Warning: God of War Ragnarok story spoilers ahead.Going into God of War Ragnarok, many players were expecting heartbreak. Not only does the titular event suggest that the end of all things is imminent, but the mural from the final minutes of the 2018 game implied that Kratos was set to die soon. Many of God of War Ragnarok’s side quests and conversations either directly reference this mural and Kratos’ supposed fate, or feel more pressing because his time is limited. This all culminates in the Death and the Logger story.

According to the prophecy depicted on God of War Ragnarok’s mural, Kratos is set to die during the apocalyptic event. As such, his final night with Atreus before the war with the Aesir is heartbreaking, as the player and main character are expecting death to strike. During what seems like Kratos’ final night with his son, Atreus asks for the Ghost of Sparta to tell him a story, and what follows is the aforementioned tale of Death and the Logger.

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How The Tale of Death and the Logger Relates to Kratos

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The actual story of Death and the Logger is simple to follow. In the tale Kratos tells, an old man serves as a lumberjack for his village, doing his duty proudly but getting weaker as time goes on. Eventually, he had to toss down the logs because they proved to be too heavy, calling for Death to come for him. Death then arrived, but this is where Kratos’ story initially cuts off.

Since Kratos was telling Atreus this story before he fell asleep, he never got to finish, as Atreus had already passed out due to the comfort his father’s words brought him. Despite this, it is clear that Kratos is a stand-in for the old man, and the story can be seen as him accepting his fate. Obviously, this is devastating for Kratos, who is holding back emotion while the story is told and completely breaks down when looking at his son. Seeing Kratos weep before what looks to be his final sleep makes for an unforgettable moment, showing just how much Kratos has evolved as a character.

However, as those who have beaten the game know, Kratos survives, with Odin instead being the man Atreus was holding on the mural. As such, he is able to finish his story for Atreus after Ragnarok, keeping the promise he had made to his son before the war. Here, players get to learn why the story was really making the god-killer so emotional.

Kratos shares that, upon seeing Death, the logger asked for help putting the logs on his back so that he could continue with his journey. While he was tired and thought he had accepted death, the man ultimately wanted to keep living once it came for him. The same can be said for Kratos, as while he was not afraid of dying, he did not want to leave his son after finally finding happiness. Fortunately, both for Kratos and all the players that grew attached to him, his story does not have a tragic ending.

Christopher Judge’s performance is ultimately what makes this story so special, as while the writing is strong during this moment, the delivery of the lines elevates the dialogue to new heights. Though he never says so directly, the story manages to not only reflect how tired Kratos is, but how desperate he is to have more time with his son. Fortunately, by doing all he can to “be better” and teaching Atreus to do the same, Kratos earns himself a chance to keep living and some proper redemption for his past.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.

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