Last week, Sony announced that it was working on adapting some of its biggest video game franchises into television shows. Horizon, God of War, and Gran Turismo were three confirmed IPs that are currently in development - with Horizon set to become a Netflix series, God of War an Amazon series, and Gran Turismo ending up with a yet-unnamed streaming home. While Horizon has multiple avenues to explore (either with Aloy, some existing characters, or brand-new ones) and Gran Turismo could take a more cinematic approach to car shows, the God of War franchise has always put Kratos at its center.
Adapting 2018's God of War directly into a television series would be doing the game an injustice. The PlayStation title is already a very cinematic experience that beautifully melds gameplay and a heartfelt story into a Norse mythology setting; so much so that anything that comes out from Amazon could never live up to the fans' expectations. Stories set after the game are better left to Sony Santa Monica and sequels like God of War Ragnarok, but what the television series could do well is give viewers a more personal look at the Kratos of the past.
"Did He Know My Past?"
For those who never got to experience the original God of War trilogy, Kratos was a very angry one-dimensional character who killed pretty much anything that stood in his way, be it mortal, god, or otherwise. His rebooted self still retains his dislike for anything that moves, but back then he was just a conduit for players to let out their rage and stress. Senseless violence was always on Kratos' agenda, be it as a general of Sparta, an agent of the Greek god Ares, or as the newly appointed God of War. There are moments in the original trilogy that try to humanize Kratos (seeing him broken and defeated upon realizing he killed his own family is one such moment), but these few somber instances of reflection are unfortunately drowned out by the frequency and brutality of Kratos's violent actions - cementing him as gaming's resident angry man.
In the original God of War trilogy, Kratos never took responsibility for his choices and instead opted to blame others for his failures. Whether it be Ares, the Fates, or the Gods of Olympus, Kratos always perceived that his problems could be solved by killing someone or something. Both the real world and the landscape of the video game industry were very different in the early 2000s, and character depth and complexity weren't really priorities of video game developers back then.
"You Are Not A Monster"
That doesn't mean Kratos was devoid of all character. As mentioned earlier, there are points in the original trilogy that show a more human side to the God of War. Players get to see Kratos as a loving father and husband (at least before he kills them by accident). They see his regret for having killed Athena - the only Greek god who seemed to truly want to aid him on his quests for vengeance. The original God of War even opens with Kratos trying to kill himself in an attempt to reunite with his dead family - something that is rarely seen in a character in an action game, much less the protagonist.
These emotions were further fleshed out in 2018's God of War, where Kratos is much quieter, a little less angry, and definitely wiser. His stoic personality in the reboot hides the fact that he has learned from his past actions. Restraint, control, and patience are the values he tries to uphold and teach to his son Atreus; which is why he begins to worry when Atreus starts saying things and committing acts that remind Kratos of his past self. This is one of the reasons why the most recent God of War was so meaningful. Instead of sweeping the events of the earlier games under a rug, it took the most impactful parts and let Kratos tell them from his perspective as an older man. Players who are new to the franchise can learn about the past games through Atreus, albeit with a bit of a parental censor thanks to his relationship with Kratos.
"I Am Your Monster No Longer"
Instead of treading on familiar ground with the reboot, the Amazon series could provide viewers with a deeper understanding of Kratos' past. It isn't enough to recap people on the events of the first few games. In order for the series to be successful, it has to make Kratos a compelling character - something he was not in the original games. The series should focus on the moral implications of Kratos's actions by showing what he thinks and/ or feels after committing them. Granted, this isn't an easy feat considering how hardened Kratos is and how difficult it can be to read his emotions, but if the most recent God of War was able to make him relatable to players, then the same can be done for the television series.
Of course, it can't be a God of War television series without mythology and big action sequences. But these fantastical elements shouldn't distract from the story the writers are trying to tell. At the core of 2018's God of War was a deeply personal father-son story - it just so happened that the story was told in a Norse mythology setting. Bringing the television series back to Greek mythology and Kratos' earlier days will allow the writers to delve deeper into the character as he embarks on multiple quests to take vengeance on those who have wronged him. It gives them a chance to tell a more robust retelling of the events of the original God of War trilogy as well as provides avenues to tell stories that the video games never told.
The God of War Amazon television series is currently in development.