Kratos

**Kratos** is the main protagonist and anti-hero of the *God of War* series. Born a Spartan, Kratos held the military rank of General, and would ascend to being a God before exacting his revenge on the Olympians who betrayed him.

## Weapons & Powers

As a demigod, Kratos possesses incredible superhuman strength and endurance beyond that of any mortal or beast, the exact limits of which are yet to be determined. His strength seems to fluctuate depending on the situation. He can subdue many large and powerful beasts and is capable of overpowering the Hydra, throwing the Colossus of Rhodes after it attempted to crush him beneath its foot, and preventing both Cronos and Atlasfrom crushing him. Feats of durability include falling from great heights and walking away unharmed, getting crushed, stabbed, beaten, blasted, and burned by various enemies and traps. Kratos also has useful skills that include climbing mountains and building, jumping great heights, and swinging on ropes to cross long gaps.

In his battle against Hercules, who is considered to be unrivaled in terms of sheer strength, Kratos proved capable of stopping his charges, forcing him backwards and enduring his powerful bear hugs without any ill effects, even breaking free from them and defeating him. Kratos also possessed the power to kill immortal gods. When Kratos loses in battle or war and is killed, he simply escapes the Underworld to Earth. Kratos can change his fate by manipulating or traveling in time.

Kratos has shown being able to rip off Helios' head, and rip creatures such as Undead Legionnaires, infected humans, monsters, and magical beings in half, using only his bare hands. It is presumed Kratos was born with his god-like strength and abilities due to being Zeus' demigod son. He might also be partially immortal and may have gotten stronger when he absorbed powers from the Gods. After Kratos killed Ares, Athena made him the new God of War, giving him the powers of a God. Kratos could grow 500 or more feet tall, as well as become a fiery comet which would lay waste to all below him, and possessed all powers of a God of War. It is possible he had acquired a permanent level of power and ability beyond even that of demigod from his constant trials and contact with different powers and magic.

In addition to his vast physical strength, Kratos also possesses superhuman agility, stamina, durability, endurance, reflexes and speed. He is capable of sensing danger and possesses great skills and accuracy with all forms of weapon and powerful magic. Kratos can also keep up with opponents who possess vast speed, such as Zeus who has the speed of lighting, Charon, Hermes, and Pollux and Castor who possessed Chronokinesis. He is also able to regenerate from most wounds at a fast rate, though he didn't regenerate from the scar on his stomach caused by the Blade of Olympus and the scar over his right eye caused by Ares for reasons unknown (maybe he can't fully regenerate himself from scars caused by gods' power). Due to these abilities, Kratos is able to defeat monsters, magical beings, Titans and even the Gods themselves. Kratos also possesses powerful resistance to most forms of attack and magic (ex: time manipulation, illusion, and soul manipulation) that would easily kill most humans or magical beings.

Before serving Ares, Kratos' main weapon was his sword. Under Ares' rule, Kratos' main weapons became the Blades of Chaos, a gift from Ares as a sign of his servitude. They are essentially two Falchion-like blades on long chains, permanently fused and seared to the wielder's forearms. Once Kratos killed Ares, Athena replaced them with a nearly identical pair of blades called the Blades of Athena, and then replaces them again in God of War III with the very similar Blades of Exile. Kratos displays proficiency with all of his weapons. It's implied that he learned many of his fighting skills from Ares and other gods, the former God of War himself. Initially, Kratos also had a massive Spartan army under his command, used both before and during his servitude under Ares.

Kratos, before and after becoming a God, gained many powers and weapons from the Gods. When he relinquished his old powers to the Blade of Olympus, he was given new powers by the Titans. Some of these powers resemble the abilities given to him by the Gods. The Blade of Olympus is one of Kratos' greatest weapons, as he has infused all of his godly power into it.

