The God of War series features many Greek Gods throughout its many games, shaping Kratos's journey as he seeks vengeance for his family and past. Kratos meets a number of Olympians, Titans, and demigods that are famous throughout Greek mythology, and the vast majority of them meet their end after coming at the hands of Kratos. Some of God of War's Greek gods are still alive, however, although Kratos doesn't make any permanent friends within the Greek Pantheon.
The only time Kratos doesn't kill the gods he meets is when they don't stand in the way of his goals. God of War is a long, continuous cycle of gods using one another to get what they want, but ultimately it's Kratos' story. Even without the power of a god at certain times throughout the series, Kratos stands face to face with the most powerful of enemies and still emerges victorious.
God of War doesn't clarify whether or not two Greek heroes, Perseus and Theseus, are demigods in the series, but they're worth the honorable mention. Kratos encounters both of these iconic characters of Greek mythology in God of War 2 after he has his god powers stripped away from Zeus's Blade of Olympus trick. In Greek myth, Perseus and Theseus are the sons of Zeus and Poseidon, respectively, but this isn't indicated in God of War.
God Of War Greek Gods: Aphrodite (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War and God of War 3
- Goddess of Love
- Unknown Fate
Aphrodite makes two appearances in the God of War series. In the first God of War, Aphrodite gives Kratos the power to use Medusa's head as a weapon. In God of War 3, she is an interactable mini-game character that gives Kratos red orbs when completed. Additionally, Aphrodite is the only Olympian God that Kratos meets and doesn't kill in God of War 3.
God Of War Greek Gods: Ares (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, God of War: Ascension, and God of War 3 (psyche sequence)
- God of War (Brutality of war)
- Deceased
Ares is the main antagonist in 2005's God of War. Before the revealed events of God of War, Ares captured Kratos' brother, Deimos, and imprisoned him because of a misinterpretation of a prophecy that depicted the destruction of Mount Olympus. Years later, Kratos called on Ares to save himself and his army in exchange for his servitude. Ares accepted the offer and granted Kratos God of War's iconic Blades of Chaos.
Kratos would eventually be tricked by Ares into killing his wife and daughter. Kratos renounced his service to Ares and eventually killed him by order of Athena and with assistance from others in the Greek Pantheon. Additionally, Ares is one of the four gods players can pledge allegiance to in Ascension's multiplayer.
God Of War Greek Gods: Artemis (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War
- Goddess of the Hunt
- Fate Unknown
Artemis makes only a small appearance in the God of War series. She gives Kratos the Blade of Artemis in God of War as the Ghost of Sparta navigates through Pandora's Temple. Her current status is unknown, as Artemis did not make a returning appearance in God of War 2 or 3. Additionally, her blade is later replaced by the Blade of Olympus in God of War.
God Of War Greek Gods: Athena (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War 2, God of War 3, God of War: Chains of Olympus, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, and God of War (2018)
- Goddess of Wisdom and War (Strategy of war)
- Physically deceased (Her essence's fate is unknown)
Throughout God of War, Athena has been the mentor of Kratos. She has assigned several tasks to Kratos, such as finding Helios and defeating Ares. Additionally, Athena knew of Deimos's fate and lied to Kratos about him in Ghost of Sparta. Kratos would continue working under the guidance of Athena until he renounced the Olympian Gods in God of War 2. Although she was sympathetic towards Kratos's anger after Zeus's betrayal, she had intervened as Kratos was winning the fight against Zeus.
Sacrificing herself to save Zeus, Kratos accidentally kills Athena in God of War II. She reappears in God of War 3 and God of War (2018), although Athena's appearance in God of War (2018) is in Kratos's head. At the end of God of War 3, Athena insists that Kratos gives her the Hope from Pandora's box, but Kratos chooses to release it into the world. Athena, disappointed in Kratos, walks away in her spiritual form. A fan theory suggests that Athena is God of War's main villain.
God Of War Greek Gods: Atlas (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War: Chains of Olympus, God of War 2, God of War 3
- Titan (Traits): Immortality, Strength, Durability, and Stamina
- Fate Unknown (Last seen holding up the Pillar of the World)
Atlas is a four-armed Titan who was imprisoned in Tartarus after the Great War between the Titans and the Olympians. In Chains of Olympus, Atlas was freed by Persephone and captured the god Helios. Using Helios's power, the Titan attempted to destroy the Pillar of the World. Thanks to Kratos's intervention, Atlas was chained to the weakened pillar and forced to carry the world on his shoulders. Atlas aids Kratos in God of War 2 as Kratos searches for the Sisters of Fate, bestowing the power Atlas Quake power.
God Of War Greek Gods: Ceryx (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Betrayal
- Messenger of the Gods
- Deceased
Ceryx is the son of Hermes and the final boss in the mobile game God of War: Betrayal. He attempts to warn Kratos about the consequences of his actions as the God of War, delivering the message from Zeus, but Kratos killed him. Kratos was on the hunt for a mysterious assassin, who ultimately got away thanks to Ceryx interference. Betrayal takes place between the story of God of War and Ghost of Sparta, and is canon according to Bruno Velazquez, Animation Director for Santa Monica Studio.
