Mimir, also known as the Smartest Man Alive and nicknamed Head by Kratos, is a Norse Mythology figure known for his knowledge and wisdom, as well as an ally of Kratos and Atreus. Until Odin imprisoned him 109 years ago, he was Odin's advisor and the ambassador of the Aesir Gods. In God of War, he is one of the three protagonists.
Mimir is polite and kind, though his sense of humor is an equally important aspect of his character. Even in his beheaded state, Mimir tries to make the best of the situation, seeing it as preferable to imprisonment, and as such tries to assist in any way he can. Mimir is well-versed in deities, monsters, civilizations, the Nine Realms, and famous figures of Norse Mythology, and he is eager to share all of his knowledge with God of War's Atreus whenever he is asked.
Mimir's Personality
As a member of Kratos and his son's traveling company, Mimir serves as a balancing force between them, teaching Atreus to use his abilities for good and frequently advising Kratos to be more open about the truth of his past. To that end, Mimir demonstrates that he is emotionally sensitive and aware of the potential impact Kratos' distant attitude toward Atreus may have. Still, he respects Kratos' wishes and does not inform Atreus himself.
He was also the first to notice the dark change in Atreus' behavior after he discovered his godly heritage, and he tried to instill the ideals that figures like Tyr stood for, such as using one's powers wisely and for good. When this change in behavior began to strain the already loose bond between Atreus and Kratos, Mimir did his best to address the situation carefully.
Mimir quickly proved to be a devoted ally and friend to Kratos and his son, addressing the former as "Brother" and the latter as "Little Brother" or "Lad," eagerly assisting the pair in their quest to find the realm of the giants. When Atreus became ill following the battles with Magni and Modi, Mimir expressed great concern and worry for him. He even begged Baldur to stop attacking Kratos and Atreus, offering himself in their place, but his requests were ignored.
Despite his bright personality, Mimir harbors a great deal of rage and resentment toward the Aesir Gods, particularly Odin and Thor. He believes that the vast majority of them are hedonistic, paranoid, and arrogant, considering them to be warmongers that are to blame for the tragedies that have befallen the Nine Realms. Before his imprisonment, Mimir did everything he could to bring and make peace between the Realms, such as advising Odin to marry Freya in order to end the conflict between the Aesir and Vanir Gods. The one exception is Tyr, whom Mimir held in the highest regard, believing him to be a great leader who fought for peace, knowledge, and understanding rather than power and control.
Mimir also blames himself for never achieving genuine, long-term peace while serving as Odin's advisor. Mimir expresses visible remorse and openly admits that he feels guilty whenever he tells stories about his time as Odin's advisor. One example was when he openly admitted that he deserved Freya's wrath and expressed regret for the harm he caused her by convincing her to marry Odin. He also apologized to Sigrun for being powerless to save her and the Valkyries and expressed regret for inadvertently killing Starkar. He told Odin that if the giants ever had an army, Starkar might have been their general.
Mimir's Knowledge and Drinking Problem
Despite being a part of Norse Mythology, Mimir is aware of other mythologies and pantheons, mentioning the Egyptian gods in Tyr's vault and the Greek pantheon in Helheim. He also knows about the Greek Gods' demise, which he claims was deserved. However, he did not know who had demolished the pantheon until he accompanied Kratos, whom he later learned was Zeus' son and recognized as the Ghost of Sparta.
Mimir has proven to be quite humble, which is unusual for a god. While he takes pride in being the wisest man alive, he admits when there are "gaps" in his knowledge or when dealing with something he has never seen before. He also showed great respect for Kratos and Atreus' journey to Jotunheim and asked to be left behind in Tyr's Temple since this moment was important for Kratos and Atreus, and he didn't want to ruin it. The Spartan and his son grew fond of Mimir and took him home with them when their journey was completed.
Mimir has a drinking history as well, having fallen off a mountain in a drunken stupor and suffered severe enough wounds that Eir had to heal him, which he was visibly ashamed of, and was noted to have been at least intoxicated when in the presence of giants, implying that he never spoke their language while sober.
Mimir was well aware of the Aesir gods' reputations even before becoming Odin's advisor and, with the exception of Tyr, disliked them. This only grew worse after Odin imprisoned him, and he openly refers to Thor as "fat dobber," "sweaty bawbag," and "thunder lummox." He also considers Magni and Modi to be the most dimwitted people in Asgard. However, he is well aware of the Aesir's power, referring to Thor as the "biggest, butchering bastard in all nine realms" and emphasizing that, despite his paranoia, barbarism, and apparent insanity, Odin is still ruthless, deceitful, and "almost as clever as he thinks," as well as having a seemingly limitless capacity and creativity when it comes to cruelty. Come God of War: Ragnarok, it will be interesting to see if Mimir can maintain his upbeat personality.
God of War is now available on PC and PS4.