10 Things Even God of War Fans Don’t Know About Kratos

The acclaim for God of War has soared incredibly high. It represents PlayStation’s most significant intellectual property, not merely due to its captivating gameplay, but also because it features one of the most memorable video game characters ever created, Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta. Throughout his history, Kratos has gone from ruthlessly vanquishing the Greek Pantheon to constructing a fresh existence within the Norse Realms, offering numerous dimensions to his tale.

Even dedicated followers might have overlooked crucial details. Information within and beyond the video games that can be elusive unless you’re an ardent fan. Regardless of whether you started playing during the Greek saga era or recently joined Kratos on his latest adventures across the Nine Realms, here are some intriguing facts about the God of War you might not have realized.

1) Kratos Has an Even More Tragic Backstory in the 2010 Comic

Discovering plenty about Kratos and his daughter Calliope, yet the 2010 God of War comic book delves further into their pasts. If you haven’t read it, you’re overlooking an essential piece of their history. In this comic, we learn that Ares placed a curse upon Calliope, giving her a skin disease. To prevent her from being put to death by the King, Kratos embarks on a quest to locate Ambrosia from Asclepius – a legendary remedy said to cure any affliction.

In simpler terms, Kratos faces numerous challenges to locate the mentioned Ambrosia. Eventually, he uses it to restore Calliope and shares the rest with his kingdom. Following the events in God of War, where Kratos slays Ares, he revisits the location of the Ambrosia. Subsequently, Kratos decides to cut down the tree because the Ambrosia could potentially resurrect a deceased deity from the Greek Pantheon.

2) Kratos Has Fought Sackboy, Raiden, & Many More

In the year 2012, a game named “PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale” hit the market. This crossover title showcased characters such as Kratos, Sly Cooper, Raiden, Ratchet & Clank, and numerous other iconic heroes from PlayStation’s most popular franchises. Similar to the “Super Smash Bros.” series, “All-Stars Battle Royale” was designed as a platform fighter.

Ragnarok, there’s a conversation between Mimir and Kratos that hints at something different. During free roam, Mimir brings up a rumor about Kratos participating in a contest with various participants such as beasts, crooks, princesses, the undead, robots, and even history’s most famous musician. Kratos seems reluctant to discuss it, but this exchange suggests that Kratos may have traversed different universes at some point.

3) Kratos’ Skin Tone Is A Disturbing Reminder

Have you ever pondered about the reason behind Kratos’ fair complexion? Connoisseurs of the God of War mythology have already learned the explanation for this. However, if you’ve recently joined the series with God of War (2018), and are only familiar with fragments of the earlier games, chances are you might not be aware as to why Kratos appears so pale.

In the initial “God of War” video game, Kratos tragically kills his wife and daughter, influenced by Ares. Subsequently, an Oracle imposes a curse upon him and attaches the remains of his family to his body, causing his skin to turn white permanently. Since that fateful day, Kratos has been forever branded as the “Ghost of Sparta,” and he bears the emotional burden of his past mistakes literally etched onto his physical form.

4) Kratos Originally Had Blue Tattoos

Did you know that Kratos, in his original design, sported blue tattoos instead of the iconic red ones we see now? Many fans might be surprised to learn this, as it wasn’t until close to the release of God of War that the tattoo color was altered to red.

In the early 2000s, “Diablo 2” was among the top-selling games, featuring a character known as The Barbarian, who had a rugged appearance with blue tattoos. Kratos’ physique shared some similarities with The Barbarian, although his tattoo design differed. In the development stages, it was discovered that the use of blue for Kratos’ tattoos might lead to legal issues or mockery as a copycat of The Barbarian. To avoid this, Santa Monica Studio decided to alter the color, ultimately opting for red in the final version.

It’s fascinating to reflect upon how different the legendary figure Kratos might have appeared, with blue tattoos instead, had it not been for an obscure character from Diablo that few recall.

5) Kratos Has A Brother

In the spin-off titled “God of War: Ghost of Sparta“, we delve deeper into Kratos’ turbulent childhood. Filled with hardships and struggles, there were moments where Kratos found joy in life. However, this changed when his brother Deimos was abducted by Ares. Years passed, and the storyline of “Ghost of Sparta” unfolds, prompting Kratos to embark on a quest to find his long-lost sibling.

