Characters of God of War

Characters from the original God of War: (front left) Kratos with original blue coloring, the Body Burner, the Oracle of Athens, Kratos, his wife Lysandra, his daughter Calliope, the Boat Captain, the Gravedigger, Athenian soldiers, and (lying in front) the twins Zora and Lora. Behind the characters are several monsters from the game.

The characters of the God of War video game franchise belong to a fictional universe loosely based on Greek mythology and Norse mythology. As such, the series features a range of traditional figures, including those from Greek mythology, such as the Olympian Gods, Titans, and Greek heroes, and those from Norse mythology, including the Æsir and Vanir gods and other beings. A number of original characters have also been created to supplement storylines.

The overall story arc focuses on the series' only playable single-player character, the protagonist Kratos, a Spartan warrior haunted by visions of himself accidentally killing his wife and child. The character finally avenges his family by killing his former master and manipulator, Ares, the God of War. Although Kratos becomes the new God of War, he is still plagued by nightmares and is eventually betrayed by Zeus, the King of the Olympian Gods—revealed by the goddess Athena to be Kratos' father. The constant machinations of the gods and Titans and their misuse of Kratos eventually drive him to destroy Mount Olympus. Many years following the destruction of Olympus, Kratos ends up in Midgard with a son named Atreus. He trains and teaches the boy while hiding his past from him. Their journey to keep a promise to the boy's late mother ends with Kratos and Atreus becoming enemies to the Norse gods.

God of War (2005), created by Sony's Santa Monica Studio, was the inaugural game in the series, the main part of which continued with God of War II (2007), God of War III (2010), and series prequel Ascension (2013); and side games Betrayal (2007), Chains of Olympus (2008), and Ghost of Sparta (2010). These seven games comprised the Greek era of the series. The Norse era began with the sequel to God of War III, which is also titled God of War (2018). The God of War mythos expanded into literature, with a novelization of the original God of War published in 2010, and a six-issue comic series that introduced new characters and plot developments that was published from 2010–11. A novelization of God of War II was published in 2013, and a film adaptation of the original God of War has been in development since 2005. A prequel graphic novel titled Rise of the Warrior (2012–13) was released in the lead up to Ascension's release and is the backstory of the player's multiplayer character. To go along with the 2018 game, a text-based game, A Call from the Wilds, was released in February 2018, followed by a novelization in August, and then a four-issue comic series that began publication in November, serving as a prequel to the 2018 game.

God of War has become a highly lucrative franchise on account of the commercial and critical success of the series. Products include action figures, artwork, clothing, Slurpee cups, sweepstakes, and special edition video game consoles. The character of Kratos received positive comments from reviewers, and was described as a "sympathetic antihero" by GameSpy. Game Guru claimed "Practically anyone, even if they hadn't played any of the God of War games, would know about Kratos." Several reviewers have praised the portrayal of other characters: PAL Gaming Network claimed that the original God of War's voice acting is "up there with the best", while IGN have complimented most of the games in the series, saying of God of War II that the characters were "timeless" and the voice acting was "great".

Overview

Key

• A ^Y indicates the actor portrayed the role of a younger version of the character.
• An ^O indicates a role as an older version of the character.
• A ^V indicates the actor or actress lent only his or her voice for his or her film character.
• An ^M indicates the model served as a body double, with the actor or actress's likeness superimposed onto the model.
• An ^L indicates the actor or actress lent only their likeness for his or her film character.
• An ^P indicates an appearance through a photographic still.
• An ^C indicates a cameo appearance.
• A dark gray cell indicates the character was not in the film.

Actor(s)	Greek Era							Norse Era
	God of War: Ascension	God of War: Chains of Olympus	God of War	God of War: Ghost of Sparta	God of War: Betrayal	God of War II	God of War III Remastered	God of War: A Call from the Wilds	God of War
	2013	2008	2005	2010	2007		2010, 2015	2018
	Protaganists
Kratos God of War Ghost of Sparta	Terrence C. Carson			Terrence C. Carson Antony Del RioY	Terrence C. Carson			Christopher Judge
Redeemed Warrior Unknown Assassin	Silent				Neil Kaplan Isaac C. Singleton Jr.
Athena Goddess of Wisdom		Erin Torpey	Carole Ruggier	Erin Torpey		Carole Ruggier	Erin Torpey		Erin Torpey
Deimos				Elijah Wood			Mark Deklin Bridger ZadinaY
Pandora	Mentioned						Natalie Lander
Atreus Loki Boy, Son of Kratos								Sunny Suljic
Antagonists
Zeus The Gravedigger	Paul Eiding	Mentioned	Corey Burton						Corey BurtonC
Ares God of War	Steven Blum		Steven Blum		Mentioned		Fred Tatasciore
Hades God of the Underworld	Fred Tatasciore		Nolan North				Clancy Brown
Poseidon God of the Sea	Gideon Emery		Gideon Emery				Fred Tatasciore
Megaera	Nika Futterman
Tisiphone	Debi Mae West
Alecto	Jennifer Hale
Hercules	Kevin Sorbo						Kevin Sorbo
Gaia Mother of the Titans Embodiment of Earth	Linda Hunt					Linda Hunt	Susan Blakeslee
Castor	David W. Collins
Pollux	Brad Grusnick
Barbarian King Alrik	Fred Tatasciore	Mentioned	Bob Joles			Fred Tatasciore
Helios God of the Sun		Dwight Schultz					Crispin Freeman
Persephone		Marina Gordon					Silent
The Persian King		Fred Tatasciore
Cronos			Silent			Lloyd Sherr	George Ball
Thanatos God of Death				Arthur Burghardt
Erinys				Jennifer Hale Erin Torpey
King Midas				Fred Tatasciore
Hera					data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | Mentioned		Adrienne Barbeau
Lakhesis						Leigh-Allyn Baker
Atropos						Debi Mae West	Marina Gordon
Clotho						Susan Silo	Marina Gordon
Perseus						Harry Hamlin
Theseus						Paul Eiding
Euryale						Jennifer Martin
Icarus						Bob Joles
Hermes God of Speed and Commerce Messenger of the Gods							Greg Ellis
King Minos							Mark Moseley
Baldur									Jeremy Davies
Supporting Characters
Orkos	Troy Baker
The Village Oracle	Susan Blakeslee		Susan Blakeslee
The Scribe of Hecatonchires	Robin Atkin Downes
Lysandra	Jennifer Hale	Mentioned	Gwendoline Yeo	Mentioned			Gwendoline Yeo		Mentioned
Aletheia	Adrienne Barbeau
The King of Sparta	Crispin Freeman
Calliope		Debi Derryberry					Debi Derryberry		Mentioned
Atlas		Fred Tatasciore				Michael Clarke Duncan
Eos Goddess of Dawn		Erin Torpey
The Boat Captain			Keith Ferguson			Keith Ferguson	Josh Keaton		Keith Ferguson
Aphrodite Goddess of Love			Carole Ruggier				April Stewart
Artemis Goddess of the Hunt			Claudia Black
The Body Burner			Christopher Corey Smith
The Oracle of Athens			Susan Blakeslee
The Last Spartan				Gideon Emery		Josh Keaton
Callisto				Deanna Hurstold Jennifer Hale
Thera				Dee Dee Rescher
Hephaestus							Rip Torn
Prometheus							Alan Oppenheimer
Daedalus							Malcolm McDowell
Freya									Danielle Bisutti
Brok									Robert Craighead
Sindri									Adam Harrington
Mímir									Alastair Duncan

Concept and creation

During the creation of God of War, the game's director David Jaffe attempted to create a version of Kratos that looked brutal but had a different appearance from what is considered to be the traditional Greek hero. The character's traditional armor was removed to show the character's individualism, and details such as hair and other "flowing things" were removed. Jaffe said of his final version of the character, that while "[Kratos] may not totally feel at home in Ancient Greece from a costume standpoint, I think he achieves the greater purpose which is to give players a character who they can play who really does just let them go nuts and unleash the nasty fantasies that they have in their head."

When designing Ares, Charlie Wen was advised that the character should be 90% elemental and 5–10% human, then began sketching. He said that the rest of the team liked the designs, but were uncertain about execution. The transition towards Ares' human form was slow, and Wen said of the final design, "he's still a huge guy, but he's got all this armor on that allows him to do all these things." Like most of the Olympian gods in God of War (2005), Zeus first appeared as a floating translucent head, and was modeled on the typical representation of the god in Greek mythology. Cory Barlog (Game Director of God of War II) said that for God of War II, they wanted to maintain Zeus' appearance from literature, but also to add their own interpretation to the character. Zeus' human appearance was originally designed by Charlie Wen for God of War II. This design was also used in God of War III, with updated graphics and the addition of an arm piece during the final fight. Andy Park was responsible for designing Zeus' spirit form for the final fight. Park produced several sketches, and imagined Zeus as a "massive tornado creature with lightning searing throughout the form." Park said that the ultimate goal was that "we are looking at Zeus, but it is him transformed into a big cloud of smoke."

