Valhalla - The End of Kratos

[@Valkyrie7894-o4v]

Can we appreciate how Santa Monica did Týr justice. Valhalla made him into a multi-mythology badass, tricking Kratos into going to therapy and wielding four awesome weapons. Having a friendly sparring match with the Norse god of war was so refreshing after the blood feuds we had with Baldur, Thor & Heimdall. Kratos said Týr is among the most formidable opponents he has ever faced, yet he admires and respects him. This is the *real* Týr, the one Atreus looked up to. What every war god should be…

[@ShadowKamehameha32]

I wouldn't even say he tricked Kratos, he was honest with him from the moment he arrived. "The mind works, while the body fights" Týr knows how Kratos deals with stuff like this, through combat, instinct and battle. He's 100% givong Kratos a therapy session, just Spartan/God of War style of therapy. And why? "Because I can."

[@KolmManison]

I still feel like they misled us with Thor. He was so menacing and ready for blood at the start of Ragnarok but then we switched genre to drama and watched him deal with alcoholism which was great but I still wish he had more of a presence than he did. He sure deserved the spotlight more than Odin.

[@RayTheomo]

"Tricked him into going to therapy" is hilarious

[@victory8928]

@@KolmManisonAgree, to see Thor as the only son of Odin to outlive his father because unlike his brothers/half-brothers he learnt and embraced that he can change and does so. When he stood up to Odin, he changed from the man who knew his father was the problem but didn’t want to confront him to the man who places his family above his fear and feelings of unworthiness to his father. To have him killed off like that, while somewhat good as he died on a high note making his choice, it also robs us of further growth. Thor did a lot of harm, harm that needs to be rectified and amended for.

[@KolmManison]

@@victory8928 I really think Kratos and Thor would have become good friends had Thor not been killed off. I can see them having many a matches of friendly sparring since they both know each others' damages. Add Tyr into that mix and we can a fun trio of guys being dudes.

[@OrangutanJ4488]

I like that Kratos didn’t have a big final battle with his old self. The whole point was that he had to stop trying to fight and deny his old self and instead accept it as part of who he is. You can’t kill the monster that lives inside you but you can tame it.

[@falconeshield]

It's like the Sands trilogy ending. The way to beat your evil self is to not indulge. Here it was handled differently but it's the same idea.

[@KolmManison]

@@falconeshield ahh yes, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, my childhood.

[@SimonSays288]

It all reminds me of the episode 'Destiny' inte The Clone Wars were Yoda fights his Shadow - his dark side made manifest. Fighting his darker side made it stronger, threatening to overtake him all while it taunted him for rejecting its influence. Initially Yoda denied the power that his shadow had over him and tried to verbally as well as physically defeat his opponent. Defeating his shadow was only possible once he realized that it was indeed a part of his being and only after embracing it - literally - could it be vanquished. Battling Young Kratos after defeating Týr for the fourth and final time would have been redundant. Having him sit there menacingly and only shifting slightly on his throne while Kratos delivered that powerful monologue was more then enough.

[@kingdeedee]

The fight vs himself at the end wasn’t necessary because metaphorically he spent the last 2 games (2018 and Ragnarok) already doing pretty much that. Conquering Valhalla was his way of winning that fight

[@CanadianBaconPwnage]

I'm a sucker for a well written and performed soliloquy, and considering Kratos is Greek, it fits perfectly on theme, and is just as epic as any battle Kratos has been in.

[@theimperialist2686]

God of War Ragnarok Valhalla is a great dlc. It definitely made Kratos face more of his other past demons, and come to an understanding of the direction he must take now.

[@DarkKing-z6b]

Kratos should never have become the god of peace, this destroys the identity of this character, this is like making Trevor from GTA 5 or Arthur Morgan from RDD 2 good cops, this will destroy their identity, the stupid developers in Santa Monica decided to destroy the identity of this game and of course, meat riding fans never stop glorifying anything they make

[@rizqi5145]

And it's free ! Tq santa monica❤

[@xylynthian753]

​@@DarkKing-z6bHe literally becomes the God of War again at the end of the DLC. Only difference here is that now he acts as a mediator for conflicts that can't be handled civilly instead of a bloodthirsty monster who destroys everything in his path.

[@big.gib.4L]

​@user-xx3wf5mr9o people like you aren't true God of War fans, unable to see past Kratos not being edgy anymore. Grow up bro 💀

[@big.gib.4L]

It's amazing seeing him use hope to be a God of War who fights for justice and peace now instead of chaos and revenge and destruction. Can't wait to see what the future games hold as Kratos comes to cleanse the other pantheons of corruption

[@Fictionfan364]

Honestly I felt the Valhalla DLC was more of a new beginning than an end, but it is also symbolic of the end of Kratos’ chapter as this lone god tormented by his past it’s a great place to leave him off but it’s also a place of so many opportunities

[@abysswalker2115]

I, for one, would love to see him as he is depicted by Faye in his shrine. To actually see in person what Faye knew Kratos was capable of.