Although often defined by his brute strength, he also has a wisdom almost matching the goddess Athena as he managed to solve many puzzle throughout his journey, many of them create by famous architects like Archimedes, Daedalus or Pathos Verdes III as such he not only survived all the traps and creatures within but he also become the only one to break those challenges. He also managed to solve the Olympus' Gardenpuzzle which even Hera hadn't believed he could. Interestingly enough, Kratos, when he had godly power that can make him into a giant, such as when he fought in Rhodes, and similar to his empowerment against Ares, he seemed to prefer to use his normal mortal size to battle many powerful creatures and gods. Kratos also was wise enough to use the environment against his enemies, like using the bridge mechanic to kill a Kraken or using Gaia's heart to restore his health. The most notable event that proves his wisdom is when he manage to break out of Aegaeon the Hekantonkheires prison by using Megaera's anger toward him.

## Appearance

Kratos is the epitome of what a Spartan soldier is in that he is essentially made for battle. He is exceptionally tall, standing at a height between 6 to 7 feet, in which, due to his status a warrior, he is at his peak physical condition. Based on his facial features and voice patterns, one can assume Kratos' age is ranging from late 30s to early 40s (mid to late 50's or 60s in the 2018 game).

Prior to the series' actual time of taking place he had tanned skin and a red tattoo going down the majority of his upper body and up to his face. On his face, besides the aforementioned tattoo, he has a scar on his right eye and a black goatee. The scar was caused by Ares, when Kratos was a child and tried to save his brother from the raid of Gods on Sparta. After killing his beloved wife and child, two of the few people he truly cared for, the village oracle bound their ashes to his skin to be forever a reminder of the horrible deed he committed on that day.

As a Spartan General prior to his service to Ares, Kratos wore Spartan hoplite armor and after becoming the new God of War he wore a very elaborately decorated piece of armor. By the end of *God of War III*, Kratos only wears a leather loincloth and armlets without the chains of the Blades of Exile.

As of *God of War (2018)*, Kratos' appearance changes slightly. He appears older, with more wrinkles on his face. His goatee has grown into a bushy, full beard which covers half his face and has several gray hairs. His skin is still pale with his Spartan families ashes, and his tattoos have faded slightly. He retains the scar on his abdomen, however it is larger and less jagged than before, (possibly due to him stabbing himself at the end of *God of War III*). Also present are faded scars from where the chains from the blades were attached to his forearms.

### Kratos' Affixed Ashes

As Kratos attacked a village which worshiped the goddess Athena at the behest of his lord at the time, Ares, the Oracle who resided in the village warned the Spartan to not enter the Temple of Athena. Kratos, however, disregarded her warnings and slaughtered the people in the temple. After the massacre, Kratos had realized that he had not only murdered all in the temple, but he had unintentionally murdered his wife and child. As Kratos mournfully cradled the unmoving body of his dead wife, he discovered that Ares had orchestrated his family's death. After leaving the burning temple, the Oracle placed a spell on Kratos, a spell which caused the ashes of his wife and child to be forever affixed to his skin.

Only in *God of War: Chains of Olympus* is Kratos seen without the ashes, not including flashbacks and bonus costumes.

## Personality

**Kratos**: "*By the Gods, what have I become?*"
**Grave Digger**: "*Death. The destroyer...of worlds*"
―Kratos and the Grave Digger.
Throughout most of the series (particularly later entries), Kratos is incredibly cruel, reckless, and destructive, willing to kill anyone who gets in his way, even innocent people. He is also shown to be generally incapable of accepting full responsibility for his actions, usually blaming the gods (especially Zeus, Ares, and Athena) for his suffering while ignoring or denying his own part in it. The memory of his misdeeds has driven Kratos to attempt suicide on at least two separate occasions.

Earlier on in the series canon, he is less callous towards the lives of others, albeit perfectly willing to sacrifice an innocent bystander when it is required of him. He also exhibits a deep sense of shame and horror at his reputation as the Ghost of Sparta. One example is when Kratos tries to convince a woman in Athens to give him a key, only for her to run away in terror and call him a monster; Kratos is visibly aghast by the fear and hatred others have for him. This shame was further demonstrated when he observed the massacres committed by Ares' minions, causing him to question what he had become. Moreover, in *God of War: Ascension*, his earliest canonical appearance, he genuinely mourns the death of Orkos and the Delphic Oracle, even giving Orkos a decent funeral pyre. In Delphi, when Castor orders the guards to remove Kratos from the Oracle's temple, Kratos spares them when they have the good sense to flee. On the island of Delos, he is merciful enough to push an innocent man out of the way of an incoming spear, whereas he would have most likely just let him die in later games. It is possible that Kratos had yet to develop the apathy for others' lives that would come with his later experiences, but this is not proven. He is also very libidinous and is shown to be sexually passionate with many women, although as stated by Gaia, he never found true happiness or comfort in these acts, with Lysandra being the only woman he ever loved.