Hades in God of War (left) and the reimagined appearance introduced in God of War II (right).

Hades first appeared in God of War (2005); the original design portrayed Hades as a fiery, demonic face with horns. Statues in the game adhered to this design. Hades' character design was changed in God of War II, with the character now appearing in a more human-like form with spikes protruding from his body and wielding a pair of chained claws, similar to Kratos' chained blades. The new design featured a helmet that appeared to cover a fiery face, which in God of War III, it is eventually revealed to be very grotesque but more human-like than the original design from God of War. Hermes was originally designed for God of War II by Andy Park and did appear in the final cut scene of the game. For God of War III, Park updated the design and painting of the character. Park said he "wanted to create a character that was sly, cunning, and a bit comical in both appearance and personality" and he imagined he would be "much like a dancer."

The Titan Oceanus was sketched by Erik San Juan and was originally intended to appear in God of War II in a completely watery form with no feet. This concept, however, was cut during development. Oceanus appeared in God of War III, with a similar appearance to the other Titans and with an emphasis on lightning instead of the original watery design. Oceanus's original watery design was the basis of the design for Poseidon's avatar sea construct for God of War III.

The character Daedalus was designed by Izzy Medrano, who said that he imagined Daedalus as a brilliant architect gone mad, and that Daedalus, similar to Kratos, was a pawn of the gods. The character was originally intended to have long white hair, but was eventually rendered bald, "as long hair is a difficult thing to manage." Icarus was conceived as an "old disgusting man" and portrayed as an evil, although slightly comedic, character. Medrano also designed Pandora, who he said is vital in reintroducing the player to the human side of Kratos. Medrano also said that they knew Pandora had to be young and reminiscent of Kratos' daughter, Calliope, and that "[Pandora] had to be pretty without being sexy and spunky without being saucy." Medrano said the character's final attire was a "Greek Punk" fashion style.

The first version of the Gorgon, Medusa, was to have five feet, but due to perceived animation difficulties, the final version had one tail. Other Gorgons in the game adhered to this design. The goddess Artemis was considered for inclusion in God of War: Ascension as a playable female character, offering alternative combat options. Game Director Todd Papy said she would have been depicted as half-human and half-feline, with the head and torso of a woman and the legs of a lioness. However, she was ultimately cut from the game and thus only appears in the original God of War as a translucent head.

Major characters

Kratos

Main article: Kratos (God of War)

Kratos is the protagonist of the God of War series. The character is a power-hungry Spartan who, to save his life, was eventually forced to serve the Olympian god Ares. During one murderous rampage, Kratos accidentally killed his wife and child. Kratos renounced Ares, became a tormented soul (including imprisonment by the Furies), and served the gods for ten years in hopes of becoming free of the nightmares. He eventually killed Ares and became the God of War, but was betrayed by his father, Zeus. A series of attempts to free himself from the influence of the gods and Titans followed, culminating in a final confrontation with Zeus, ending in the god's death and the reign of the Olympian Gods. In the aftermath, Athena appeared and Kratos sacrificed himself to prevent her from becoming the supreme goddess of the world. Many years later, surviving his fatal sacrifice, Kratos now lives in the world of the Norse gods in Midgard where he now has a son named Atreus. Following the death of his second wife Faye, he and Atreus journey to the highest peak of the nine realms to fulfill her promise and spread her ashes there. Along their journey, Kratos eventually reveals that he is a god to Atreus, and after defeating Baldur and in turn becoming an enemy of the Norse gods, he finally reveals his troubled past to his son and that they should learn from past mistakes.

The character was originally voiced by Terrence C. Carson; his final portrayal of the character was in 2013's Ascension. Christopher Judge replaced TC Carson in 2018's God of War. Antony Del Rio voiced the character as a child in Ghost of Sparta (2010).

Athena

Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom and Kratos' mentor and ally throughout the Greek era in the series. In Chains of Olympus, Athena initially tasked Kratos to find Helios as in the absence of light, the god Morpheus had caused many of the gods to fall into a deep slumber. In God of War (2005), she gave Kratos the mission of killing Ares, as Zeus had forbidden divine involvement, and was instrumental in allowing Kratos to become the new God of War. Although she begged Kratos to stop his second quest for the Ambrosia of Asclepius in the comic series (2010–11) and lied to him about his brother Deimos in Ghost of Sparta, Athena was still sympathetic towards Kratos even after he renounced the gods and was betrayed by Zeus in God of War II. Athena died trying to protect Zeus from Kratos, and was resurrected and elevated to a new level of understanding in God of War III. With ulterior motives, Athena became Kratos' ally once more and guided him to the Flame of Olympus surrounding Pandora's Box, which allowed Kratos to kill Zeus and end the reign of Mount Olympus. Her spirit later returns to Kratos in God of War (2018) to haunt and taunt him about his past that he had kept secret from his son Atreus. As he was retrieving his old weapons, the Blades of Chaos, she said he was nothing more than a monster, to which Kratos replied that he was not her monster anymore.

The character was voiced by Carole Ruggier in 2005's God of War, 2007's God of War II, and 2018's God of War. Erin Torpey voiced the character in Chains of Olympus (2008), God of War III (2010), and Ghost of Sparta (2010).

Gaia

Gaia was the mother of the Titans and embodiment of Earth. At the request of Zeus' mother Rhea, Gaia raised and protected the young Zeus to prevent Cronos from devouring him, as he had devoured his other children. When Zeus grew to manhood, he betrayed Gaia, freed his siblings, and Gaia was banished with her fellow Titans at the conclusion of the Great War. In God of War II, she saved Kratos from the Underworld after a disastrous encounter with Zeus, and directed the Spartan to find the Sisters of Fate in order to take revenge on Zeus. A successful Kratos plucked Gaia and the Titans from the moment in time before their defeat in the Great War to launch an abortive attack on Olympus. In God of War III, Gaia was wounded in the assault on Olympus and abandoned Kratos, stating he was a pawn of the Titans so that they could have their revenge. Kratos eventually found and crippled Gaia, but she returned and interrupted the final battle between the Spartan and Zeus. The pair entered Gaia's neck wound, and with the Blade of Olympus, Kratos destroyed her heart, killing the Titan.

The character was voiced by Linda Hunt in God of War II, and Susan Blakeslee in God of War III. Gaia was also the narrator during cut scenes in God of War, again voiced by Hunt.

Zeus

Zeus was the King of the Olympian Gods and the main antagonist of God of War II and God of War III. Zeus and Ares believed the destruction of Olympus would come at the hands of Kratos' brother Deimos, so they had Deimos imprisoned and tortured by Thanatos. Many years later, in God of War (2005), Zeus aided Kratos against Ares by bestowing him with the magic, "Zeus' Fury", and as the mysterious gravedigger. In God of War II, it is revealed that Zeus had become infected with fear. He tricked Kratos into draining his godly powers into the Blade of Olympus, stating it was required to deal with the new threat actually created by Zeus. Kratos, stripped of his power, was mortally wounded while human, and killed by Zeus. With the help of the Titan Gaia, Kratos used the power of the Sisters of Fate to return to the moment Zeus betrayed him and defeated Zeus after extensive combat. Zeus was saved by Athena, who sacrificed herself to preserve Olympus. Before dying, Athena revealed that Kratos is Zeus' son, and that Zeus feared a perpetuation of the son-killing-father cycle, as Zeus imprisoned his father Cronos. This was confirmed in God of War III when Kratos discovered that Zeus was infected with fear when Kratos first opened Pandora's Box and used its power to kill Ares. After a lengthy battle and an enlightening encounter with Pandora in his psyche, Kratos finally overcame and killed Zeus. Later in God of War (2018), Zeus appears as a haunting vision to Kratos while in Helheim.

The character was originally voiced by Paul Eiding in 2005's God of War. Corey Burton, who had previously voiced Zeus in the animated Disney show based on the film Hercules, took over the role in God of War II. He continued it in God of War III, in the multiplayer mode of Ascension, where Zeus appears as one of the four gods that players can pledge their allegiance to, and in 2018's God of War. Fred Tatasciore provided Zeus's voice in Ghost of Sparta's after-game "Combat Arena" mode.

