Kratos, the mighty God of War from the popular video game franchise, is a force to be reckoned with. As a Spartan warrior who became a god, he possesses incredible strength and abilities that make him a formidable foe. In the latest God of War game set in Norse mythology, Kratos comes face to face with gods like Thor and Odin. This leads to an interesting question – does Odin, the ruler of the Norse gods, actually fear Kratos?
Kratos’ reputation as the God of War
Kratos earned a reputation as a vicious and bloodthirsty warrior even before he became a god. As a Spartan general and son of Zeus, he killed thousands, including his own family in a fit of rage induced by Ares. He then sought revenge against Ares and the other Greek gods for their various betrayals, killing Ares, the god of war. He eventually killed the king of the gods Zeus himself, along with many others from the Greek pantheon. His penchant for violence and ability to kill gods made him both renowned and feared throughout the realms.
So when Kratos ended up in Scandinavia after Greece, stories of his god-killing exploits likely preceded him. The Norse gods like Odin, Thor and Freya probably knew of Kratos and his fearsome capabilities. They knew he was more than capable of killing divine beings. But did this knowledge actually make Odin afraid of Kratos when he entered their realm?
Odin’s power as the ruler of Asgard
To understand if Odin fears Kratos, we must first establish Odin’s own standing. As the king of the Aesir gods, Odin is extremely powerful in his own right. Some of his impressive abilities include:
- Superhuman strength, speed, durability and longevity as a Norse god
- Highly skilled warrior, spearfighter, swordsman and archer
- Powerful magical abilities, including necromancy, illusion casting, shape-shifting, cursing and summoning/banishing
- Wisdom and knowledge derived from consulting arcane runes and sacrificing an eye to drink from the Well of Knowledge
- Strategic and tactical mastery due to experience from many wars and battles
With his combination of martial prowess, magical powers, wisdom and battle experience, Odin established himself as the foremost god in Asgard. Other powerful gods like Thor and Tyr ultimately answer to Odin’s authority. As the Ruler of Asgard, Odin has an immense power base and commands great respect and fear himself.
Odin’s motivations regarding Kratos
Odin knows better than to underestimate Kratos’ capabilities and threat potential. However, he also has certain motivations that compel him to let Kratos operate in the Norse realms instead of directly confronting him:
- Curiosity about Kratos’ origins and nature, desiring to learn more before engaging him
- Allowing Kratos to cull the Norse pantheon of weaker gods like Baldur, thinning competition
- Using Kratos to motivate Thor and others to increase their strength through challenge
- Biding time for Ragnarok, during which Kratos’ strength can be utilized for Odin’s goals
Odin displays his cunning by choosing to leave Kratos alone for a time instead of blindly attacking. He seems confident that he can deal with Kratos when the time is right, without showing overt fear or avoidance.
Kratos gains new allies and abilities in the Norse realms
A major concern for Odin is the new allies and abilities Kratos gains during his time in Scandinavia:
- Atreus – Kratos’ son, a formidable fighter himself, whose magical nature and parentage are of great interest to Odin
- Jötnar – Access to the hidden realm of Jötunheim and giants like Faye who wish to aid Kratos against the Aesir gods
- Leviathan Axe – An immensely powerful frost weapon that enhances Kratos’ abilities
- Spartan Rage – A new devastating power that boosts Kratos’ strength and durability in battle
These new assets provide Kratos with information, allies and powers that make him potentially challenging even for Odin to overcome. The threat level presented by Kratos to Asgard surely increases thanks to them.
Parallels between Odin and Zeus
As the powerful king of the Norse gods, Odin sees many parallels between himself and Zeus, the former Greek god-king killed in brutal fashion by Kratos. Zeus and Odin both:
- Rule as king and patriarch of the most powerful gods
- Display similar personality traits like authoritarianism, paranoia, cunning
- Possess lightning powers and associated artifacts like Zeus’ thunderbolts and Odin’s spear Gungnir
- Had many affairs and children, complicating succession and familial legacy
Given the similarities, Odin likely worries that his fate may end up like Zeus should Kratos come for him. This fear of repeating Zeus’ downfall contributes to Odin’s wary attitude toward Kratos.
Thor’s failure to subdue Kratos
Odin sends his son Thor, the Norse god of thunder, to confront Kratos relatively early on. Presumably Odin hoped Thor could curb or eliminate the threat posed by the outsider. However, their massive battle ends in a virtual stalemate, with Thor forced to beat a hasty retreat, unable to overcome Kratos for good. This lack of decisive victory from Asgard’s strongest remaining warrior after Baldur’s fall only increases Odin’s wariness of Kratos.
Kratos kills Baldur and Modi
Odin’s fears increase even more when Kratos kills two of Odin’s sons, Baldur and Modi. Baldur, blessed with invulnerability, was considered impossible to defeat. Yet Kratos manages to circumvent Baldur’s protection and ends his life. Kratos also kills Modi, Thor’s favorite son and a powerful god in his own right. These deaths show that Kratos can and will kill Odin’s kin, making him more motivated to preemptively eliminate Odin.
Ragnarok is coming
As the fated apocalyptic battle draws nearer, Odin’s obsessive quest to prevent Ragnarok likely makes him increasingly desperate. He needs all the strong warriors and champions he can muster for the final conflict. Yet Kratos looms as a massive wild card, one who already deposed Odin’s Greek counterpart Zeus. Odin probably realizes Kratos’ role in Ragnarok may be pivotal, contributing to his fear and uncertainty. He must take Kratos seriously as a threat to his rule and life.
Conclusion
Kratos has proven himself a force to be feared, even among divine beings. His reputation, skills, powers and motivation would give any ruler pause. Odin seems to have good reason to view Kratos as a serious threat, not merely a nuisance. However, as a cunning god and war strategist, Odin likely does not fear Kratos in a paralyzing sense. But he almost certainly both fears and respects Kratos’ capabilities, taking careful precautions in how he chooses to deal with the formidable foreign god.