History Characters / GodOfWarSeriesKratos

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Goes from having a [[BeardofEvil goatee]] in the original series to a full mountain man beard to signify his OlderAndWiser status and newfound maturity.

* PsychologicalProjection: Kratos has a tendency to blame pretty much all of his problems on the gods or on others, when it's perfectly clear to everyone and especially ''himself'' that his own actions are largely to blame for why his life has been as awful as it is. Naturally, he can't forgive himself for the things he's done, because that would actually mean facing his failures head-on, so he ends up causing way more trouble to others than he's worth.

** When Odin himself meets him for the first time, he offers the former God of War peace in exchange for him to not interfere with his plans. While he exudes bravado in this encounter, it's not wrong to assume the Lord of the Hanged is ''very'' cautious not to get on Kratos's bad side.

* TragicKeepsake: The Leviathan Axe he wields belonged to his late wife. Similarly, the Guardian Shield was built by her [[spoiler:which is why he asks Brok to repair it instead of just replacing it for a new one when it is heavily damaged by Thor]].

* HeroicBSOD: After killing [[spoiler:Heimdall]], Kratos briefly goes into this as he realizes what he's done. Mimir's attempts to talk to Kratos are met with grunts and wheezes as Kratos still grapples with what just happened.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: As of ''Ragnarök'', Kratos and Mimir serve as this. Kratos has even come to see Mimir as a brother, valuing his input and his help in rearing Atreus.
* ItBeganWithATwistOfFate: Kratos's decision to migrate to Midgard was simply him trying to run from his past; he had no interest in engaging with the locals and even his relationship with Faye was something he never planned for or expected. But that decision [[spoiler: ultimate leads to the start of Ragnarok, resulting in the deaths of half the Aesir and the near destruction of the Nine Realms.]]

* ForWantOfANail: [[spoiler:Kratos's decision to migrate to Midgard essentially kicks off Ragnarök. If he'd never decided to leave Greece, he wouldn't have met Faye, and if neither had met, Loki would not have been born]].

* ItsAllMyFault: Blames himself entirely for the destruction he caused in the first three games. And [[spoiler:when Atreus suffers a HeroicRROD thanks to his godly powers going haywire, Kratos took full blame for Atreus falling ill]]. A surprising change from the man who [[NeverMyFault once rarely accepted fault for any of his own actions.]]

In the aftermath of his slaughter of the Olympian pantheon, Kratos moved north to the Norse realm of Midgard. Ashamed of his past and determined to grow beyond his self-destructive behavior, he would live a quiet, normal life masquerading as a mortal. He found love again with a woman named Faye and fathered a son with her, Atreus. When Faye dies, Kratos and Atreus attempt to carry out her final wish -- to scatter her ashes from the highest mountain in the nine realms. However, on their journey they come into conflict with various supernatural creatures along their way, particularly a mysterious Stranger who cannot be killed and may be acting under orders from the All-Father of the Norse gods himself, Odin. As events unfold, Kratos is forced to dig up remnants his past, in more ways than one, to defend his son from those that hunt them and see his wife's request through to the end. But despite his desire to move on from the man he once was, it seems he may have no choice but to once again go to war with the gods.

* KickTheDog: During his battle with Thor in ''Ragnarok'', Thor pulls "AndThisIsFor" on him, and eventually says "this is for Modi!" Despite it being perfectly reasonable for him to mention his younger son last[[note]]Kratos' other victims were Thor's brother and elder son[[/note]], Kratos jabs that he "puts Modi last, even in death!" When Thor is outraged at his accusation, Kratos tells him that Modi died of the wounds Thor gave him when he beat him; while not an outright lie, the fatal blow was dealt by [[spoiler:Atreus]] and it was plausible Modi could have lived. Though he was distorying the truth to [[spoiler:protect his son]], telling Thor that he killed his own son was cruel, and [[DrowningMySorrows the effect it has on Thor]] can be seen later in the game.