Zeus, as he appears in God of War III, is a downloadable playable character in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (2012); he became available on March 19, 2013.

Atreus

Atreus (/əˈtreɪ.əs/ ə-TRAY-əs) is a secondary protagonist introduced in the Norse era of the series. He is the young son that Kratos bore with the giant named Faye and has the ability to telepathically hear the thoughts of other beings. His mother taught him archery and how to read runes. His first adventure into the wilderness in A Call from the Wilds brought him to an encounter with some draugr, and he had to be saved by his father Kratos, after which, the two battled a revenant. Following Faye's death of an unknown cause in God of War (2018), Atreus journeys with his father Kratos to fulfill her promise to spread her ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms. Atreus did not know about Kratos' past or that he was a god. After Atreus falls ill due to a mental contradiction of a god thinking himself mortal, Kratos goes to Helheim to retrieve an item to heal him. After Atreus is cured, Kratos reveals that he is a god, but says nothing about his past. Knowing he is a god and thinking he can do anything, Atreus becomes arrogant and murders Modi, despite Kratos ordering not to. The two eventually make amends and team up to face Baldur. After Baldur's defeat, Kratos reveals his past and tells Atreus that they should learn from the mistakes of their predecessors. The two then go to Jötunheim to complete their journey. There, they learn that Faye was a giant, making Atreus part-giant, part-god, and part-mortal. It was also revealed that his mother had originally named him Loki, but Kratos chose Atreus, a name of an honorable Spartan comrade of his. The two then spread her ashes at Jötunheim's peak before going home. Atreus then has a vision that years later, at the end of Fimbulwinter, Thor will come for them. He was voiced by Sunny Suljic.

Gods

Olympians

• Aphrodite – The Goddess of Love and Sexuality, and widow of Hephaestus. In God of War (2005), Aphrodite helped Kratos by empowering the head of the slain Medusa and giving it to Kratos as a magical weapon. In God of War III, she offered advice regarding the architect Daedalus. After seducing Kratos, Aphrodite directed him to her estranged husband. She is the only god that Kratos did not kill that was present in God of War III. The character was voiced by Carole Ruggier in 2005's God of War, and April Stewart in God of War III.

Artwork of Ares, former God of War and main antagonist in God of War (2005)

• Ares – The former God of War and main antagonist of 2005's God of War. Ares captured Kratos' brother Deimos and had him imprisoned and tortured due to a misinterpreted prophecy, and later chose Kratos as his champion during a successful wager with other Olympian Gods in the God of War comic series (2010–11). Early on, Ares wanted to overthrow Zeus and entered into an alliance with the Furies to help him do so. Years later, as he deemed his own son Orkos unworthy, Ares saw an opportunity to create a warrior to help him. During a battle, Kratos called on the God of War, and pledged his life in servitude if Ares spared him from his foes and provided the power to destroy them. Ares granted Kratos' wish and empowered his new servant with the Blades of Chaos. A victorious Kratos eventually renounced his servitude to Ares when the god tricked Kratos into accidentally killing his own wife and child. In God of War (2005), while Ares waged war on the city of Athens, Kratos was tasked by Athena to find Pandora's Box, an artifact capable of destroying Ares. Ultimately successful, Kratos ascended to Mount Olympus and replaced Ares as the new God of War. In Ascension's multiplayer mode, Ares is one of the four gods that players can pledge their allegiance to. The character was voiced by Steven Blum in God of War (2005), Ghost of Sparta, and Ascension. Fred Tatasciore provided Ares' voice in God of War III during the psyche sequence.
• Artemis – The Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis participated in the Olympian wager in the God of War comic series (2010–11) where her champion was Pothia. Years later in God of War (2005), she aided Kratos in the Temple of Pandora by providing him with the "Blade of Artemis" which was the same blade that she used to slay a Titan. She did not appear in God of War III, leaving her fate unknown. The character was voiced by Claudia Black in 2005's God of War.
• Eos – The Goddess of Dawn and the sister of Helios. Eos told Kratos of the machinations of Morpheus, who had taken advantage of her brother's disappearance. When Kratos found Eos in the Caves of Olympus, she advised him to find the Primordial Fires and free Helios' loyal Fire Steeds, as they could find the Sun God. She also provided him with the magical ability, Light of Dawn. She did not appear in God of War III, leaving her fate unknown. The character was voiced by Erin Torpey in Chains of Olympus.
• Hades – The former God of the Underworld. Hades participated in the Olympian wager in the God of War comic series (2010–11) and his champion was Alrik, who would later become the Barbarian King. In God of War (2005), Hades aided Kratos in Pandora's Temple by giving him the magic, Army of Hades. However, with the combined murders of Hades' wife Persephone, niece Athena, and brother Poseidon, it drove him to near madness and a final confrontation with Kratos in God of War III, ending with Kratos taking Hades' weapon, the Claws of Hades, and killing the god, which subsequently released all souls from the Underworld. In Ascension's multiplayer mode, Hades is one of the four gods that players can pledge their allegiance to. The character was voiced by Nolan North in God of War (2005), Clancy Brown in God of War III, and Fred Tatasciore in Ascension. In PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Hades appears as an environmental hazard on the God of War/Patapon inspired stage called "Hades".
• Helios – The former God of the Sun. Helios had entered into Ares' wager, choosing the fiery-being Cereyon, who was drowned by Kratos in the God of War comic series (2010–11). Years later, in Chains of Olympus, Helios was kidnapped by the Titan Atlas on behalf of the goddess Persephone, who intended to use Helios' power to destroy the Pillar of the World, causing the destruction of Olympus. The plan was thwarted by Kratos, and Helios was rescued. When Kratos turned against the gods and lead the Titans in an assault against Olympus in God of War III, Helios was injured and left for dead by the Titan Perses. Found by Kratos, Helios remained loyal to Zeus and attempted to trick Kratos, but was decapitated by the Spartan, which caused worldwide darkness and storms. The Head of Helios became a weapon for Kratos, using it to cast a blinding light and reveal hidden doorways. The character was voiced by Dwight Schultz in Chains of Olympus, and by Crispin Freeman in God of War III.
• Hephaestus – The former Smith God and husband of Aphrodite who had fallen from the grace of Olympus. The creator of Pandora and Pandora's Box, Hephaestus concealed the truth about his artificial "daughter" from Zeus, advising that the Box should be stored in an impregnable temple on the back of Cronos instead of in the Flame of Olympus. When Kratos eventually penetrated the temple and opened the Box, it released previously trapped evils into the world. Infected by fear, Zeus beat and deformed Hephaestus as punishment for his deception before trapping him in his forge in the Underworld. Kratos encountered Hephaestus in his quest to find the Flame of Olympus and eventually found Pandora, the key to quenching the flame and opening Pandora's Box. Hephaestus betrayed Kratos by sending him into what he had hoped to be a fatal confrontation with the Titan Cronos for the Omphalos Stone, but a triumphant Kratos returned with the stone, angered at Hephaestus. The surprised god then crafted the stone into a weapon for Kratos before attempting to kill the Spartan himself, but was killed by Kratos, who took the newly forged weapon, the Nemesis Whip. The character was voiced by Rip Torn (who voiced Zeus in the 1997 animated Disney film Hercules) in God of War III.
• Hera – Zeus' jaded wife and former Queen of the Gods. In Betrayal, Hera's giant pet Argos was sent by the Gods to stop Kratos' rampage across Greece. In God of War III, the drunken goddess ordered the demigod Hercules to kill Kratos, but Kratos killed Hercules. When encountered in her gardens, a drunken Hera insulted Pandora, resulting in Kratos killing her, which ended all plant life. The character was voiced by Adrienne Barbeau in God of War III.
• Hermes – The former God of Speed and Commerce, the Messenger of the Gods, and the father of Ceryx. Hermes participated in the Olympian wager in the God of War comic series (2010–11) by choosing Danaus to be his champion. In God of War III, Hermes taunted Kratos about murdering his family during Kratos' assault on Mount Olympus, leading to a chase through the city of Olympia. Kratos eventually caught Hermes off guard, killed him, which released a plague on the world, and took the Boots of Hermes as his own. The character was voiced by Greg Ellis in God of War III.
• Morpheus – The God of Dreams and the silent ally of the goddess Persephone in Chains of Olympus. After Helios was taken from the sky by Atlas, which plunged the world into darkness, Morpheus forced both gods and mortals to slumber as his black fog covered the lands. An unseen character, Morpheus retreated into the shadows when Kratos killed Persephone, imprisoned the Titan Atlas, and returned Helios to the sky. Morpheus did not appear in any other game, leaving his fate unknown.
• Persephone – The former Queen of the Underworld and main antagonist of Chains of Olympus. Bitter at being abandoned to the Underworld by her fellow gods, Persephone entered into an alliance with Morpheus and then freed and used the Titan Atlas to capture the god Helios, intending to use Helios' power to destroy the Pillar of the World. Persephone offered to reunite Kratos with his daughter Calliope in the Fields of Elysium. This she did, but Kratos reluctantly abandoned Calliope and killed Persephone to stop her from destroying the Pillar, which would have in turn destroyed the Fields of Elysium and Calliope with it. In God of War III, Persephone's remains were seen in a tree casket in Hades' palace and her voice was heard in Kratos' psyche. The character was voiced by Marina Gordon in Chains of Olympus.
• Poseidon – The former God of the Sea. Poseidon also participated in the Olympian wager in the God of War comic series (2010–11) by choosing Herodius as his champion. Herodius was killed by Kratos, causing Poseidon to release his hippocampus to destroy Kratos' ship, but Kratos and his men managed to escape. After becoming the champion of the gods, Poseidon later tasked Kratos with slaying the Hydra in God of War (2005) and granted him the magic, Poseidon's Rage. Poseidon came to resent Kratos for his role in the destruction of Atlantis in Ghost of Sparta, and, in God of War III, he was killed by Kratos during the Spartan's assault on Olympus, which caused the oceans to flood the world. In Ascension's multiplayer mode, Poseidon is one of the four gods that players can pledge their allegiance to. The character was originally voiced by Fred Tatasciore in 2005's God of War. Gideon Emery took over the role in God of War III, and continued it in Ghost of Sparta and Ascension.
• Thanatos – The former God of Death, father of Erinys, and main antagonist of Ghost of Sparta. Ruler of the Domain of Death, Thanatos is responsible for imprisoning and torturing Kratos' brother Deimos. While Kratos and Deimos were battling, Thanatos snatched Deimos from the battle and dropped him on the edge of a cliff. Deimos was saved by Kratos, who united with his brother to fight the God of Death, who transformed into a winged beast. Thanatos mocked Kratos for Ares' mistaken decision and eventually killed Deimos, but was killed in turn by an angered Kratos. The character was voiced by Arthur Burghardt in Ghost of Sparta.