In his journey, he initially finds and reunites with his mother Callisto, battles numerous monstrous foes along the way, and ultimately discovers Deimos within the Realm of the Dead. Deimos and Kratos make amends, but tragically, Deimos is slain by Thanatos shortly afterward. Kratos seeks vengeance for Deimos, yet his brother’s death becomes the pivotal moment that motivates Kratos to wage war against the entire Greek pantheon.

6) Kratos Hates Pantheons

In every major God of War game, Kratos has slain at least one deity from either the Greek or Norse pantheon. For instance, he killed Ares in the first game, Athena in the second, and later on took the lives of Hades, Zeus, Poseidon, and numerous others in the third game. In God of War 2018, Baldur was among his victims, while most recently, Heimdall met a similar fate in God of War: Ragnarok.

In a different phrasing, let’s say: Initially, Kratos was a general from Sparta, but he later transformed into Ares’ champion, eventually seizing Ares’ throne as the new God of War. After causing the extinction of all Greek gods, he vanished and resurfaced in Norse mythology where he clashed with new deities. This time around, Kratos killed several members of the Norse pantheon. His body count is significantly high, with at least 30 of those being deities.

7) Kratos Has Died, A Lot

In contrast to Norse sagas, it’s worth noting that Kratos has experienced multiple deaths in his past. For instance, in the first God of War game, he was slain by Ares, but managed to escape death by leaving his soul out of the underworld. Similarly, in God of War 2, Zeus killed Kratos, only for him to be brought back to life shortly after by the Titan Gaia.

In most God of War series, Kratos often faces near-death experiences or even dies, given his frequent encounters with perilous situations. It’s no wonder! Interestingly enough, an early concept for God of War: Ragnarok envisioned Kratos meeting his end as well, with the game transitioning to playing as Atreus and saving Kratos from Helheim. However, in the official storyline, Kratos has died approximately 4-5 times, a number that may increase in future installments – though it seems no one’s been keeping score!

8) Kratos’ Tattoos Have Shifted Position Between Games

In the God of War series, it’s not just a color change that Kratos’ tattoos have experienced; these intricate designs subtly differ across games. Most fans might miss this detail, but if you closely observe Kratos’ body art throughout the series, you’ll notice variations like the fact that in the Greek saga, his tattoos appear much larger.

In the younger Greek version of Kratos, his arm tattoo stretches from below the shoulder to over his bicep; in the Norse Kratos character model, it’s confined to the shoulder area. There’s a significant change in the size and design of Kratos’ tattoos between the God of War 1 and 2 versions. In the first game, Kratos’ shoulder tattoo had an entirely different design, and the chest extension was large. However, in the second game, the design on his shoulder was altered, and the size of the chest extension shrank by almost half.

9) The Beard Wasn’t In The Early Concepts for God of War (2018)

It’s quite unusual to envision Kratos without a beard, particularly given his portrayal in the Norse version. However, contrary to popular belief, Santa Monica Studios didn’t initially plan to include the beard. This decision was made later due to its logical implications.

During the formative stages of God of War (2018), the studio collaborated with a concept artist to create Kratos’ appearance. Among several possible designs, the bearded version emerged as the preferred choice, as it fittingly embodied Kratos’ older, more mature, and calmer persona. To visually symbolize these character traits, the developers opted for a substantial beard, which has since become one of the most renowned beards in video game history, iconically representing Santa Monica’s vision of Kratos.

10) Kratos Is Taller In The Old Games

The God of War series contains a few discrepancies. For instance, the height of the character Kratos varies between different games. In the earlier Greek-themed titles, Kratos stands at an impressive 7 feet 8 inches. Contrastingly, in the Norse-themed continuation of the series, Kratos is 6 feet 4 inches tall. This modification was part of a redesign for the character.

In a simpler and more conversational style: Compared to the earlier “God of War” series, the newer ones focusing on Norse mythology have a more realistic feel. This is due to the over-the-shoulder camera perspective that makes Kratos appear more human rather than divine, as opposed to the stylized and larger-than-life world presented in the old games where fixed camera angles often made everything seem small, including Kratos. The worlds in the older games were also much larger.

Due to the grandeur of the Greek games, it seemed fitting for Kratos to be taller. Conversely, in Norse sagas, an over-the-shoulder camera approach might not have been ideal, so the developers adapted Kratos’ height to align better with the storyline.

2025-08-09 22:16