[@00wolf82]

@@abysswalker2115was it Faye that made that, I’ve been taking it as angraboda making it due to use of the same colours

[@kratosgow342]

​@@00wolf82yep that whole shrine was made by Faye you can see her signature gold color at the final one depicted him as God of Hope replace the one where he died by Thor that him and Atreus saw in Jotunheim

[@unkn0wnmortaL]

Same, kratos becoming more than a god of war and instead, perhaps a god of hope it leaves the door open for many things he can do for corruption in other gods

[@matti.8465]

Yeah, now that Kratos' past is resolved the series could go pretty much anywhere

[@redcarp9867]

I think Valhalla's recontextualization of Kratos's choice to pledge himself to Ares benefited 2018 in a great way. As with the added context of his home, his culture, people, his family in danger. Kratos, at his most desperate and powerless, begs for the help of the God. Then he gets the Blades of Chaos. There's a scene that directly parallels that. Atreus falls sick, and Kratos is powerless and desperate. As he now faced with something he can't beat on his own. So he begs for the help of a God and receives the Blades of Chaos to save his son. The way 2018 and God of War 1 bring the Blades of Chaos to Kratos are extremely similar. I think that there is a parallel here. As since all of Kratos's armaments in the Norse Duology are given through acts of love. The shield and Leviathan Axe from Laufey, his late wife. The Draupnir Spear from Brok, his first true friend. Now Kratos receives the Blades of Chaos in act of love, to save his son. It beautifully mirrors the first game, showing where the Blades of Chaos start and now Kratos has to choose where to take them next.

[@nikhilchandra7597]

Wonderfully put my man.

[@3adgamd3r]

I love this take, also makes me laugh even more when I think the original GoW creator hates new Kratos because of his character development 😂

[@3adgamd3r]

I love this take, also makes me laugh even more when I think the original GoW creator hates new Kratos because of his character development 😂

[@riddlerwillison3336]

But this recontextualization is somewhat forced, although we can say that Kratos' pledge did save Sparta from an invasion, we must not forget that Kratos did it to save his life (Gaia makes it very clear during God of War 1) and not because "he had sworn to defend Sparta," it was a decision made for selfish, not noble, reasons.

[@jollama]

@@3adgamd3rWhy did you type the same thing twice?

[@BloodiedShingle]

One of the things I loved most in Valhalla: Tyr. He's insightful, patient, understanding, and curious- it's reflected in his questions, his rebuttals to Kratos, and the fact that he wields everything from a macahuitl to khopeshes to a spear and shield from Greece (edit: it's been pointed out to me that this would probably be Tyr's own spear and shield, so this example doesn't apply; khopeshes added as a proper example). It really emphasizes what a hollow mockery Odin's performance as Tyr was- Odin had Tyr's calm, patient demeanor down pat, but (being a manipulative, domineering tyrant) he mistook Tyr's understanding and compassion for passivity and weakness (also fake Tyr is really judgmental if you listen to some of his lines- something Odin just can't seem to hide). Hearing Kratos and Tyr talk back and forth was always a highlight in every run through the chambers in Valhalla.

[@pitbullnamedcupcake8485]

I feel like Odin didn’t misunderstand Tyr calmness and peaceful but rather was making a deliberate mockery of it. Mimir reveals to us(and we also see in game) that Odin is petty, spiteful, cruel. I feel like Odin despised how good, wise, and trusted Tyr was and so when he had the chance to play him he took pleasure in tarnishing that ideal image of Tyr. He goes out of his way to appear cowardly, weak, pitiful, and pathetic. I believe he genuinely enjoyed destroying Tyr’s image for Kratos and Atreus.

[@BloodiedShingle]

@@pitbullnamedcupcake8485 I can see that version of it, and it could really go either way, or is a mix of misunderstanding and distortion. Odin's not as perceptive as he acts- he was completely baffled when Thor disobeyed him at the end of the main story, and he offered to protect Atreus from Freya at the beginning when trying to win Kratos' trust, after we'd just seen Freya avoiding killing Atreus just before that. Could Odin similarly misunderstand Tyr? I think so. But... I can see it being deliberate. Twist the portrayal, and slip in a few jabs anyway that threaten to break the illusion; Odin is certainly arrogant enough to try that.

[@RedfishCarolina]

The fake Tyr was an insufferable judgemental pacifist sjw, you're right about that.

