Thanks to comments from Santa Monica Studio, players already have a decent idea of what's going to be waiting for them in God of War: Ragnarok, but Sif hasn't appeared. As the final chapter of Kratos and Atreus’ adventures in Norse mythology, the stage has been set for a climactic fight for survival. Based on how the apocalypse will seemingly engulf most of the pantheon, it stands to reason that invites have been sent out far and wide for the showdown as well.
So far, the likes of Odin, Fenrir, and Thor have all been confirmed to appear in God of War: Ragnarok. One that hasn’t been referenced in any of the game’s promotional material so far is Sif, the Norse goddess of earth. As an important figure within the hierarchy of Asgard, it would make a lot of sense for her to show up in some capacity. Based on how Santa Monica Studio has built its universe, there are multiple ways that it could approach the idea.
God of War’s Sif
For a big-budget cinematic action game, God of War’s cast list is on the small side of things. Even though Kratos and Atreus interact with only a dozen or so named characters from Norse mythology, there’s no denying that Santa Monica Studio’s universe is still remarkably fleshed out. Thanks to the efforts of Mimir, Brok, and Sindri in particular, players have already heard references to most of the pantheon’s key players.
Sif is just one example of a person that hasn’t made an on-screen appearance yet, but has still been name-dropped and confirmed to be active within God of War’s universe. During an interaction with Brok after Kratos and Atreus finally make it to Jotunheim, the dwarf mentions the Norse goddess of earth by name. Aside from this and a crude description of her physical appearance, little is known about Santa Monica Studio’s version of Sif.
On one of God of War 2018’s murals, however, players can uncover a drawing of a character that bears a resemblance to how the goddess is described in most versions of Norse mythology. Aside from being dressed in a regal-looking dress, this woman also has strikingly gold hair, something that Sif was famous for. This suggests that the studio has partly built its universe with a mythology-accurate version of the character in mind.
Sif’s Connection to Thor
Thanks to the confirmed and possible references to Sif in God of War, it’s easy to see how she could theoretically fit into Ragnarok’s narrative. In most versions of Norse mythology, the goddess of earth is depicted as the wife of Thor and the mother of his daughter Thrud. Based on what players have been shown so far, it stands to reason that this will also be the case within Santa Monica Studio’s depiction of the ancient religion.
Ever since the secret ending of the last installment in the franchise was discovered, Kratos and Atreus have been on a collision course with the aforementioned god of thunder. Recent trailers for God of War: Ragnarok have helped to underline this even further, while showing off how epic the eventual battle will be. Because of this confrontational relationship though, it's also highly likely that Sif will be antagonistic to the father and son duo no matter what.
Considering how the pair have already killed her step-sons Magni and Modi, there’s an extensive list of reasons why she’d support her husband and the rest of his family. During an interview with the Funko company, Thor’s voice actor, Ryan Hurst, hinted that this would also be the case. One of the reasons that he was apparently attracted to the role was the character’s familial connections. Although Sif wasn’t name-dropped specifically, Hurst did confirm that Thor’s wife will be one of the topics Ragnarok explores.
At the very least, it looks as though fans can expect Sif to be incorporated into the game in reference to Thor. Considering how Kratos’ own wife played a pivotal role in his journey of redemption after God of War 3, it’s easy to imagine this relationship being factored into their conflict. After all, Santa Monica Studio’s Thor has a fair amount of innocent blood on his own hands too. References to how Sif influenced his life could prove to be a fitting contrast to Kratos and Faye’s seemingly brighter relationship.
Sif’s Connection to Loki
Beyond being a big part of the characterization of Thor, there’s a chance that Sif could be incorporated into God of War: Ragnarok in a physical capacity as well. Santa Monica Studio has confirmed that each of the nine realms of Norse mythology will be featured in the game, which means players will get a first-hand look at the political landscape of Asgard. As a prominent member of the Aesir hierarchy, Sif would be a prime candidate to make an appearance while that process is playing out on screen.
Aspects of Norse mythology support the possibility of this idea coming true as well. In most depictions of the ancient religion it’s worth keeping in mind that Sif has a unique relationship with Loki. Atreus’ namesake was said to have once cut off the goddesses’ iconic golden hair during a prank, prompting the pair to become bitter adversaries. Although that dynamic led to the creation of Mjolnir in mythology, something that’s already happened in-game, there’s a chance that Santa Monica Studio could still put its own spin on the story.
The presence of Fenrir within the marketing campaign for God of War: Ragnarok suggests that Atreus will visit Asgard at some point in the game. In mythology the giant beast was chained up by Tyr because of its role in Ragnarok, which means the boy will likely need to free it. Incorporating Sif into the theoretical escape plan, as a supporting villain and obstacle, could be one way for her to make a physical appearance.
Lady Sif
Even though Santa Monica Studio could choose to incorporate Sif into God of War: Ragnarok within a supporting capacity, there's another alternative avenue that the studio could go down instead. The fact that Brok specifically refers to the Norse goddess of earth as 'Lady Sif' in 2018's game could be telling. Although the nickname has mythological origins, it's most famously been used in recent times to describe Marvel’s depiction of the character.
Significantly, in most of the publisher’s comic books and MCU movies, Lady Sif has been portrayed as a highly capable Asgardian warrior. Unlike her mythological counterpart, who focuses more on the political side of Asgard, these versions of Sif have often fought directly alongside Thor. Based on the structure of Santa Monica Studio’s version of Norse mythology, it’s possible that the character could be incorporated into the upcoming sequel along similar lines.
That’s largely down to the fact that Ragnarok represents the end of the Norse world. With it looking likely that Kratos will be unable to prevent the apocalypse from starting, it’s easy to envision everyone being called to the front lines to help defend Asgard. While that would likely secure Sif's incorporation into God of War: Ragnarok in a physical capacity, it’s unlikely that this scenario would end there. Direct confrontation with Kratos in the form of a boss fight could also be on the cards, especially if the fight with Thor ends with the god of thunder's demise and loss of his hammer.
God of War: Ragnarok releases November 9 for PS4 and PS5.