The future ofGod of Waris uncertain, but it’s safe to say that players have only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this modern incarnation of the series.God of War’s Norse saga introduces massive changesto the long-running story, recontextualizing not only its mythological backdrop, moving to the far north, but also shaking up the cast of characters and general narrative direction. These new characters, coupled with their mythological counterparts, will form the brunt of the series' approach to storytelling moving forward.
Of all the new characters and concepts introduced during the Norse saga, none are as instrumental as Kratos' son Atreus, also known as Loki. Granted, Santa Monica Studios took some creative liberties with their depiction of the God of Mischief: he is not the son of Laufey and Farbauti, but Laufey and Kratos, who is, of course, a figure of Greek mythology rather than Norse. But there are still some important parallels betweenGod of WarLoki and mythological Loki, especially as it pertains to his powers and relationships with key characters. This is something that a futureGod of Wargame will probably expand upon.
An Atreus-Led God of War Needs to Capitalize On Ragnarok’s Teasing of Hela
God of War Ragnarok Tees Up Hela’s Introduction
Though it hasn’t been confirmed, many believe thatAtreus will lead the nextGod of Wargame. This is mainly becauseRagnarokfeatures a number of sections where Atreus is a playable character, and the story ends with him leaving on a pilgrimage to find the giants, while Kratos ostensibly winds down for retirement. For theGod of Warfranchise, Atreus represents the future, spearheading his own new, bold adventures.
There are a number of directions Atreus' theorized game could take, butRagnaroksets up one key opportunity: the introduction of Loki’s children, namely Hela, the ruler of Helheim. At the end ofRagnarok, Mimir reveals that he promised Hraesvelgr that he would help find a new ruler of Helheim, and since Hela has not yet been seen or mentioned inGod of War, it’s likely that she will be this new ruler. Hela is the child of Loki and Angrboda according to Norse mythology, and with Angrboda joining Atreus on his new adventure, there’s a very good chance that their children will rear their heads at some point. This is especially plausible ifAtreus is aged up again in the nextGod of War, making him a more appropriate age for fatherhood.
Bringing Hela Into God of War Should Come with Some Clever Subversions
WithRagnarokhinting at Hela’s arrival so directly, it seems safe to say that she will appear at some point in theGod of Warstory, possibly as Atreus' daughter. This would be particularly interesting, as it would allow players to see what Atreus is like as a parent, drawing upon what he has learned from his relationship with Kratos. This would deepen and complicateAtreus' journey of self-discovery, raising the stakes of his story while helping him mature, both as a man and as a god.
But like with the rest ofGod of War, a potential Atreus-Hela connection should not be so straightforward.God of War Ragnarokis all about rejecting fateand prophecy, further establishing the series' intentions to separate itself and not be a strict adaptation of Norse mythology. So, if Hela is introduced as the child of Atreus and Angrboda, it’s unlikely that she will simply stroll into Helheim, take the throne, and have everything be dandy. There will likely be some sort of unexpected twist on her traditional, mythological representation and lore.
