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[get-kratioed]

I know Hel is expected to be the only child of Atreus given Santa Monica's interpretation of Fenrir & Jörmungandr, but those who knows Norse Mythology especially with Loki's children…you know who they are [cough]Narfi&Váli[coUGH].

Knowing Santa Monica's penchant for portraying toxic sibling relationships, it would be nice if Hel had the opportunity to get to know her non-canonical brothers. Since almost everyone agreed that Hel will become her most powerful in the future, it make sense if Narfi & Váli have the same powerscale as her's. Unlike Hel, their lack of background in Norse Mythology is what makes them terrifying. Their godhood could be anything since Loki's Punishment never happened in GOWR along with Santa Monica's innovative approach towards myth characters.

But it's also because I imagined them playing UNO with their godly powers like this (Hel wins obviously lol):

She froze them at the end, but no worries, the boys are fine (they broke out of their icy petrification with ease)! They were in some areas/realm because they know their powers will harm any inhabitants during their rain of destruction. 💕

[get-kratioed]

Ever thought about what Magni's birth mother (Járnsaxa) would look like? Considering the parallels between Thor & Kratos (+Thor being Kratos' foil), I imainged the angst that Járnsaxa could have been Thor's Lysandra before the massacre. Knowing Járnsaxa's background, it's likely that Magni wouldn't remember her at all. 😔

Love your art btw! 💕💕💕

I think about Járnsaxa all the time.

I like to think that Magni is her spitting image. He got her blond hair, her stern features, and they frown exactly alike! But you are correct, Magni never really knew her, the way I think about it, and folks don't speak of her often. As far as Asgard is concerned, Sif is Magni's mother. Though it is difficult to ignore Magni's blatant resemblance, and glaring Jötnar heritage, the Asgardians are masters in the art of blissful ignorance. Magni is Aesir. Who even remembers where he came from? He's Thor's son!

While not yet mentioned, she will play an important role in my fanfic Brittle Knives. Ya'know, that thing I've been very slowly pecking at.

[get-kratioed]

Hope you have a well deversed rest! Your edits are awesome as always! 💕💕💕

Also fun question: I remember reading one of your conversations with stupidrant that someone made a scenario where it's possible for Freya & Baldur to reconciled(?) Would like to know how this could work since he's one of the the few Aesir I sympathized the most. Baldur in Norse Mythology comes back from Hel after Ragnarök. Would be fun to see how he turns out since it possible for SMS to push this direction. :)

Thank you again for the kind words. And I'm grateful that you, through the playlist you had shared with me earlier, familiarized me with the song I used for the edit. It is not only remarkably fitting for Angrboda and Atreboda in terms of lyrics but is well constructed and competently performed in it's own right.

Regarding Baldur, it's fair to say that he is that exceptionally rare example in popular media of a tragic villain done right. Unlike certain whitewashed villains and antagonists apologized either by the narrative or by their respective fan-bases (or, typically, both; this usually applies to male villains but female ones and toxic female characters in general also tend to get away with their abusive and violent behaviors, especially when they come from privileged background) Baldur was treated exactly the way he deserved to. He was shown for someone who was, from beginning to end, a product of his upbringing, circumstances and personal choices influenced by said circumstances.

It would've been exceptionally easy to portray Baldur as a wayward and lost son of a virtuous woman - Freya - who chose the wrong path because due to Odin's genes he was "inherently evil" as well as "ungrateful" towards his mother for her misguided but genuine attempts to protect him.

That's not how Gow18 and GowR (where, notably, Baldur wasn't present at all in the current timeline) portrayed him. The narrative allowed him to vocalize and express every single valid concern he had with the way Freya went about keeping him safe. It was made clear that it were the ways in which he himself chose to express it that were wrong rather than his feelings or experiences.

What stands out the most is that Gow18 events are set in motion precisely because Baldur tracks down Kratos and confronts him on Odin's orders (even that small bit of information already reveals Baldur's characterization as that of a broken individual desperate for parental approval). As the gamer starts learning new fighting mechanics through their battle - the second boss fight in the game and the first one between Kratos and a fellow god - the audience is introduced to Baldur's emotional turmoil, albeit without context. Not through third parties or through Freya (whom Kratos, Atreus and the gamer meet and bond with later and become biased in her favor) but through Baldur's own heartfelt screams about how he doesn't feel a thing and Kratos struggling against him is "pointless" (as he baits Kratos/the gamer to give him their best punch).

That's how the narrative establishes that, on one hand, Baldur's aggressive behavior is inexcusable and unprovoked and, on the other hand, there are underlying psychological reasons for that which need to be examined. From the writing standpoint it's a perfect set up for providing an explanation rather than a justification for villain's actions.

Another noteworthy point is that we get more background on Baldur and learn of his being Freya's son after - as mentioned above - getting to know Freya personally. As Kratos, Atreus and the gamer come to sympathize with and respect her. Unlike Baldur, an obvious antagonist, Freya is, from the get go, introduced as an ally character and as a caring, kind and nurturing person (her determination to save Hildsvini, then in his boar form, after he's shot by Atreus, her love for animals and plants, her saving Atreus's life, her giving Kratos the comfort and support even after he lashed out at her for keeping the very same secret about her deity background that he did in regards to his own son). Which further ensures that Kratos and Atreus as well as the gamer end up taking Freya's side once the faithful information about Baldur being her son is revealed and he attempts to kill her to get even for taking away his feelings. Such framing could've been an opportunity for the writers to only show the situation through Freya's lens and completely rob Baldur of any agency or voice.

But that doesn't happen either. Instead, Baldur is framed as an antithesis for young Atreus. Both had parental issues and estrangement from said parents (despite the emotional closeness to Faye, Atreus eventually finds out she, much like Kratos, also lied to him about vital things and not just her own but Atreus's background as well, for the sake of protecting him - wrong thing done for the right reason, not unlike Freya regarding Baldur). Both Atreus and Baldur aspired to prove their worth to their respective, emotionally distant fathers (as we learn in GowR from Freya herself; who goes out of her way to compare Baldur and Atreus and offers Kratos to become a mentor and motherly figure for Atreus in order to make up for her failures with Baldur).

In Gow18 Atreus has his low point when he finds himself on the verge of losing his morals and compass upon finding out about Kratos's and his own deity heritage. But eventually comes back on track, both due to Kratos breaking the emotional distance between them in order to become the authority figure and positive influence in Atreus's life that he failed to be from the start; as well as due to Atreus's own realization being a ruthless killer is not who he is or wants to be. The latter is the most important part of that arc, showing that Atreus choosing to stay on the right path was, first and foremost, for his own sake. Rather than a part of him wanting to please Kratos and earn his approval, the way Baldur aspired to earn that of Odin. The theme of personal choice over imposed circumstances or mistakes of one's parents is, thus, further highlighted through parallels and contrasts between Atreus and Baldur.

Upon the "family reunion" in the end of Gow18, Baldur gets to spell out his frustrations with Freya and she fully accepts the blame and responsibility. Down to her willingness to allow Baldur to kill her as a penance for robbing him of his ability to feel. However, this is also when the narrative, through Kratos and Atreus, shows that while Freya undeniably is one of the fundamental reasons Baldur turned out the way he did and got consumed by aggression and anger (other reason being Odin and it is in GowR that the audience gets more in depth information about that - along with said audience being prompted to check themselves on placing the full responsibility for bad parenting and it's consequences on a woman), Baldur, ultimately, is his own person. And is just as responsible for his own choices as Kratos, Atreus and Freya are.

The above point continues to be emphasized more boldly in GowR and is the reason Freya escapes being reduced to a misogynistic stereotype of a broken woman consumed by bitterness. Said stereotype is often framed as "feminist" in mainstream media and juxtaposed against soft and vulnerable female character types who maintain their cheerfulness and inspiration in spite of the adversities, like Angrboda. GowR subverted that false juxtaposition as well when it paralleled not only Freya and Angrboda but their interactions with Kratos and Atreus respectively.