* KickTheDog: During his battle with Thor in ''Ragnarok'', Thor pulls "AndThisIsFor" on him, and eventually says "this is for Modi!" Despite it being perfectly reasonable for him to mention his younger son last[[note]]Kratos' other victims were Thor's brother and elder son[[/note]], Kratos jabs that he "puts Modi last, even in death!" When Thor is outraged at his accusation, Kratos tells him that Modi died of the wounds Thor gave him when he beat him; while not an outright lie, the fatal blow was dealt by [[spoiler:Atreus]] and it was plausible Modi could have lived. Though he was distorying the truth to [[spoiler:protect his son]], telling Thor that he killed his own son was cruel, and [[DrowningMySorrows the effect it has on Thor]] can be seen later in the game.

Eventually leaving Greece as well as his bloody past behind, Kratos moves up north and makes his way into Midgard. Having come to view his troubled past with great shame, Kratos has taken the initiative to mature and grow past his self-destructive tendencies, choosing to live as a man under the thumb of the Norse pantheon. He even finds love again with a woman named Faye, eventually fathering a child with her named Atreus. When Faye dies of mysterious circumstances, Kratos and Atreus set out on a journey to spread her ashes from the highest peak in all the nine realms. However, he and Atreus come into conflict with various supernatural creatures along their way, and are constantly pursued along their path by a mysterious Stranger — seemingly under orders from the leader of the Norse pantheon himself, Odin.

* WorfHadTheFlu: In the Norse Realm, a combination of being WillfullyWeak, having spend years not engaging in any real fights for his life, only hunting monsters, losing access to magical enchantments and weaponry of the Greek world, and having to keep his son safe while also engaging in genuine fights for the first time in a quite long time has clearly reduced his efficiency in battle. That said, the Norse Gods are no pushovers themselves, and he's still capable of moving building-sized objects with his bare hands.

* WouldNotHurtAChild: As cold and stern and authoritarian as he is, the closest Kratos ever comes to corporal punishment is grabbing Atreus firmly by the wrist. When he loses his temper and shoves Atreus to the ground at one point, he immediately tries to stammer out a horrified apology.

* YouAreNotReady: Kratos says this to Atreus when the latter goes into a uncontrolled berserker rage after the first troll fight, and that he cannot go to the top of the mountain to spread his mother's ashes (Kratos also says this of himself as he doesn't see himself as a worthy father to Atreus). [[spoiler:The Stranger showing up at their doorstep a few moments later gives Kratos no choice but to force the journey on the boy, and himself]].
* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: He only uses names when he's afraid or distressed. Freya was keen to ignore him or push him away but as soon as he said her name. She immediately unlocked the door and helped him.
* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Partway through the game, Kratos and Atreus come upon Tyr's hidden vault, and discover that it is filled with [[spoiler:relics from [[CrossoverCosmology other realms]]...including a vase depicting an image of Kratos, pulled directly from Greece]]. Seeing as how there'd been no mention of [[spoiler:the appearance of Tyr or foreign gods in the original Greek series]] implies that [[spoiler:the vase was procured after the events of ''III'']], hinting that [[spoiler:Greece was ultimately able to recover from Kratos's god-killing rampage]]. Despite this, it's probable [[spoiler:Kratos won't ever return, out of shame for what he'd done]].
* YourDaysAreNumbered: [[spoiler:While walking through Jötunheim, the two uncover a mural of prophecies that show the Giants foretold with perfect accuracy what would happen on their travels -- including one that only Kratos chances to see, depicting Atreus in the near future, cradling his father's body and birthing the World Serpent in grief. This clearly troubles Kratos, but moreso for the implication that his son is going to do something he won't be able to stop.]]

* ZenSurvivor: Kratos is an OldSoldier who wants nothing more than to live his life peacefully, with his son, in the outback of Scandinavia. But when his back is against the wall, he proves he’s still good enough to take on PhysicalGods, if [[DentedIron a little rusty]].