Asgardians

• Baldur – An Æsir god who is the son of Odin and Freya, the brother of Thor and Týr, uncle to Modi and Magni, and the main antagonist of 2018's God of War. To protect her son because of a prophecy that foretold his death, Freya cast a spell of immortality on Baldur, which also caused him to not feel pain or any feeling of pleasure, which he resented her for. Odin sent him after Kratos and Atreus to kill Kratos' wife Faye in order to prevent Ragnarök, but was unaware that she was already dead and had been tracking her by her ashes that Kratos was carrying. During their final battle, Baldur is pierced with a mistletoe arrow tip that was in Atreus' quiver, which broke the spell on him; mistletoe was the only thing that Freya could not prevent from breaking the spell and had kept it secret. He was then defeated and given the chance to retreat, but Baldur attempted to kill Freya, so Kratos killed him, ultimately being the catalyst for the beginning of Ragnarök, which was not supposed to occur for another hundred years. The character is voiced by Jeremy Davies.
• Freya – The Vanir Goddess of Love and former Queen of the Valkyries. Her husband Odin banished her to Midgard for her betrayal as she tried to leave him as she did not truly love him. He also stripped her of her Valkyrie wings and cast a spell on her that prevented her from causing harm to any being and prevented her from leaving Midgard. She first encounters Kratos and Atreus after Atreus had shot her friend, the boar Hildisvíni, for "target practice". The two then aid Freya in healing Hildisvíni. She then aided Kratos and Atreus on their journey under the alias, the Witch of the Woods. After her identity was revealed by Mímir, Kratos distrusted her because of his distrust of gods in general. While in Helheim, they learn that she is the mother of Baldur and of the spell she cast on him. She was willing to die for Baldur, even if it meant that Baldur was the one who killed her. After the spell was broken and Kratos defeated Baldur, he gave him a chance to retreat, but Baldur instead tried to kill Freya, so Kratos killed Baldur. A grieving Freya then vowed revenge on Kratos for killing her son and taunted him for not revealing his past to Atreus. The character was voiced by Danielle Bisutti.
• Odin - The ruler of Asgard and father of Týr, Thor, and Baldur. Although he does not appear in God of War (2018), he is referenced several times and is portrayed to be a cruel and tyrannical god who is obsessed with preventing his death at Ragnarök. He had his own son Týr killed as he thought Týr was going to aid the giants and overthrow him. His ravens, called the Eyes of Odin, are scattered across the realms. Odin was mentioned to have imprisoned Mímir in a tree and tortured him daily, banished his wife Freya from Asgard for betraying him, and instructed Baldur to target Kratos in order to get to Faye.
• Thor – The God of Thunder who is the son of Odin, brother of Týr and Baldur, and the father of Modi and Magni. Mímir tells stories of occasions where Thor killed giants, and regards the god as a brutal butcher. He appears in the secret ending of God of War (2018) in a vision that Atreus has where Thor comes for them at the end of Fimbulwinter.

Titans

• Atlas – A four-armed Titan who was imprisoned in Tartarus after the Great War. In Chains of Olympus, Atlas was freed by the goddess Persephone and captured the god Helios on her behalf. Persephone directed Atlas to use Helios' power to destroy the Pillar of the World. Atlas, however, was chained to the weakened pillar by Kratos, and was doomed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders forever. After Kratos defeated Persephone, Atlas mocked Kratos and his choice to defend the gods. In God of War II, Atlas and Kratos met again, and although he was initially bitter towards Kratos, Atlas decided to help him reach the Sisters of Fate, providing him with the magic, Atlas Quake, and stated that they would meet again. This would be Atlas' final appearance, however, leaving his fate unknown. The character was voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan in God of War II, and by Fred Tatasciore in Chains of Olympus.
• Cronos – The father of Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, and Hera. Cronos learned of a prophecy that foretold that one of his children would become greater than he. In an attempt to cheat fate, Cronos devoured his own children and imprisoned them in his stomach. Due to the trickery by Cronos' wife Rhea, the young child Zeus was spared the fate of his siblings, and secretly grew to manhood. Zeus freed his siblings and defeated Cronos and the Titans in the Great War. In an attempt to change his fate, Cronos offered a gift, the gigantic stone "Steeds of Time", to the Sisters of Fate, but they declined his request. He also left magic, "Cronos' Rage", in the Steeds, which Kratos acquired during his quest for the Sisters. As punishment for Cronos' role in the Great War, Zeus forced the Titan to crawl through the Desert of Lost Souls with Pandora's Temple chained to his back. In God of War III, Kratos traveled to Tartarus in search of the Omphalos Stone where he was confronted by a vengeful Cronos (who still had Pandora's Temple chained to his back). The Titan blamed Kratos for Gaia's presumed death and his imprisonment, as when Kratos penetrated the Temple and retrieved the Box in God of War (2005), a fearful Zeus cast Cronos into Tartarus. The Titan was then killed in battle by Kratos with the Blade of Olympus. The character was voiced by Lloyd Sherr in God of War II, and George Ball in God of War III.
• Perses – The volcanic Titan of Destruction featured in God of War III. Perses participated in the assault on Olympus. After mortally wounding Helios, Perses attacked Kratos, but was wounded with the Blade of Olympus and fell off the mountain. He was not seen afterwards, leaving his fate unknown.
• Prometheus – Punished by Zeus for giving mankind the Fires of Olympus, Prometheus was made mortal, and was attacked by an eagle that ripped out and ate his liver, which regrew instantly on a daily basis. Kratos encountered Prometheus near Typhon's lair. Prometheus was eventually freed by Kratos, died by self-immolation in fire, and his ashes empowered Kratos, giving him the ability called the Rage of the Titans. The character was voiced by Alan Oppenheimer in God of War II.
• Rhea – Featured in a flashback in God of War II, Rhea is the wife of Cronos. When Cronos devoured their children in an attempt to cheat the prophecy that one of his children would become greater than him, Rhea tricked Cronos and ensured the young Zeus was hidden away and protected by Gaia. Rhea's fate is unknown.
• Thera – A lava-based Titan, Thera is an original character that does not appear in Greek mythology. Imprisoned beneath the Methana Volcano just outside the city of Atlantis. Kratos freed the Titan, gained her power (Thera's Bane), and in addition to destroying the archimedean screws, the volcano erupted. The eruption destroyed the city, submerged it under the ocean, and caused great damage to the Island of Crete and its capital city Heraklion. The character was voiced by Dee Dee Rescher in Ghost of Sparta.
• Typhon – A Titan imprisoned within a mountain after the Great War. Gaia directed Kratos to Typhon for aid. When Typhon refused to help him, Kratos blinded him and stole his magical bow Typhon's Bane. His fate is unknown. The character was voiced by Fred Tatasciore in God of War II.