As I noted many times, the most subversive point of Freya's arc in GowR is that her vindictive quest against Kratos ends prematurely and permanently less than halfway into the story. Rather than perpetuating the cycle of toxic motherhood by making Baldur's tragic but logical demise (because of his own actions and the route he chose to pursue) about herself and her pain Freya chooses to redirect her anger onto the real aggressor which is Odin ("you're [Kratos] not the one who needs to die"). Essentially diverting said anger away from herself and Kratos; whom Freya initially aspired to kill even if it required irreversibly destroying herself in the process and giving up on everything and everyone she used to hold dear (another part of the toxic parenting cycle).

Her further bonding with Kratos is also remarkable: while Freya recognizes Baldur as "not perfect but hers" she, as noted above, delves more into his background, his dangerous determination to impress Odin at any cost and his similarities with Atreus; whom Freya aspires to shield from the same fate as Baldur's. Atreus, in the meantime, continues to prove himself a parallel/antithesis to the aforementioned by actively seeking interactions with Odin and trying to trick the latter by winning his trust - something Baldur failed to attain either in life or in death.

Through those conversations (particularly in Vanaheim and during Freya's Missing Peace quest) Freya and Kratos realize how numerous factors affected Baldur's worldview, ultimately resulting in the man he became and his eventual death at the hands of Kratos, in defense of Freya. In the scene with the Norns Freya actively jumps to Kratos's defense when they mention his love for god killing being the cause of Baldur's demise ("it was not out of hate!"). Even though she said nothing in defense of herself or Baldur when the Norns mentioned their own choices determining their fates.

As far as Baldur's potential return, I have conflicting feelings about that though consider the idea interesting as well as having potential for SMS to come up with new "mythology with a twist" plot points and give the characters more development. On one hand, Baldur's come back could provide Freya with a closure that, in GowR, she had not yet found with herself (even when Freya was no longer blaming Kratos for Baldur's death she continued beating herself over it, including in the optional scenes and side quests, causing Kratos to emphasize that she did what she though she must do to protect Baldur).

Additionally, regardless of whether the writers take a romantic route with Freya and Kratos' relationship (my preferred scenario) or a platonic one (your preferred scenario) getting to face Baldur again, for both of them, could strengthen their bond and result in them working through that issue completely. The narrative made it a point to never gloss over it and that's what made Kratos and Freya's partnership and alliance so productive, strong and positive.

An anti-parallel to that would be Thrud's unhealthy reaction to Atreus killing her brother, whose death she outright dismissed by saying they were "better off without him" (because at that stage Thrud was mindlessly parroting her father and grandfather's propaganda and didn't have a mind or analytical thinking of her own; her "treacherous ex wife" comment about Freya is a product of that same mindset). Followed by her inviting Atreus, said brother's killer, to enjoy his stay in Modi's room and explore Asgard with her. That is, in between showing distrust or even contempt towards Atreus not for legitimate reasons (as Freya did towards Kratos for killing Baldur and as Thrud should have done towards Atreus for killing Modi) but because of Atreus's independence and unwillingness to tow Odin's line. In Helheim Thrud either prides herself on being supposedly stronger than Atreus - though constantly needs his help and aid with "almost budging" doors - or outright tells him she should have never trusted him. And that her mother was right about him all along when Atreus makes an honest mistake out of good intentions.

There where Angrboda and Atreus's interactions serve as a parallel to that of Kratos and Freya (see above) Atreus and Thrud's dynamic is an anti-parallel to both. That said, as I mentioned before, the most fitting scenario for Thrud's development would be to have Freya as her mentor (something that was hinted at by Lunda) and, in the process of bonding with her, reconsider her misguided perceptions imposed by Odin.

Concerning favourite Aesir characters, in my case it would be Sif whose determination to better herself, overcome her addiction for the sake of her daughter and a brighter future for her family and her willingness to embark on diplomatic missions to restore peace deserves far more credit than she tends to get.

[get-kratioed]

Guys...Angrboða is a gamer girl in Astro Bot. 🥺❤

[get-kratioed]

For his own healing, Baldur would need to reclaim his agency (the issue that caused the moral degradation in question). That, in turn, means owning up to his sins that he committed of his own accord and taking responsibility for them. While also accepting Freya's acknowledgment of her responsibility and blame for what she did to him.

Given his awareness of his family's dysfunctions from GOW(2018) as evidenced by his dialogue, "And here I thought my family is fucked up." I can definitely see Baldur taking responsibility of his own wrongdoings and reclaim his agency over time throughout his healing journey with the support from Kratos & Týr. ^^

The only way for Baldur to accept Freya's accountability is to recognize the driving force that compelled her to act as she did, and these circumstances steams from the Vanir turning their backs on her after she married Odin to maintain peace between both tribes along with Freyr's last and awful words directed at her during their wedding, following Odin's abuse throughout their marriage, and because of those circumstances, Baldur became her whole world as he's the only good thing that happened in Freya's life throughout her ordeal.

Despite Baldur's choice not to forgive her for the psychological damage, he can at the very least understand the reasoning behind her actions.

Hope you have a well deversed rest! Your edits are awesome as always! 💕💕💕

Also fun question: I remember reading one of your conversations with stupidrant that someone made a scenario where it's possible for Freya & Baldur to reconciled(?) Would like to know how this could work since he's one of the the few Aesir I sympathized the most. Baldur in Norse Mythology comes back from Hel after Ragnarök. Would be fun to see how he turns out since it possible for SMS to push this direction. :)

Thank you again for the kind words. And I'm grateful that you, through the playlist you had shared with me earlier, familiarized me with the song I used for the edit. It is not only remarkably fitting for Angrboda and Atreboda in terms of lyrics but is well constructed and competently performed in it's own right.

Regarding Baldur, it's fair to say that he is that exceptionally rare example in popular media of a tragic villain done right. Unlike certain whitewashed villains and antagonists apologized either by the narrative or by their respective fan-bases (or, typically, both; this usually applies to male villains but female ones and toxic female characters in general also tend to get away with their abusive and violent behaviors, especially when they come from privileged background) Baldur was treated exactly the way he deserved to. He was shown for someone who was, from beginning to end, a product of his upbringing, circumstances and personal choices influenced by said circumstances.

It would've been exceptionally easy to portray Baldur as a wayward and lost son of a virtuous woman - Freya - who chose the wrong path because due to Odin's genes he was "inherently evil" as well as "ungrateful" towards his mother for her misguided but genuine attempts to protect him.

That's not how Gow18 and GowR (where, notably, Baldur wasn't present at all in the current timeline) portrayed him. The narrative allowed him to vocalize and express every single valid concern he had with the way Freya went about keeping him safe. It was made clear that it were the ways in which he himself chose to express it that were wrong rather than his feelings or experiences.

What stands out the most is that Gow18 events are set in motion precisely because Baldur tracks down Kratos and confronts him on Odin's orders (even that small bit of information already reveals Baldur's characterization as that of a broken individual desperate for parental approval). As the gamer starts learning new fighting mechanics through their battle - the second boss fight in the game and the first one between Kratos and a fellow god - the audience is introduced to Baldur's emotional turmoil, albeit without context. Not through third parties or through Freya (whom Kratos, Atreus and the gamer meet and bond with later and become biased in her favor) but through Baldur's own heartfelt screams about how he doesn't feel a thing and Kratos struggling against him is "pointless" (as he baits Kratos/the gamer to give him their best punch).

That's how the narrative establishes that, on one hand, Baldur's aggressive behavior is inexcusable and unprovoked and, on the other hand, there are underlying psychological reasons for that which need to be examined. From the writing standpoint it's a perfect set up for providing an explanation rather than a justification for villain's actions.