** Literately, all of his lessened performance compared to when he was in Greece is confirmed by WordOfGod to be attributed to multiple handicaps preventing him from using his full abilities, which is deemed to be capable of making him a StoryBreakerPower level character. It's not a case of FeelingTheirAge but it's more that he has gotten rusty after years of only fighting mediocre monsters whereas back in Greece he had all the time in the world to slaughter Titans and Gods. Not only that, he is later revealed to have been holding back the entire time as he doesn't want Atreus to suspect him being a god, and as Atreus is inexperienced and not able to use much of the strengths he gained from being Kratos and Faye's son, having him around actually makes it more difficult for Kratos rather than helping him. When he is free to display his full capabilities, pushing building-sized objects with his bare hands and summarily dispatching Magni and even killing Baldur several times displays that he certainly is ''still'' capable of performing at a similar level to his Greek Era self if he is allowed to go all-out.

* IAmNotLeftHanded: WordOfGod states that Kratos was holding back through the game, explaining why he struggles more with monsters and gods in the Norse Realm, and he only shows more of his true strength when absolutely necessary, proceeding to beat down enemies who previously were giving him trouble. Baldur proving persistent? Kratos goes full rage mode on him and throws him off a cliff with a snapped neck. Magni holding him to a standstill? Once Modi gets his hands on Atreus, Kratos instantly pushes Magni away and kills him in a matter of seconds. Modi electrocuting him? Once Atreus uses Spartan Rage, Kratos activates his anger and easily catches his mace with his bare hands, knocks aside his shield, and punches him to a wall and sends him crying back to Asgard. PlayedForLaughs in ''Ragnarök'', where after an eventful, tiring and frustrating ride through the mines he is suddenly attacked by a troll, seemingly setting up a boss fight to cap things off. By this point Kratos is so angry and done (not to mention having beaten a legion of trolls in the previous game) that [[BaitAndSwitch he immediately hacks the troll's head off]] with little hesitation or even input from the player. [[spoiler: And PlayedForDrama much later on in ''Ragnarök'', in his fight with Heimdall. After a whole brawl of trying to avoid killing him as was "fated", the god's arrogant taunting, staunch refusal to surrender even after [[AnArmAndALeg losing his arm]], and jamming Kratos' BerserkButton by [[ToThePain going into detail on]] [[PapaWolf how he's going to kill Atreus]] one too many times, Kratos eventually ''snaps'', deciding he's had '''''ENOUGH''''', and the fight ends ''immediately'' after. His face changes into his [[NightmareFace familiar wide-eyed gritted teeth scowl]], and his punches begin to absolutely ''batter'' Heimdall, repeatedly knocking him around like a ''ragdoll'', pinning him with no effort and beating his face ''bloody'' into the ground; before finally gripping his neck, almost ''casually'' smacking away his arms trying to stop him, and slowly ''crushes it''. Unlike the bare-handed beatdowns of the original trilogy, this scene is played for it's ''utmost horror'', highlighting how Kratos is starting to slip back into his old ways.]]
* IHatePastMe: Kratos has repeatedly approached his past with shame and utter regret, having come to terms with the fact that much of the horrors taking place in the original series were largely his fault. He opts to ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject when people bring up his past, talk of {{patricide}} renders him silent, and being called the Ghost of Sparta appears to have become a minor BerserkButton. This self-loathing is one of the major reasons why his and Atreus's relationship is so strained, as not only is Kratos quite insecure with the idea of being a dad again, but also his refusal to open up to his own son causes the boy to be resentful towards him.
** Downplayed in ''Ragnarok''. While Kratos still hates the person he once was, he's made some peace with it and he isn't afraid to forgive himself or open up about his past to those he trusts. He even displays the Blades of Chaos, the ultimate symbol of his wrath, alongside the Leviathan Axe in his home, rather than hiding them below the floor like he once did.

* TerseTalker: Now speaks like this. Of course, he is from Laconia (a region of Greece that included Sparta), the source of the very word 'laconic'.
* TheyreCalledPersonalIssuesForAReason: So ashamed is he of his past as a WarGod that he deliberately keeps his son out of any divine affairs unless forced to, and when pressed by his son and by others to just come out with the truth, he bluntly shuts them down when he can't just ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject. It's also apparent, however, that Kratos's evasiveness only builds barriers between himself and Atreus, and that if he and the boy are even going to have a chance at a healthy relationship now that Faye is dead, he must learn to accept himself and his past for what they are. And a big part of that, as painful as it is for him, involves facing that pain, taking responsibility for it, and finding the courage to forgive himself.