Greek heroes

• Hercules – A demigod and the half-brother of Kratos. Hercules sought to claim the throne of God of War after performing a thirteenth and unofficial labor: the murder of Kratos. Jealous of his half-brother, Hercules attacked Kratos, but was killed by the Spartan, who took Hercules' Nemean Cestus as his own. The character also appears as a boss in Ascension on the Forum of Hercules multiplayer map. Hercules was voiced by Kevin Sorbo in God of War III and Ascension, who was chosen due to his previous portrayal of the character in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (although his portrayal was done with a darker tone). Hercules was originally set to appear in God of War II and was to be voiced by Cam Clarke, but the character was cut early in the game's development and only named in the credits.
• Perseus – The second Greek hero Kratos encountered in his quest to find the Sisters of Fate. Perseus was also seeking the Sisters in the hope of reviving his dead love. Believing Kratos to be a test from the Sisters, he battled Kratos, but was killed by the Spartan. The character was voiced by Harry Hamlin in God of War II, who was chosen due to his previous portrayal of the character in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans.
• Theseus – A servant of the Sisters of Fate guarding the Steeds of Time. Theseus challenged Kratos to determine who was the greatest warrior in all of Greece, but was killed in battle. The character was voiced by Paul Eiding in God of War II.

Greek mythological characters

• Aegaeon – Featured in Ascension, Aegaeon the Hecatonchires had pledged a blood oath to Zeus, but later betrayed the god. The first victim of the Furies, they captured and tortured the multi-armed creature. Instead of killing him, the Furies turned him to stone, making him the giant Prison of the Damned and becoming a symbol to all who may think of breaking a blood oath to a god. As Kratos attempted to escape the prison, Megaera used her parasitic insects to bring Aegaeon to life and control him as his many arms mutated into monstrous forms and began to attack the Spartan. Fending off two of its parasite-controlled arms, Megaera then infected Aegaeon's head, which attacked Kratos, but the Spartan outsmarted and killed Megaera; this also caused Aegaeon to die, freeing him from his suffering.
• Aletheia – The former Oracle of Delphi who was gifted with prophetic sight. When she was encountered by Kratos, she was shown to be an elderly woman who had no eyes. Castor and Pollux crushed her under rocks so that Kratos could not see her. Her dying words to Kratos told him to seek the Eyes of Truth across the sea in the Lantern of Delos—the Eyes being her own eyes that were taken by the Furies. The character was voiced by Adrienne Barbeau in Ascension.
• Argos – The multi-eyed giant pet of the goddess Hera that was sent by the gods to stop Kratos' rampage across Greece in Betrayal. After several skirmishes with Kratos, Argos was killed by an unknown assassin, who was attempting to frame Kratos for the murder.
• Castor and Pollux – Featured in Ascension, they are elderly conjoined twins with Pollux being a parasitic twin that Castor normally conceals. The two usurped the Oracle of Delphi and decided who could see her. When Kratos attempted to see the Oracle without any offerings, the twins used the Amulet of Uroboros to make themselves younger to fight Kratos and were killed only after they murdered the Oracle to hinder Kratos. Castor and Pollux were voiced by David W. Collins and Brad Grusnick, respectively, in Ascension.
• Ceryx – The son of Hermes, a messenger of Olympus, and the main antagonist of Betrayal. He attempted to warn Kratos about the consequences of his bloody rampage across Greece, but Kratos killed him for interfering in his pursuit of the mysterious assassin.
• Charon – The former ferryman of the River Styx in the Underworld who guided lost souls to their final destination. Kratos encountered Charon on the River Styx twice. Although he almost killed Kratos during their first encounter, Kratos returned and destroyed Charon, taking his power, Charon's Wrath. The character was voiced by Dwight Schultz in Chains of Olympus.
• Circe – A witch of the island of Aeaea in the graphic novel Rise of the Warrior. Circe was recruited by the Redeemed Warrior (who becomes the player's multiplayer character in Ascension); she seemingly also wanted revenge against the general, who had killed the warrior's father. Circe granted the soldiers magical weapons to aid them on their journey, and suggested that they see the Oracle of Delphi to discover whether the general had any weaknesses. They eventually encounter the general, who was revealed to be the warrior's uncle and Circe's lover. Circe only aided the warrior so he would reach the general. Circe offered the warrior a choice: serve the general and his men would be spared, or kill the general and she would kill his men. The warrior then declared that he would not slay Circe and defended the lives of his men, but tricked the general into drinking from a cup that he had secretly filled with poisonous Cerberus blood, which killed the general. Circe was aghast at the warrior's vengeful act and retreated, never to be seen again.
• Daedalus – A brilliant architect, Daedalus constructed the labyrinth in which Pandora was imprisoned after Zeus discovered her existence. Zeus also promised to reunite Daedelus with his son Icarus as a reward, but never revealed that Icarus was already dead. Kratos encountered Daedalus hanging in a part of the labyrinth and the architect revealed that the labyrinth must be united to free Pandora. Daedelus was killed when Kratos united the labyrinth and left a message in blood encouraging Kratos to get even with Zeus for him. The character was voiced by Malcolm McDowell in God of War III.
• Erinys – The daughter of Thanatos. After the destruction of Atlantis, Erinys searched for Kratos, killing various Spartans as a warning for Kratos to stop his quest to find Deimos. Erinys eventually found Kratos in the Mounts of Aroania, and after a land battle, an aerial battle ensued as Erinys shape shifted into an enormous bird before being killed by Kratos, after which, Kratos took her power, the Scourge of Erinys. The character was overdub voiced by Jennifer Hale and Erin Torpey in Ghost of Sparta.
• The Furies – Born from drops of blood spilled during the war of the Primordials, the three Furies were the guardians of honor and enforcers of punishment. The sisters sought retribution from those who had betrayed the gods. They are the main antagonists of Ascension.
  • Megaera – The first of the three Furies, Megaera is ruthless in dealing punishment and can infect others with mutative parasites that enable her to control them. Having lost her right arm while capturing Kratos in Delos, Megaera accidentally facilitated Kratos' freedom and died in the attempt to prevent his escape. The character was voiced by Nika Futterman.
  • Tisiphone – The second sister, she often confounded Kratos with illusions and was aided by her familiar, Daemon. Although Kratos seemingly killed her in Delos, it was an illusion. She facilitated in Kratos' capture, but was killed by the Spartan along with Alecto. The character was voiced by Debi Mae West.
  • Alecto – The former Queen of the Furies, who aligned with Ares and bore their son Orkos. The leader of the sisters, she captured Kratos and attempted to keep him imprisoned by becoming an illusion of his wife Lysandra. Despite morphing into a giant sea monster, she was ultimately killed by Kratos. The character was voiced by Jennifer Hale.
• Gorgon Sisters - The Gorgons who lead the race of Gorgons.
  • Medusa – The former Queen of the Gorgons. She was decapitated by Kratos in God of War (2005) at the directive of Aphrodite; Kratos took her head as a weapon to turn enemies to stone.
  • Euryale – A Gorgon and former servant of the Sisters of Fate. Euryale sought revenge against Kratos for killing her sister Medusa, but was killed and decapitated. As with Medusa, Kratos took her head to use it as a weapon to turn enemies to stone. The character was voiced by Jennifer Martin in God of War II.
  • Stheno – The eldest and largest of the three sisters that appears on the "Bog of the Forgotten" multiplayer map in Ascension. Imprisoned in a stone casing at a temple in the Bog, players can partially free her and use her magic to defeat other players for a limited time. This was her only appearance, leaving her fate unknown.
• Gyges – Featured in the God of War comics #4, #5, and #6 (2010–11), he was one of the three Chaos Giants with one hundred arms and fifty heads. During Kratos' first quest for the Ambrosia, his battle with Cereyon burned off the hundred arms of Gyges. During Kratos' second quest, Gyges revealed that he had planned to use the Ambrosia to revive his brothers, Briareus and Cottus, and then reclaim the world, but Kratos' initial retrieval thwarted that plan. Kratos destroyed both Gyges and the Tree of Life — which contained the Ambrosia — with the Fire of Apollo.
• Icarus – The son of Daedalus, who had become insane and obsessed with finding the Sisters of Fate. Kratos encountered Icarus by the Great Chasm and attacked him. The two battled while falling down the chasm. Kratos eventually stripped Icarus of his wings, took them, and allowed Icarus to fall to his death into the Underworld. The character was voiced by Bob Joles in God of War II.
• The Judges of the Underworld – Featured in God of War III, King Minos, King Rhadamanthus, and King Aeacus were the judges of the dead. The statues of the trio held the Chain of Balance that connected Olympus to the Underworld. Kratos encountered the statues, who declared that he was not yet ready for the afterlife. Kratos later returned to the statues and destroyed the crystals behind the statues' heads in order to raise the labyrinth so that Pandora could reach Pandora's Box. King Minos, who was the only Judge to speak through his statue, was voiced by Mark Moseley.
• King Midas – A king whose touch turned anything to gold, he was grief-stricken and hallucinating as he accidentally turned his daughter to gold. Kratos encountered Midas in the Mounts of Aroania where the Spartan killed him by throwing him into a lava river — turning it to gold — which created a passage for Kratos. The character was voiced by Fred Tatasciore in Ghost of Sparta.
• Orkos – Also known as The Giver in Rise of the Warrior, he was the keeper of oaths sworn to the gods and is the son of Ares and Alecto. In Rise of the Warrior, he followed the redeemed warrior through his journey and imprisoned him in the Prison of the Damned due to the warrior breaking his father's oath. Later in Ascension, Orkos helped Kratos by enabling him to see through illusions. He also provided Kratos with his Oath Stone, allowing Kratos to be in two places at once. Orkos revealed to Kratos that Ares and the Furies plot to overthrow Olympus, and that Ares chose Kratos to help him do so. After Kratos defeated the Furies, Orkos has Kratos to kill him to nullify the Spartan's pact with Ares. The character was voiced by Troy Baker in Ascension.
• Pandora – An animated creation of Hephaestus who became like a daughter to the god, and was neither living nor dead. Pandora was imprisoned in the labyrinth by Zeus when he was infected by the fear released from Pandora's Box. Kratos rescued Pandora after he learned that she was the key to pacifying the Flame of Olympus that surrounded Pandora's Box. Kratos reluctantly allowed Pandora to sacrifice herself to open the Box and mourned her death, as Pandora reminded him of his deceased child Calliope. Pandora reappeared in Kratos' psyche and helped him find the power of hope locked deep inside himself, which allowed him to overcome and kill Zeus. The character was voiced by Natalie Lander in God of War III.
• Peirithous – A prisoner of the Underworld who possessed the Bow of Apollo and was in love with Persephone; he was imprisoned by Hades for trying to make off with her. He offered his bow to Kratos in exchange for freedom, but the uncaring Spartan ignored the offer, killed Peirithous, and took the bow anyway. The character was voiced by Simon Templeman in God of War III.
• The Sisters of Fate – Featured in God of War II, they were the three sisters who controlled the fates of all mortals, gods, and Titans, and lived on the Island of Creation. All were eventually killed by Kratos when they refused to allow him to go back in time to seek revenge on Zeus. In God of War III, their voices were heard in Kratos' psyche.
  • Lakhesis – The first Sister, she was determined to deny Kratos his revenge but ended up trapped within a time mirror, which Kratos destroyed, killing her. The character was voiced by Leigh-Allyn Baker in God of War II.
  • Atropos – The second Sister who concealed herself in Lakhesis's body, she attempted to alter the result of Kratos' battle with Ares. But she and Lakhesis end up being trapped within a time mirror, which Kratos destroyed, killing both. The character was voiced by Debi Mae West in God of War II, and Marina Gordon in God of War III during the psyche sequence.
  • Clotho – The final Sister who was the gigantic and grotesque keeper of the loom from which the threads of all life are spun, killed by Kratos when she attempted to stop him when he entered the loom's chamber. The character was voiced by Susan Silo in God of War II, and Marina Gordon in God of War III during the psyche sequence.

