratos kills Baldur, incurring Freya’s anger and setting the stage for the next chapter in God of War Ragnarök's Kratos and Atreus' story.

Kratos is an experienced god-killer. Having decimated the Greek pantheon and left Ancient Greece in ruins, he moved on to the nine realms, where events have positioned him to kill the great gods Thor, Freya, and Odin in the next installment of the franchise. While Kratos’s destination after the Norse lands of God of War Ragnarök is yet to be determined, the gods of whatever pantheon he next encounters would do well to be on their best behavior.

Next: What GoW Ragnarök's New Trailer Reveals About Tyr's Important Story Role