Kratos is one of video games' most recognizable characters, with him and God of War becoming some of the most enduring aspects of the video game industry. The amount of carnage contained in God of War is comparable to games like Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry, but neither protagonists have the hatred and vitriol that Kratos has.
The protagonist of God of War is a tall bald man with a muscular build. As a demigod, he is capable of saving many, but he squanders his power most of the time. There are several interesting facts about Kratos that many players aren't aware of, with the more relatively unknown ones being mentioned below.
Updated December 4, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: God of War is a brilliant title that needs no introduction, with the latest resurrection of the series being quite impressive. The God of War reboot was incredible, and Ragnarok continues this streak of brilliance with an epic story and some of the most memorable characters in the series to date. At the helm of this series is Kratos, one of the angriest video game protagonists of all time who decides to tone down his murderous nature to become a father for Atreus in the rebooted series. He's an incredibly deep and complex character who is defined by much more than his Spartan Rage.
1 He Was Originally Meant To Roam Other Mythologies And Meet His Counterparts
After a lengthy stint in Greece, Kratos decided to move over to Norse mythology and live a relatively sheltered life. However, if the original plans for this character were set in motion, then this switch over to different mythologies would've happened way sooner.
After all, the original plan for the God of War series was for Kratos to be wronged and travel to different mythologies, convincing the other Gods of War to join him in his quest for revenge. This idea was scrapped, however, with the game being limited to a single mythology instead.
2 His Tattoos Were Meant To Be Blue
Kratos' ash-white skin and red tattoos have become pretty synonymous with his character. His character design is quite memorable in its own right, but there was one major part of his look that could've been changed quite a bit.
As per the original plans for his design, Kratos was originally going to have blue tattoos instead of the red ones he's known for now. However, just a few days before his reveal, this character's tattoo color was changed since he looked a bit too similar to the Barbarian in Diablo 2.
3 The Voice Actor For Kratos Has Changed Multiple Times
As a young and naive demigod, Kratos made foolish mistakes in his blinding rage. Earlier games depict Kratos as a selfish person who seems to hate all the gods. In the newest God of War game, Kratos has lightened up and has taken on the responsibility of raising his boy. This undertaking is not something he would have done in previous God of War games.
Another thing that has changed since the beginning of God of War is Kratos' voice actor. It was Terrence 'T.C.' Carson, who voiced Kratos in all the games leading up to God of War 3, then it became Christopher Judge in the latest God of War installment. Also, in God of War: Ascension, Antony Del Rio voiced a young Kratos. The difference is noticeable when paying close attention.
4 He Could've Been Absent From The God Of War Reboot
While Kratos is definitely a pretty great and memorable character, there's no denying that the initial version of his character was pretty one-dimensional. Staying angry all the time isn't exactly the most riveting personality trait after a point, and even Cory Barlog himself admitted as much.
In fact, he went so far as to say that the God of War reboot might not even have featured Kratos because it was so hard to write his character. Thankfully, this idea was nipped in the bud, and Santa Monica Studios managed to write a more mature version of Kratos who still had his moments of rage while trying to be a good role model for his son.
5 Kratos Is Based On Cratus From Greek Mythology, And His Name Means "Power"
Kratos may be a fictional character in a video game, but he is also based on literary works from Ancient Greek mythology. Cratus is the child of Pallas and Styx. Pallus and Styx are a war god and underworld goddess, respectively, and the name "Kratos" is also associated with words such as "strength" and "might."
Although Kratos is inspired by his Ancient Greek counterpart, there are distinct differences between the two. Cratus is an enforcer of the heavenly throne, and Kratos despises the other gods and has an unquenchable thirst for power.
6 Early Designs Of Kratos Illustrated Him With Long Hair While Carrying A Baby
The image of Kratos has changed throughout the God of War series. Unbeknownst to many, early designs of Kratos depicted him as a character with long hair, and, in some drawings, he was holding a baby.
This image of Kratos with a baby might remind a lot of people of the Death Stranding trailer. Something about holding a baby makes him seem even more heroic. Long hair could have worked out, but, in the end, being bald with tattoos made him a more recognizable character.
7 Kratos Is Really, Really Tall
Standing next to a giant, Kratos looks as if he is 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall. His son, who is old enough to fight in deadly battles, is about as tall as the legs of Kratos.
According to a developer at SIE Santa Monica Studio, Kratos is about 7' 6" (2.3 meters) tall in the comic books and about 6' 4" (1.8 meters) in the game. Regardless of which estimate is more correct, Kratos is really, really tall.
8 Kratos Made An Appearance In A Simpsons Game And An Episode Of The Simpsons
Kratos makes an appearance in a The Simpsons game titled "The Simpsons Game," which is shown in the above photo. The game on the billboard is called "God of Wharf."
In addition to appearing in a Simpsons game, Kratos was featured in an episode of The Simpsons. The God of War reference in the television series is also about a game, and it's called "Guts Of War 2: Entrails of Intestinox." Bart beats the game faster than a developer anticipates during an E4 (har, har) convention. The parody can be seen in an episode called "The Food Wife."
9 Kratos Might Appear In A God Of War Movie
As reported by MovieWeb, "Pacific Rim: Uprising director Steven S. DeKnight wants to make an R-rated God of War movie, and he's actually met with Sony about it." The director wants to cast Dave Bautista in the role of Kratos, and many people would definitely be stoked to see Kratos on the big screen. Actors such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Momoa have also been proposed for the role.
Nothing is set in stone yet, so the most people can do here is speculate. The stigma behind video game movies has gone away, so there isn't a better time to make a God of War movie.
10 Kratos Won The 2010 Spike Video Game Award For "Biggest Baddass"
The 2010 Spike Video Game Awards were held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was an event hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, and, unlike other years, not all the awards were given during the show. One award that stood out was the "Biggest Badass Award," which was awarded to Kratos.
Without a doubt, this award was given justly due to Kratos' violent outbursts and lack of sympathy for anyone. There isn't a character in video games who is more deserving of this award.