[@Xman42635]

@@BloodiedShingle I think the most stinging part about seeing the real Tyr is realizing just how poor Odin's disguise was. Like you said, it's an arrogant, hollow mockery that flirts with revealing itself just to make Tyr seem that much worse. Odin portrays Tyr as pitiful and weak, but just as infuriating is the fact that everyone falls for it. Kratos and Atreus get an easy pass for having never known him and relying on Mimir and others to inform them of who he is and what he's about. However, Freya should know Odin more than well enough to suspect a disguise at any moment, but almost looks down on Tyr with an easy acceptance of this idea that he's somehow been broken down by his imprisonment. Maybe it's a product of his long journey throughout the world making him distant from the others, but at the end of it all Tyr missed out on the most climactic and important battle of the age. All because the people he called friends and allies didn't know him well enough, or even worse thought less of him than he truly is. This is why his interactions with Kratos in Valhalla are just as important for himself as it is for the Ghost of Sparta. Tyr is a God of War at peace with himself, and now he's helped Kratos find peace of his own. These two characters have a reached a level of understanding that I don't think any other pair can match, and that's something I would wager Tyr has never had before.

[@BloodiedShingle]

@@Xman42635 Inadvertent or not, Odin was more than happy to weaponize Mimir's and Freya's compassion against them- as Mimir says early on about fake Tyr, "I've never seen a man broken so completely." Both Mimir and Freya have experienced Odin's cruelties, so it does make sense that they'd attribute anything that seemingly didn't make sense about fake Tyr as the result of his imprisonment- it's part of what makes Odin scary to them- he can reach anything, find anyone, twist anyone, break anyone. It took finding the real Tyr and interacting with him after the end of the main plot for all of us to understand how well-grounded and well-adjusted he was, because we've never seen a character that stable and that virtuous in this series. I don't blame Mimir or Freya for their mistake- given the setting they're in, it's almost more believable that Tyr would end up the way he did after what he went through. (Almost.)

[@normanmai7865]

"If this really is the end of Kratos, then this is as good an ending as any fan could hope for." A god of war, at peace.

[@skaizu]

beta male

[@osciisnow]

@@skaizuhuh?

[@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex]

​@@skaizu Can't have anything FUN can you? Let it happen and you are not a "Sigma" just an annonyance. I wish you better than THIS, so would you not for a moments sake.

[@skaizu]

@@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex beta male

[@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex]

@@skaizu Useless and not loved child? Exactly that is who you are.

[@TheScribe1.0]

Fun fact: Kratos’ feud with the Barbarian King goes deeper than the blood pact he made to Ares. In a prequel tie-in comic, Kratos’s daughter Calliope had fallen ill, and he was forced to journey for an elixir that would heal her. But three others besides Kratos were also looking for this elixir, one of them was the Barbarian King who wanted to use the elixir to save his father. In the end Kratos was the one to get the elixir, and he used it to save Calliope’s life, leaving the Barbarian King in a state of failure in terms of saving his father. He ended up dying in his son’s arms, Kratos inadvertently killed the king’s father, and what happened afterwards is history. The King wanted revenge on the young Spartan captain and that led to the battle where Kratos’ army was slaughtered and he would make the deal with Ares leading to the decimation of the Barbarian army and eventually the King himself at the hands of Kratos. Leaving the King even more pissed off as he clawed his way out of the underworld to continue his vengeful crusade against the person who murdered him, the man who would come to be known by the people as the Ghost of Sparta.

[@jeambeam3173]

​@justingary5322nah bro keep that Christian shit out of GOW which is about the more interesting mythologys

[@TheBreadlord]

Yeah, nah. I could really really really do without Christianity steamrollering imaginary pantheons in addition to the utter destruction that particular faith has wrought across real native cultures throughout Europe, then the rest of the world. Celts, Saxons, Northmen, Gallic tribes, the Rus, various druidic traditions. All more or less gone forever due to Christians supplanting and destroying the earlier cultures. You are welcome to your faith. You are also welcome to keep it to yourself.

[@LinkiePup]

The Cycle of Revenge.

[@nightlasher]

Kratos getting the elixir for his daughter in the prequel kinda shows he’s always a man who would go to far lengths and odds for the people he loves the most

[@tsarzamancorpdna]

Valhalla was such a masterpiece of showing how healing is an ongoing process and its honestly something the gaming world needed

[@DSS712]

This DLC simply continues the series' already masterful deconstruction of toxic masculinity. I think it's amazing how this DLC uses combat (honing one's control of the body) as a framing device for therapeutic healing (honing one's control of the mind). Take out the fantastical elements and trade out monster combat for like, jogging or boxing or something, and this is actually like...a REALLY healthy example of someone going through a course of therapy. Successful emotional healing requires time, patience, and safe outlets for expression of anger and other big emotions.