Another noteworthy point is that we get more background on Baldur and learn of his being Freya's son after - as mentioned above - getting to know Freya personally. As Kratos, Atreus and the gamer come to sympathize with and respect her. Unlike Baldur, an obvious antagonist, Freya is, from the get go, introduced as an ally character and as a caring, kind and nurturing person (her determination to save Hildsvini, then in his boar form, after he's shot by Atreus, her love for animals and plants, her saving Atreus's life, her giving Kratos the comfort and support even after he lashed out at her for keeping the very same secret about her deity background that he did in regards to his own son). Which further ensures that Kratos and Atreus as well as the gamer end up taking Freya's side once the faithful information about Baldur being her son is revealed and he attempts to kill her to get even for taking away his feelings. Such framing could've been an opportunity for the writers to only show the situation through Freya's lens and completely rob Baldur of any agency or voice.

But that doesn't happen either. Instead, Baldur is framed as an antithesis for young Atreus. Both had parental issues and estrangement from said parents (despite the emotional closeness to Faye, Atreus eventually finds out she, much like Kratos, also lied to him about vital things and not just her own but Atreus's background as well, for the sake of protecting him - wrong thing done for the right reason, not unlike Freya regarding Baldur). Both Atreus and Baldur aspired to prove their worth to their respective, emotionally distant fathers (as we learn in GowR from Freya herself; who goes out of her way to compare Baldur and Atreus and offers Kratos to become a mentor and motherly figure for Atreus in order to make up for her failures with Baldur).

In Gow18 Atreus has his low point when he finds himself on the verge of losing his morals and compass upon finding out about Kratos's and his own deity heritage. But eventually comes back on track, both due to Kratos breaking the emotional distance between them in order to become the authority figure and positive influence in Atreus's life that he failed to be from the start; as well as due to Atreus's own realization being a ruthless killer is not who he is or wants to be. The latter is the most important part of that arc, showing that Atreus choosing to stay on the right path was, first and foremost, for his own sake. Rather than a part of him wanting to please Kratos and earn his approval, the way Baldur aspired to earn that of Odin. The theme of personal choice over imposed circumstances or mistakes of one's parents is, thus, further highlighted through parallels and contrasts between Atreus and Baldur.

Upon the "family reunion" in the end of Gow18, Baldur gets to spell out his frustrations with Freya and she fully accepts the blame and responsibility. Down to her willingness to allow Baldur to kill her as a penance for robbing him of his ability to feel. However, this is also when the narrative, through Kratos and Atreus, shows that while Freya undeniably is one of the fundamental reasons Baldur turned out the way he did and got consumed by aggression and anger (other reason being Odin and it is in GowR that the audience gets more in depth information about that - along with said audience being prompted to check themselves on placing the full responsibility for bad parenting and it's consequences on a woman), Baldur, ultimately, is his own person. And is just as responsible for his own choices as Kratos, Atreus and Freya are.

The above point continues to be emphasized more boldly in GowR and is the reason Freya escapes being reduced to a misogynistic stereotype of a broken woman consumed by bitterness. Said stereotype is often framed as "feminist" in mainstream media and juxtaposed against soft and vulnerable female character types who maintain their cheerfulness and inspiration in spite of the adversities, like Angrboda. GowR subverted that false juxtaposition as well when it paralleled not only Freya and Angrboda but their interactions with Kratos and Atreus respectively.

As I noted many times, the most subversive point of Freya's arc in GowR is that her vindictive quest against Kratos ends prematurely and permanently less than halfway into the story. Rather than perpetuating the cycle of toxic motherhood by making Baldur's tragic but logical demise (because of his own actions and the route he chose to pursue) about herself and her pain Freya chooses to redirect her anger onto the real aggressor which is Odin ("you're [Kratos] not the one who needs to die"). Essentially diverting said anger away from herself and Kratos; whom Freya initially aspired to kill even if it required irreversibly destroying herself in the process and giving up on everything and everyone she used to hold dear (another part of the toxic parenting cycle).

Her further bonding with Kratos is also remarkable: while Freya recognizes Baldur as "not perfect but hers" she, as noted above, delves more into his background, his dangerous determination to impress Odin at any cost and his similarities with Atreus; whom Freya aspires to shield from the same fate as Baldur's. Atreus, in the meantime, continues to prove himself a parallel/antithesis to the aforementioned by actively seeking interactions with Odin and trying to trick the latter by winning his trust - something Baldur failed to attain either in life or in death.

Through those conversations (particularly in Vanaheim and during Freya's Missing Peace quest) Freya and Kratos realize how numerous factors affected Baldur's worldview, ultimately resulting in the man he became and his eventual death at the hands of Kratos, in defense of Freya. In the scene with the Norns Freya actively jumps to Kratos's defense when they mention his love for god killing being the cause of Baldur's demise ("it was not out of hate!"). Even though she said nothing in defense of herself or Baldur when the Norns mentioned their own choices determining their fates.

As far as Baldur's potential return, I have conflicting feelings about that though consider the idea interesting as well as having potential for SMS to come up with new "mythology with a twist" plot points and give the characters more development. On one hand, Baldur's come back could provide Freya with a closure that, in GowR, she had not yet found with herself (even when Freya was no longer blaming Kratos for Baldur's death she continued beating herself over it, including in the optional scenes and side quests, causing Kratos to emphasize that she did what she though she must do to protect Baldur).

Additionally, regardless of whether the writers take a romantic route with Freya and Kratos' relationship (my preferred scenario) or a platonic one (your preferred scenario) getting to face Baldur again, for both of them, could strengthen their bond and result in them working through that issue completely. The narrative made it a point to never gloss over it and that's what made Kratos and Freya's partnership and alliance so productive, strong and positive.

An anti-parallel to that would be Thrud's unhealthy reaction to Atreus killing her brother, whose death she outright dismissed by saying they were "better off without him" (because at that stage Thrud was mindlessly parroting her father and grandfather's propaganda and didn't have a mind or analytical thinking of her own; her "treacherous ex wife" comment about Freya is a product of that same mindset). Followed by her inviting Atreus, said brother's killer, to enjoy his stay in Modi's room and explore Asgard with her. That is, in between showing distrust or even contempt towards Atreus not for legitimate reasons (as Freya did towards Kratos for killing Baldur and as Thrud should have done towards Atreus for killing Modi) but because of Atreus's independence and unwillingness to tow Odin's line. In Helheim Thrud either prides herself on being supposedly stronger than Atreus - though constantly needs his help and aid with "almost budging" doors - or outright tells him she should have never trusted him. And that her mother was right about him all along when Atreus makes an honest mistake out of good intentions.

There where Angrboda and Atreus's interactions serve as a parallel to that of Kratos and Freya (see above) Atreus and Thrud's dynamic is an anti-parallel to both. That said, as I mentioned before, the most fitting scenario for Thrud's development would be to have Freya as her mentor (something that was hinted at by Lunda) and, in the process of bonding with her, reconsider her misguided perceptions imposed by Odin.

Concerning favourite Aesir characters, in my case it would be Sif whose determination to better herself, overcome her addiction for the sake of her daughter and a brighter future for her family and her willingness to embark on diplomatic missions to restore peace deserves far more credit than she tends to get.

[get-kratioed]

Platonic relationship for the win! From what I've seen, friendships between male & female characters are underrated in media which is something I like to see between Kratos & Freya in future releases. ^^

Regarding the reconciliation between Baldur & Freya, I can see Santa Monica taking this route where both characters become on good terms and ultimately part ways, providing the necessary closure in their respective character arcs, particularly Baldur being the most affected. He's free from his curse, but the psychological damage from Freya's potent spell still remains. He can (or somewhat) maintain his acquainted relationship with Freya, but chose not to forgive her after their past ordeal, which I believe, fits Baldur's characterization in canon.

