Since his first game in 2005, Kratos' story has gotten quite long. He has met a ton of characters, killed many friends as well as enemies, and has done a fair share of traveling. With how much he has gone through, a lot of players don't know this whole story. With God of War 4, Kratos has changed a ton. In a way, he was rebuilt for a new generation of players. His past in God of War 4 doesn't matter so much. We are now far away from Greece. For new fans, it is a ton of exposition to cover with little payoff.
For the curious newcomers of the series, here are ten little-known facts about Kratos' past. Even those who have played the three base games before God of War 4 may not know a lot of these, as a lot of these facts were revealed in lesser-known titles and in books/comics.
10 Hera Wanted Kratos Killed As A Baby
For those who know Hera both in mythology and the game, this should come as no surprise. Kratos is a son of Zeus and one of many children that resulted from one of Zeus' mortal flings. Hera is known for her jealously, so of course, she wanted Kratos to be killed the moment he was born.
Zeus actually refused Hera's wish and sent Kratos' mom, Callisto, to Sparta to raise him.
9 The Scar On His Right Eye Was Given To Him By Ares
Kratos has had a scar on his right eye since the first game and only a small population of fans know who delivered the blow. It was Ares.
It actually happened while Kratos was just a child. Ares kidnapped his younger brother, Deimos, over a misunderstanding. Kid Kratos tried to protect his brother, and Ares punched his eye and nearly killed him. The only reason Ares did not end his life was that Athena stopped him.
8 He Had A Younger Brother Who Inspired His Tattoo
Kratos having a younger brother would seem like important information, but it is not revealed in the main games.
The younger brother was named Deimos and he has very unique birthmarks on his body. If the birthmarks look familiar, that is because they are what inspired Kratos' body tattoos. It was due to Deimos' birthmarks that he was kidnapped by Ares. Ares did so because there was a prophecy of a marked warrior killing all the gods. Ironically (as often done in Greek myths), Ares set in motion their destruction by another marked warrior.
7 He Cured His Daughter, Calliope, Of A Illness And Became A Spartan Captain
Many fans are hoping that Kratos' first child, Calliope, will be mentioned in later games. Atreus is not his first child, and it seems that he treats Atreus quite differently than he did his daughter.
An important plot around his daughter is that she was quite sick. The Spartan community wanted to kill her because she was weak. Kratos went on a journey to get a miracle plant that could heal her. He succeeded and that won the respect of the Spartan King and he made Kratos Captain due to his competence and bravery.
6 Kratos Carved A Flute For Calliope In One Of The Rare Times He Spent Time With Her
Like Atreus (before his mother passed away), Calliope was pretty sheltered. Kratos spent very little time with his family. However, while everyone feared Kratos, this daughter and wife did not.
In a rare sweet moment, Kratos actually carves a flute for his daughter. This haunts his memories later after he kills his family, as he can sometimes hear a ghostly flute sound as though his daughter is nearby.
5 He Killed His Own Mom
Kratos always gets a raw deal. His mother suffered what all his family members suffered, him killing them. In this case, Kratos was forced to kill her because she turns into a monster and attacks him.
From what little fans know, Kratos and his mother always seemed to have a decent relationship. Though she did keep it secret that his father was Zeus for a very long time.
4 He Almost Got To Be With His Dead Daughter... Almost
Calliope's soul actually got to go to a pretty nice place. She went to the Elysian Fields in the Greek Underworld, which is where innocent and pure souls reside. In Greek Mythology, it's a little different (more closely related to Valhalla).
Kratos found his daughter there and almost gave up his powers to live in the fields with her. However, he found out about a plot by Persephone that would basically plunge the world into darkness and chaos. In order to stop her, he had to forsake and abandon his daughters' soul.
3 Kratos Served The Olympian Gods For Ten Years
After serving Ares, rebelling, and going through a ton of trauma, Kratos served gods like Athena just so that they can erase his trauma. They had him serving them for ten long years.
With that in mind, it is no wonder that Kratos grew to hate most of them. In God of War 4, he has absolutely no trust in the Norse pantheon and who can blame him? He was used for ten years and only got more traumatized.
2 Kratos Destroys The Plant That Once Cured His Daughter So That Ares' Disciples Couldn't Have It
The plant Kratos used to cure this daughter is Ambrosia. Not only can it be a miracle cure for ailments, but it can grant immortality and revive the dead.
After Kratos killed Ares, he found out that Ares' followers were seeking this plant to revive their god. Kratos destroyed the plant. In the process, innocent people who used the plant to help the sick were doomed.
1 He Has Tried To Kill Himself More Than Just Once
Fans who played the first game were introduced to Kratos by seeing him attempt to end his own life. The gods stopped him and made him the new god of war. However, that was not the only time he tried to take his own life. Another well known time is when he impaled himself on the Blade of Olympus. That time, many fans that it was the end of his story.
As for the future of Kratos, it is looking like he will continue the famous cycle of mythology. He will likely be killed by his own son. Such a scene was depicted on a mural near the end of God of War 4. Kratos was aware of it but hid it from Atreus.