Before and during the original *God of War*, Kratos was also very respectful towards gods and divine entities (with the exception of Ares and Persephone), to the point of calling them "Lords", although he did not fully trust them. As time went on, he became disillusioned with the gods and began to respect them less and less. At the end of his service to the gods of Olympus, when it became clear that they would never relieve him of his nightmares, he became openly defiant and hostile towards them, even after being made a god himself. He was also respectful to Gaia due to her helping him in his quest though he was skeptical as to why she was helping him. Following her betrayal, Kratos has lost respect for all divine beings as he later caused Gaia to fall to a presumed death and even called Hermes a pest not worthy of his time. However, he is shown to care for Athena to some degree (and vice versa), with Kratos being more affected by her death than even Zeus, who seemed to care very little (if at all) about her death. He is also tolerant of Aphrodite and Hephaestus, since they are both indifferent (and in the latter's case, even somewhat supportive) to his war on Olympus. Further, it is likely that he felt a certain level of kinship with Hephaestus, as they share a mutual hatred of Zeus as well as intense pain over their lost daughters, although he is eventually forced to kill the Smith God when he tries to prevent him from reaching his daughter, Pandora. In spite of this, Kratos respected Hephaestus' desire to protect Pandora as he told her that her father died doing what any father should do protecting the life of his child. By the time of God of War III, Kratos was so blinded by rage and obsessed with killing Zeus that he does not notice, or care, that he is destroying the entire planet in his quest for revenge, coldly ignoring the warnings of Athena, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus himself that his murdering of the gods would bring about the end of life on Earth. He does, however, express extreme guilt for what he has done to the world after killing Zeus, ultimately attempting suicide over it.

In spite of his cruel acts, Kratos is shown to care deeply for his wife and daughter, with the memories of their deaths driving him to the point of madness. In fact, the one and only time Kratos is shown to be happy is when he briefly reunites with his daughter, Calliope, in *Chains of Olympus*. He also cared for his younger brother Deimos and his mother Callisto, with their deaths further contributing to his growing hatred for the Gods of Olympus. In addition, Kratos respected his fellow Spartans, including the Last Spartan who he encountered several times during *God of War: Ghost of Sparta* and*God of War II*. When he learned of Sparta's destruction at Zeus' hand, Kratos was devastated and angrily demanded for Zeus to come down and face him at that moment. During his battle with Zeus at the end of God of War II, he declared that he would not let him destroy Sparta, demonstrating that he cared for Sparta and its people. In *God of War III*, Kratos grows attached to Pandora as she reminds him of his own daughter, even mistaking her for Calliope upon their first encounter, despite the fact that she's only an "object". He became filled with rage after Hera insulted her going as far to kill her to silence the goddess for good. Kratos also tried to stop Pandora from sacrificing herself as he did not want her to die as Zeus commented on this attachment.

When Kratos encountered his half siblings or cousins, he merely ignored them or tells them to step aside, indicating that he at least does not harbor any particular hatred for them, but will kill them if necessary this was shown with his confrontations with Theseus and Hercules. Despite his war on Olympus, Kratos (at least initially) only truly desired the deaths of Ares and Zeus, and possibly Poseidon and Hades as well. For example, Kratos was legitimately interested, though understandably suspicious, when Helios offered to help Kratos as a way of repaying his debt, implying that Kratos would have spared him if not for his treachery. He also tries to ignore Hermes at first, viewing him as more of a pest than a serious threat, and only attacks him after incessant provocation.

