Summary
Spoilers ahead for God of War: Ragnarok and The Last of Us 2
TheGod of Warfranchise took a drastic turn with its revival in 2018. Until then, Kratos was a brutal, unforgiving killing machine hellbent on destroying the gods, but 2018’sGod of Warrevealed a softer side to the character. This entry made Kratos a single father, as the death of his wife Faye left him solely in charge of their young son, Atreus. Kratos' story is filled with exploring grief while also trying to protect a child, which makes it a fascinating parallel to another Sony exclusive:The Last of Us.
InThe Last of Us, Joel is tasked with taking care of a young girl named Ellie in a harsh and unforgiving post-apocalyptic world. Although the worlds ofGod of WarandThe Last of Usare vastly different, the relationships Kratos and Joel have with Atreus and Ellie are mirror images of one another. Despite these similarities, the nextGod of Wargame will want to avoid one ofThe Last of Us 2’s most controversial decisions.
God of War Should Avoid Handling Kratos the Same Way as Joel
Kratos Shouldn’t Become Another Joel
One of the most controversial gaming moments of 2020 wasthe death of Joel inThe Last of Us 2. Since then, it still remains a divisive topic, solidifying itself as one of the most shocking deaths in gaming history. Although Joel’s fate was shocking, it paved the way for Ellie to lead the story. There’s an argument to be made about this approach ultimately working forThe Last of Us 2, but it needs to be avoided at all costs in the nextGod of War.
Due toGod of War: Ragnarok’s endingshowing Kratos and Atreus parting ways, there have been theories that Atreus will be getting his own game. This has yet to be confirmed, but the main two ways this could happen is either through a half-sequel or Kratos gets killed off to make way for Atreus as the star. An Atreus-led game sounds interesting, but killing off Kratos to make it happen would potentially be even more controversial than Joel’s death.
Kratos has grown to become one of the most iconic characters in modern gaming and has far more of a legacy than Joel did. Killing Kratos off to have his son take his place would be deeply upsetting for many who have followed the character for so many years.Ragnarok’sValhallaDLC put Kratos in the spotlightas he finally came to terms with his past, and it would be disappointing to showcase so much personal growth only for it to end in a shocking death. Atreus is a fascinating character in his own right, but it’s incredibly possible to have him pick up Kratos' mantle without involving tragedy.
Kratos Deserves a Peaceful Ending
Passing the Torch to Atreus Doesn’t Have to Be Traumatic
Since the dawn of the franchise, Kratos has gone through incredible character development. His newfound acceptance and the road to becoming a more understanding and patient father have made him deserving of a peaceful ending.Kratos' end feels inevitable, but a Joel-like death simply doesn’t feel warranted anymore. Atreus becoming the lead of the franchise will probably be controversial enough. There doesn’t have to be a traumatic moment thrown into the mix as well.
The relationship between Kratos and Atreus has grown into one of mutual respect, and a peaceful and emotional passing of the torch would have much more impact than Kratos seeing a violent demise.The future ofGod of Waris a mystery, but Kratos' fate should be handled with the utmost care.
