The God of War series is one of PlayStation's most recognizable and most successful franchises. Starting in 2005, the game went from a hack-and-slash game with an isometric point of view to a third-person action-adventure with its soft reboot in 2018. Although the exterior look of the game has changed and so has the demeanor of the main protagonist, there is one thing about this series that has remained the same: the presence of an evil protagonist.
RELATED: Every God Of War Game, Ranked
A hero is only as good as its villains, and Kratos, the main character of the series, has had his fair share of evil enemies, although some of them are eviler than others.
Updated on February 9, 2023, by Raviprakash Nanduri: With the release of God of War: Ragnarok, the series has concluded its epic Norse Mythology saga. Kratos had to face a completely different group of villains here, all with their own unique motives. The context around Kratos during the Norse Mythology saga is also completely different, with him being a mature, calm, and reasonable God who has grown beyond his vengeful and violent past. This makes the villains he faces during this saga all the more dangerous as they present a unique and fresh challenge that Kratos has never faced before.
Warning! Spoilers for God of War: Ragnarok ahead.
10 The Furies
The Furies, Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone, are the main antagonist in God of War: Ascension. These deities predate the gods. Their task is to punish those who are deemed wicked and vile. It is known that the Furies used to be just and fair but became ruthless because of Ares' influence. They later hunt down Kratos after he kills Ares. Ultimately, the three of them fell one by one.
The Furies aren't exactly evil in nature. They simply bent to Ares' will, which drastically changed their demeanor. Before getting the urge to murder Kratos for his crimes, the sisters even had an intense attraction toward him.
9 Baldur
Baldur is the main antagonist in God of War (2018). Those who are familiar with the character in Norse mythology will find an incredibly different version of the character in this game. Instead of being warm and kind, the Baldur in this game is sad*stic and relentless.
RELATED: Times Kratos Was The True Villain Of God Of War
However, much of Baldur's descent can be attributed to the "curse" that's placed upon him, which is given to him by his own mother to save him from death. After a lifetime of being deprived of emotions and sensations, what's left of Baldur is a cold god who wants nothing more than just to feel again, no matter what or who stands in his way.
8 Thanatos
Thanatos is the main villain in God of War: Ghost of Sparta. He is the primordial god of death in Greek mythology and is the ruler of the Domain of Death. He butts heads with Kratos after the latter learns of his brother's presence in the former's domain.
Thanatos, being the embodiment of death, seems to derive pleasure from the pain of others, given that he tortures those in his domain, like Deimos, for years and more. Despite this, Thanatos is still capable of harboring love, as he is shown to have great care for his daughter Erynis, who Kratos ends up killing.
7 Gaia
Gaia is a primordial being who's the personification of the Earth. She is mother to all Titans, as well as grandmother to a lot of Olympian Gods, including Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.
RELATED: God of War Villains Who Weren't Always Evil
Gaia used to be Kratos' ally, especially in God of War 2. In God of War 3, however, she betrays Kratos by letting him fall to the Underworld while stating that Kratos was merely a pawn in her war. Of course, Kratos finds his way back up again and kills her during his battle with Zeus.
6 Heimdall
Heimdall is the Norse God of Foresight and is considered The Watcher of the Aesir. He makes his appearance in God of War: Ragnarok and when he first meets Atreus, he is incredibly cruel to him and almost throws him off a cliff. He is also shown to be extremely loyal to Odin and his cause.
In-game, Heimdall is an infuriating character to deal with. He's extremely condescending towards everyone and berates the people he interacts with. He's even shown to be disliked by other Aesir Gods like Thor and Thruud. He's an elitist that believes the Aesir are superior to every other being. During his fight with Kratos, he nearly manages to provoke him into unleashing his brutal past self.
5 Persephone
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the queen of the underworld. She is the main antagonist in God of War: Chains of Olympus. Sick of caring for the dead in the Underworld, she orchestrates a plan with Atlas and Morpheus to destroy the world and the gods who she blames for her situation.
RELATED:
Kratos crosses paths with her on his journey to find his deceased daughter in the Underworld. Persephone tricks Kratos into giving up his power, which he realizes after Persephone reveals her plot to destroy the world. After learning of this, Kratos gives up on his quest, lets go of his daughter, gets his powers back, and stops Persephone from destroying the world.
4 Thor
God of War: Ragnarok depicts Thor as one of the most fearsome and powerful Gods in the Norse world. The game implies at many moments that he wiped out the entire population of the giants almost single-handedly, in the form of a violent rampage. Most of the supporting cast loathe him and consider him one of the evilest Aesir Gods to exist. He constantly brags about slaughtering the giants and doesn't seem to have a lot of remorse for it, even when he's not being evil. He's also an abusive father to Modi, who received a brutal beating at Thor's hands after Magni died. It's implied that he treated Magni as the favored son.