After obtaining his revenge and siring another child sometime later, Kratos is shown to be more mellow, although he retains some of the rage he had before, sometimes bursting out at his son. However, he did this to discipline his son, and told him not to be sorry, but be better. He is also very well balanced in terms of being a father as he managed to restrain himself from truly hurting him. He forces Atreus, his son, to hunt independently to help develop him as a warrior, but forces him to stay out of battles he is not yet ready for.

## TMNT X Pokemon

Kratos is one of the strongest in the group. He handles the Gods and Demons during missions.

## Trivia

### In Greek Mythology

* "Kratos" means "Power" or "Strength" in Greek, likely a reference to Kratos' god-like physical strength or overall power in general.
* Though Kratos isn't a character in actual Greek mythology, there is a being in myth named "Cratos". He is the son of Pallas and Styx and he is the personification of strength and power. The mythical Cratos and the Kratos in-game, however, have vastly different loyalties, whereas Kratos is concerned only for himself and openly despises the gods, while Cratos is utterly loyal to Zeus.
* In Greek mythology, Cratos and Bia were commanded by Hephaestus to imprison Prometheus. Ironically, it was Kratos who released Prometheus from his imprisonment in *God of War II*.

### In God of War Series

* Kratos is voiced by Terrence C. Carson from *God of War* to *God of War: Ascension*, and by Antony Del Rio as a child in *God of War: Ghost of Sparta*. Christopher Judge took over the role for the first PS4 *God of War*.
* According to a *God of War III* special feature, Kratos stands 8 feet tall.
* Kratos kills about one god in every game (a total of 14 gods), with the most notable exception being *God of War III*, where he kills a total of 7 gods.
* Kratos' family is shown to be the only people he has ever truly loved. The only time he has ever been seen smiling was when he found Calliope in the Underworld. Kratos was very distraught when he had to leave her once again. Later, when he encounters an illusion of his late wife, he begs her for forgiveness, something he has never been seen doing before. When he is forced to kill his mother, he is distraught by her passing. When his younger brother Deimos is killed, Kratos is devastated before he unleashes his rage on Thanatos for his actions.
* From *God of War* to *God of War III*, Kratos' tattoo gets thinner and thinner and changes slightly in design. In the first game, it stretches on his chest from close to his sternum to past his left nipple. In the second, it is closer to his nipple. In the final game, it doesn't cover his nipple at all. It should also be noted that his tattoo in God of War circled more of his left arm, but in the games afterwards, it does not.
* It is clearly unknown why many characters even if they are fully aware of still call him a mortal as he is the son of Zeus, it could be that they didn't feel like calling him a demigod or that they used it to make him appear weak.
* During the flashbacks in *God of War III* to Kratos from the events of *God of War*, the character model for Kratos in *God of War III* is used instead.
* In *God of War II*, when Kratos is taken back in time by Atropos to his battle with Ares, his past self's tattoos are very faded in color, almost invisible, until the ending scene where he grabs the Blade of the Gods. Curiously, the tattoos are colored orange instead of red.
	+ Oddly, he also has the scar from where Zeus stabbed him, despite his battle with Ares occurring long before his fight with Zeus.
* In the Temple of Lahkesis in *God of War II*, Lahkesis speaks to Kratos through a statue of herself and tells him "only death awaits you in the end of your journey", which Kratos' apparent suicide at the end of *God of War III* seems to prove correct. However, in the final post-credits cutscene showing the site where Kratos fell, his body is missing, and a trail of blood leads to the nearby sea, leaving his final fate unknown.
* Developer Stig Asmussen has revealed that David Jaffe intended for Kratos to take on the Norse and Egyptian gods after having defeated Zeus and the Greek pantheon. His intention was confirmed with the release of *God of War IV*.
* By technicality, Kratos managed to free himself from his past in *Chains of Olympus*. When he gave up his weapons, powers, and abilities, Kratos' tattoo and pale skin were also removed, thus granting him amnesty. Unfortunately, he was forced to regain everything at the cost of his daughter, Calliope.
* In all of the main installments of the series, Kratos is killed at some point by impalement through his abdomen.
