The success of the God of War series has been possible due to the popularity of Kratos. Although he’s committed many evil acts like bringing down the entire Greek pantheon, Kratos is considered to be a badass character who remains steadfast in his quests. It’s not entirely accurate to consider Kratos just by the brutal ways he eliminates his enemies, as there’s a lot more to him as a person.
Kratos is also the man who loved his wife and child, and then went on to take care of his family in the Norse world. Even the things he did aren’t all his fault, so it’s interesting to see just how sympathetic Kratos seems when his character is given a deeper look. It's also worth taking a recap of Kratos' story before God of War: Ragnarök is released.
He Was Forced Into The Path To Becoming A Brutal Man
Kratos’s brother, Deimos, is one of the most tragic characters in the God of War series. He was mistaken for Kratos and taken to Hell, where he spent decades being tortured by Thanatos. Although Kratos was spared, the loss of his brother set him on the path to becoming a brutal warlord.
Deimos had represented the empathy and humanity Kratos could feel as he did whatever he could do to keep his brother safe. It was after his family was shattered that Kratos lost any hope of growing up as an empathetic man. His turn for the worst was never Kratos’ own fault or choice.
He's Attempted To Genuinely Change For The Better
The best way to sense the change in his characterization is by reading through Kratos’ quotes in 2018’s God of War. Unlike his rage-induced rants from before, Kratos now had a wider understanding of the universe and spoke only when he genuinely had something to share.
As he stated at the end of the story, it was time to “be better” as he took down Baldur to save Freya in an attempt to end the cycle of violence. Although the many lives he’s taken can’t be excused, Kratos has made efforts to change his ways.
He Only Asked The Gods For One Thing But Was Denied
The general perception of Kratos is that he keeps blaming the gods for his problems, which is true to an extent. However, Kratos becomes more sympathetic when it’s pointed out that he served the gods for over a decade without receiving anything in return.
Kratos’ only request was for the gods to take his nightmares away but he was repeatedly given false assurances until he was told they would never grant him his wish. Looking at the situation from Kratos’ point of view validates his anger for the gods, along with making him somewhat pitiable for asking for just one thing and not getting that either.
His Acceptance Of Responsibility Toward His Evil Actions
Kratos’ pleas to the gods to remove his nightmares was ultimately his attempt at refusing to accept responsibility for his actions. The end of God of War III saw him confront his past to forgive himself, as he no longer let his demons control him.
It came up again in 2018’s God of War when he admitted to Atreus that he had killed many people who didn’t deserve it. Kratos wasn’t proud of this fact but he continued to take responsibility for his evil actions when he had formerly squarely blamed the gods.
His Genuine Love For His Daughter
Calliope remains the only person who never suffered any of Kratos’ rage. His relationship with his daughter was always about love in its purest form and Kratos’ affection for his daughter was unconditional. The moment he had to part with her in God of War: Chains of Olympus remains the greatest challenge Kratos had to face.
Fans can find a different side of Kratos whenever he even thinks of Calliope, and these scenes depict how he can be if he’s around people he loves. Although Kratos has shown his selfish side, for the most part, being around Calliope is when he is at his most selfless.
Being Faithful To The Women He Loved
Kratos and the spartan soldiers had plenty of opportunities to celebrate with all the gold they plundered and all the pleasure they wanted. However, he remained faithful to his wife and never even entertained the idea of leaving her.
Gods like Ares and Zeus are notorious for cheating on their lovers and spouses, but Kratos’ feelings for his wife were always greater than any temptation. He also came to love Faye in the Nordic world and was big enough to continue seeing her in a positive light even after learning that she got together with him to fulfill a prophecy.
He Has Usually Tried To Avoid Killing His Family Members
Kratos’ list of kills is not just long but also includes many of his own family members. However, God of War fans will notice a detail in replays that Kratos usually isn’t the one to attack them. Everyone from Perseus, Hercules, Theseus, Ares, Hephaestus, and Athena made the first move against Kratos.
In fact, conversations before their battles have Kratos actively attempting to spare his family members, usually reminding them that he has no beef with them. Their deaths are a result of pushing Kratos too far and all of these characters would have lived had they left Kratos alone.
Almost Everyone He's Trusted Has Used Him
All the terrible things Kratos has done aren’t due to his own doing, as he’s been manipulated every step of the way. Ares made him kill people in the name of glory, the Titans fooled him into killing the gods, while Faye only married him to give birth to Atreus and cause Ragnarok.
If Kratos had a few people who truly cared for him, he wouldn’t have gone to extreme lengths. Kratos has always been given assurances by his supposed allies that they have his best interests, but he ends up learning all too late that they used his skills for their own benefit.
His Fear For Losing His Son
The uncertainty of Kratos and Atreus’ future is a question that God of War: Ragnarök will answer and Kratos’ main concern is to keep his son safe. Fans can empathize with Kratos in this area since everyone knows what it’s like to want to keep a loved one protected.
Atreus has been marked by the Nordic gods, with Kratos simply wanting to be left alone. Although he was harsh with Atreus during 2018’s God of War, it was all so that Kratos could train his son to take care of him.