** By the Norse Era, he is a relatively calm, yet stern father to his son. He still has his [[UnstoppableRage Spartan Rage]], and does yell at him at times, but he seems to actively rein himself in in order to be one of the GoodParents, as opposed to [[ArchnemesisDad his father]].
** By ''Ragnarök'' he's taken another level. He's less taciturn, far more willing to seek out advice and listen to others' opinions. He calls people by their name rather than blunt generic nicknames like "Boy" and "Head". He's far more willing to do sidequests to help people whereas in the previous game he'd more or less only begrudgingly do it for the potential rewards. This furthers as the game goes on where Kratos develops more into a straight up heroic figure. [[spoiler:For example he has Brok bless his spear while Brok is having a HeroicBSOD over missing part of his soul to help the Dwarf get over it. He even tries to get his rage under control, realizing how succumbing to it is what so often leads him to foreseeable tragedy. He appeals to Thor to be a better man for the sake of Thrúd. The game ends with Faye having left an image of Kratos' future, as a beloved, worshipped god, which convinces Kratos to stay in Midgard and help fix the nine realms.]]

* ToughLove: Kratos can appear distant, harsh and cold towards his son, but he genuinely wants to prepare Atreus to survive as he explains, being a god like him means they will have a target painted on their backs until the end of their days. It rapidly becomes clear this isn't fully intended by Kratos. While he is indeed a stern teacher, he has genuine trouble expressing affection and opening up, no doubt in small part due to his own shame over his past.
* TragicKeepsake: The Leviathan Axe he wields used to belong to his late wife. Similarly, the Guardian Shield was built by her [[spoiler:which is why he asks Brok to repair it instead of just replacing it for a new one when it is heavily damaged by Thor]].

* ShipperOnDeck: [[spoiler:After the showing Angrboda saves everyone's lives during Ragnarök, Kratos shows interest in seeing her and Atreus together and trusts her with his life as much as Atreus would]].. After seeing her paintings, Kratos mentions that Atreus also paints, possibly trying to impress her. Helping Angrboda's case is her saying that Atreus needs discipline to hone his artistic talents, something that amuses [[SternTeacher Kratos]] enough to ''chuckle'' and say he likes her.

* ParentsAsPeople: He tries to be a good father to Atreus, but his tendency to only tell him the minimum amount, be dismissive of his son's feelings and "do as I say, not as I do" approach causes tons of problems.
** His flawed off-hand parenting is clearly demonstrated during the two instances when Atreus truly resents his father. In the first instance at Alfheim when Atreus believes that he is gone for a long time while it is only a few minutes in his perspective, he doesn't try to ask what's wrong with the boy nor properly explain his encounter inside and continues to push the boy around even as the latter continues to snark at his supposed negligence. In another instance when Atreus becomes DrunkWithPower over his status as a god, Kratos doesn't really do much in trying to quell his perceived godhood and even when the latter demands the truth, Kratos just keeps silent which just gives the boy no reason as to why he shouldn't be arrogant and rude which is highly contrasted by Mimir trying as hard to quell this trait by informing what good gods are like. In both instances, Kratos's unwillingness to open up or console his son ended up making the problem far bigger that what is supposed to be and those two instances only end by Atreus being regretful for his actions.

** Kratos noticeably begins dressing in more pelts, with his shoulder and waist guards lined with fur, after moving to [[GrimUpNorth the inhospitable climes of Midgard]], and [[https://i.redd.it/mtgd0oqlt9o71.png his wardrobe only gets more beastly]] after [[spoiler:Fimbulwinter begins]].