[@podled942]

​@DSS712 its so funny too, seeing a decent amount of comments upset at the story and either failing to see the message, or just disregarding it completely

[@jimcanterak7349]

@@DSS712 Of course some insane feminist or pathetic simp is going to mention some shit like this.

[@jonathanbenoza8136]

gamers want stellar blade and bazoongas

[@louisroyce1143]

Valhalla tied up so many loose ends from Greece, but there are still a few that need looking at, the big one being the survival of multiple Gods. Half of the 12 Olympians either didn't show up or were never killed by Kratos, giving them a chance to return. For me, the final step for Kratos to truly move on is to face surviving individuals from his past in person rather than through the hallucinations of Valhalla and attempt to make amends with them in some way. that way, he can stay true to his character arc without needlessly slaughtering old or new pantheons and remain in Midgard.

[@SoulHero7]

That could be explored in another game. In the real world, after the Greek pantheon was destroyed when the Romans took over, the Romans created new gods and a new pantheon. And since Greek was annihilated thanks to Kratos, the Romans would have no problem taking over and remaking the former Olympians in their image. After all, a god without followers is powerless. The former Olympians would definetly tell their new worshippers about Kratos and how dangerous he is. And thus, the Romans would need a new God of War to protect themselves from Kratos. The Roman God of War is Mars, and whatever former Olympian gets turned into Mars, they are gonna have one hell of a grudge against Kratos.

[@falconeshield]

One boss fight with Athena would've been great though. So many would've been validated for being suspicious about her motives since 2005.

[@falconeshield]

​@@CostmioLabosArthemis is definitely not dead, and he killed Helios. Her brother is Apollo, the one who chariots the sun to the sky. She'd know about Helios' death like that.

[@big.gib.4L]

Týr talks about a time of rebuilding when he visited Greece, after Kratos' destruction. So he probably knows

[@louisroyce1143]

@@CostmioLabos yes. Aphrodite is the main one that survived, Apollo, Demeter, Dionysus and Hestia never made appearances and Artemis vanished after a cameo in GoW 1, not to mention all the other minor gods, though those i mentioned are the main 6

[@aldrichunfaithful3589]

a line i really liked from the final cutscene that you didn't mention was when he was angry with himself and asked "should i place myself in service?", then when he realised what he'd said he repeated the in service part. i think what happened there is he'd spent the whole game feeling that it would be selfish for him to take a position of power, he was thinking about the evil greek gods and how he himself treated godhood, and he felt he didn't deserve power because he'd done things that couldn't be forgiven. but when he repeated himself he realised that it wasn't selfish at all it was the opposite, he would be as he said placing himself in service of the people, and he realised it doesn't matter whether or not he deserves forgiveness for what he's done as long as he does his best now. he was a horrible person doing horrible things but he's good now and wanting to do good things, it isn't forgiveness for his sins or a reward he doesn't deserve it's a chance to do something good. i think that pretty much sums up the entire point of these games, which was never that people can always earn redemption for their sins no matter what, but that even if we do bad things it doesn't mean we need to keep on doing them, and instead we can try to do as much good as possible as the people we are right now. it's like the idea of rehabilitation in the justice system (lets not dwell on how well it's implemented these days), the point isn't to be punished and earn redemption for what you did wrong because sometimes you really can't, it's about learning to be better so you can have a positive influence on the world, which i think is pretty beautiful

[@CJ-je4hd]

This is a great point and a great comment!

[@vincentleonard3797]

Would it be adequate to say "it's never too late to stop digging" can apply to Kratos here?

[@legandaryscourge9892]

I'm glad someone else noticed that I even felt like in that space of young kratos lifting his head and the repeat is past kratos speaking then he catches himself and backtracks a bit I found it a very nice little note

[@sissyjoeold7657]

The "do not be sorry, be better" makes more and more sense

[@RazielTheUnborn]

As my bone grandpa Withers stated when answering why The Dark Urge was worthy of a second chance, "The way to atonement is to do better."

[@AngelofGrace96]

Man, that monologue by Christopher Judge makes me tear up every time I watch it, he puts so much emotion into it, it's absolutely incredible. you can tell he truly understands the character.

[@DSS712]

I've seen in interviews he apparently has a lot of regrets about his past behavior and he really channeled it all into his performance

[@JoeyCarter_GD]

​@@DSS712 Christopher Judge in what I believe was a podcast, stated that he had problems with his own son and himself that heavily related to Kratos and himself. And that he himself got some emotional and therapeutic relief.

[@JoeyCarter_GD]

I would say that his own experiences is what made his dialogue feel more real and believable.

