God of War: Ragnarok - What Can We Expect From The Sequel?

God of War was quite the topic when it first hit the PlayStation 4 back in 2018, and it has been making a little more noise with the anticipation of its sequel, God of War: Ragnarok. Like many videogames, the Norse epic was pushed to 2022, with only a teaser trailer revealing an unofficial logo. The only other bit we know about this game is that it will be available for the PS4 and PS5, but what else lies ahead for Kratos and Atreus? What can we expect in God of War: Ragnarok based on what was shown in the previous game and Norse mythology?

Ending Summarised

At the end of the first game, Kratos makes his final blow to Baldr literally and metaphorically, ending the cycle of patricide/matricide among gods. That action resulted in making an enemy of the goddess Freya and starting Fimbulwinter-- as Baldr breathes his last word, “snow.” Fimbulwinter is the harsh winter that introduces Ragnarok, the end of days.

With Ragnarok being a foretold event, our two main gods find out that Faye or Laufey (Kratos’ wife/Atreus’ mother) is not only a Jotun but could see the future and their entire story unfold. We’re shown an ominous piece of art depicting a terrible ending to the God of War and a chaotic beginning for Atreus. These events could mean that God of War: Ragnarok focuses more on Atreus, with the game ending or even beginning with a tragic death scene.

Throughout the Game

Throughout God of War, the game highlights many of the details adopted from the Norse stories. Before the secondary title of the sequel was revealed, many prominent Norse figures mentioned their fears about Ragnarok and the Twilight of the Gods. The stories have changed to fit the game’s narrative. However, there were things noted in God of War that could be revealing for the next installment.

In the middle of the game, when you’re first able to speak to the World Serpent with help from Mimir, there is a moment where the World Serpent says to Mimir that Atreus looks familiar to him. In Norse myth, the World Serpent, Jormungandr is the son of Loki and the giantess, Angrboda. With this hint slipped in without any more explanation from Mimir or any other character, we may be able to conclude that Atreus and Jormungandr’s relationship may be explored more or even explained.

One of the biggest revelations in the game was Atreus turning out to be the Jotun, Loki, God of Chaos, and Mischief. Loki is one of the most influential figures in Norse mythology, as a lot of what they do leads to the happenings of Ragnarok. One of them being the death of Baldr when Loki tricked Baldr’s blind brother Hodr into killing him. Loki also leads the Giants of Jotunheim into battle during the Twilight of the Gods, so you can say he’s a significant figure in the stories.

With Atreus not only being Loki but part Jotun, this perhaps gives him the ability to see the future.

In an after-credits scene, you’re introduced to Thor, God of Thunder, brandishing off his mighty hammer Mjolnir, the giant slayer. You think you are about to start a fight with one of the most powerful gods in all of the Norse world, only for it to be a dream that Atreus has the evening before. It is a hard dream to brush off because it may have been more than that. Atreus’ split heritage may give him more advantages than he realises as the dream may have very well been a premonition.

What Could Happen in God of War: Ragnarok

Since we have established that the events of Ragnarok are going to happen based on the reveal of the secondary title, what other things could we expect based on what is present in the Norse stories as well as what we have discussed from the previous game?

Going back to the image that our protagonists discover in Jotunheim, there may be a considerable possibility that Kratos will die in the sequel. In relation to this, Thor may even deal with the final blow, which can explain Atreus’ dream. While Kratos has been victorious against many powerful adversaries, Thor is quite different. In Norse myth, Mjolnir isn’t the only formidable possession that Thor has in his arsenal. The Megingjörð, the belt that Thor wears that doubles the incredible strength that he already possesses. Now, we only get a small glimpse of Thor in the dream but we do see his belt. It is a possibility that Thor will kill Kratos at some point in the game.

Kratos' death could spawn a reconciliation with Freya. Kratos, having killed her son Baldr in the first game, may see this as justice served. She did not seem to share any ill will towards Atreus but she still may consider him an enemy by association. Even so, their shared hatred for the Aesir gods may unite them when Ragnarok happens.

Final Thoughts

Santa Monica Studios has done a great job keeping the story of God of War: Ragnarok under wraps. Colloquially, the game is referred to as God of War: Ragnarok, but even Sony hasn’t released an official title despite the teaser we were all introduced to. As far as we know, the game’s direction is still a mystery but it is interesting to see where the story might go just based on clues. What we can be certain of is that, and this is true for Norse myths, Ragnarok is coming.