It’s fair to say that expectations for God of War: Ragnarok are at an all-time high. Having pulled back the curtain on the sequel at last September’s PlayStation Showcase, Sony’s Santa Monica Studio has gone radio silent regarding further updates. Aside from a short video last week with Cory Barlog to commemorate God of War 2018’s fourth anniversary, little has been revealed about Kratos and Atreus’ upcoming PS4 and PS5 adventure.

As it stands, teases from reputable insiders suggest that God of War: Ragnarok is still on-course to make its 2022 release date. Despite the open-ended nature of when fans will get to play, it’s possible to speculate on how the game’s narrative will unfold. Thanks to the franchise’s history and several plot threads woven into the 2018 installment, it’s hard to envision there being a happy ending on the horizon. With no specific release date announced yet, players have enough time to prepare themselves for what will probably be a sad conclusion.

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Kratos’ Possible Death

Kratos in God of War

One of the biggest reasons why fans should brace themselves for a sad ending to God of War: Ragnarok has a lot to do with its main protagonist, and how Kratos reflects the universe’s concept of morality. Throughout the series, Santa Monica Studio has taken steps to ensure that good and evil aren’t straightforward ideals. While the series’ original trilogy explored how the Greek gods were corrupted by Pandora’s Box, it stopped short of positioning Kratos as a true hero. Even though his story of revenge was compelling, the Spartan's crusade is likely going to come back to bite him.

There’s no escaping the fact that Kratos has murdered countless people, creatures, and deities across God of War’s 17-year history. It’s a trope used in other media so often that it’s nearly a cliche, but characters with blood on their hands don’t tend to get happy endings. Even though Kratos has taken steps to redeem himself through his son, it’s hard to see him atoning for all of his past misdeeds. Considering Ragnarok is set to be the final chapter of the franchise’s Norse saga, the character is also running out of time on that front.

Players only have to look at Kratos’ depiction in the 2018 game for proof that his demise could be coming soon. Despite the fact that hundreds of years have passed since God of War 3’s conclusion, Kratos still carries the ashes of his family on his skin. Traveling to another mythological realm hasn’t allowed him to truly escape his murky past. The loaded callbacks don’t end there, as people like Mimir still refer to him as the "Ghost of Sparta." That’s a particularly loaded title that could be prophesying the character’s impending death.

With all of this context and history in mind, Kratos has been living on borrowed time for a while. It's become a running joke, but the character has escaped multiple iterations of Hell on such a regular basis that many fans will have understandably lost count. If Kratos’ time does run out for good during Ragnarok’s closing moments, it will no doubt be a somber event. Christopher Judge has done an amazing job in humanizing Kratos since stepping into his shoes, which will no doubt make Kratos' potential passing all the more tragic.

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The Loki Prophecy

god of war sequel norse mythology atreus loki prophecy kratos

Since it was revealed during God of War 2018’s closing moments that Atreus’ Norse name is Loki, fans have been speculating about what the revelation could mean. One of the more popular theories is the idea that Atreus will either directly or indirectly be involved in his father’s demise. The ominous appearance of a mural in-game backs this up to an extent, as it appears the Giants foresaw a future where such an event happened.

This potential turn of events isn’t hard to envision thanks in-part to the series' history of parricide. Since the God of War franchise’s Greek mythology days, parents have frequently come undone at their children’s hands. While Zeus’ death in God of War 3 is the best example of this, the Greek god of thunder’s violent relationship with his own father is worth keeping in mind as well. If Santa Monica Studio decides to keep this tradition going in Ragnarok, it will no doubt be even more tragic thanks to the time players have spent getting to know Atreus.

So far the Studio has given little away about the direction it’s going to take Ragnarok’s story in. It’s possible that foreshadowing could be a deliberate bait-and-switch, with both protagonists walking away alive. However, comments from the game’s director Eric Williams make it sound as though a happy ending isn’t in the cards. Aside from warning fans to prepare themselves, Williams has also stated the ending will be surprising, yet inevitable. With death, betrayal, and manipulation all being core elements of the God of War series, it’s easy to see a sad ending for both characters.

The Norse Mythology Factor

Tyr-Norse-Mythology

While Santa Monica Studio has always put a unique spin on the mythologies it draws inspiration from, the God of War series has remained true to the core principles of its source material. It’s worth keeping in mind that in most of the world’s ancient religions, characters rarely have happy endings. More often than not, death and destruction are used as tragic narrative devices to teach cautionary lessons. Even the most popular characters find themselves falling short of a happy ending.

That’s especially true of both Greek and Norse mythology, the God of War series’ two main sources of inspiration. Thanks to modern reinterpretations and sensibilities, the pantheon that Kratos and Atreus are exploring is almost always viewed through the lens of the apocalypse. Even the MCU’s lighter interpretation has featured the demise of Asgard. With God of War: Ragnarok set to explore the titular Norse end of days, the metaphorical deck is seemingly loaded against both of its protagonists.

To make matters worse, in several versions of Ragnarok, Loki is killed at the hands of Heimdall following his assault on Asgard. While the God of War franchise has frequently pushed back against the concept of fate, it’s hard to see a positive outcome happening on this occasion. With the stakes being set so high this time around, it can be argued that a happy resolution would undermine the story Santa Monica Studio is trying to tell. It’s much more likely that God of War: Ragnarok will have a sadder, more fitting resolution.

God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022 on PS4 and PS5.

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