[@NYESPY]

13:21 Kratos also approaches the idea of keeping the blades around despite their history when he kills the Breserker king in Ragnarok, telling Mimir that "the history of this sword is still being written" when he intends to use the sword he gets at the end. Kratos also frequently refers to his weapons as tools; in the case of the blades, he physically cannot get rid of them without them reappearing.

[@TheGodOfWarhammer]

the fact this was free is mind boggling. 6:08 was interesting in that you can hear the despair in both of their voices. Mimir sounds frantic and betrayed and Kratos is desperate

[@FierceDeity35]

It's cut content from the base game. You kind of already paid for it.

[@Busto1299]

​@@FierceDeity35really

[@SoulHero7]

@@FierceDeity35 This is not cut content. Valhalla plays completely differently from the main game, and takes place after Odin dies and Tyr is freed. Valhalla is a roguelite, taking all the abilities you gained in the normal game, randomizing them, and completely changing how they're gained and unlocked.

[@chromtastic2092]

​@@FierceDeity35 me when I lie

[@vlad_47]

I allowed myself to hope that we finally get rid of this useless talking head but no dice. This disney+ travesty doesnt know when to kill characters who overstayed their welcome, all the norse MCU characters will probably remain for a long time

[@fundomk1]

At the end of Ragnarok, the shrine shows Kratos carrying the axe in his shoulder, and people around him worshipping him as god of hope. At the end of Valhalla, he comes out of the gate with the axe in his shoulder, as God of Hope.

[@flipdip5874]

I hope when we next see kratos he'll be in a game called god of hope or he calls himself that from that point on

[@Vangaurd_tiger]

Also axe can be used both for times of war and times of peace. Kratos do become the the god of peace and hope.

[@L3FT2BURN]

There's a really cool aspect of new Kratos that was very unhandedly explained in Valhalla, and that's why he so much more laconic in the new games verus the older ones. If you notice, Kratos speaks a lot more when he's talking with himself or with Helios and I think that's the writer's way of trying to tell the player that in these scenes he's speaking his native Greek, whereas in all others he is speaking Norse (or some version of it). Anyone who has learned more than one language could tell you that you do generally become more laconic in your non native tongue, and its a really cool detail I appreciate that they added.

[@PastelBlackBunny]

That's a great observation!

[@Pluto1v5]

Are you sure that's what they meant though? Considering in the norse games you do hear actual norse while also hearing the language the games playing in Also, if you look back on the scene in GoW 2018 where Atreus tries to teach Kratos the runes before Modi attacks, Atreus says to kratos "If you already speak it, then learning to read won't be a problem" If this theory is true though, then well done

[@Pluto1v5]

@@CostmioLabos Is it proven to be a canonic thing?

[@Pluto1v5]

@@CostmioLabos i 100% agree with you on that lol I've honestly begun speaking a lot more formally irl due to how Kratos speaks

[@DarkKing-z6b]

Kratos should never have become the god of peace, this destroys the identity of this character, this is like making Trevor from GTA 5 or Arthur Morgan from RDD 2 good cops, this will destroy their identity, the stupid developers in Santa Monica decided to destroy the identity of this game and of course, meat riding fans never stop glorifying anything they make

[@kylecherpy2842]

I still think Helios represents so much more to Kratos. Helios likely also represents every innocent he killed in his quest against the gods. Helios doesn't actually fight in his boss encounter, not really. The most he does is blind Kratos but then he begs and pleads with Kratos to not kill him. Even goes as far as to offer his help to Kratos. Regardless of whether or not he'd actually help Kratos, he was still pleading for mercy and couldn't fight Kratos anyway even if he wanted to. Kratos killed him anyway to use his head as a flashlight. Now compare that death to every single civilian that Kratos callously kills just for being in his way or for being the key for a puzzle. I feel like Kratos putting Helios' head into the chamber of sacrifice just shows that extra level of how much his decision making in that moment hasn't changed. That if it's someone he doesn't know or cares for he has no issue killing them. Which makes swapping to Mimir in the cage that much more eye opening for Kratos. And not to spoil anyone in your own analysis I won't continue further. I love your videos dude, they're always incredible insights to these characters

[@solracstormhunter3023]

Kratos SHOOTS Helios and his chariot from the sky, AFTER Helios spent his time between firing at Perses and at Kratos on tge ground. And when Kratos reaches Helios, he's ambushed by his henchmen. Helios wasn't innocent, he picked a fight, got wrecked, then yielded and pleaded. Yes, he could've been spared, but who's to say, he would've just backed off and watched Kratos destroy more gods.

[@limesovalemons1483]

Helios did lie to kratos, Kratos may have just left him there if he acted actually told him the truth.