Kratos' intervention between the "family reunion" of Baldur & Freya before their final confrontation highlights one of the similarities between Kratos & Baldur that people noted from 2018 (before GOWR's official announcement). It's possible for Kratos to offer his help if Baldur is willing to copperate, and the best way to start Baldur's therapy would be in Valhalla.

Týr could also step in as additional support. Given that Baldur was approximately 4-5 y/o when Týr "unexpectedly" vanished in the official timeline, Santa Monica would have an opportunity to develope their relationship with Baldur having a positive male influence (besides Kratos) since Týr is the first Æsir to steer away from Odin's propaganda/manipulation.

If Baldur chooses to forgive Freya (for the sake of family fluff) by Santa Monica's decision, I imagine him (once in a blue moon) gifting his mother with a handmade piece of jewelry and leaving it by her doorstep/window sill with Freya unaware of his visit(s). Freya of course has to make some atonements if she wanted to have a relationship with her son again. ^^

Hope you have a well deversed rest! Your edits are awesome as always! 💕💕💕

Also fun question: I remember reading one of your conversations with stupidrant that someone made a scenario where it's possible for Freya & Baldur to reconciled(?) Would like to know how this could work since he's one of the the few Aesir I sympathized the most. Baldur in Norse Mythology comes back from Hel after Ragnarök. Would be fun to see how he turns out since it possible for SMS to push this direction. :)

Thank you again for the kind words. And I'm grateful that you, through the playlist you had shared with me earlier, familiarized me with the song I used for the edit. It is not only remarkably fitting for Angrboda and Atreboda in terms of lyrics but is well constructed and competently performed in it's own right.

Regarding Baldur, it's fair to say that he is that exceptionally rare example in popular media of a tragic villain done right. Unlike certain whitewashed villains and antagonists apologized either by the narrative or by their respective fan-bases (or, typically, both; this usually applies to male villains but female ones and toxic female characters in general also tend to get away with their abusive and violent behaviors, especially when they come from privileged background) Baldur was treated exactly the way he deserved to. He was shown for someone who was, from beginning to end, a product of his upbringing, circumstances and personal choices influenced by said circumstances.

It would've been exceptionally easy to portray Baldur as a wayward and lost son of a virtuous woman - Freya - who chose the wrong path because due to Odin's genes he was "inherently evil" as well as "ungrateful" towards his mother for her misguided but genuine attempts to protect him.

That's not how Gow18 and GowR (where, notably, Baldur wasn't present at all in the current timeline) portrayed him. The narrative allowed him to vocalize and express every single valid concern he had with the way Freya went about keeping him safe. It was made clear that it were the ways in which he himself chose to express it that were wrong rather than his feelings or experiences.

What stands out the most is that Gow18 events are set in motion precisely because Baldur tracks down Kratos and confronts him on Odin's orders (even that small bit of information already reveals Baldur's characterization as that of a broken individual desperate for parental approval). As the gamer starts learning new fighting mechanics through their battle - the second boss fight in the game and the first one between Kratos and a fellow god - the audience is introduced to Baldur's emotional turmoil, albeit without context. Not through third parties or through Freya (whom Kratos, Atreus and the gamer meet and bond with later and become biased in her favor) but through Baldur's own heartfelt screams about how he doesn't feel a thing and Kratos struggling against him is "pointless" (as he baits Kratos/the gamer to give him their best punch).

That's how the narrative establishes that, on one hand, Baldur's aggressive behavior is inexcusable and unprovoked and, on the other hand, there are underlying psychological reasons for that which need to be examined. From the writing standpoint it's a perfect set up for providing an explanation rather than a justification for villain's actions.

Another noteworthy point is that we get more background on Baldur and learn of his being Freya's son after - as mentioned above - getting to know Freya personally. As Kratos, Atreus and the gamer come to sympathize with and respect her. Unlike Baldur, an obvious antagonist, Freya is, from the get go, introduced as an ally character and as a caring, kind and nurturing person (her determination to save Hildsvini, then in his boar form, after he's shot by Atreus, her love for animals and plants, her saving Atreus's life, her giving Kratos the comfort and support even after he lashed out at her for keeping the very same secret about her deity background that he did in regards to his own son). Which further ensures that Kratos and Atreus as well as the gamer end up taking Freya's side once the faithful information about Baldur being her son is revealed and he attempts to kill her to get even for taking away his feelings. Such framing could've been an opportunity for the writers to only show the situation through Freya's lens and completely rob Baldur of any agency or voice.

But that doesn't happen either. Instead, Baldur is framed as an antithesis for young Atreus. Both had parental issues and estrangement from said parents (despite the emotional closeness to Faye, Atreus eventually finds out she, much like Kratos, also lied to him about vital things and not just her own but Atreus's background as well, for the sake of protecting him - wrong thing done for the right reason, not unlike Freya regarding Baldur). Both Atreus and Baldur aspired to prove their worth to their respective, emotionally distant fathers (as we learn in GowR from Freya herself; who goes out of her way to compare Baldur and Atreus and offers Kratos to become a mentor and motherly figure for Atreus in order to make up for her failures with Baldur).

In Gow18 Atreus has his low point when he finds himself on the verge of losing his morals and compass upon finding out about Kratos's and his own deity heritage. But eventually comes back on track, both due to Kratos breaking the emotional distance between them in order to become the authority figure and positive influence in Atreus's life that he failed to be from the start; as well as due to Atreus's own realization being a ruthless killer is not who he is or wants to be. The latter is the most important part of that arc, showing that Atreus choosing to stay on the right path was, first and foremost, for his own sake. Rather than a part of him wanting to please Kratos and earn his approval, the way Baldur aspired to earn that of Odin. The theme of personal choice over imposed circumstances or mistakes of one's parents is, thus, further highlighted through parallels and contrasts between Atreus and Baldur.

Upon the "family reunion" in the end of Gow18, Baldur gets to spell out his frustrations with Freya and she fully accepts the blame and responsibility. Down to her willingness to allow Baldur to kill her as a penance for robbing him of his ability to feel. However, this is also when the narrative, through Kratos and Atreus, shows that while Freya undeniably is one of the fundamental reasons Baldur turned out the way he did and got consumed by aggression and anger (other reason being Odin and it is in GowR that the audience gets more in depth information about that - along with said audience being prompted to check themselves on placing the full responsibility for bad parenting and it's consequences on a woman), Baldur, ultimately, is his own person. And is just as responsible for his own choices as Kratos, Atreus and Freya are.

The above point continues to be emphasized more boldly in GowR and is the reason Freya escapes being reduced to a misogynistic stereotype of a broken woman consumed by bitterness. Said stereotype is often framed as "feminist" in mainstream media and juxtaposed against soft and vulnerable female character types who maintain their cheerfulness and inspiration in spite of the adversities, like Angrboda. GowR subverted that false juxtaposition as well when it paralleled not only Freya and Angrboda but their interactions with Kratos and Atreus respectively.

As I noted many times, the most subversive point of Freya's arc in GowR is that her vindictive quest against Kratos ends prematurely and permanently less than halfway into the story. Rather than perpetuating the cycle of toxic motherhood by making Baldur's tragic but logical demise (because of his own actions and the route he chose to pursue) about herself and her pain Freya chooses to redirect her anger onto the real aggressor which is Odin ("you're [Kratos] not the one who needs to die"). Essentially diverting said anger away from herself and Kratos; whom Freya initially aspired to kill even if it required irreversibly destroying herself in the process and giving up on everything and everyone she used to hold dear (another part of the toxic parenting cycle).