	+ Also, in each of the main games, he burned a man alive, being the first the Sacrificed Soldier, then Prometheus, and, in *God of War III*, Peiritheus.
* Kratos has killed both of his parents in his quests. He is forced to reluctantly kill his mother Callisto (in *Ghost of Sparta*), and brutally killed his father Zeus (in *God of War III*).
* Most of Kratos' actions during the series were driven by rage and vengeance, except when searching for the Ambrosia to save his daughter, when saving his brother Deimos ignoring any and all godly warnings and when trying to prevent Pandora from sacrificing herself in the Flame of Olympus.
* In the series, when Kratos encounters any of his half-siblings or cousins, he initially does not intend to battle them, but is ultimately forced to later on when they either provoke him or challenge him. Prime examples include both Perseus, Theseus and Hercules.
* In early screenshots of *God of War*, Kratos' tattoo was in the shape of the omega symbol when it was seen on his head.
* Throughout the *God of War* series, Kratos casts himself off a ledge in the trilogy. Firstly, in *God of War*, when Kratos attempts to commit suicide at the end of the game. Secondly, in *God of War II*, when he plummets down to Rhodes in the beginning. Lastly, in *God of War III* when Kratos drops to the Underworld from the Labyrinth, and during his psyche, where he drops the hope lantern and plows into the Pool of Blood.
* Kratos' standard outfit appearance had little changes throughout the games. In *God of War* and *God of War: Ascension*, his hands were without any gloves, and he had nothing but white cloth between the chains and the skin of his arms. His skirt is the same as in later games in *God of War: Ascension*, but seems like it is new and undamaged. In *Chains of Olympus*, his skirt seems to be torn apart in some places, as in God of War, and you can clearly see his red gloves. As a God, in *God of War II*, with his god armor, the skirt is intact, just to be torn apart again after the Colossus of Rhodes smashed him and broke the armor, and the gloves are kept. The final outfit from *God of War II* is pretty much the same as the one in the sequel. Also, in *God of War II* and *III*, Kratos wears an red leather armlet beneath the chains in his arms. The only difference between the two games is that his skirt seem to be shorter in *God of War III*than that in *God of War II*.
* It is never clearly mentioned how long Kratos reigned as a god, but judging from the 4603 days of working on the Labyrinth, Daedalus has spent a total of 12.6 years working on it. This implies that 12.6 years has passed between *God of War* and *God of War III*.
	+ With this information, one can assume that Kratos was born between 510 ~ 500 BC and that *God of War III* finished around 460 ~ 470 BC, as he spent about 12 years as a god, 10 as a slave to Olympus, and even before, he fought at Eurybiades' side against the Persians and their King (probably Xerxes I), event that took place in 480 BC (approximately). Judging by his voice pattern and physical appearance, his age in *God of War III* is estimated around 40 ~ almost 50 years.
* Prior to being revealed to be the Marked Warrior who's the prophecy foretelling the end of Olympus would be at his hand, Kratos was said to be marked by many individuals. The village oracle who cursed him when she bonded the ashes of his family to his skin stated that the mark of his deeds would be visible to everyone and a spider he encountered during his quest to destroy the Ambrosia to stop the followers of Ares from reviving him stated the he is just a mortal marked with destruction. Kratos also took a tattoo identical to his brother birthmark.
* One of Kratos' most major characteristics is his always angry facial expressions. He is almost never seen smiling. However, in the ending of *God of War: Ascension*, it is the most explicit time in the series that Kratos appears to be extremely sad and desolate, judging by his facial expressions.
* Kratos fight style change through out the game as he become more and more experienced. In *God of War: Ascension* he uses the Blades of Chaos to perform grabs while in all other game he prefers to overpower his enemies by grabbing them with his hands. In *God of War III*, many of his moved are slightly faster than the older game. And also in *God of War III* he disarmed and acquired the weapons of 5 different gods/demigods, more than any other game, while in God of War: Ascension, he only uses his Blades of Chaos, the least of all the game (*God of War: Ghost of Sparta* he acquired the Scourge of Erinys and so is considered to having a godly weapon/power).