[@kratosgow342]

@@limesovalemons1483 yeah he lied to Kratos to touch the Flame of Olympus to get its power which Hephaestus told him earlier that everyone that touch the flame will die

[@crimsoneclipse0618]

Not to mention, Kratos was the one who saved Helios in the past.

[@Davidk9292]

I think you've got a very solid point, and it's acknowledged in-game. If you return to Valhalla after the ending and get far enough that Helios appears again, Kratos asks why he's still there if Kratos has made peace with himself. I don't remember the exact quote, but Helios says something to the tune of "Because I'm the reminder of what you did. And sometimes, a painful reminder is what keeps the pain from happening again." EDIT: The exact quote is "You WANT me here. Because I'll never let you forget what you did. And sometimes an ugly memory is the only thing keeping history from repeating itself."

[@onubohrok]

This reminds me of my favorite quote from Paarthunnax in Skyrim: "What is better? To be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?" Which I believe makes a far more interesting character to follow. You can give so much more respect to someone when you follow them along their journey, especially if you know what they had to overcome to get there.... Someone who overcame their own impulses.

[@Chinesetakeout382]

It’s like the one truly good moment of good writing in Skyrim.

[@benimarusasaka9127]

fun fact thhe paathurnaax voice actor is the same one as mario@@Chinesetakeout382

[@spacedoctor6858]

Hello fellow bionicle fan

[@TheCatOfAges]

​@@Chinesetakeout382only for the people who wrote the blades to shit all over it because they require him to be killed

[@names7278]

I love the way Tyr calls valhalla an "exercise" because that kind of therapy talk with his actions actually makes him feel like an emotionally intelligent character trying to make Kratos the god he could be.

[@darkphoenixblitz3009]

One thing i have not seen mentioned is the pause Kratos makes when he says place my self in service. I think here he realizes what it means to be a god. Its not about having power over others but exercising your power in the service of those you rule over. Just like a father doesnt use their power to control their child but instead to teach, help and guide them and also how a being a general is not about the battles, victory or the glory but it is about serving the people you lead and the people you protect by winning the battle.

[@Warrior-Of-Virtue]

13:04 For the record, Kratos has tried to throw away the blades many times. But they keep teleporting back to him.

[@big.gib.4L]

It will be really interesting one day if he breaks the curse and can be free of them, can there be a God of War game without the Blades of Chaos? Edit: Maybe he could forge new ones of his own somehow? Blades of Sparta?

[@werwolfnate]

*after GoW 3* Blades of Chaos: Hey Kratos, phew, it's been a while. Haven't seen ya since ya fought Ares. What'd I miss? *looks at blades of exile* Blades of Chaos: Kratos... who are they?🤨

[@PLYTATN]

​@@werwolfnateI like to think that all the blades are basically just the Blades of Chaos but got their appearance and powers changed because Athena put different forms of magic on them. It kinda makes sense too, the Chaos blades were taken from Kratos near the end of GOW 1 when he is fighting Ares, Athena later retrieved the blades, transformed them into Blades of Athena and give them back to Kratos. Then in GOW 3, the Blades of Athena became useless because of river Styx, so Athena once again used magic to transform them into Blades of Exile. Then all the magic of Greece disappeared following the downfall of Olympus, thus returning to their basic form, the Blades of Chaos, which is what Kratos brought with him to Norse because they keep follow him and he cannot throw them away.

[@solracstormhunter3023]

​@@PLYTATNWe both and many others share this headcannon, but nothing has confirmed it yet. Instead, some comment in the novels and from some developer suggest, that both pairs of blades are separate from eachother.

[@sbudaforever]

Yeah you can tell this person doesn't understand anything

[@WackyJack322]

Since this DLC came out, I've been waiting patiently for your analysis video on it and you don't disappoint! As someone who struggles with a lot of self-loathing and hatred, I find Kratos' story and resolution to be so moving and cathartic. I beat myself up for a lot of mistakes that I've made in my life both real and imaginary, and Kratos' "You are more than that" speech just really hit me in my soul. I'm so glad that we have the "God of Hope" to show us regardless of what we've done, we always have the chance to be better people.

[@jam-etc]

It's true. At any moment we can always choose to become better, as Tyr said, it's something you do, not a place to wind up in or a state to achieve. You can always start to be good- you can always have hope. I can't lie, if this is the last we ever see of Kratos, I'll be perfectly happy with it.

[@RickyUzumaki993]

I know, right?

[@RickyUzumaki993]

@@jam-etc Damn right

[@darkside791]

Why not just being better instead of doing some sh*t and then trying to be better?

[@imthatguy89]

When Tyr says “better voices in your head” that’s a call back to how Kratos and Atreus built their relationship through the entire game. To keep the best parts of each other with them to help them get through what will be tough for them to do.