Norse mythological characters

• Huldra Brothers - Brok and Sindri are two famous dwarf blacksmiths. Their weapons were used by the Æsir gods, including Thor's hammer Mjölnir, and they are responsible for forging Kratos' Leviathan Axe, which they had originally forged for his wife Faye. Brok is rude and grouchy, whereas Sindri is nice, but does not like dirt and grime. When in their forges, Brok and Sindri can improve the weapons and equipment of Kratos as long as they have the necessary materials. They are first encountered separately, with disparaging things to say about one another, before eventually reuniting where they make amends and work together. Brok is voiced by Robert Craighead while Sindri is voiced by Adam Harrington.
• Jörmungandr - The World Serpent, Jörmungandr is the last remaining giant on Midgard and is so large that he wraps around the world. He speaks Jötunn, the language of the giants that only Mímir can understand and provides assistance to Kratos and Atreus. He hates the Æsir gods, in particular Thor, which was made evident when he swallowed a statue of the god which unknowingly contained Mímir's missing eye, to which Kratos and Atreus have to go inside Jörmungandr's belly to retrieve. Mímir reveals that Jörmungandr had already experienced the end of Ragnarök and his battle with Thor, but was sent back in time. During Kratos and Atreus' battle with Baldur, Jörmungandr aids them and fends off the reanimated corpse of Thamur.
• Laufey the Just - Kratos' second wife, who he referred to as Faye, and Atreus' mother. She was one of the few remaining giants on Midgard who concealed her true nature from everyone. Upon giving birth to Atreus, Faye made him his bow and had Kratos teach him to hunt when he came of age. She also gifted Kratos his Guardian Shield. Faye later died of an unknown cause and Kratos burns her body on a funeral pyre, as her last wish was for her ashes to be spread at the highest peak of the nine realms, eventually revealed to be in Jötunheim, where the two learn who Faye really was and that she and the giants knew of everything that would happen. It is also learned that she had already walked the path of Kratos and Atreus' journey, and left clues behind to help them so that they would complete their journey.
• Modi and Magni - The sons of Thor and the henchmen of their uncle Baldur. Like their father, they both can use the power of lightning, but instead of a hammer, the older of the two, Magni, uses a large sword, whereas Modi uses a mace and shield. The two team up to face Kratos and Atreus, which results in the death of Magni, and Modi flees. Modi later returns and ambushes Kratos and Atreus, and Atreus falls ill. In a fit of rage, Kratos severely hurts Modi, who again retreats. Later on, a weakened Modi again returns, but is killed by an arrogant Atreus. Modi is voiced by Nolan North and Magni is voiced by Troy Baker.
• Mímir - A wise man that Odin imprisoned in a tree and tortured daily at the peak of Midgard and claims to be the smartest man alive. He had been imprisoned for over a hundred years. When Kratos and Atreus encounter him, believing they had reached their goal, Mímir reveals that their goal is actually in Jötunheim and that he can help them get there. He asks Kratos to behead him and have his head reanimated by the Witch of the Woods, revealed by Mímir to be the goddess Freya. Mímir then joins Kratos and Atreus on their journey and provides information about the world and the gods through his tales. The character is voiced by Alastair Duncan.
• Thamur - A stonemason giant who attempted to build a wall around Jötunheim to protect the giants against Thor in the war between the giants and the gods. He eventually battled with Thor, who killed the giant. During God of War (2018), Kratos and Atreus journey to the giant's corpse to retrieve a piece of his chisel, needed to get through certain blocked doorways. Later during the final fight with Baldur, Freya reanimates Thamur's corpse to try and stop the fight, but is unsuccessful when Jörmungandr appears and attacks the reanimated giant. Thamur is loosely based on an unnamed stonemason giant in Norse mythology, who attempted to build a wall around Asgard to protect the realm, but ended up being killed by Thor due to the machinations of Loki.
• Valkyries - Female warriors and servants of Odin who are responsible for taking warriors to Valhalla upon their death in the mortal realm. Due to Freya's betrayal, Odin cursed the nine Valkyries to remain in a physical form, an unnatural state for a Valkyrie, which drove them to insanity due to a prolonged period in that form. Kratos and Atreus discover the Valkyries across the realms in Odin's hidden chambers. Upon killing their physical form, their spirits are freed from Odin's curse and return to Valhalla.
  • Eir - The Healer, Eir is a quiet and calm Valkyrie. She heals the wounds of both mortals and gods. She was found in a hidden chamber in Midgard.
  • Geirdriful - The Master of Arms in Valhalla. She was responsible for training Odin's army, the einherjar, for Ragnarök. She was found in a hidden chamber in Midgard.
  • Göndul - Thought of as the most stunning Valkyrie that she caused men to go insane. She was found at the top of the large volcano in Muspelheim as the sixth and final Trial of Muspelheim.
  • Gunnr - The Mistress of War, Gunnr was one of Odin's favorites and was the first on the battlefield to search for fallen men. She was found in a hidden chamber in Midgard
  • Hildr - The Mistress of Battle, Hildr got along well with Odin, but not with the other Valkyries. She was found within the maze-like structure in Niflheim.
  • Kara - Although calm and collected, she could easily unleash a fury. She was found in a hidden chamber in Midgard.
  • Olrun - The daughter of a powerful chieftain, she fell protecting him and was taken to Valhalla where she was made a Valkyrie who had a pursuit for knowledge. Odin appointed her as the Valkyrie's resident historian. She was found in a hidden chamber in Alfheim.
  • Róta - One of the Choosers of the Slain, she was the first to go mad after being imprisoned in a physical form. She was found in a hidden chamber in Helheim, where Sigrun purposefully put her there to not harm herself or others.
  • Sigrun - Queen of the Valkyries, she was only able to be summoned at the Council of the Valkyries once the other eight had been defeated and their helms placed on their respective thrones. Upon her defeat, she revealed that the true queen was the goddess Freya, but after Odin stripped her of her wings, Sigrun reluctantly took the position. After Odin cursed the Valkyries, Sigrun hid them throughout the realms.

