Thor, Norse god of thunder, is well-known across pop-culture from his lightning-slinging stint in the MCU to references across music, TV, and games. The Thor who is referenced in 2018’s God of War, however, is a very different character from the affable hero fans might know from other media.
God of War’s cosmology is a rogues’ gallery of brutal warlords, paranoid kings, and scheming underlings. The Thor of the God of War universe is among its most terrifying characters, and one almost certain to make an appearance in the game’s upcoming sequel, whose trailer makes the promise that “Ragnarok is coming.”
Thor the God
Thor is not seen in the main gameplay of 2018’s God of War, though he does make an appearance in God of War’s secret ending when Atreus has a vision of Thor finding him and Kratos at the end of Fimbulwinter. Despite his absence from most of the game, Thor’s reputation and the trauma he has caused others is discussed far and wide across the Nine Realms.
Thor is the second-in-command of the Aesir, the principle gods of the Norse pantheon, next only to his father Odin. His mother was the giantess Fjorgyn, and it is implied that she died in childbirth, with an in-game Lore Marker claiming that “for her gift of life, her life was claimed.”
Thor had his own sons by different mothers, Magni and Modi, who he sends to find Kratos and Atreus. Thor had long-favored Magni, giving him the sole credit for helping lift the giant Hrungnir’s body when it fell and pinned Thor to the ground despite both brothers working together to save their father. When Magni is killed by Kratos, Thor severely beats Modi for his cowardice. Though some accounts of Rangarok have Magni and Modi surviving to take up Thor’s hammer, Atreus kills Modi, leaving both brothers dead in the game’s story.
Thor’s famous hammer Mjolnir was created by the dwarven brothers Brok and Sindri, seen in the last game. Both would come to deeply regret creating the weapon, as Thor’s reputation as a blood-thirsty monster reached new heights.
Thor the Monster
After Odin had to flee Jotunheim – the realm of the giants – for trying to steal their knowledge of the future he ordered Thor to slaughter every giant in Midgard. The thunder god met his match, however, when he tried to face down the World Serpent, leading to a stalemate which is prophesized to end with them killing each other during the final battle of Ragnarok. Thor was also never able to hunt down Atreus’ mother Faye either, whose ability to elude him infuriated the god.
Kratos and Atreus even meet the spirit of a disciple of Thor who had the displeasure of meeting the object of his worship. After the death of the spirit’s father, the man built a statue to Thor, who then appeared to offer condolences. However, the god overstayed his welcome and when asked to leave killed the man’s wife in a drunken rage.
None of this is too far from the brutal Thor of Norse mythology. In the myths, Thor murders giants left and right and binds Loki in the entrails of the trickster god’s own children among other grizzly deeds. In God of War, Thor is framed as the personal executor of a genocide, and easily a monster to rival Ares or Zeus from the original trilogy. Whether or not Thor will fulfill his destiny during Ragnarok, and how many more will be subject to his reign of terror, remains to be seen in the next game.
The God of War sequel is in development.