Since 2018, God of War has been a wildly different narrative experience compared to the series’ early outings, featuring an older, wiser, and emotionally more complex Kratos who is trying to come to terms with his past deeds.
Interestingly enough, we may never have gotten the Kratos we have today. The concept art for God of War 3 showcases that Santa Monica had developed a few options for how the original trilogy’s finale could’ve played out, and from what we’ve seen, the Norse gods could have witnessed a far scarier version of the Ghost of Sparta in the recent entries.
What Would’ve Happened if Kratos Hadn’t Received the Power of Hope in God of War 3?
Despite the many discussions and debates people have on the different aspects of God of War, particularly the Norse saga, everyone unanimously agrees that Santa Monica‘s narrative direction with Kratos was nothing but a stroke of genius, giving a violent demigod time to become a warrior that strives for peace and hope above all else.
It’s a brilliant evolution of a character that has known only pain and the path of revenge for most of his life. However, as previously mentioned, this may not have been the path the developers ended up taking for the character, as shown by the following post:
This Kratos never made past the concept stuff, but if Kratos actually got possessed the evils of Pandora’s Box in GoW 3, how much of a problem would he be for the Greek and Norse worlds?
byu/Equal_Combination318 inGodofWar
Reading the comments, it becomes clear that, had Kratos truly been devoured by the Evils, the series would have ended then and there, as none would have been strong enough to stop him, and Kratos, too, would have strayed from his path and motivations, becoming mindless monster.
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byu/Equal_Combination318 from discussion
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Of course, from a narrative standpoint, this direction for the character wouldn’t have worked, as everything, starting from God of War 2 and leading into Ragnarök, suggests that Kratos’ true calling has always been to become a “God of Hope,” something slowly ingrained into the character over time.
The God of War Series Could Explore the Idea of Evil Through Another Video Game
Since the end of Ragnarök, fans have been speculating on where this series could head next.
While the game clearly gives Kratos’ story a somewhat satisfying conclusion, there are still many ideas that can be explored through Kratos’ adventure.
For instance, Kratos’s inadvertent release of evil and corruption into the world in God of War 3 can still be explored in a proper sequel, with him and Atreus figuring out a way to fix the problem once and for all.
At the end of the day, however, it is essential to keep in mind that the themes of Ragnarök also focuses on passing on the mantle to the next generation, so perhaps we can let the old God of War get his much-deserved rest, as Atreus builds on his legacy in the future.
With that said, what are your thoughts on this? Would you like to see Santa Monica explore the Evils-possessed Kratos in a what-if spinoff? Let us know in the comments below!
