PLEASE NOTE: This article contains MAJOR Spoilers for God of War Ragnarok. Proceed at your own risk.God of War Ragnarokgives a lot more attention to Atreus. This is done by having him be his own playable protagonist, instead of simply being one ofGod of War Ragnarok’s companion characters. Being playable and separated from Kratos gives Atreus a great opportunity to express more of his character, as seen in Jotunheim with Angrboda and in Asgard with Odin. Atreus is a much different character than his father, and it is incredible to see how much Atreus’ empathy plays out in conversations with others.
Players may be accustomed now toKratos’ discerning grunts as a means of communication, and as such, Atreus’ open-hearted dialogue is a refreshing change of pace. Atreus desperately wants to flesh out his destiny and determine what the prophecy states his future will look like, knowing that he may have some part to play in the events of Ragnarok. Atreus and Kratos create a band of ragtag gods and dwarves to help aid them in their battle against Odin, but Atreus’ narrative interactions with all these characters show that his empathy is his strongest characteristic.
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God of War Ragnarok’s Atreus is Starkly Different from the 2018 Game
God of War’s Atreus was highly irritatingdue to his impressionable attitudes and general snottiness toward Kratos. Some of this behavior was deserved as Kratos learns to understand his son better, and they are both grieving a close loved one, but having Atreus with players at almost all times inGod of Waronly accentuated how bothersome he can be. This could be chalked up to how Atreus is prepubescent inGod of Warand has not yet developed an emotional intelligence, especially considering the fact that Kratos is not an openly loving father in the beginning of the game. But even though this may not be his fault, it is still a glaring blemish on his character as Kratos is held in the limelight.
However,Atreus is an adolescent inGod of War Ragnarokand his role is much larger. Atreus, who now sometimes goes by his Giant name Loki, is a much different character in this installment and that is shown in how he interacts with other characters. Atreus’ empathy is remarkable because even when he is talking to someone who despises him, he wants to hear them out and understand their perspectives. This is true of when he visits Freya in Midgard, and it is also through his passionate goal of learning his true path that he decides to meet with Odin in Asgard.
God of War Ragnarok’s Asgard Sequences Represent a Vital Perspective
Asgard offers a unique perspective from the antagonists of the game. Here, Atreus meets some characters who have complex moralities, such as Thrud and Sif, while others are purely antagonistic, such asGod of War Ragnarok’s Heimdall.
Thor’s character inGod of War Ragnarokis delicately balanced between these two perspectives, where he behaves like a drunken maniac but truly loves his wife and daughter. Atreus gets to spend time with each of these characters on expeditions for Odin, where he learns more about them and empathizes with them further. These characters listen to Atreus, and it is clear that he has positive effects on them through his understanding of their issues.
Atreus knows that his and Thrud’s families are perhaps inherently enemies, but he can see the good in them and does not want to believe that a conflict is the only ending to their shared story. As Kratos states during Ragnarok, it is Atreus’ decisions and the relations he has made with different characters that create such a positive conclusion for them inGod of War Ragnarok.
God of War Ragnarokis available now for PS4 and PS5.