Original characters (comic series and video games)

Kratos' family

• Calliope – Kratos' daughter. As an infant, she was stricken with the plague and was to be killed due to Sparta's law. Calliope was saved by Kratos when he obtained the Ambrosia of Asclepius, but was eventually killed with her mother by Kratos during a berserker rage in a temple dedicated to Athena. Kratos was briefly reunited with Calliope in the Underworld in the Fields of Elysium, but was forced to abandon her to save the world from Persephone and Atlas. Kratos later found a note from her in the Underworld, and when Kratos entered into his psyche during his final fight with Zeus, he was spiritually reunited with both Lysandra and Calliope. The character was voiced by Debi Derryberry in Chains of Olympus and God of War III.
• Callisto – The mother of Kratos and Deimos. Kratos found his ailing mother in the city of Atlantis. As she attempted to reveal the identity of Kratos' father, she was punished by Zeus and transformed into a deformed humanoid beast, which Kratos was forced to kill. Before dying, Callisto advised Kratos to find Deimos. Her body was later buried next to Deimos by the Gravedigger. Deanna Hurstold voiced the elder Callisto while Jennifer Hale voiced the younger Callisto in Ghost of Sparta.
• Deimos – The younger brother of Kratos. He was kidnapped by Ares and imprisoned and tortured by Thanatos because of his unusual birthmarks, as a prophecy predicted the demise of Olympus would come at the hands of a "marked warrior". As time passed, Deimos' hatred for Kratos grew, as his hope of rescue decayed. When eventually reunited with his brother, Deimos was initially bitter for Kratos' perceived failure and the two battled. When Kratos saved Deimos from falling to his death, he joined his brother and battled Thanatos. Deimos, however, was killed by Thanatos, who was killed in turn by Kratos. The character was voiced by Elijah Wood in God of War III during the psyche sequence, and Mark Deklin as an adult and Bridger Zadina as a child in Ghost of Sparta.
• Lysandra – Kratos' first wife. Although she was responsible in granting Kratos his quest for the Ambrosia to save Calliope, she was killed along with her daughter. After being spiritually reunited with both Lysandra and Calliope in his psyche, Lysandra aided Kratos in forgiving himself for his crime. The character was voiced by Gwendoline Yeo in God of War (2005) and God of War III, and Jennifer Hale in Ascension as an illusion created by Alecto.

Other original characters

• Barbarian King Alrik – The former ruler of a horde of barbarians. As the champion of Hades, he sought the Ambrosia to save his ailing father. Alrik was ultimately unsuccessful and was killed by Kratos. Resurrected by Hades, Prince Alrik learned that he had become King after the death of his father. Alrik sought vengeance against Kratos, and his barbarian horde threatened to overwhelm Kratos' opposing Spartan army. Alrik almost killed Kratos in combat, but this was undone at the critical moment when Kratos offered up his life to Ares and was returned to battle equipped with the Blades of Chaos, which Kratos used to decapitate Alrik. Alrik eventually fought his way out of the Underworld, and intent on revenge, found and confronted Kratos on the Island of Creation. Kratos killed the Barbarian King once again, and took his hammer. The character was voiced by Bob Joles in God of War II, and Fred Tatasciore in God of War III during the psyche sequence.
• The Boat Captain – A humorous addition, the Boat Captain encountered Kratos on several occasions, although these were always to the Boat Captain's detriment. In God of War (2005), Kratos ignored him when in the belly of the Hydra and brushed him aside in the Underworld. In God of War II, the Boat Captain fled from Kratos as a spirit even though summoned to fight him, and in God of War III, he left a note of hatred towards Kratos in the Underworld and his voice was heard in Kratos' psyche. The character was voiced by Keith Ferguson in God of War (2005) and God of War II, and Josh Keaton in God of War III during the psyche sequence. In 2018's God of War, the Boat Captain's ship somehow ended up in the Lake of the Nine in Midgard, which Kratos found via a treasure map; it mentioned the key that Kratos took from the captain and his subsequent death in the Hydra.
• The Body Burner – Granted Kratos passage into Pandora's Temple. The Body Burner was the first warrior to die while seeking Pandora's Box. He was cursed by the gods to continue to live as a rotting corpse and act as custodian of the Temple, where he burned the dead bodies that the harpies brought to him. The character was voiced by Christopher Corey Smith in God of War (2005).
• Captain Nikos – Featured in the God of War comics #2, #3, and #4 (2010–11), Captain Nikos was a Spartan who Kratos met after he had slain the Hades Phoenix. Captain Nikos and his men assisted Kratos in his search for the Ambrosia of Asclepius. Nikos was injured in battle against Poseidon's champion Herodius, but survived. Hades later sent fireballs from the sky to stop the Spartan army. As a fireball was about to strike Kratos, Nikos sacrificed himself to save him. Before dying, he passed the rank of Captain to Kratos. During Kratos' second journey, Nikos' corpse, and those of other Spartans, were reanimated by Hades, but Kratos easily defeated them.
• Cereyon – Featured in God of War comic #4 (2010–11), he was the fiery champion of Helios. Although he never revealed his intent for finding the Ambrosia, he fought Kratos, but was drowned by the Spartan.
• Danaus – Featured in God of War comic #3 (2010–11), he was the champion of Hermes that could magically command beasts. With the animals in his village dying of a plague, Danaus was forced to seek the Ambrosia. He was decapitated in battle by Barbarian Prince Alrik, who retained Danaus' head as it could still command beasts.
• The Gravedigger – A mysterious figure, eventually revealed to be Zeus, that was digging a grave in the midst of a war in God of War (2005). The Gravedigger counseled Kratos and eventually rescued him from the Underworld. In Ghost of Sparta, he counseled Kratos against making enemies of the gods after Kratos partially caused the destruction of Atlantis. The Gravedigger later appeared where he buried the body of Deimos. After burying the body of Callisto, the Gravedigger quotes "Now... only one remains." The character was voiced by Paul Eiding in God of War (2005) and Ghost of Sparta.
• Herodius – Featured in God of War comic #4 (2010–11), Herodius was a warrior from the village of Thera. Poseidon chose Herodius as his champion in Ares' wager. His village was stricken with a plague, cast by Poseidon so that Herodius would search for the Ambrosia. Herodius was killed by Kratos, which did not go well for Poseidon.
• The King of Sparta – Featured in God of War comic #6 (2010–11). The King's Guard was convinced by Kratos' wife Lysandra to allow Kratos to embark on a quest for the Ambrosia that would restore their plague-stricken daughter, Calliope. Kratos and his men were given until the next full moon to return before the King executed his daughter. Ultimately successful, Kratos returned, saved Calliope, and gave the rest of the elixir to the King. The King then officially awarded Kratos with the rank of Captain. The King of Sparta also appears as an illusion created by Tisiphone in Ascension where he honors Kratos for his service as his best general. Kratos believed what he was seeing at first until he saw Tisiphone's ring on the king's finger. He kicked Tisiphone off the balcony, dispelling her illusion. When Kratos was on the verge of victory over the Furies, Tisiphone changed into the form of the King once again, telling him that he was unworthy of being called a Spartan. The character was voiced by Crispin Freeman in Ascension.
• The Last Spartan – A loyal follower of Kratos. In Ghost of Sparta, he ordered the replacement of a statue of Ares with one of Kratos and gave Kratos his former weapons, the "Arms of Sparta", which Kratos had used as Captain of the Spartan Army. In God of War II, he witnessed the destruction of Sparta at the hands of a vengeful Zeus. Thinking Kratos dead, he attempted to find the Sisters of Fate to change the fate of Sparta. He was accidentally killed by Kratos, but revealed the extent of Zeus' treachery before dying. His body is later devoured by the Kraken during Kratos' battle with it. The character was voiced by Josh Keaton in God of War II, and Gideon Emery in Ghost of Sparta.
• The Narrator – Voiced by Linda Hunt, she narrated every game of the Greek era, except Betrayal, and only provided an introductory narration for God of War III. In God of War II only, the narrator and the Titan Gaia are the same character.
• The Oracle of Athens – An oracle that lived in Athens. Shocked at Athena's decision for choosing Kratos, the Oracle directed him to find Pandora's Box. Kratos later returned to Athens and found her mortally wounded due to Ares' war on the city. The character was voiced by Susan Blakeslee in 2005's God of War.
• The Persian King – Leader of the Persian forces that invaded the Greek city of Attica, he was killed in battle by Kratos who confiscated his Efreet as a magical ability. The character was voiced by Fred Tatasciore in Chains of Olympus.
• Pothia – Featured in God of War comic #3 (2010–11), she was the warrior-queen of an Amazonian tribe. Pothia was seeking the Ambrosia to make the Amazons whole again as their children were stillborn. Artemis chose Pothia as her champion, but she was ultimately killed by Kratos.
• Redeemed Warrior - The Redeemed Warrior, also referred to as the champion, is the unnamed protagonist of the graphic novel Rise of the Warrior who becomes the player's multiplayer character in Ascension. In Rise of the Warrior, it is shown that he was a native of Kirra whose father was killed by a general. Before dying, the warrior swore to his father that he would bring no harm to his family. The warrior then gathered soldiers of the village and sought after the general, also recruiting the witch Circe. Finding the general, he discovered that the general was actually his uncle and Circe's lover. After negotiations, the warrior tricked his uncle into drinking poisonous Cerberus blood, killing his uncle. Circe was aghast and fled. Because he killed his uncle, it broke his oath to his father. The Giver appeared, revealing himself to be Orkos, and imprisoned the warrior in the Prison of the Damned. In Ascension during Kratos' pursuit of Megaera, Kratos encountered the warrior, who was rejoiced to see an opportunity for freedom from his prison. Before being attacked by an arm of the Hecatonchires, the warrior vanished in a beam of light upon praying to the gods. This transported him to the Rotunda of Olympus. There, he started his trials for redemption to become a champion of the gods and was given a choice to either swear an allegiance to Ares, Hades, Poseidon, or Zeus. Several people are credited for the character in Ascension's multiplayer: Dave Carter, Neil Kaplan, Kevin Killebrew, Alem Brhan Sapp, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Anthony Skordi, and Jimmie Wood.
• The Scribe of Hecatonchires – The first mortal imprisoned by the Furies for breaking a blood oath to a god. To keep his sanity, he wrote meticulous records of the sisters and their schemes, which Kratos found throughout the prison. He informed Kratos that originally, although the Furies were cruel, they were fair, but became ruthless on account of Ares. The character was voiced by Robin Atkin Downes in Ascension.
• Unknown Assassin – An unidentified assassin in Betrayal who framed Kratos for the murder of Argos. Kratos chased the assassin throughout Greece to discover the identity of the assassin's master, but the assassin ultimately escaped when Ceryx intervened.
• The Village Oracle – A female soothsayer who attempted to warn away Kratos—still in the service of Ares—when he arrived at a village dedicated to Athena. The Village Oracle cursed Kratos once he was tricked by Ares into killing his wife and child, and proclaimed that "from this day forward, the mark of your terrible deed will be visible to all" as the ashes of Kratos' burnt family merged with his skin. This turned Kratos' skin ash-white and earned him the title, "Ghost of Sparta". The Village Oracle briefly appears as an illusion created by Tisiphone in Ascension. The character was voiced by Susan Blakeslee in God of War (2005) and Ascension.

