Despite not appearing on screen, God of War Ragnarök and 2018's God of War have shown their Odin to be far different from Marvel's iteration. While Marvel's Odin occupied a more heroic role, God of War's Odin is a powerful, bloodthirsty villain. It's unknown what role Odin will occupy in God of War Ragnarok, but his personality and ruthless behavior are reminiscent of Zeus from God of War's earlier games. It's likely Kratos will similarly seek to destroy Odin.
MCU's Odin was a flawed but well-intentioned King of Asgard, who suffered greatly at the hands of his children, Loki and Hela. Despite his shortcomings as a father, Odin attempted to rule over the Nine Realms fairly and justly. Unfortunately, deadly plots against him and the villainous actions of Loki often damaged his ability to govern. Odin ultimately met his death in Thor: Ragnarok, a fate he could potentially share with the Odin of God of War Ragnarok.
A glaring difference between Marvel's Odin and God of War's Odin is their family ties. Marvel's Odin had three children with his wife, Frigga. A daughter named Hela, who became the Goddess of Death and excelled at bloodshed and conquest. The second was Thor, who would join Earth's Avengers and become a renowned hero. Their final child was Loki, the son of Laufey, adopted after being abandoned on Jotunheim. God of War's Odin had three sons: Thor, Baldur, and Tyr. He also had two wives, Freya and Fjörgyn. Odin has never met Loki or Laufey, who are members of Kratos' family.
God Of War's Odin Is More Brutal Than Odin Of The MCU
Odin was once a conqueror in the MCU, counting the Nine Realms under his rule. After winning the war against Jotunheim, he created a treaty to ensure peaceful coexistence between the Aesir and the Frost Giants. However, none of these events transpired in God of War, as the Allfather was determined to claim power and dominance over all realms and species. Odin's first wife, Fjörgyn, was a native of Jotunheim but could not soothe his hatred of her race. Soon after her death, and the divorce of Odin's second wife, Freya, Odin ordered Thor to exterminate every Giant he came across. This order resulted in God of War's Thor committing genocide across the realms.
But genocide is not Odin's only crime. Mimir tells Kratos and Atreus in God of War, "Ruthless? Barbaric? Heartless? That's Odin." The Allfather is a paranoid ruler who routinely disposes of anyone who might pose a threat. Mimir was trapped in a tree and tortured daily by Odin, while Tyr was imprisoned for opposing his father's warmongering ways. God of War's Norse pantheon was once home to many magical and secretive beings, but they were disposed of after Odin obtained their knowledge.
Despite the many differences between Marvel's Norse pantheon and God of War's mythology, each character fulfills different roles in their stories. Odin played a fatherly mentor figure for his sons in the early Marvel films. Conversely, God of War's Odin acts as an agent of destruction and suppression, regularly obliterating other peoples and cultures to secure Aesir supremacy in the Nine Realms.
God of War Ragnarök is slated to release in 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.