Her further bonding with Kratos is also remarkable: while Freya recognizes Baldur as "not perfect but hers" she, as noted above, delves more into his background, his dangerous determination to impress Odin at any cost and his similarities with Atreus; whom Freya aspires to shield from the same fate as Baldur's. Atreus, in the meantime, continues to prove himself a parallel/antithesis to the aforementioned by actively seeking interactions with Odin and trying to trick the latter by winning his trust - something Baldur failed to attain either in life or in death.

Through those conversations (particularly in Vanaheim and during Freya's Missing Peace quest) Freya and Kratos realize how numerous factors affected Baldur's worldview, ultimately resulting in the man he became and his eventual death at the hands of Kratos, in defense of Freya. In the scene with the Norns Freya actively jumps to Kratos's defense when they mention his love for god killing being the cause of Baldur's demise ("it was not out of hate!"). Even though she said nothing in defense of herself or Baldur when the Norns mentioned their own choices determining their fates.

As far as Baldur's potential return, I have conflicting feelings about that though consider the idea interesting as well as having potential for SMS to come up with new "mythology with a twist" plot points and give the characters more development. On one hand, Baldur's come back could provide Freya with a closure that, in GowR, she had not yet found with herself (even when Freya was no longer blaming Kratos for Baldur's death she continued beating herself over it, including in the optional scenes and side quests, causing Kratos to emphasize that she did what she though she must do to protect Baldur).

Additionally, regardless of whether the writers take a romantic route with Freya and Kratos' relationship (my preferred scenario) or a platonic one (your preferred scenario) getting to face Baldur again, for both of them, could strengthen their bond and result in them working through that issue completely. The narrative made it a point to never gloss over it and that's what made Kratos and Freya's partnership and alliance so productive, strong and positive.

An anti-parallel to that would be Thrud's unhealthy reaction to Atreus killing her brother, whose death she outright dismissed by saying they were "better off without him" (because at that stage Thrud was mindlessly parroting her father and grandfather's propaganda and didn't have a mind or analytical thinking of her own; her "treacherous ex wife" comment about Freya is a product of that same mindset). Followed by her inviting Atreus, said brother's killer, to enjoy his stay in Modi's room and explore Asgard with her. That is, in between showing distrust or even contempt towards Atreus not for legitimate reasons (as Freya did towards Kratos for killing Baldur and as Thrud should have done towards Atreus for killing Modi) but because of Atreus's independence and unwillingness to tow Odin's line. In Helheim Thrud either prides herself on being supposedly stronger than Atreus - though constantly needs his help and aid with "almost budging" doors - or outright tells him she should have never trusted him. And that her mother was right about him all along when Atreus makes an honest mistake out of good intentions.

There where Angrboda and Atreus's interactions serve as a parallel to that of Kratos and Freya (see above) Atreus and Thrud's dynamic is an anti-parallel to both. That said, as I mentioned before, the most fitting scenario for Thrud's development would be to have Freya as her mentor (something that was hinted at by Lunda) and, in the process of bonding with her, reconsider her misguided perceptions imposed by Odin.

Concerning favourite Aesir characters, in my case it would be Sif whose determination to better herself, overcome her addiction for the sake of her daughter and a brighter future for her family and her willingness to embark on diplomatic missions to restore peace deserves far more credit than she tends to get.

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Just found out about the Astro Bot's release. Imagine bot!Kratos giving Faye the heart-eyes. 😭❤

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While I do love that Angrboða is not a warrior, I wouldn't be against if she got her own kick on Odin. As a treat

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Thinking about Faye as a subversion of the ‘fridging’ trope.

Usually, in a story like this (masculine man loses his wife, motivating him to go on an adventure), the story is usually invariably sexist. The wife’s death is violent, but once the man has started going on an adventure, proving his heroism, she’s basically never mentioned again. She’s a brief plot device, forgotten after the start except for a few dull flashbacks. We never learn more about her as a person. She existed to date a man and then die. That’s it.

And Faye isn’t that at all.

Her death was not violent, and does not happen onscreen. It was a quiet death, presumably from illness, and what’s more: she saw it coming. She was at peace with it.

Anger over her death isn’t the reason for the adventure. Kratos doesn’t start wandering the Nine Realms because he’s angry about his dead wife. He travels the Realms because he wants to honour his wife’s wishes. The journey only happens because of the immense respect he felt for her.

Her death isn’t the sole reason why the adventure starts. Yes, she’s the reason why her husband and son go travelling, but Baldur’s appearance is what introduces violence into the story.

Faye had a life before she met Kratos. She’s not a paper-cutout mother-and-wife. She had friends. She kept secrets. She was a warrior who led a rebellion. Her association with Brok and Sindri is the reason why they agree to help Kratos and Atreus. Kratos acknowledges her talent, and the fact that she was better than him at some things. Her life before Kratos directly affects the story after her death.

Faye is not forgotten by the narrative. The whole story is haunted by her. She knew what would happen. Kratos and Atreus talk about her with each other and with others. It’s clear how much she meant to them and how significant she is to the plot.

Meaningful flashbacks. Usually when a woman is fridged, the flashbacks are just an overly bright snippet of the woman looking pretty and saying some variation of ‘I love you, babe’. But the flashbacks in God of War: Ragnarok are plot-relevant. Kratos and Faye don’t just discuss their relationship. They talk about grief, morality, mortality, Kratos’s past, and the way to raise their son.

Genuine grief. This isn’t a man seeing his wife dead, crying a single tear, killing a bunch of people, and never reflecting on his widower status again. Kratos, Atreus, and other characters all mourn Faye’s passing. Years after her death, Kratos is still deeply moved by his memories of her. She is not forgotten by anyone.

Faye wasn’t some disposable woman. She’s the cornerstone upon which the entire plot rests.

[get-kratioed]

Thinking about Faye as a subversion of the ‘fridging’ trope.

Usually, in a story like this (masculine man loses his wife, motivating him to go on an adventure), the story is usually invariably sexist. The wife’s death is violent, but once the man has started going on an adventure, proving his heroism, she’s basically never mentioned again. She’s a brief plot device, forgotten after the start except for a few dull flashbacks. We never learn more about her as a person. She existed to date a man and then die. That’s it.

And Faye isn’t that at all.

Her death was not violent, and does not happen onscreen. It was a quiet death, presumably from illness, and what’s more: she saw it coming. She was at peace with it.

Anger over her death isn’t the reason for the adventure. Kratos doesn’t start wandering the Nine Realms because he’s angry about his dead wife. He travels the Realms because he wants to honour his wife’s wishes. The journey only happens because of the immense respect he felt for her.

Her death isn’t the sole reason why the adventure starts. Yes, she’s the reason why her husband and son go travelling, but Baldur’s appearance is what introduces violence into the story.

Faye had a life before she met Kratos. She’s not a paper-cutout mother-and-wife. She had friends. She kept secrets. She was a warrior who led a rebellion. Her association with Brok and Sindri is the reason why they agree to help Kratos and Atreus. Kratos acknowledges her talent, and the fact that she was better than him at some things. Her life before Kratos directly affects the story after her death.

Faye is not forgotten by the narrative. The whole story is haunted by her. She knew what would happen. Kratos and Atreus talk about her with each other and with others. It’s clear how much she meant to them and how significant she is to the plot.

Meaningful flashbacks. Usually when a woman is fridged, the flashbacks are just an overly bright snippet of the woman looking pretty and saying some variation of ‘I love you, babe’. But the flashbacks in God of War: Ragnarok are plot-relevant. Kratos and Faye don’t just discuss their relationship. They talk about grief, morality, mortality, Kratos’s past, and the way to raise their son.

Genuine grief. This isn’t a man seeing his wife dead, crying a single tear, killing a bunch of people, and never reflecting on his widower status again. Kratos, Atreus, and other characters all mourn Faye’s passing. Years after her death, Kratos is still deeply moved by his memories of her. She is not forgotten by anyone.

Faye wasn’t some disposable woman. She’s the cornerstone upon which the entire plot rests.

