The release of God of War Ragnarök is approaching, and it seems the game may repeat a twist from 2018's God of War involving the World Serpent. The mythic sequel will take Kratos and Atreus on a new journey across the Norse world with the goal of stopping the apocalyptic event Ragnarok. The game will include a colorful cast of new and returning figures including Thor, Odin, Mimir, Freya and the wolf Fenrir. While a God of War Ragnarok story trailer teases Fenrir as an antagonistic creature, it's likely that this encounter will include a twist.
In 2018's God of War Kratos and Atreus encounter Jormungandr, a massive snake known as the World Serpent, shortly into their journey. The monster, apparently large enough to wrap around the entire world, rises dramatically from the Lake of Nine as Kratos prepares for battle. While the scene appears to set up a grandiose boss battle typical of earlier God of War games, it's quickly revealed that Jormungandr is actually friendly towards the father-son duo. He imbues Kratos' axe with the poison Eitr, and Mimir is later able to actually converse with the World Serpent for further collaboration. The version of the World Serpent in God of War is unique and engaging, and a similar twist may be coming for another beast in Ragnarok.
A God of War Ragnarok cinematic trailer, released back in June, teases an intense encounter between Kratos, Atreus and the mythic wolf Fenrir. The trailer sees Kratos thrown from a cliff into a snowy forest, forcing he and Atreus to fight off a horde of Hel-walkers. The snarling Fenrir then steps out of the shadows, looking very menacing, as Kratos and Atreus ready their weapons and stand together. The trailer clearly teases an epic God of War Ragnarok boss fight against Fenrir, but this may be a misdirection similar to Jormungandr's first appearance in the last game.
God of War Ragnarok Will Probably Make Fenrir An Ally
Like Jormungandr before him, Fenrir is likely to be an ally of Kratos and Atreus despite his monstrous appearance. God of War Ragnarok will feature Odin as a primary antagonist, and in Norse myth Fenrir is destined to devour the All-Father during Ragnarok. This would make the wolf a natural ally to Kratos and Atreus, as would the wolf's surprising lineage. Like Jormungandr and the goddess of death Hela, Fenrir is actually a child of Loki in the tales of Norse myth. Considering that Atreus is God of War's version of Loki, it seems likely that Fenrir will work alongside his father in Ragnarok rather than serve as a monstrous enemy to be toppled. This theory is also supported by the fact that another trailer sees Kratos and Atreus cooperating with Skoll and Hati, who are Fenrir's children and Loki's grandchildren.
While there are many God of War Ragnarok theories of varying merit, Fenrir's status as an ally rather than an enemy certainly seems likely. The wolf is Loki's son and a sworn enemy of Odin, so it seems natural for the enormous Norse figure to work alongside Kratos and Atreus during the events of the game. 2018's God of War had a tense meeting with Jormungandr, so it seems appropriate for God of War Ragnarok to have a similar twist when introducing the World Serpent's canine brother Fenrir.