Santa Monica Studio's God of War Ragnarok is poised to be a huge upcoming title for Sony and PlayStation. The new game is highly anticipated by fans of the series who are curious to see what the next step of Kratos and Atreus' journey is. Few details have been revealed about God of War Ragnarok as of yet, despite it being scheduled for release in 2021. While there is little known about Santa Monica Studio's next God of War game, the narrative has some built-in twists and turns that could be influential in the story.
2018's God of War game was a hit for Sony and Santa Monica Studio. The game sold extremely well and received universal acclaim from critics. The narrative, in particular, was praised for its father-son journey and exploration of a new setting. While the father-son duo's main quest was resolved by the end of the game, there are several loose threads that the sequel could pull on. Players who have completed the last game might be able to see where the next God of War's story is leading. With the revelations that came to light in 2018's title, and the presumed premise for the next game, there are multiple narrative curveballs that Santa Monica Studio could explore.
Loki and the World Serpent
During the endgame of 2018's God of War, it was revealed that Atreus is also known as Loki. Kratos is known as Farbauti by the giants, and Atreus' mother Faye is revealed to be Laufey. In Norse mythology, Farbauti and Laufey are the parents of Loki. It seems as though God of War Ragnarok is going to tackle Norse mythology more directly, based on the disclosure of these character's other names. A readymade narrative twist could involve Loki and his parentage of the world serpent. On the surface, it seems strange that Loki, as he appears in 2018's God of War, could be the father of a titan like Jormungandr, but God of War Ragnarok could end up addressing it.
One of the most prevalent pieces of speculation from fans is that time travel could feature in God of War Ragnarok. While this storytelling device has been used in the series before, it could help explain certain discrepancies between the mythological Ragnarok and what has been set up in God of War. Player's have already encountered the world serpent while Atreus/Loki was still a child, which suggests that Loki couldn't possibly have fathered the massive creature. Whether it's through the use of time travel or not, fans are eager to see if Santa Monica Studio will pursue this narrative thread and what twists will follow it.
God of War's Ragnarok Has Some Differences
Based on the events of 2018's God of War, there are some differences between the mythological apocalypse event and God of War's version. Both versions of the event begin with the death of Baldur, which starts a three-year-long period of inclement weather known as Fimbulwinter. After Fimbulwinter, Ragnarok begins, but the start of the apocalypse could likely be very different from the account of it in the Poetic Edda compared to God of War Ragnarok.
In Norse mythology, Loki is imprisoned for his part in Baldur's murder and ultimately escapes. In God of War, Kratos was directly responsible for Baldur's death. God of War changes several aspects of the mythology but the start of Fimbulwinter and how it could affect Ragnarok is significant. Santa Monica Studio has an opportunity to play around with the beginning of the event and adapt it for the God of War franchise. In God of War Ragnarok, the gods will likely seek their vengeance against Kratos, and it'll be interesting for fans to see if it lines up with Loki's mythological punishment, or if it's radically different.
Freya's Role in God of War Ragnarok
One of the biggest loose ends is how Freya will figure into God of War Ragnarok after her son Baldur's brutal death at the hands of Kratos. Throughout the 2018 game, Freya is one of the few allies that Kratos and Atreus can count on for help. This relationship changes by its conclusion after the death of Baldur. Freya tried everything in her power to prevent her son's death, but ultimately he fell to Kratos and Atreus. Freya's attitude changed completely, and she swore revenge against the Ghost of Sparta and his son.
Chief among the rumors for the next game is that Freya could be one of the main villains. This, however, may be difficult for the Vanir goddess, as the potency of her powers has been greatly reduced by Odin after their separation. While it's shown in the 2018 title she has some of her abilities left, she's less powerful than she's traditionally depicted. It is suggested by the end of the game that she's looking for a way to regain her abilities, which might not be good news for Kratos and his son.
Freya could embark on a journey to regain her powers before she can exact her revenge, though how she will regain them is unclear. Freya isn't likely to be the only god seeking vengeance against Kratos, as Thor's cameo appearance in the 2018 game implied. Thor's sons, Magni and Modi, and his half-brother Baldur fell to Kratos and Atreus and it seems almost certain that the god of thunder will seek vengeance. While purely speculative, Thor could forge a temporary alliance with Freya for her to regain her potency and takedown Kratos and his son.
Freya is generally considered to be a survivor of Ragnarok in the mythological tales, so it will be interesting for fans to see where Santa Monica Studio takes her arc. The events of Ragnarok haven't lined up exactly like the myths in God of War, so the developer could take Freya's character in several directions. With all the possible twists lined up, it's going to be difficult for fans to predict what's going to happen during God of War's Ragnarok. While it's currently releasing in 2021, it's possible that God of War Ragnarok could be delayed. Until official news is released, fans of the series will surely speculate on the many possible directions of the sought-after sequel.
God of War Ragnarok is currently in development and scheduled for a 2021 launch.