[@JFTSwiertz]

An unspoken part, Having Kratos find peace through (more or less) consequenceless combat allows him to speak the deep throughts he feels deep within his rage.

[@myherobeaste7]

And kratos himself at the start says “combat can be clarifying” as since he’s a spartan and combat is all he knows it in a way it’s therapeutic for him which is interesting to note because of how many times he and Atreus was in life or death situations

[@mr.mcnerdo]

As much as I wanted it to happen, I'm glad that Young Kratos doesn't argue or even talk. It would have been extremely difficult to have the level of reflection that we got. Still, I would have loved to hear Judge and Carson having a discussion.

[@torpid5092]

I think it's because Kratos in the present needs to come to terms with what he has done, if young Kratos spoke then it would almost certainly be to defend and justify his actions, which would both make it harder for Kratos to decide to be better and make it seem like the game as a whole is defending what Kratos did.

[@alexfischer7876]

Besides, how else the younger Kratos would respond to his future self?

[@podled942]

​@@alexfischer7876how else would a young kratos respond aside from vengeful and full of rage

[@shadowsnake5133]

​@@alexfischer7876 by claiming he's another ares/Zeus. Forcing a response out of the older ibe, acknowledging the deaths, and more importantly, jis actions to prevent them this time. His actions to grow, the younger would push, asking if they could have, if they potentially killed them unnecessarily, only for the older to point out their unwillingness to do so. The back and forth one could have with the right framing is truly great... But this? This makes it a non debate, these are things he can't argue, he must grow past it, or accept that he's always been what others saw.

[@Evanswift]

The scene with Kratos and Kratos is a call back to Greek plays, or at least his conversation with Mimir about them. “It is tradition for a story to be told in one sitting, it is more clear that way”

[@loaf1712]

It is no such thing.

[@moonmarcher]

​@@loaf1712 it totally is though

[@beastslayer8729]

6:39 This part is really cool. Kratos' strength has always been pretty insane, but the implications of this scene are that Kratos is bending not just a metal cage, but the will of Valhalla itself. He essentially bent reality with his bare hands, kind of like how he forced his way into Valhalla at the beginning. He is strong enough to break the rules of the world itself, which I think is a really cool way to depict his true power. It also shows that this world breaking strength he possesses is not what makes him a god, as forcing his way only gives him punishments.

[@hugolebras3832]

I just realised something that I never realised before : the throne of god of war in which young Kratos is sitted is not the same as the one wise Kratos is sitting on. Whereas the old throne looks spiky and is elaborate with greek design, built by man's hand, the new one is carved out of simple rock. The old one is taller than young Kratos is while the new one fits Kratos' height way better. The old one is covered by half with a red sheet hanging from the ceiling while the new one has a bit of that sheet lying on the armrests of the throne. I understand this evolution of the throne as a change in Kratos' state of mind in regards to being a god of war. The simpler material means that the title is not artificial anymore to him but natural, not some position others put him on but a title carved and defined by Kratos himself for himself. Same for the height of the throne : unbearable of a burden to young Kratos but the logical progression of wise Kratos' being, a place he willingly occupy. At last, the sheet represent the violence implied with the position of god of war : hanging from above because it defined the god of war young Kratos was while wise Kratos rests on such violence. He sometimes uses violence but this is a justified and moderate one now. He doesn't let his anger get the better of him anymore, he controls it and doesn't let it define who he is. Man I just love this detail so, so much.

[@solracstormhunter3023]

Keen observation

[@hugolebras3832]

@@solracstormhunter3023 Thank you :)

[@mrreemann8313]

I think they are the same throne - just different versions of it. The throne young Kratos sits on is the the Throne of a God. Like you said - it is tall, decorated and imposing. The throne that old Kratos sits on is that same throne, but older now. Time and experiences have worn away the decorations. Almost all decoration has been stripped, and now the throne is no longer a showpiece - it is a functional object.

[@DundG]

It is the same throne, but heavily withered. Amazingly it fitts Kratos way better now. Reminds me of the japanese concept of beauty: "wabi sabi"! Where the imperfect, the worn out, the many times broken but continiously fixed is seen as true beauty as it shows the quality of maturity and adjustment to the real world, not some fake, surface level beauty of perfection. The lines of a once broken but fixed teacup IS its true beauty, as it reveals that it is still used and valued for it's purpose! The moss on an old building IS its true beauty as it is part of the real world, not hidden in a glass case to remain it's surface level perfection. It's about accepting reality, that it wears you down but you can keep yourself functional by maintaining yourself, sometimes needing to fix your broken self and becoming increasingly better, pragmatic self through this process!

