With God of War: Ragnarok out today, here’s a list of atrocities Kratos has committed throughout the franchise
Following the smash hit, critical and commercial success of its predecessor, the next installment in the God of War franchise drops worldwide today (November 9). We take a look at the titular character’s monstrous kill count and the most gut-wrenching acts he has committed in the past.
The action-adventure game franchise created by David Jaffe at Sony's Santa Monica Studio began in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 (PS2) video game console, and has become a flagship title for the PlayStation brand ever since, consisting of eight fully fledged games across multiple platforms.
Here's the trailer for the latest installment:
Born in Sparta, Kratos is a demigod son of Zeus and is later a full God himself by becoming the titular God of War, with incredible superhuman god-like power and combat skills.
Kratos was once a respected soldier and Spartan General, until he was tricked into killing his wife and daughter by Ares, the then God of War, earning him the nickname of the "Ghost of Sparta".
Kratos renounced his service to the War God, eventually killing him and ascending to Godhood by becoming the new and full "God of War". As the new God of War, Kratos began to exact revenge against his father, the Olympians and the Titans who betrayed him, remaining forever a full god in the process before departing to another realm.
Unlike previous games, which were loosely based on Greek mythology, the 2018 reboot of the franchise is loosely inspired by Norse mythology, with the majority of it set in ancient Scandinavia in the realm of Midgard.
The narrative followed not only Kratos, but now his son Atreus as well. Following the death of Kratos' second wife—Atreus' mother—they journey to fulfill her request that her ashes be spread at the highest peak of the nine realms. Kratos keeps his troubled past a secret from Atreus, who is unaware of his divine nature. Along their journey, they come into conflict with monsters and gods of the Norse world.
It is said that the fearsome God of War has taken more lives than breaths over the course of his battles. Before the ninth and possibly final installment to Kratos’s journey, God of War: Ragnarok, drops today, here’s a rundown of the most atrocious acts Kratos has committed over the span of his lifetime:
[Warning: This list contains extremely graphic (but immensely satisfying) content]
10. CAUSED A TSUNAMI BY KILLING POSEIDON
9. SNAPPED BALDUR'S NECK
8. PLUNGED GAIA INTO THE ABYSS
7. RIPPED OUT HADES' SOUL
6. RIPPED OFF ICARUS'S WINGS
5. BURIED HIS AXE IN MAGNI'S SKULL
4. CHOPPED OFF HERMES'S LEGS
3. TORE OF HELIOS'S HEAD
2. PUMMELS HERCULES THROUGH THE GROUND
1. PUNCHED ZEUS INTO A PULP
While GameInformer puts Kratos’s total kill count at an impossible 15 digit number, its safe to say that what sets Kratos apart as one of the most ferociously powerful video game characters of all time is the quality, rather than the quantity.
God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled to be released worldwide today, November 9, 2022, for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Players who purchase the PS4 version can upgrade to the PS5 version through an additional payment.