PLEASE NOTE: This article contains MASSIVE Spoilers for God of War Ragnarok. Proceed at your own risk.2018's God of War was a phenomenon when it launched. Bringing the beloved mythology-based hack-and-slash franchise to the modern age of gaming with a more grounded, mature narrative, God of War quickly became a modern classic, and it brought a whole new audience to the series. One of the biggest factors that thrust God of War into the mainstream media at the time was the game's ending, which teased an ominous future for Kratos and Atreus, a future which may or may not happen in God of War Ragnarok.
One of the biggest questions going in to God of War Ragnarok was if Kratos was going to meet his end in the sequel, and if his demise had anything to do with the ending teaser of God of War 2018. Well, with God of War Ragnarok now out for the best part of a week, it's time to dissect exactly what God of War's final mural meant and how that relates to Kratos' fate in God of War 2018.
How God of War's Final Mural is Fulfilled in God of War Ragnarok
Right at the end of God of War 2018, Kratos and Atreus finally make it to Jotunheim, the Realm of the giants, where they intend to spread the ashes of their recently deceased wife and mother. Before heading to the highest peak in the all of the Nine Realms, Kratos and Atreus stumble upon a wall that's painted with a prophetic mural. This mural reveals Kratos' wife and Atreus' mother, Faye, to be a giant, and depicts the entire events of the game up to this point, suggesting that the giants foresaw all this happening.
Along with this, it's also revealed that Faye's true name is Laufey, and Atreus' giant name is actually Loki. Reeling from this revelation, Atreus walks out of the temple, but before Kratos can join him he catches the glimpse of another mural. Though the majority is destroyed, Kratos can make out one image quite clearly: a young boy kneeling, cradling a bald man with a beard who's lying lifelessly on the ground. A mysterious serpent-like substance is connecting the two figures by their mouths.
Going into God of War Ragnarok, most fans had the expectation that this mural would come to fruition in some form. While some fans believed that this bald, bearded man was Kratos, and that this mural cemented the notion that he would die in God of War Ragnarok, others believed that the mural may be a misdirect, and Atreus is actually cradling a different character in his arms.
Well, at the end of God of War Ragnarok, the prophecy set in this mural does in fact come to fruition, though not quite as some fans were expecting. After laying siege to Asgard, Kratos, Atreus and Freya battle Odin. Falling through the ground, they all land in Odin's workshop, where he begs Atreus to use the mysterious Mask artifact to gain the knowledge of the tear in reality. Atreus chooses to break the Mask, and Odin rushes towards him. Atreus stops Odin dead in his tracks, taking out an empty Giant Marble, and beginning to whisper a spell. Falling into his arms, Atreus whispers Odin's soul out of his body, and traps it in the Marble. The camera pans back, and the scene closely resembles the final mural of God of War 2018, with Odin lying lifeless in Atreus' arms.
God of War Ragnarok is available on PS4 and PS5.