[get-kratioed]

Thinking about Faye as a subversion of the ‘fridging’ trope.

Usually, in a story like this (masculine man loses his wife, motivating him to go on an adventure), the story is usually invariably sexist. The wife’s death is violent, but once the man has started going on an adventure, proving his heroism, she’s basically never mentioned again. She’s a brief plot device, forgotten after the start except for a few dull flashbacks. We never learn more about her as a person. She existed to date a man and then die. That’s it.

And Faye isn’t that at all.

Her death was not violent, and does not happen onscreen. It was a quiet death, presumably from illness, and what’s more: she saw it coming. She was at peace with it.

Anger over her death isn’t the reason for the adventure. Kratos doesn’t start wandering the Nine Realms because he’s angry about his dead wife. He travels the Realms because he wants to honour his wife’s wishes. The journey only happens because of the immense respect he felt for her.

Her death isn’t the sole reason why the adventure starts. Yes, she’s the reason why her husband and son go travelling, but Baldur’s appearance is what introduces violence into the story.

Faye had a life before she met Kratos. She’s not a paper-cutout mother-and-wife. She had friends. She kept secrets. She was a warrior who led a rebellion. Her association with Brok and Sindri is the reason why they agree to help Kratos and Atreus. Kratos acknowledges her talent, and the fact that she was better than him at some things. Her life before Kratos directly affects the story after her death.

Faye is not forgotten by the narrative. The whole story is haunted by her. She knew what would happen. Kratos and Atreus talk about her with each other and with others. It’s clear how much she meant to them and how significant she is to the plot.

Meaningful flashbacks. Usually when a woman is fridged, the flashbacks are just an overly bright snippet of the woman looking pretty and saying some variation of ‘I love you, babe’. But the flashbacks in God of War: Ragnarok are plot-relevant. Kratos and Faye don’t just discuss their relationship. They talk about grief, morality, mortality, Kratos’s past, and the way to raise their son.

Genuine grief. This isn’t a man seeing his wife dead, crying a single tear, killing a bunch of people, and never reflecting on his widower status again. Kratos, Atreus, and other characters all mourn Faye’s passing. Years after her death, Kratos is still deeply moved by his memories of her. She is not forgotten by anyone.

Faye wasn’t some disposable woman. She’s the cornerstone upon which the entire plot rests.

[get-kratioed]

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 #𝟏: 𝐆𝐑𝐘𝐋𝐀

Since art is a common practice in Jötnar's culture, I like to believe that each Giant has their own artistic expression besides painting/drawing. I see Grýla leaning towards culinary arts, specializing bread & pastries. Decorating the dough in Nordic patterns, and some occasions, baking animal-themed confections for Angrboða before their estrangement:

I imagine Grýla used to bake loaves of fox-themed bread as special treats...Angrboða loved them as a baby and still does, even after her denunciation.

If Grýla reconciled with Angrboða (which I hope she does), she could bring pastries and other baked goods for Atreboða's wedding celebration as atonement!

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Even when he’s eating he still looks mad as hell

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God of War timeline

A quick disclaimer! These links are not mine, and if you watch them, they are just the cutscenes, so you may miss out on some things if you don’t want to sit through a full playthrough of the older games. 

This list is also in chronological order, as opposed to release order, since the release order jumped around quite a bit. 

God of War: Ascension – This game is set six months after Kratos accidentally killed his wife and daughter.  It opens with him being tortured for breaking his oath to Ares, so he’s been at the hands of the Furies for about six months, at this point.  This is BEFORE his ten-year tenure as a faithful servant of the gods. 

God of War: Chains of Olympus – Set five years into Kratos’ decade serving the gods, about four and a half years after Ascension. This game shows some of the trials the gods put before Kratos so that he could achieve redemption and be freed from his continual nightmares of his deeds. 

God of War (2005) – The first God of War game.  Kratos has been faithfully serving the gods for ten years, which means this game takes place about five years after Chains of Olympus.  Ares has been laying waste to Athens, and Kratos is tasked with killing his former master.  This involves taking the power from Pandora’s box and using it to kill the god of war. 

God of War: Ghost of Sparta – Set between God of War and God of War II, Kratos has become the new god of war after killing Ares. He discovers that his long-lost mother Callisto, and brother Deimos are still alive. There was a prophecy that a “marked warrior” would bring down Olympus. Deimos was born with birthmarks, making Ares and Athena believe that he was the warrior of prophecy, unknowingly spurring Kratos to eventually become the Marked Warrior they so feared. We discover the origins of Kratos’ tattoos are in honour of his brother. 

God of War: Betrayal – This one’s a little odd as it was….a mobile game of sorts. It’s still canon, as confirmed by the studio. Quick summary: Kratos leads an army of Spartans against Greece when an assassin tries to destroy his reputation with the gods of Olympus. Zeus sends Ceryx, the son of Hermes, to Kratos to try to get him to stop, but Kratos essentially says “why should I do that?” and kills the messenger. From the wiki, “The game concludes as Kratos kills Ceryx and the Spartan soldiers celebrate, but observing the dead god’s body, he realizes that Zeus would eventually take action for this act of defiance.” Wiki link, too. 

God of War II – Takes place shortly after Ghost of Sparta, and over 13 years after the events of God of War (2005). Kratos is the god of war and is betrayed by Zeus and sets out to change his fate by literally going to the Fates.  Gaia and the Titans convince him that they’re his ally in his fight against Olympus, and they start up the mountain to attack the gods. This is also where we discover Kratos is Zeus’ son. 

God of War III – This game picks up RIGHT where II leaves off: heading up Mount Olympus to kick ass.  The Titans and Gaia reveal that they were just using Kratos as a pawn, and he ends up having to fight them too.  Athena, who died in the previous game defending Zeus, tells Kratos that he needs to use the same power he used to kill Ares: the power of Pandora’s box. Kratos goes to find the box and Pandora herself, and he ends up rescuing the young construct of a girl, who very much reminds him of his own daughter.  Pandora sacrifices herself so that Kratos can defeat Zeus.  And before he can do that, he has to confront his own inner demons.  He does eventually defeat Zeus, but rather than giving the power of Pandora’s box to Athena, he releases it to the rest of the world by impaling himself on the Blade of Olympus, releasing Hope back into the world. 

And that’s it for the Greek Saga! God of War III closes on Kratos’ body having disappeared, presumably crawling away, having survived yet again, everything that happened, eventually making his way north, where more than 1,000 years pass before the events of God of War (2018). 

Norse Saga

God of War (2018) – After spending the last thousand or so years learning how to control his rage, Kratos has another chance at life when he meets and marries his second wife, Faye, and they have a son, Atreus. The game opens on Kratos cutting down trees for Faye’s funeral pyre, and follows Kratos and Atreus as they journey to the “highest point in the realms” to spread Faye’s ashes, per her request. They also run afoul of Baldur, who came to their house and picked a fight with Kratos.  In the process of their journey, they come across other members of the Norse pantheon, and have to figure out how to be a family with just the two of them. Bring tissues. 

God of War: Ragnarok – Here there be spoilers!!!! Since this game just came out this year, I’m not putting much by way of summary, but here’s a link to the cutscenes, and it is by far the longest at around 15 hours. 

And there you have it!  This is JUST the games, not books or comics, but if that’s something people want, that’s something I can work on including in the future!

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(God of War spoilers)

You know what really gets me while I’m playing God of War? The way this games makes me miss first Arteus’ mother, then Kratos’ wife, until I just ended up missing Faye, whom I had never met once in this game.  

I mean, we see her burial. It’s set up to be start of the game, the start of the two’s journey – heck, Faye’s death is the sole reason Artues and Kratos leave their home and have this gigantic adventure that ends up starting Ragnarok. Because Faye died and they want to honor her last wish and bring her to the highest mountain to scatter her ashes.

