Summary
In theGod of Warfranchise, Kratos is known not only for being nearly impossible to kill, but also for his brutality and merciless actions against the gods and anyone else unfortunate enough to cross his path. Whether it was civilians,massive ancient Titans, or even gods who did nothing but taunt him from a distance, Kratos had enough rage for them all.
The 2018 reboot, presented fans of the franchise with a new Kratos who had not only become a family man again after centuries of mourning the loss of his original wife and daughter, but also a much wiser warrior with a more stable temperament. Upon reflecting for years, Kratos has come to feel remorse for many of his decisions. Here are some ofKratos' biggest regrets.
6Killing Helios
Kratos Apologizes To Him, Even Though He’s Just A Manifestation Of His Own Mind
Kratos has never been one to look back on killing specific gods that crossed his path, but during theValhallaDLC inGod of War Ragnarök, the manifestations of his mind showed he felt a certain degree of remorse for killing Helios. Maybe it wasn’t something that was eating away at his conscience, but it was definitely something that, in his later years, would not have happened.
Granted, Kratos needed Helios' head to progress throughGod of War 3, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he gave the Sun god a gruesome death, which he acknowledged was “unjust”:
5Killing Athena
Throughout the original trilogy, Kratos had one goal, and one goal only, killing his father, Zeus, for the pain he’d inflicted upon him. While the other gods he killed in his path were also on his list, most of them meant nothing to him. Athena was one of the few gods that Kratos actually cared about, or at least didn’t despise, which is why accidentally stabbing her with the Blade of Olympus during the ending ofGod of War 2is one of his biggest regrets.
As he fought Zeus, Kratos was consumed by blind rage and the excitement of thinking that his long journey was nearing an end made him careless and quick to action. During the final moments of the epic battle, he accidentally plunged the Blade of Olympus into Athena’s chest, sealing her fate. During the cutscene, Kratos' regret is evident, as he not only appears to be saddened by what he just did, but his words and demeanor change as well.
4Killing Hephaestus
While Doing So Was Self Defense, Kratos Understands Hephaestus' Actions
While Kratos was never known for forming strong bonds with anyone, he had a certain kind of friendship with the Olympian blacksmith. Being cast out of Olympus due to his appearance and other flaws, Hephaestus hated the gods almost as much as Kratos, and for the majority of his time in the game, he appeared to want to help the Ghost of Sparta in his endeavors.
Sadly, at one point duringGod of War 3, he betrays Kratos, trying to stop him from using Pandora to open Pandora’s Box. This leads to Kratos killing him in his own lair. While Kratos never really dwelled on anything he did back then, he speaks about Hephaestus in the reboot titles and the remorse in his voice is evident. With age, Kratos understood that Hephaestus loved Pandora as his daughter, and he would have done anything to protect her.
He tried to kill Kratos, yes, but the blacksmith acted out of love, not out of rage or a desire for revenge.
3His Murderous Rampage
After Centuries Of Reflection, He Understands It Brought Him No Relief
One of the things that makes players love Kratos so much is his ruthlessness and unwavering capacity for violence while looking for well-deserved revenge. There’s just something epic about watching a powerful demigod take on deities that, until that point, appeared to be immortal and untouchable.
However, the older Kratos doesn’t share that same love for his former self. During the events ofGod of War (2018), he tells his story to Atreus, his son, and explains in detail what he did, who he was, and how his actions had repercussions on the world. Not only does Kratos clearly say that he regrets having done what he did, but his expressions, tone of voice and body language convey it as well. There’s almost a tint of shame as he talks to Atreus, and that’s something that was never seen in the original trilogy.
It’s easy to forget, that, even though he was fairly justified in killing the gods of Olympus,many of them never did anything to Kratos, and even worse, they were his family.
2Killing The Boat Captain
An Innocent Man Kratos Thinks Of Frequently
Before the events of theValhallaDLC, the boat captain from the originalGod of Warwas nothing but a funny reference that Santa Monica Studios inserted here and there. Veteran players will remember how, when fighting the Hydra, Kratos seemed to return to save the boat captain before he was swallowed by the vicious creature. However, as Kratos cruelly said, he didn’t go back to save the man but rather to get his key. Sadly, not even in death could the boat captain escape Kratos, as he encountered him once again as he was falling into the river Styx.
In theValhallaDLC, Kratos tells the story of the captain to Mimir from his older self’s perspective. He mentions feeling extreme regret about how he treated him and other innocent civilians whose only crime had been to accidentally be in his way. In his own words, “He was just a man afraid for his life, attacked and swallowed by a monster he had no hope of defeating. But the Hydra was just an animal. I showed him what a true monster looked like”.
1Killing His Family
The Event That Caused The Demise Of Olympus
Ares manipulating Kratos into killing his wife and daughter is the most important event in theGod of Warfranchise, as it led to his hatred towards the gods, and sparked the fire of rage within him. Kratos never meant to kill his family. In fact, when he did so, he was under the influence of Ares after becoming his puppet and pledging his soul to him. Nonetheless, Kratos still feels extremely guilty about it, even if he had no control over the matter.
If there are any doubts about how much Kratos regrets this happening, all players have to do islook at the ruins of Olympus.
