Zeus and Odin are the final bosses of each God of War saga, but only one mythic being can be the true King of the Gods. The franchise's original Greek era ends with Kratos battling Zeus, the lightning-powered King of the Olympians who is eventually revealed to be the Ghost of Sparta's father. Meanwhile, the recently released God of War Ragnarok sees Kratos and Atreus defy the manipulative Odin to determine the fate of the Norse world. There are similarities and differences between Zeus and Odin, but one is simply a more intimidating presence and greater final boss than the other.
While God of War started in Greek mythology, the series has since transitioned into an adaptation of Norse myth instead. This means that long-time fans have encountered a truly enormous range of legendary foes, ranging from the Greek hero Hercules to the massive Norse wolf Garm. However, none of Kratos' enemies have proven as formidable or as personal as Zeus and Odin. Perhaps the most famous gods in all the world, these two figures sit upon the thrones of fantastic locations and rule over a collection of lesser deities. There are certainly parallels between Zeus and Odin in the God of War series, but only one being can reign as the franchise's ultimate big bad.
Zeus Appears Throughout God Of War's Greek Saga
The overarching villain of the entire Norse era is God of War Ragnarok's Odin, though the All-Father only appears in the duology's second installment. Odin is frequently mentioned throughout 2018's God of War, with characters discussing his villainy and lore painting him as a cruel and manipulative god. Odin's quest to enter Jotunheim and eradicate the Giants is integral to the events of the game, and the King of Asgard finally appears in God of War Ragnarok portrayed by Richard Schiff. The All-Father shows up repeatedly throughout the game, visiting Kratos and Atreus' home early on before inviting Atreus to Asgard and working with him to decipher a mysterious mask.
While Odin appears throughout God of War Ragnarok, Zeus establishes a much stronger presence by appearing in multiple games of the series' Greek saga. The King of Olympus first appears in the original God of War as an ally, bestowing Kratos with the power of lightning and secretly helping him escape the Underworld. Zeus returns as an antagonistic figure in God of War 2 and 3, attempting to kill Kratos out of fear that the Ghost of Sparta will try to overthrow him. Zeus' appearances over multiple entries in the Greek saga makes him a more developed villain than Odin, and the revelation that Zeus is actually Kratos' father makes their conflict incredibly personal.
Odin Is Incredibly Manipulative In God Of War Ragnarok
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Zeus is most well-known for bellowing at Kratos before tossing lightning bolts at him, but the King of Olympus is also a sly manipulator. At the beginning of God of War 2 Zeus presents himself as a comrade against the Colossus of Rhodes, convincing Kratos to funnel his godly energy into a legendary weapon called the Blade of Olympus. However, this is merely a ruse to weaken Kratos so that Zeus can easily send him straight down into the Underworld. Zeus is also shown to be capable of shapeshifting, appearing in the first God of War and the spin-off Ghost of Sparta as a helpful human gravedigger.
Despite Zeus' knack for trickery, God of War Ragnarok proves Odin to be a much more effective manipulator. The All-Father is constantly playing characters against each other, forming a rift between Kratos and Atreus by inviting the young demigod to Asgard. Later on God of War Ragnarok reveals Odin was hiding in the guise of Tyr throughout most of the game's events, shapeshifting to gain valuable information and spread chaos among the cast. Odin reveals himself after murdering Brok, which cements him as a truly vile God of War villain and a personal foe for Kratos and Atreus. Odin's manipulation of Freya, Mimir, Thor, Atreus and the real Tyr proves him a much better schemer than Zeus.
Zeus Puts Up An Amazing Fight In Two God Of War Games
Due to his emphasis on manipulation and careful planning, Odin the All-Father avoids direct conflict throughout God of War Ragnarok. He initially comes to offer peace to Kratos and Atreus, and when violence breaks out it's the mighty Thor that faces Kratos in a breathtaking boss fight rather than Odin himself. A climactic Odin fight in God of War Ragnarok doesn't arrive until the very end of the game, and the battle is less intense than some of the sequel's other awe-inspiring bosses. Odin does use magic spells to quickly traverse the arena and transform it over the course of the fight, but facing him lacks the tactile brutality of other God of War bosses like Baldur and Thor.
Zeus, meanwhile, serves as a worthy final boss in both God of War 2 and 3. The Greek saga's second entry sees Kratos and his electrifying father battle atop the Summit of Sacrifice, with Zeus switching between a gigantic godly form and a smaller size that lets him face Kratos in hand-to-hand combat. This memorable encounter has Kratos and Zeus repeatedly switch possession of the Blade of Olympus, swapping the advantage between the two Greek gods constantly. The final God of War 3 battle goes even further, as the Greek saga concludes in an extensive battle against Zeus that ranges from a 2D fighting game segment, a first-person beatdown and a head-to-head face-off within Gaia's massive heart chamber.
Odin and Zeus are both amazing and mythical villains, and both fit well within their distinct eras of the God of War series. Odin the All-Father is incredibly charismatic and manipulative, effortlessly disguising himself as Tyr and complicating the Norse saga by forming a rift between Kratos and Atreus. However, Zeus brings a much more physically intimidating presence and has multiple games to develop his bitter rivalry with Kratos over the course of the Greek era. The God of War franchise has room for two villainous godly kings, but Zeus retains his throne as the series' greatest final boss.
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God of War Ragnarok
- Released:
- 2022-11-09
- Developer:
- Santa Monica Studio
- Franchise:
- God of War
- Genre:
- Adventure, Action
- Platform:
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Publisher:
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- ESRB:
- M
- Summary:
- Ragnarok has arrived in God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to the 2018 game of the year released on PlayStation 4. Three years have passed since Kratos and his son, Atreus, completed their quest across the realms while facing a small handful of Norse gods. However, their actions come with consequences. The Allfather, Odin, is ready for vengeance, and his son, Thor, leads the charge. Atreus, looking to find more answers about his lineage on his mother's side, embarks on another quest with his father to discover the truth while contending with the wrath of Odin's realm in this conclusion to the Norse God of War Saga.
- Prequel:
- God of War
- How Long To Beat:
- 26 Hours