But even after the burial, I didn’t really miss her. I mean, I didn’t know this woman. I was sad, because you see a dead person, hear it’s a mother and a wife, and you regret her rather early death.

But then the game goes on, and it’s just…

* Kratos and Atreus keep referring to the ashes of Faye as her, not it, as if she’s still with them on this journey.

* Arteus keeps dropping little stories how his mother taught him writing and reading and how she did things like killing the game they hunted together so he didn’t have to.

* During the main story, when you step into the light of Alfheim, Kratos keeps chasing after what seems to be a ghost or illusion of Faye, getting utterly lost and not caring about getting lost because there is this fragile hope of seeing his wife again one last time. He even yells at Atreus for pulling him back out – one of the few times he raises his voice at the boy – because he didn’t get to see her when Atreus pulled him out too early.

* While in the light of Alfheim, you can hear Atreus talking to Faye, about how he misses her and how Kratos is so different from her and how much he’s struggling getting to know his estranged father – but he promises her to try his best, if Kratos in turn does the same.

* Kratos and Atreus clash over almost-seeing-Faye’s-ghost, because Atreus thinks Kratos doesn’t care. Kratos throws back “Do not take my silence as a lack of grief, boy. You deal with your grief your way, I deal with mine.” Heavily indicating that this stoic warrior who always pretends to not care about others actually griefs the whole time for his lost wife, making it clear that he loved her a lot.

* During a sidequest, a ghost begs the two to bring him the bones of his lost love, telling them that in exchange, Atreus and Kratos would get a chance to see a dead loved one and talk to them. Kratos tries not to get Atreus’ hopes up, but when the boy haltingly explains how he would like to tell Faye that they are doing okay and he wants to know if she’s okay, too, Kratos halts, then answers “I miss her too, boy”

 * During yet another side-quest, Atreus explains how good it feels to “help others, even the dead ones”, prompting Kratos to say that Atreus is “just like his mother”. It probably should sound chastising – since Kratos always tells Atreus not to be dragged into others people’s problems – but it sounds more fond and sad than anything else. Let’s be honest, Kratos probably loved that about Faye.

 * When translating Jormungandr’s words, Mimir explains that the World Serpent “knows about your two’s loss and pain”, again driving the point home how both Atreus and Kratos still miss her so much.

* Both Brok and Sindri immediately recognize Faye’s axe in Kratos’ possession, both mentioning what a great woman and fighter and friend Faye was. (Sindri is even half-ready to attack Kratos, should it turn out that he stole Faye’s axe). Both brothers immediately are ready to upgrade the axe because it belonged to Faye and now her family, indicating just how much they were and are ready to do for Faye.

* After the end of the game, Sindri and Brok open up about the fact they knew the whole time that Atreus was part-giant, that Faye was the “Last Guardian” of the giants left in Midgard. Sindri further explains: “She chose another path. She chose, well, you. Both of you”, making it the very first time that we hear what Faye, in return, thought of her family.

Just… Faye is not even here physically, but this whole story? It feels like she is right there with you, even just in memory of others. She’s only ever mentioned fondly, with longing of those who want her back, and all the good qualities Atreus shows, Kratos deems to come from Faye. By the end of it, I felt like I almost knew her.

I didn’t feel anything for this lady apart from regret at her death at the start, but you go on and on in this game, until you bawl out your eyes when you finally scatter her ashes at the top of the mountain and say goodbye one last time. (At least I did)

It’s the complete opposite of getting to know a character and then getting them killed off in the story’s process, but it’s just as deep, and I think the developers did an amazing job with that.

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𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐅𝐈 & 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐈 , 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐊𝐈

It’s clear that Hel will one day appear in future releases, as hinted in both GOW(2018) and GOWR, but anyone who is a myth enthusiast knows that Loki had other children besides his monstrous offspring in Norse Mythology because interestingly enough, GOW’s wiki community decided to include "Narfi & Váli" despite no evidence of their existence whatsoever throughout the Norse era.

Of course, it’s also a fandom site; while they can be a reliable source, said sources on their encyclopedia are sometimes inaccurate. Knowing the impossibility of their existence, I also thought about how they can coexist throughout GOW.

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟐/𝟏/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Recently, the GOW's wiki community updated Atreus' "uncertain future" category and the links to Váli's & Narfi's wiki pages no longer existed. Doesn't mean it'll stop me from enjoying my fun. 😎🔥💯

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟕/𝟐𝟐/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Nevermind, they're mentioned on Angrboða's wiki page for some reason���Váli & Narfi aren't the same as Fenrir & Jörmungandr ☝️🤓 but okay. ☠

And the more I thought about it, the more apparent it became that they’re essential for the franchise…but it’s more like my personal headcanon rather than my “crack” theory so might as well call this an AU for shits and giggles. I thought it would be fun to share my overly long detailed analysis with those who are fixated on Atreus’ other (im)possible children as much as I am because I need this to get it out of my system since they have been living rent-free in my head for almost a year just now. This blog is now officially a Narfi & Váli stan account and Kratos would have LOVED his grandsons if they ever appeared in GOW, but it's very unlikely that would happen. This analyis is going to be a long one so bear with me!

I think it would be poetic for GOW to end off including Narfi & Váli (alongside Atreus) for the final conclusion of the franchise; and yes, Hel would be an adult in this timeskip, contrary to popular belief that they were children in Norse Mythology. Despite their unfortunate demise, their backgrounds are nothing like their half-siblings’ in the Norse Mythos, making them the most ordinary of all Loki’s children. But you know what? The concept of Narfi & Váli being the epitome of normality of all Loki’s offspring gave me an a idea...I’m not sure if anyone has noticed, but Narfi & Váli exhibit some similarities to Kratos & Deimos.

Before the Olympians (Athena & Ares) pursued one of the brothers due to a doomsday prophecy, Kratos & Deimos believed they were mere mortals during childhood as they still fit the epitome of normality as children, similarly to Narfi & Váli. They’re also gods at birth, but the only difference is that Narfi & Váli most likely knew about their divine nature, whereas Kratos (excluding Deimos) only discovered it later in adulthood (a silly parallel, but I still think it counts).

Another example would be in the parallel dynamics of Váli & Kratos, as they both had experiences where they succumbed to their primal instincts in different circumstances; Váli unwillingly turned into a wolf and killed his brother driven by primal instincts under the Æsir’s (or presumably Odin’s) influence, almost similar to how Kratos was deceived and unaware, killed his first wife and daughter fueled by his primal desire for blood under Ares’ influence. While Váli’s fate remains unknown after Loki's Punishment, we can infer that both Váli & Kratos are the only survivors other than their brother.

While the deaths of Narfi & Deimos are an obvious parallel, they're also linked to Bounds and Punishment in distinct ways; like Váli, Narfi was punished with his entrails used as bounds in retribution against his father, as well as due to his relation with Loki while Deimos, on the other hand, was bound and punished due to his existence as the "Marked Warrior" (same thing goes with Kratos since he too was also bound and punished at one point in Ascension).

On top of that, they were also subjected to violence as children inflicted by Gods. Consequently, it ultimately led the downfall of both Æsir & Olympians, as predicted by their prophecy. The prophecy of the "Marked Warrior" bringing destruction upon Olympus began the moment they abducted Deimos. The sufferings of Kratos' family (including Sparta and Pandora) at the hands of Gods contributes the downfall of Olympus. Their tragedies are the major cause of Kratos' justified vengeance to destroy the entire pantheon, ultimately leading the devastation of the Greek world.