Reception

God of War received praise for its voice acting. Chris Sell of PAL Gaming Network stated that the voice acting is "up there with the best" in comparison to other games, and that the cut scenes are "superbly voiced, but it’s the narrator of the story that is the most professionally convincing throughout." Eric Blattberg of PlayStation Universe stated that the voice acting is a great feature of the game, that narrator Linda Hunt's "authentic voice really helps set the attitude during the unbelievable [full motion video]’s", and that Kratos "acts and sounds like a badass." Kristan Reed of Eurogamer wrote, "Even the straight-laced voice work is handled with an expertise so sadly lacking in most other videogames." Raymond M. Padilla of GameSpy, wrote that some of the voice acting and music tracks are overstated; one of his few dislikes in the game. Matt Leone of 1UP wrote that "There's a mixture of in-game characters that speak to you and extremely nice CG sequences that show moments such as flashbacks, and it all blends together surprisingly well."

God of War II received similar praise for its voice acting. Chris Roper of IGN said the characters were timeless and the voice acting was great. Kristan Reed said that the voice acting was "top notch." Alex Navarro of GameSpot wrote that "The voice acting is ... all-around excellent, though it's not quite as enjoyable as it was in the last game", and that "Kratos is as gruff and over the top as ever." He praised the supporting voice performances, such as Linda Hunt as Gaia and the narrator, Corey Burton as Zeus, and Harry Hamlin as Perseus, as "top-notch work." However, Navarro said that a few of the performances felt "a bit labored or overwrought. In particular, Michael Clarke Duncan as Atlas feels more wooden than imposing. The voice is right, but his performance is oddly subdued." With these exceptions, Navarro said that "this is another enjoyable voice cast." GameSpy described Kratos as a "sympathetic antihero" and Game Guru claimed "Practically anyone, even if they hadn't played any of the God of War games, would know about Kratos."

God of War III action figures produced by DC Unlimited featuring (clockwise from bottom-center) Kratos, Zeus, Hercules, and Hades

God of War III received mixed reviews; Chris Roper of IGN stated that the voice acting "could be better", and that some of the characters are the "biggest culprits" to "creating an uneven feeling in the visual presentation" and that they "don't feature the same level of lighting quality or perhaps texture work as others." Roper also said that a few look "fantastic ... but many are clearly not on the same level as Kratos, and some are even only passable as 'good'."

Chris Roper of IGN said that the voice acting on Chains of Olympus was nice. For God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Nicole Tanner of IGN wrote that it "[c]ontinues the tradition of great voice acting" that "we've come to expect from a God of War installment." Joe Juba of Game Informer said that the voice work was solid.

Merchandise

Two series of action figures based on God of War II have been produced by the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA). The first set included two versions of Kratos; one wielding the Blades of Athena and the second wearing the Golden Fleece and holding a gorgon's head. The second set included a twelve-inch figure that plays six game quotes. A second two-figure set was also released, with Kratos wearing the God of War armor. DC Unlimited produced a line of action figures based on God of War III, which included the characters Kratos, Zeus, Hades and Hercules. Between February 1, 2010 and March 31, 2010, 7-Eleven sold a limited edition Slurpee drink called "Kratos Fury", available in four exclusive God of War III cups, which featured codes that could be used to access God of War III and Slurpee-themed downloadable content on the Slurpee website. Kratos' visage has appeared on the PlayStation Portable Chains of Olympus exclusive bundle pack, and on the PlayStation 3 God of War III sweepstakes prize video game consoles. Other products include artwork, clothing, and sweepstakes.

References

Notes

• "Art Gallery: Kratos". God of War: Official Game Guide. United States: Prima Games. 2005. ISBN 0-7615-5133-6.
• The Art of God of War III (God of War III Ultimate Edition). Canada: BradyGames. 2010.
• Santa Monica Studio, ed. (2005). God of War (Instruction manual). Sony Computer Entertainment.
• Santa Monica Studio, ed. (2007). God of War II (Instruction manual). Sony Computer Entertainment.

External links

• God of War voice actors article
• God of War credits
• God of War II credits
• God of War: Chains of Olympus credits
• God of War III PlayStation 3 credits
• God of War: Ghost of Sparta voice credits