It's fair to say the God of War reboot has been a success, and the intense excitement for God of War Ragnarok clearly emphasizes this point. Central to the reboot has been the relationship between Kratos and his son, Atreus. The original trilogy featured a much more brutal and furious Kratos, and although he was a father in those games too, he has lost his daughter and she has little screen time across the series. Kratos' slightly softer (though still stoic) brand of fatherhood seen in 2018's God of War is the core theme of the game, as it joins the ranks of games like The Last of Us or Telltale's The Walking Dead in exploring paternity through video games.

God of War Ragnarok promises to be an important entry in both the franchise and the broader trend of video game dads. In featuring an older and wiser Atreus, the game shifts the dynamic between Kratos and Atreus in ways that will surely be challenging for the former god of war. Significantly, Atreus is also inheriting a heavy legacy from his mother that is beyond Kratos' knowledge of the new world he has found himself in. As such, Atreus' role as Loki, which is almost certainly central to the upcoming games in the series, is one that Kratos may not be equipped to prepare Atreus for.

RELATED: God of War: Ragnarok - Explaing Angrboda's Role in Norse Mythology

God of War: Atreus' Growing Maturity and Capability

atreus hunting god of war

The God of War Ragnarok trailer makes abundantly clear the young Atreus from the 2018 game has grown older; he is taller and his voice has deepened. Beyond the obvious though, the trailer opens with heavy symbolism of Atreus' growth, as the first thing we see him do is return to Kratos with a deer he has hunted. The 2018 game had Kratos teach the younger Atreus to hunt, and it is clear that Kratos' guidance has made Atreus into a capable hunter, and presumably Atreus' archery skills have also improved.

Whether Kratos has prepared Atreus for his impeding role in Ragnarok, or for his status as the god Loki, remains to be seen. Atreus is clearly asking more questions, and Kratos seems at a loss to answer them. A key piece of evidence in the shifting dynamic between Atreus and Kratos is that Atreus is the one who suggests the seek out Tyr, who will clearly play a significant role in God of War Ragnarok.

This displays a level of trust Kratos has in his son, as opposed to Atreus' more insolent rebellion against Kratos in the 2018 game. However, Atreus' increased maturity does not exclude him from challenging his father, and this aspect of their relationship will likely cause a lot of tension in the next game.

RELATED: God of War's Tyr is Being Compared to Resident Evil Village's Lady Dimitrescu

God of War Ragnarok: Atreus as an Individual

god of war kratos atreus

While Atreus has inherited practical survival skills from his father, the games are setting up Atreus to have his own journey separate from his father's. While Kratos can relate to Atreus' discovery that he is half-god, Atreus must also grapple with the fact that he is half-giant and has a part to play in a grand prophecy, even though this is not entirely clear to Atreus or Kratos yet.

While the nuance of Atreus being Loki remains to be seen, it is clear that this is a journey that Kratos has less experience with. However, what Kratos does have is a wealth of experience fighting gods. While Atreus has matured a great deal, his father is certainly more well-equipped to realize the realities of starting a war with the gods.

Whether it be naivety or destiny that leads Atreus in his desire to fight the Norse gods, this is a conflict Kratos does not condone. Given Kratos history this makes sense, but it also positions Kratos to experience paternity in a new way, as Atreus has now grown into a relatively autonomous and capable young man. While Atreus will no doubt need Kratos' help in God of War Ragnarok, there is definitely a complexity added to their father/son relationship with Atreus' growing abilities and Kratos' lack of knowledge.

God of War Ragnarok: Kratos as a Father, Versus a General

Kratos from God of War screaming

A particular line in the trailer that crystallizes the tension between Atreus and Kratos is when Atreus asks Kratos to act more like a general than a father. The line holds weight for two reasons. The first is that Kratos has explicitly been running away from his past, as the pawn of gods and killer of his first family. Fathering Atreus is Kratos' only redemption, so to have Atreus want his father to revert to his more brutal nature is to undo all the development that Kratos has made.

Secondly, the line also emphasizes that in God of War Ragnarok, Atreus is reaching a point in maturity where he feels he no longer needs a father, but would have more use of a war general. Atreus' lack of clarity on his role as Loki is naturally causing him a lot of stress, but he has reached an age of maturity where he feels it is his responsibility to carry this burden. For Kratos, he must now try to parent and guide Atreus as he becomes more and more independent, which will be an interesting challenge for Kratos. Furthermore, it is Kratos' chance to successfully pass on some legacy to Atreus that he was not able to with his first family.

In terms of video game dads, God of War Ragnarok is poised to add something new to the ongoing exploration of paternity. Most of the paternity-themed games feature young children that then become protagonists later after their father figure has passed or otherwise left.

The frequency with which video game dads die leaves most of these young characters to figure out adulthood themselves (though informed by the lessons their father figure will have imparted). Kratos' ongoing presence in Atreus' life explores a time in parenting that is uniquely challenging and requires a great deal of communication. Given how high the stakes are for Atreus in God of War Ragnarok, Kratos' help may be essential in Atreus achieving his destiny.

God of War Ragnarok is set to release in 2022 for PS4 and PS5.

MORE: God of War: Ragnarok Being the 'End of the Norse Saga' Suggests Something New to Come