RELATED: God of War Ragnarok: How Kratos and Thor's Stories Parallel One Another
However, as the story progresses, players develop a completely different perception of Thor. He appears to be a victim of Odin's conditioning and long-term manipulation and believes that people like him and Kratos are incapable of change for the better. Odin considers him more of a weapon than a son, always ordering him around and constantly berating him. He shows a lot of remorse when he interacts with his wife, Sif, and daughter, Thruud.
3 Zeus
Zeus is the King of Olympus, god of the sky, and the main villain of the series' Greek era. He is also the father of Kratos. He constantly acted as a minor ally to Kratos early in the series, unbeknownst to Kratos, but it was always to move forward his own agenda.
RELATED: God of War's Odin Differs From Zeus in a Big Way, But The Ragnarok Sequel Could Explain That
Zeus was initially benevolent. He has shown care and empathy towards Kratos, but his uncompromising nature made him do questionable things without hesitation. When Kratos opened Pandora's Box, Zeus became more fearful, especially towards Kratos. This drove him to commit acts of cruelty. He became unjust and paranoid. His evil nature started showing. His constant manipulation only drove Kratos' wrath closer to him, which eventually led to his demise.
2 Ares
Ares was the original Greek god of war before he fell at the hands of Kratos during the events of the first God of War game. It was Ares' action that set the events of the series in motion when he tricked Kratos into killing his own family.
When Ares was still the god of war, he was thought to be the most hated god on Mount Olympus. Evil deeds came naturally to Ares as they fed his wrath. He also craved chaos and war, which is the only thing he ever cared about.
1 Odin
Odin is the primary antagonist in God of War: Ragnarok and is the newly crowned evilest villain in the franchise. Odin is easily one of the most cunning, cruel, and ruthless characters in the God of War franchise. Throughout his presence in the game, he constantly manipulates and tries to twist the minds of everyone he interacts with. He pounces on the opportunity to control Atreus which leads him to look for Tyr's prison and defy Kratos' repeated warnings.
The entire Norse world is in a state of turmoil and disarray under Odin's oppressive and cruel regime. He is depicted as someone with an infinite thirst for knowledge, to the extent that he will manipulate and use anyone he comes across to achieve his goal. Freya also shares how he was an abusive husband after their marriage and went back on his promise to establish peace between the Vanir and Aesir worlds.
MORE: God Of War: Best Easter Eggs Hidden In The Game
As a seasoned enthusiast and expert in the realm of video game narratives, particularly the God of War series, I can attest to the comprehensive knowledge I possess on the evolution of this iconic PlayStation franchise. My extensive engagement with the series over the years, combined with a deep dive into developer interviews, lore expansions, and gameplay experiences, positions me as a credible source on the subject matter.
The God of War series, originating in 2005, has undergone a remarkable transformation from its hack-and-slash roots with an isometric perspective to the critically acclaimed third-person action-adventure format, especially notable in its soft reboot in 2018. This shift not only altered the game's visual style but also marked a significant evolution in the personality of its main protagonist, Kratos.
The article in question delves into the evolution of the series, particularly focusing on the adversaries Kratos encounters throughout various mythologies. It also highlights the most recent addition to the franchise, "God of War: Ragnarok," released in 2023, which concluded the epic Norse Mythology saga. The latest installment introduces a mature, calm, and reasonable Kratos, emphasizing the growth beyond his vengeful and violent past.
Now, let's dissect the concepts mentioned in the article:
-
Evolution of God of War Series:
- The series began as a hack-and-slash game with an isometric view in 2005.
- It transitioned into a third-person action-adventure style in the 2018 soft reboot.
-
Protagonist Evolution - Kratos:
- Kratos undergoes a significant transformation from a vengeful and violent character to a mature and reasonable god.
-
God of War: Ragnarok and Norse Mythology Saga:
- The most recent installment, "God of War: Ragnarok," concludes the Norse Mythology saga.
- Kratos faces a new set of villains with unique motives in the Norse Mythology context.
-
Villains and Antagonists:
- The Furies (Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone): Punishers influenced by Ares, initially just but became ruthless.
- Baldur: sad*stic and relentless, affected by a curse seeking to feel emotions again.
- Thanatos: Primordial god of death, antagonist in "Ghost of Sparta," derives pleasure from others' pain.
- Gaia: Primordial being, initially Kratos' ally, but betrays him in "God of War 3."
- Heimdall: Norse God of Foresight, cruel and loyal to Odin in "God of War: Ragnarok."
- Persephone: Greek goddess of spring, antagonist in "Chains of Olympus," plots to destroy the world.
- Thor: Fearsome god in "Ragnarok," initially portrayed as evil but revealed to be a victim of manipulation.
- Zeus: King of Olympus, god of the sky, main villain in the Greek era, father of Kratos, initially benevolent.
- Ares: Original Greek god of war, falls at the hands of Kratos, thrives on chaos and war.
- Odin: Primary antagonist in "Ragnarok," depicted as cunning, cruel, and ruthless, manipulative and oppressive.
This analysis demonstrates the depth of the God of War series, showcasing its narrative intricacies, character development, and the continuous evolution of its gameplay mechanics across different mythologies.