In Norse Mythology (with my limited knowledge); the Æsir's (mostly Odin's) retaliation on Loki's monstrous children, particularly Fenrir, due to prophecies contributes their downfall in Ragnarök, especially with their involvement in Loki's Punishment. However, I believe that the suffering of Narfi & Váli at the hands of Æsir Gods is the primary cause for Loki's justified desire for vengeance. The Æsir's use of Narfi's entrails, his own son, as restraints adds insult to injury, intensifying Loki's anger. Obviously, Loki joined forces with those against Æsir Gods with his army of Hel's people while the events of Ragnarök lead the devastation throughout the lands.

But since this is GOW, I found this YouTube comment (which I've kept for quite some time) that perfectly said my thoughts out loud:

With the absence of Loki's Punishment; not only Kratos saved Narfi & Váli from Æsir's (particularly Odin's) wrath, he also prevented a similar tragedy that would inflict upon his grandsons the same way that Gods once inflicted upon him and Deimos as children, in which, fits the overall theme of subverting prophecies in GOWR.

𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Santa Monica could have easily had Atreus name his sons "Narfi & Váli" as everyone expected from Norse Mythology. But given Santa Monica's innovative approach to myth characters through creative liberties, using "Narfi & Váli" wouldn't work within the narrative structure of GOW's distinct retelling of Greek/Norse Mythology.

From what I've heard, there has been a debate about whether "Váli" is a son of Odin or Loki, or both Valis existed as sperate characters. Additionally, in GOWR, there's already a boss character named Vali (The Oath Guard), which I assumed (correct me if I'm wrong) it's a cultural practice for parents to name their child after a Norse figure in Scandinavian countries, but I find it unlikely for Atreus to name one of his children after an Æsir or any God in general. Similarly, Narfi shares a name with another Giant unrelated to Loki whatsoever...but given the wide variety of Gods and other myth characters we've seen from Greek Mythology depicted in GOW, it wouldn't be surprising if other Narfi, and particularly, Váli Odinson were to mentioned or featured in future releases.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍: If you're not aware or need a reminder, Atreus gets to learn about Deimos during "Animal Instincts" side quest. Whether you choose to bring Atreus or Freya doesn't matter, it doesn't change the fact that Santa Monica had intended for Atreus to know about his uncle, it's still canon either way.

Atreus' identity has roots that go beyond his Norse counterpart (both symbolically and narrative wise along with the origins of his Greek name) and very likely that Santa Monica would take a similar approach with "Hel" in future releases (I've seen people suggest her name could be Faye/Laufey or Calliope, or even Callisto or Angrboða's mother). It's only fair that "Narfi & Váli" should get the same treatment…so imagine how moving it would be if Atreus were to name his sons after Kratos & Deimos.

"Váli" 𝐊𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐒 𝐈𝐈, named after his grandfather, transformed from a monster into a benevolent God due to his ability to change and open his heart, representing the beacon of hope...

And "Narfi" 𝐃𝐄𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐒 𝐈𝐈, named after his great uncle, whom Atreus had known but never met (but wishes they had), honored his uncle by naming his youngest son after him.

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟑/𝟕/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Just recently discovered in Greek Culture, it's common for children to be named after their grandparents, in which, aligns with my case for "Váli" to be named after his grandfather! While "Narfi" is named after his great-uncle, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) the naming tradition also involves material/paternal relatives, which is fitting within the context of GOW. ^^

There are hearsay, or statements from Cory Barlog, that Kratos couldn't bring himself to name his son after his brother due to past memories…Atreus, on the other hand, seems open to the idea of naming one of his own children after his uncle he never met.

𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐅𝐈 & 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐈/𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Besides Narfi Lokison and other Narfi, their accounts become somewhat unclear when Narfi's brother is addressed as "Nari." This time, it's Narfi who turns into a wolf and kills Nari. However, some sources later changed Narfi's name to Váli, both in historical texts and modern media...

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟕/𝟐𝟏/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Initially, I thought this version was made based on the notion that Váli was Odin's son rather than Loki's. But after some further investigation, I'm inclined to believe that Váli is a singular character while Narfi & Nari are Loki's sons. It's also possible that "Narfi/Nari" is referred as the same character, as the belief that Váli is Loki's son is a common mistake in today's media. It would have been so easy to overlook the mistranslation and go along with the usual understanding of "Narfi & Váli"…but thinking about it now, this could actually work within the narrative structure as prophecies are ambiguously depicted in GOWR.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍: "Váli & Narfi" (or "Narfi & Nari") can shapeshift into wolves. Not only it emphasizes their connection with Atreus/Loki, but as a reflection of Kratos & Deimos through Speki & Svanna.

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟕/𝟐𝟔/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: This might be a overreach...but if Kratos' presumption that Speki & Svanna were boys did reflect something, then it could be described as a projection of his experiences as a military general as well as an extension of subconscious affection. For Kratos' case, people form stronger bonds with animals than with human (and Gods) since often times they can be deceitful/malicious, conceited, narrow-minded, backstabbing, or calculatively manipulative through obligations/false promises while animals (wolves) would instead be much more pragmatic about survival and tender care.

Speki & Svanna (+Fenrir) have been usefully vigilant and reliable wolves that aid him and Atreus, and given the history of humans surviving in collaboration with animals, there is precedence for Kratos subconsciously associating the wolves with memories of Spartan warriors he had by his side almost as though they were his own family, where survival relied on the coordination of his armies and the care given to ensuring that his men were left standing after battle.

This can very easily be associated in the mind as symbolic of a dedicated and responsible soldier as a result from a pivotally formative part of his life revolved around the Sparta's military…and out of remorse (for the casualties of people under his care amidst the war he's wrought) and love (for those who've either perished or lived as well as the people who stood by him), it felt plausible that he could've associated this with Speki & Svanna (shout out to my irl friend for cooking this up!).

Regardless, I can also imagine this as a foreshadow of Kratos' doting relationship with his future grandsons (delulu)!

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 (𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟕/𝟐𝟏/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒): As much as I adore the relationship between Kratos and his grandsons, I personally think it would be better if they never met in person (rest assured, Hel is fortunate enough to know their grandfather as a child). As I mentioned before, Narfi & Váli should appear by the end of the franchise, and what better way to conclude Kratos' journey than being remembered as the benevolent God even after his death?

Kratos once quoted, "Death can have me, when it earns me" might foreshadow his potential death for the final installment. Given that Kratos had "died" in previous games and even evaded his predicted "death" in GOWR, I think it would be flitting to conclude his journey if the franchise comes to an end (in which, would have opted Atreus to name one of his sons after their grandfather). But it's just a personal theory of mine, so I digress.

Narfi & Váli serves as character foils for Kratos & Deimos, illustrating their childhood origins from Ghost of Sparta to the narrative's conclusion with Narfi & Váli emerging at the end. With wisdom gained from experiences and mistakes, Atreus, aged with greying hair, gazes at his sons and feels as if his father and uncle are reunited once again…relieving their childhood they never had as children.

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: If you made it this far, then congratulations! Here's a quick (and old) sketch of my variant of Váli would look like:

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝟕/𝟐𝟏/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: Tried my best to replicate his facial structure. He's basically Kratos 2.0 with a decent childhood who smiles a lot more than his grandfather ever did in Sparta (he also has his grandfather's eyes and freckles from his father). Narfi, on the other hand, looks a lot more like his father with Deimos' iconic birthmark. They're basically Wolf Children and Brother Bear combined (I never watch either of those movies, but it's the vibes I'm get from them)! ^^

[get-kratioed]

So I’m replaying God of War again and got to the part where you meet Sindri. While he’s gushing about how great Faye is (which is super adorable), he also mentions that she spoke Dwarven, and he recites a mantra that Faye would occasionally say; it’s the one Atreus finishes and Sindri remarks on how impressive it is that boy knows it. The saying is:

Maðurinn sem gengur eigin vegum hans gengur einn

Which, when translated, means: 

The man who walks his own way walks alone

So even in death, Faye is warning Kratos about the dangers of shutting people out. And, very fittingly, Kratos is the only one in that conversation that has no idea what the words mean.