* PragmaticHero: Kratos isn't ''opposed'' to Atreus being a CheerfulChild, but is well aware that anything but ruthless pragmatism won't do him good in the heat of battle. And in a world where the Norse gods have taken up a huge dose of AdaptationalVillainy, we can see where he's coming from.
* PostVictoryCollapse: After supposedly killing the Stranger for the first time, Kratos spends a few seconds on the ground gasping for air before getting up and slowly walking back to the house.
** Nearly suffers one of these after his first fight with Thor, doubling over and grabbing his ribs in pain after Thor calls off the fight and flies away.
* ThePowerOfLove: It is implied that Kratos's transformation from a monstrous HairTriggerTemper VillainProtagonist WarGod to a much more mellow and stoic hunter-gatherer is largely because of how Faye's love for and acceptance of him forced him to change. Years of reflection and regret notwithstanding, Kratos became a better man partly because Faye's presence gave him an avenue to mature and find a new life in Midgard. There's also his relationship with Atreus, as only through the boy's acceptance of him does Kratos find some measure of redemption for his past sins. Ultimately, it's [[spoiler:Faye's trust and posthumous support of him that Kratos shakes off his bloody nature and decides to actively help the Nine Realms find peace.]]

* ScrewDestiny: [[spoiler:By killing Magni, he defied the prophecy of Ragnarök]]. On the other hand, [[spoiler:by killing Baldur, he's also kickstarted it much sooner than it was meant to happen]]. At the next game's story, he tells Atreus to do what is necessary over what is prophesized. [[spoiler:As of the next game, it's a bit more complicated than that. For one thing, the "prophecy" was bollocks; the seer who Odin manipulated into telling him about Ragnarok lied, because ''that'''s what happens when you try to trick people who can tell the future. On the other hand, he ''does'' avert the giants' real prophecy that Thor would kill him and that Heimdall would kill Atreus. And it turns out predestination is not actually a thing; the key to avoiding destiny is to simply ''make better choices'' so you can create a better future. Kratos does this, and it turns out that Faye, due to her trust in him, was able to see him change and foresee a future where he is a revered deity- a prediction that the ending shows him well on the way to fulfilling]].

* ShipperOnDeck: He may not seem the type, but in ''Ragnarök'', [[spoiler:after the showing Angrboda and Fenrir displayed during Ragnarök, especially saving their lives, Kratos showed interest in seeing her and Atreus being together and trusts her with his life as much as Atreus would]].. After seeing her paintings, Kratos mentions that Atreus also paints, possibly trying to impress her. Helping Angrboda's case is her saying that Atreus needs discipline to hone his artistic talents. Which amuses [[SternTeacher Kratos]] enough to ''chuckle'' and say he likes her.

-->'''Kratos''': I know. But I am ''your'' monster no longer.

-->'''Kratos:''' Return my son. Or you ''may'' meet the god I once was.
* SinkOrSwimFatherhood: Kratos loves Atreus, but spent most of the boy's childhood as a distant figure. Atreus had a much better relationship with his mother Faye, and with Faye's death, Kratos is forced to raise the boy by himself. Given Kratos's massive family issues from way back in the original series, it's clear that though Kratos keeps a stoic facade, he's very much afraid of failing as a father figure again.
* SociallyAwkwardHero: Kratos has difficulty bonding with Atreus, to put it mildly. Their relationship is so strained that Atreus at one point even comes to the conclusion that Kratos [[spoiler:''never wanted him'', and viewed the boy's weak constitution as a curse]]. Kratos's sour disposition at all times certainly doesn't help, and more often than not his [[ToughLove attempts to prepare Atreus for the cruelty of the world]] end up damaging the boy's self-esteem and innocence. Kratos truly does love Atreus, but it is difficult for him to act as a father-figure again, especially since he ''killed'' his first family, and spent most of his life from then on engaged in warfare. He wants to be a good father, and doesn't want Atreus to make the same mistakes he once did, but is so focused on strengthening the boy and teaching him to survive that he neglects to show proper affection. A big part of the game comes from Kratos learning to become a father once again, and recovering the humanity he had long ago buried beneath rage and vengeance.

