What if we told you that the future of the God of War franchise could well lie in the hands of Kratos' young son, Atreus?
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Whether you remember him as a whirlwind of rage, a beast of burden mercilessly dispatching even literal deities, or as a worn-out mentor trying to keep his fury at bay in the twilight of his life, few Characters in the game's story have undergone the same brutal transformation as Kratos.
Once a numb killing machine constantly screaming for vengeance, this fallen God of War has found a particle of humanity amid the ruins of his anger: his son, Atreus. He's the man (well, god, technically) who brought the Greek pantheon to its knees – and yet being a parent might just be his ultimate challenge.
While fans still debate who Kratos is the best – and even the series creator feels he's mellowed a little too much in his latest appearances – one thing's for sure: we haven't seen him yet everything there is to see in Atreus.
Even though God of War Ragnarök gave us a better look at Atreus as a protagonist, there's still a lot of potential for a character as unique as him in the future of the franchise.
The Atreus Saga
When we first meet Atreus, he seems to be an innocent, if slightly rebellious, child. At first glance, players coming to God of War after God of War 3 might even worry that the game will become just one long escort mission. However, as you become more attached to Atreus, you will discover that he represents the culmination of Kratos' journey.
Not only does Atreus eventually become a fearsome warrior on his own terms, but the path he takes to get there is indicative of Kratos' character development.
Right off the bat, I think it would be almost impossible for Kratos' son to be as physically strong as his father. Atreus' upbringing was not as traumatic as his father's, and he was never drafted into an army. Some might see this as a sign of weakness, but it's actually what makes Atreus such an interesting power.
Kratos is a bully – the typical kind of hero who strikes first and asks questions later. There's nothing wrong with this archetype, but Atreus doesn't need this mentality to conquer his enemies.
Throughout the God of War reboot, we see an Atreus who grows not only as a boy discovering the harshness of the world, but also as the son of the God of War, who left nothing but misery in his path to get revenge. Eventually, with the realization of his divine nature, we finally have the idea of a new god of war – a god who understands that war has many faces – and that “beating all to death” is not not necessarily the best course of action.
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An old man
While Atreus may never achieve the raw strength of his father, the Ghost of Sparta, the young god has clearly inherited formidable talents. We can say that he takes after his father more than he thinks.
Right off the bat, there's a curious difference between the two warriors that shows Atreus can carve his own path to coolness. While Kratos enjoys up-close and personal combat with the Blades of Chaos and the Leviathan Axe, Atreus favors a more tactical approach to combat.
Mixing magic and archery, Atreus is a warrior who prefers cunning to pure strength – the diametric opposite of his good old Spartan father. There's also the matter of Kratos' infamous temper. Although Atreus is rebellious, he is significantly calmer than his father. Maybe it's the Frost Giant blood coursing through his veins?
Regardless, one must keep in mind Atreus' true identity and the connotations it might have for the rest of the story. After all, fans most invested in Norse mythology may know that the real Loki is far more sinister than his Marvel counterpart.
Fighting against himself
The original God of War trilogy tells the story of a man consumed by hatred of the gods who used him as a pawn. In many ways, it is a story of rebellion against a flawed or corrupt system. However, this same story doesn't really work for Atreus, especially now that Ragnarok has already happened.
On the other hand, Atreus is a more tragic character, like his father. While Kratos was deceived by the gods, Atreus will have to learn to wield his divine powers responsibly, to avoid falling into the same traps as his father. He is also the god of trickery and deception, which already means that he will have to maintain a strong moral sense if he wants to remain a “hero”.
The fact that Atreus is the new leader of the God of War franchise could also address a common complaint from players regarding the latest saga in the series. If the softening of Kratos makes sense for the plot, it is still surreal to see the Ghost of Sparta being a model parent.
Following Atreus as he struggles with his morality and godly powers seems like the logical next step for the franchise. After all, Kratos' story is pretty much over at this point – the reboot and Ragnarok were seen as epilogues to his saga.
Most of the story in the early God of War games was about Kratos escaping and righting the wrongs of the man he once was. In Atreus' case, the story might instead focus on how he avoids the man he could be. This is enough to make Atreus a character of the same level of complexity as Kratos, with the added bonus of a new and original character who fits into the new concept of the God of War franchise from Santa Monica Studios.
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All eyes are on the future
The last time we see Atreus is to bid his father an emotional farewell and embark on his own quest to save the giants. We still don't know what this quest entails. One thing is for sure, though, and that is that this is a fascinating premise for the next God of War.
One of the things that every fan of the series has been clamoring for is the addition of new mythologies to the story, and Atreus could be the key to that. While we don't yet know if Atreus will be the next protagonist or if a woman will take Kratos' place in the next episode, we at least know that Atreus makes for a strong new leader in the God of War mythos.
His unique mastery of magic and the flow of combat, his shared Greek and Norse origins, as well as the power of his father, make Atreus one of the most fascinating video game characters of our time. As long as the inevitable next installment in the series exploits Atreus' unique abilities and doesn't try to make him “Kratos lite”, there's a good chance he'll be remembered as a killer of cool deities – just like his eternally irascible father.
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