God Of War Greek Gods: Cronos (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War 2, God of War 3
- Titan: Titan God of the harvest, agriculture, vegetation, fertility, time, destruction, and aging, and King of the Titans
- Deceased
Cronos is the father of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Hades. After losing the Great War, Cronos was sentenced to carry Pandora's Temple chained to his back for eternity through the Desert of Lost Souls. After Kratos opened Pandora's Box in God of War, Zeus sent Cronos to Tartarus. Cronos had blamed Kratos as the reason why he was in Tartarus, and Kratos kills the Titan in God of War 3 with the Blade of Olympus.
God Of War Greek Gods: Eos (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Chains of Olympus
- Goddess of Dawn
- Fate Unknown
Eos is the sister of Helios and plays a small, but important, role in the plot of God of War's story. In Chains of Olympus, Kratos meets Eos in the Caves of Olympus. Through her guidance, Kratos is able to find the Primordials Fires, and he frees Helios's Fire Steeds. Eos also gives Kratos the Light of Dawn ability. Since Eos did not reappear in God of War 3, her current fate is unknown.
God Of War Greek Gods: Gaia (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War 2, God of War 3
- Primordial Titan: Entity of the Earth and mother of the Titans
- Deceased
Gaia is the grandmother of Zeus, making her the great-grandmother of Kratos. She raised Zeus until he was fully grown, but in the Great War, Zeus betrayed Gaia and banished her along with the other Titans. After Kratos was sent to Hades by Zeus, Gaia saved him and sent the Ghost of Sparta to find the Sister of Fate in God of War 2. Gaia and the other Titans were brought forward in time by Kratos from the Great War to launch a surprise attack on Olympus.
In God of War 3, Gaia reveals to Kratos that he was a pawn of the Titans so that they could launch an attack on Olympus. Kratos wounded Gaia, and while she was presumed dead, she returned during the final battle of Zeus and Kratos. Continuing their fight inside of her body, Kratos impaled Gaia's heart with the Blade of Olympus, officially killing her.
God Of War Greek Gods: Hades (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War 3, and God of War: Ascension
- God of the Underworld
- Deceased
Hades first appears in God of War and aids Kratos in Pandora's Temple by giving him the Army of Hades ability. Between the start of Chains of Olympus and their fight in God of War 3, Kratos kills Persephone, Athena, and Poseidon, making an enemy out of the God of the Underworld. Kratos kills Hades in God of War 3, taking his Claws of Hades weapon and releasing all of the souls in the Underworld. Hades is one of the four gods players can pledge allegiance to in Ascension's multiplayer. The Claws of Hades are dual sword-like weapons that are tethered to chains, like God of War's Blades of Chaos.
God Of War Greek Gods: Helios (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War 3
- God of the Sun
- Deceased
Helios was kidnapped by Atlas on behalf of Persephone in Chains of Olympus but was later rescued by Kratos. After Kratos lead an attack on Olympus with the Titans in God of War 3, Helios was severely injured by the Titan Perses. Krato decapitated Helios shortly thereafter, using his head as a weapon to reveal doorways and blind opponents. Although Helios is a Titan in Greek mythology who sided with the Olympians during the Great War, he is portrayed as an Olympic God in the God of War series.
God Of War Greek Gods: Hephaestus (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War 3
- God of Smithing
- Deceased
Hephaestus is the father of Pandora, creator of Pandora's Box, and husband of Aphrodite. Zeus had beaten Hephaestus and trapped him in the Underworld's forge for lying to him about Pandora and Pandora's Box creation. In his search for Pandora, Kratos eventually met Hephaestus in God of War 3. Hephaestus tricked Kratos into fighting Cronos, hoping that it would kill the Ghost of Sparta.
After defeating Cronos and returning to Hephaestus, the Smith God tried killing Kratos but was killed instead. Luckily for Kratos, Hephaestus didn't play as critical a smithing role as Sindri and Brok do in God of War (2018).
God Of War Greek Gods: Hera (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Betrayal and God of War 3
- Goddess of Marriage, Family, Women, and Childbirth
- Deceased
Hera made an appearance in God of War: Betrayal, but unbeknownst to Kratos at the time. She released Argos, her giant pet, to stop Kratos from continuing his spree across Greece. Argos was killed by a mysterious assassin, and before Kratos could track the assassin down he was interrupted by Ceryx. Hera made a brief appearance in God of War 3, sending Hercules to kill Kratos and confronting Kratos on her own after Kratos kills Hercules. Kratos swiftly breaks Hera's neck after she insults Pandora, but there was no fight as Hera was heavily intoxicated.
God Of War Greek Gods: Hercules (Olympian Demigod)
- Appearances: God of War 3 and God of War: Ascension
- Demigod (Greek Hero and Son of Zeus)
- Deceased
Hercules in Greek mythology and in God of War are two very different interpretations. In God of War 3, Hercules was sent by Hera to stop Kratos from being able to reach Pandora, and he was more than reluctant to do so. Hercules had become jealous of Kratos, claiming Kratos was Zeus's favorite. After defeating Kratos, Hercules was eager to become the next God of War, but Kratos proved victorious and killed Hercules.