*** Kratos and Freya share commonality as they both at times have selfishly put the needs of themselves over the needs of their offspring. Freya condemned her son to a living hell for her own sake, whereas Kratos kept himself aloof from Atreus so that he might keep his shameful past hidden from the boy, which caused Atreus to resent his father. Of course, Kratos grew past his mistakes whereas Freya... not so much. The most startling commonality, however, is that both Kratos and Freya are completely willing let their own children kill them if it meant that they (the children) would survive.

* GutturalGrowler: All that rage really does a number on Kratos's throat.

* ActOfTrueLove: [[spoiler: When Atreus falls gravely ill due to igniting his own Spartan Rage, Kratos is told that the only cure can only be found in Helheim, one of the most dangerous realms where his weapons and magic will be useless, and that he will need something powerful enough to burn through the icy hordes there. He then realizes the only weapon that will work is the one reminder of his true, monstrous nature: his Blades of Chaos. When he unwraps them, his breath quickens and his hands visibly shake as if he's having a panic attack, but takes up his old weapons once again without hesitation to save his son.]]
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] thrice.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: He ''did'' care for Callisto, and was enraged and guilt-ridden when she [[spoiler:turned into a monster and he had to kill her]].

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: You'd be surprised at how many. His wife Lysandra and his daughter Calliope were Kratos’ last tethers to humanity, and his love for them was so strong that in accidentally killing them, he immediately renounced his service to Ares. He also loved his mother Callisto dearly, to the point where [[spoiler:when she transformed into a monster, he killed her in the most humane way he could]]. He also was so distraught over losing his brother at such a young age that when Kratos discovered that Deimos was still ''alive'', he immediately went off to go save him from wherever he'd been trapped. ''Ascension'' also shows that Orkos the rebel Fury was one of his only true friends and allies in Ancient Greece (Kratos referred to him as "brother" even before Mimir) and he was devastated when [[spoiler:he was forced to perform a MercyKill on him]]. ''III'' also shows his genuine care for Pandora and [[PapaWolf his desire to protect her]] from Zeus' machinations.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: You'd be surprised at how many. His wife Lysandra and his daughter Calliope were Kratos’ last tethers to humanity, and his love for them was so strong that in accidentally killing them, he immediately renounced his service to Ares. He also loved his mother Callisto dearly, to the point where [[spoiler:when she transformed into a monster, he killed her in the most humane way he could]]. He also was so distraught over losing his brother at such a young age that when Kratos discovered that Deimos was still ''alive'', he immediately went off to go save him from wherever he'd been trapped.

** [[spoiler: By ''Ragnarök'', he staunchly wants to avoid the impending war with Asgard despite them threatening him and Atreus, and refuses Atreus's pleas to think like a general in order to stop Asgard, knowing and regretting what he did the last time he was a general. This mindset breaks when he visits the Norns and learns that predestined fate ''[[SlidingScaleOfFreeWillVsFate does not exist]]'', making him realize that it was his own flaws that kept leading him down the same miserable path across the ages. This causes him to take great strides to become a better person, and by the end of the game, he's gone all the way to being an IdealHero]].

* ClingyMacGuffin: It's revealed in the novelization (And mentioned in ''Ragnarök'') that Kratos tried multiple times to [[spoiler:be rid of the Blades of Chaos, but they'd always find their way back to him through various contrived situations. One of the strangest offenders of this was when he tried to dump them into the ocean while on a ship, and the sea got so "angry" that it wrecked his vessel and left him ashore with the Blades. Giving up, he decided to just keep them under the floorboards of his house as an eternal, painful reminder.]]