### Guest Appearances

* Kratos makes a guest appearance in *Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny*. He fights with the Blades of Chaos, Blade of Olympus, Icarus Wings, and Poseidon's Rage.
* The God of War Armor makes an appearance in Heavenly Sword. On a mission with the character Kai, the player enters an armory with a display of her mother's skeleton.
One of the other displays is the God of War Armour with the Blades of Chaos underneath.
The inscription reads to the effect of "Armour of the Prince who stood alone against the Persian Army."
This was confirmed by Ninja Theory (the developer of *Heavenly Sword*) as accreditation to the God of War series for being such a heavy influence to their own production.
* In the 2008 The Simpsons Game a parody of Kratos can be seen in the background of a level on a billboard. The words "God of Wharf" are written next to a picture of a Simpsons-esque Kratos eating a bowl of chowder.
* Kratos makes a guest appearance in the PS3 golf game, *Everybody's Golf: World Tour.*
Playing with the 'Clubs of Olympus', a set of clubs with the club heads attached to chains, Kratos is portrayed being quite rude to his caddy, blaming all his bogeys and missed shots on The Sisters of Fate.
* The PS3 exclusive kart racing game *ModNation* offers Kratos, and his *Kart of Chaos*, as a playable character when pre-ordering. Kratos, along with other pre-order incentives, were made available worldwide.
* In 2009's Game of the Year *LitteBigPlanet*, there is a rare character costume of Kratos, as well as Medusa and Pandora's Guardian.
* Kratos appears in the PS3 version of the 2011 game *Mortal Kombat,*with his own set of moves, and a personal God of War battle arena. He is not, however, a part of the storyline.
* In the game *Age of Mythology*and its expansion, *The Titans*, there is a character named Kastor. Interestingly, his name can be arranged into Kratos. His background shares slight similarities to Kratos', as he too distrusted the gods and sided with the Titans while, unbeknownst to him, being used as a pawn. Kastor, like Kratos, is a figure in Greek myth, invaded Mount Olympus, released the Titans, and fought them after being betrayed. It's worth noticing that *AoM*and its expansion was released 2 years before the first *God of War*.
* However, there are some rather*odd*similarities between *AoM* and *GoW*. *AoM* main character, Arkantos is aided by Athena just like Kratos, Carole Ruggier also voiced Athena in *AoM*, both of them are general of their army and Arkantos is devoted to Poseidon as Kratos to Ares. Arkantos, not unlike Kratos, also escaped the Underworld and soon betrayed by the god they are devoted to and *AoM* Poseidon, just like *GoW*Ares, betrays his fellow gods because of envy and Arkantos fights and defeats the god that betrayed him and his people after being empowered by Zeus. (In this instance, Arkantos fights the statue of Poseidon is similar to Kratos fights Colossus of Rhodes, and he is given powers by Zeus to defeat it, just like Kratos is given the Blade of Olympus). Athena then makes Arkantos a god as Kratos is made one by the same goddess at the ending.
* Kratos is one of the playable characters in the multi-franchise fighter *Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale,*similar to the Super Smash Bros. series. Along with him, God of War-franchise member Hades also makes an appearance, albeit as a background character. Zeus also appears as a playable DLC Character in the game. Kratos' rival is Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal.
* In *God of War: Ghost of Sparta* there was a piece of artwork for a female version of Kratos, but this was possibly cut due to its nudity and voice acting.
* *A God of War* themed event was added in *Destiny of Spirits*, alongside advanced summons which had Kratos in it.
* Kratos appears in the PlayStation 3/4/Vita versions of *Shovel Knight*.

### Other Media

* Kratos was voted as the "Manliest Man in Video Games" by video game review website ScrewAttack.com. The website also pitted him against Spawn from the *Spawn* series in the popular series Death Battle where he ended up losing.
* 7-Eleven featured a Slurpee drink called "Kratos Fury" in a promotion for *God of War III*.
* David Jaffe showed interest in having Djimon Hounsou portray Kratos in the upcoming *God of War* film. With the film currently in development hell, there are no updates on Hounsou's possible involvement, nor on the film itself.