God Of War Greek Gods: Hermes (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War 3
- God of Speed, Commerce, and Messenger of the Gods
- Deceased
Hermes only made an appearance in God of War 3 as one of the few remaining Gods that defended Olympus. While Hermes spent most of his encounters with Kratos taunting him, Kratos eventually fought and defeated Hermes. Kratos separated Hermes's legs from his body, taking his boots and releasing a plague upon Olympus.
God Of War Greek Gods: Morpheus (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Chains of Olympus
- God of Dreams
- Fate Unknown
Morpheus only makes an appearance in Chains of Olympus as a hidden ally of Persephone and Atlas. While Persephone was killed and Atlas was chained to the Pillar of the World, Morpheus retreated into the shadows never to be seen again. Even as Olympus is attacked, Morpheus is a mythical character in God of War 3 who remains absent.
God Of War Greek Gods: Persephone (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Chains of Olympus
- Goddess of Spring and Nature
- Deceased
Persephone is the wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld. After the events of God of War, Persephone worked with Atlas and Morpheus to destroy Olympus after the gods left her to Hades and the Underworld.
After kidnapping Helios, Atlas was tasked with destroying the Pillar of the World, which would bring about the destruction of Olympus. Morpheus was tasked with plunging the world into eternal slumber, something even the Pantheon was helpless to fight against. Unlike her colleagues, Persephone's death was at the hands of Kratos.
God Of War Greek Gods: Perses (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War 3
- Titan of Destruction
- Fate Unknown (Presumed dead)
Perses was instrumental in Kratos' swift defeat of Helios. After mortally injuring the God of the Sun, Perses continued to climb Mount Olympus and confronted Kratos shortly after he defeated Helios. Kratos wounded Perses with the Blade of Olympus, and as Perses fell from the mountain he was never seen again. He is presumed dead, but his death is not confirmed.
God Of War Greek Gods: Poseidon (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War 3, God of War: Ascension, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta
- God of the Sea
- Deceased
Poseidon aided Kratos in his battle against the Hydra in the first God of War, but would ultimately hold Kratos responsible for the destruction of Atlantis in Ghost of Sparta. He makes no appearance in God of War 2, but in God of War 3, Poseidon was the first Greek God that Kratos killed. Upon his death, oceans flooded the world. Additionally, Poseidon is one of the four gods players can pledge allegiance to in Ascension's multiplayer.
God Of War Greek Gods: Prometheus (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War 2
- Titan God of Fire
- Deceased
After giving mortals the ability to use fire, Zeus made Prometheus mortal and chained him to Typhon. Every day, an eagle would consume his liver, and the liver regrew on a daily basis. Kratos freed Prometheus with the Typhon's Bane bow, but he was killed by self-immolation in fire. His death gave Kratos the ability to use a God of War 2 ability called Rage of the Titans. Although it was quick, Kratos meeting Prometheus was a key part of God of War 2's plot and setting.
God Of War Greek Gods: Thanatos (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War: Ghost of Sparta
- God of Death
- Deceased
Thanatos is the main antagonist in Ghost of Sparta and is responsible for keeping Deimos imprisoned. Thanatos interrupted the battle between Kratos and Deimos, as Deimos was angry with Kratos thinking his brother abandoned him. Kratos saved Deimos once more as he was hanging from the cliff, and the two fought against Thanatos. Although Deimos was killed by Thanatos, Kratos got immediate vengeance for the death of his brother and killed Thanatos.
God Of War Greek Gods: Typhon (Titan God)
- Appearances: God of War 2
- Titan: Unknown traits and powers
- Fate Unknown
Little is known about Typhon or his powers, but he is the youngest child of Gaia. He was imprisoned by Zeus after the Great War and refused to aid Kratos on his journey to meet the Sisters of Fate. Despite delaying Kratos in his journey, Kratos only blinded the Titan to retrieve the Typhon's Bane bow. Typhon was left behind and hasn't made an appearance in God of War since God of War 2.
God Of War Greek Gods: Zeus (Olympian God)
- Appearances: God of War, God of War 2, God of War 3, God of War (2018), God of War: Betrayal, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta
- God of Sky and Thunder, and the King of Olympus
- Deceased
Although Zeus aided Kratos in God of War on his quest to defeat Ares, he quickly became the main antagonist for the series after God of War. When Kratos first opened Pandora's box, Zeus became infected with an evil known as Fear, and he sought to destroy Kratos. This was only exacerbated by the fact that Kratos realized Deimos was not the marked brother that the prophecy spoke of. Like his father, Cronos, Zeus was afraid that Kratos would kill him.
Zeus's fears turned out to be legitimate, as Kratos sought revenge for the imprisonment of his brother and the abandonment he felt from Zeus and the other Olympians. Zeus tricked Kratos into draining his power into the Blade of Olympus, killing the Ghost of Sparta, but Kratos made it back to that moment in time with the help of Gaia and the Sisters of Fate. Zeus made a subtle appearance in God of War (2018) when Kratos encountered a remnant vision of Zeus in Hell.
Source: Bruno Velazquez/Twitter