*** [[spoiler: While his battles against both Thor and Odin, both contenders for the strongest Norse god, were some of the toughest fights he's ever endured, it's clear that he was not fighting at his best. In his first fight with Thor, he'd only had a few small hours of sleep and only had the Leviathan Axe; Thor flat-out calls out Kratos for still holding back and even then he still keeps up with the God of Strength before eventually ending the fight in a stalemate. The next time he and Thor fought, Kratos ended up the victor even though he was the only one not fighting to kill, and both had engaged in different fights prior. And when the time came to fight Odin, whilst he needed help from Atreus and Freya to win, all three had just come from other battles whilst Odin was fresh; even then, Kratos was going most of the heavy lifting against the All-Father, with his allies in comparison serving as assistance. Odin himself specifically avoids fighting him the best he could before all this, making it clear even the All-Father fears the Ghost of Sparta on a level. The only one being who could possibly be stronger than he is would be Surtr, at least when he's Ragnarok, although Kratos didn't outright fight either incarnation (Surtr only blasted him back once instead of engaging in an outright fight and Kratos' mission in the final battle was to get to Odin himself, not completely stop Ragnarok from destroying Asgard), leaving the question of who is stronger as being forever undeterminable.[[note]] It's worth noting that Atreus actually got caught in what appeared to be the final blast of Ragnarok which destroyed Asgard and was simply knocked out, and it's pretty clear his father's far tougher than he is.[[/note]] With Thor, Odin and Surtr dead, Kratos is unquestionably the strongest being in the Nine Realms.]]

* ActOfTrueLove: [[spoiler: When Atreus falls gravely ill due to igniting his own Spartan Rage, Kratos is told that the only cure can only be found in Helheim, one of the most dangerous realms where his weapons and magic will be useless, and that he will need something powerful enough to burn through the icy hordes there. He then goes home to retrieve a relic of his past that he tried to seal away forever, the reminder of his true, monstrous nature: his Blades of Chaos. When he unwraps them, his breath quickens and his hands visibly shake as if he's having a panic attack, but takes up his old weapons once again without hesitation to save his son.]]

* AesopAmnesia: To an extent. Kratos has learned the futility of vengeance, the consequences of giving in to blind rage, and the necessities of discipline and taking responsibility for one's actions. But he has not fully internalized how his [[ItsAllAboutMe selfishness]], his [[NominalHero amorality]], and his [[DidntThinkThisThrough single-mindedness]] are massive catalysts to the things that have gone wrong in his life, and this leads to all sorts of complications during his interactions with Atreus. [[spoiler:Finally {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''Ragnarök'', where Kratos' conversation with the Norns reveals to him that predestined fate does not exist, making him realize it is his own flaws that lead him to suffering and that he ''needs'' to master them if he wants to move on]].

* AnIcePerson: Faye's Leviathan Axe was bequeathed to him after her death, and allows Kratos to utilize cryokinetic combat arts to freeze and decimate foes. It's said to be infused with the "echoing screams of 20 Frost Trolls".

** At the beginning of the journey, he is a pronounced NominalHero, as opposed to being an out-and-out VillainProtagonist. He still puts his own goals over actively thinking of others specifically, and continues to ''very much'' despise the gods. But now, Kratos actively goes out of his way to do things in a non-violent manner, only resorting to violence when he finds no other option available. He's also shown [[MyGreatestFailure deeply regretting]] the many terrible things he had done while in Greece, even the [[spoiler:killing of Zeus]], and as such tries to instill in his son the importance of discipline. Thanks to his bonds with the people he meets upon his journey, such as [[TheBlacksmith Sindri and Brok]], along with [[MrExposition Mimir's]] and Atreus's influence, he becomes a much more protective and actively heroic character by saving [[spoiler:Sindri from a rampaging dragon]] and preventing [[spoiler:Baldur from killing his mother]]. This turns him towards being a ClassicAntiHero as detailed below, and by the end of the game after [[spoiler:making peace with his past and reconciling with Atreus]], he transitions into a PragmaticHero.

* KillTheGod: His entire MO throughout the series. In Greece, he initially wanted to kill Ares only for tricking him to murdering his own family. Though he had his sights on all the Gods of Olympus, specifically his father Zeus for killing him and betraying him. He has slain ''nearly every major god and powerful deity'' in Greece, including but not limited to Zeus, Thanatos, Persephone, Ares, Poseidon, the Sisters of Fate, the Furies, Chronos, and so on.
** He's a lot more restrained by the time he reaches Norway, only killing the Nordic gods out of self-defense and for threatening his friends. Still, Magni, Baldur, and Heimdall learned their lesson the hard way.