The originalGod of Wartrilogy is well-known for its depictions of Greek mythology, from the brutish nature of the gods to the complex afterlife in Greek myth. As most will be aware, the series does take some liberties in telling its own story set within Greek mythology; the protagonist of Kratos and his battle against the gods, particularly his father Zeus, was entirely invented for this franchise. However, there is a Kratos in Greek myth, and whileGod of War’sKratos is not directly based on the Kratos from mythology, they do bear some striking resemblances.
The2018 soft reboot of the series,God of War,indicated a push towards making a more mature adaptation of mythology, but the originalGod of Wargames have always been notable for their deep dive into Greek mythology and ability to make it appealing to a contemporary audience. While the game’s version of Kratos is not based on the mythological figure, he does encapsulate many of the trademark features of a tragic Greek anti-hero, as many classics and media scholars have noted.
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God of War’s Kratos In-Game
Kratos was not given his name inGod of Waruntil quite late in the development stage; the name was chosen purely based on its meaning in Greek, “strength.” Many aspects of Kratos' character are typical of the heroes of Greek mythology, though his status as god killer does not align with any mythological stories. Gods have always had power over mortals. Greek heroes were particularly courageous individuals that would endure perilous journeys, difficult labors, or other acts of heroism. However, Greek myths were complex, and due to the three traditional genres in Greek theatre (comedy, tragedy, and satyr), the lives of Greek heroes were very often marked by tragedy.
God of War’sKratos is thus very emblematic of a tragic Greek hero. Like many great heroes of mythology, his fate is marked by the will of the gods, though as the games go on, Kratos fights against this will more and more. Kratos' most obvious mythological counterpart is actually Heracles, rather than the mythological Kratos. Heracles is tricked by Hera into killing his own family, as Kratos is tricked by Ares to do the same thing. While Heracles must complete 12 labors to be forgiven for this crime, Kratos instead chooses a violent and bloody revenge route, which is admittedly more fun to play.
The “Ghost of Sparta” title for Kratos is entirely made up, though obviously, the Spartans were a real community in Ancient Greece. Greek mythology has no central hero, as it’s a collection of various stories, butKratos is certainly the central character inGod of War.As such, he plays a very large role in mythological events that no such equivalent was present for. Kratos adds a sense of continuity toGod of War’scollection of various Greek myths. While Kratos actually becomes the god of war in the games, this title is always reserved for Ares in mythology.
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Kratos in Greek Mythology
The mythological god Kratos appears in the playPrometheus Boundby Aeschylus; Prometheus, famously, stole fire from the gods to gift to mortals and was punished by Zeus to have an eagle peck out his liver every day, only for it to grow back every night.Kratos in mythology is the literal personification of strength,but he is brutal and cruel. Similarly in the games, Ares is a very powerful and important god, but in Greek myth, he is largely disliked; the Roman equivalent, Mars, is more in line with the game’s version of Ares.
InPrometheus Bound,Kratos is fully in support of Prometheus' punishment and encourages the smith god, Hephaestus, to be more aggressive, cruel, and violent towards the captured Prometheus. Kratos inGod of Wardoes actually come across Prometheus in the second game.InGod of War II,Kratos had nothing to do with Prometheus' imprisonmentand actually shows mercy on the bound Titan by ending his life and freeing him of the endless torture.
It is ironic that the originalGod of Wartrilogy was criticized for its brutal violence, when the Greek stories are equally, if not more, brutal. Greek myths often focus on heroes who make tragic mistakes, such as Odysseus, Oedipus, or Orpheus, but notably it is these characters' humanity that makes them heroes. Kratos of mythology is a god, and indeed a cruel one. TheGod of Wargames depict a Kratos somewhere in between the tragic, mortal hero and the powerful gods; this is akin to Heracles, who Kratos also meets in the games (referred to by his Roman name, Hercules). In the games, Kratos' brutality wins in this encounter and he beats his half-brother to death.
The Kratos of mythology andGod of War’sKratos share a common role though, which is that they are pawns of the gods. While in the game, Kratos largely defies this role and eventually frees himself, Greek mythology is littered with tragic figures whose lives are ruined due to the will of the gods. Kratos' complex role asthe son of Zeusand former servant of Ares evolves over the games until his final confrontation with the Greek pantheon, in which he frees himself of their control.
Kratos of mythology though is a lot less complex, as he willingly follows Zeus' command. InPrometheus Bound,Kratos and his sister Bia are physical representations of the will of Zeus, and so this version of Kratos never attempts to free himself of the god’s control.
WhileGod of War’sKratos is not directly based on any one character from Greek mythology, he does encapsulate many of the characteristics commonly found in the heroes of Greek mythology. Of course, the games take liberties with the role Kratos plays in many classics Greek myths; however,Kratos' construction is such that he fits in perfectlywith the complex nature of the Greek gods, who are sometimes cruel and other times merciful.
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