[@benliftin4awhile]

To write him as a god of hope when coming full circle after opening Pandora’s box, him being the father he is to Atreus, hoping to just be a better god. It’s written so well. Perfectly.

[@kai_3788]

The fact this DLC was free is honestly a miracle. Other studios would’ve sold this DLC for half the price of the full game, or more.

[@Comicbroe405]

This DLC honestly opens & closes roads for Kratos. If this is the last for him as the mc I'll be fine & if it allows him to explore a new pathway for being a better god then that'll be dope too.

[@Hellyeah34T]

For me, people saying he'll go to egyptian mythology is jsut thinking about the trend here but not the story thats leading to a different path like his journey to become a better god of war.

[@DarkKing-z6b]

Kratos should never have become the god of peace, this destroys the identity of this character, this is like making Trevor from GTA 5 or Arthur Morgan from RDD 2 good cops, this will destroy their identity, the stupid developers in Santa Monica decided to destroy the identity of this game and of course, meat riding fans never stop glorifying anything they make

[@falconeshield]

​@@DarkKing-z6bCope. He was hinted to become the God of hope since Pandora said so.

[@raylessneptune451]

@@DarkKing-z6b”I’m mad the creator of the new games took an old IP and told a new story in a way I disagree with so everyone that likes it is meatriders.” Got it. Even if you don’t like the story, the gameplay of this is much better than the old GOW games, and that alone is enough to play the game, for me. Luckily, I’m not a cynical asshole and actually enjoy the story, so that’s even better for me.

[@iambadatgames309]

@@DarkKing-z6b good that it wasnt your decision then because that wouldve killed off the entire fucking series

[@derekhogan9685]

Him using the blades is even more symbolic when you learn that they cling to him. A sled dialogue references a fact from the novel that the blades, even if discarded, will find their way back to him. He’s literally cursed to have them and now uses a cursed object for positive means.

[@Pearg0ld]

God of War DLC: Tyr makes you go to therapy

[@matthewmccoyd2578]

Nero (DMC): Hey, are you able to leave Valhalla? Asking for some friends.

[@shep9231]

I'll happily go to therapy if Tyr is the one handling it :)

[@NSK-y5s]

@@shep9231Týrapy

[@0ussama01]

You got a giggle out of me. Noice ​@@NSK-y5s

[@garrchair]

God that monologue is beautiful.

[@garrchair]

icryalittleeverytime

[@chicherannah]

As an early years educator and who has never played God of war and yet stumbled this awesome series, I feel so happy and blessed. Thank you! Not only did I get to see and appreciate the intricate art and care that was put in this game, but it also validated my view on how to treat kids (of all ages). This video reminded me of a tedtalk I've watched talking about "kids can do it if they can" or even the quote "attention seeking is connection seeking." Which just means that misbehaviors are a form of communication of an unmet need and usually is also a skill that can be honed if kids' needs are met (which I also loved how you/the story said that "good" is a practice not a being because we can't always be "good"). Kratos acceptance to his regrets/mistakes are also practiced in 'conscious parenting' as well. It's a more empathic way of viewing how sometimes our parents unknowingly puts us in situations that are traumatic and thus became baggages now that we're adults. Or when sometimes, we did things that aren't our best and we regret it. There's a saying that goes, "Parents (or we) did what they/we knew was best with the skills that they/we had." Acknowledging that I was doing my best with what I knew and with what skills I had during covid, even tho it might not look like the best to others, gave me a lot of strength to push thru teaching during covid times. I hope everyone else can give themselves grace too during these tough times. This video helped me realize that hope is the core value of this mindset. Which is beautiful! That's why I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It gives me hope for the future, that not only are "educators" sharing/advocating for these ideas, but stories in video games (and people appreciating these ideas) as well.

[@tz5116]

I agree, it feels like the end for Kratos. Or more to say: AN end. An end for his journey so far and the beginning of another. We will see what the future brings but there is more than enough room to tell new stories, with Kratos as a god of hope, first time being a true god, as he says, serving the people. Thx for your vids!

[@Filosofus]

The Idea of morality/being good as a skill is actually what Aristotle argues in his take on Ethics - it is like playing a flute - we need practice in doing good and sometimes we are out of Tune and need to be tuned back. To him morality is the purpose of a Human 😊

[@grouch_gaming]

Did not expect to catch this as soon as I did. I love your analysis and introspective. I find it very refreshing to find someone who looks at stories subjectively and sees their merits.

[@ethanharris6226]

I still cant believe the original author of Kratos hated his development throughout the norse games. The emotional depth and journey of these games are amazing

[@jnlaw2644]

I see both sides Emotionally I want Kratos to be happy But deep down I want him to be a terror upon the realms a destroyer, because to me thats enjoyable. Entire world's falling to ruin at my power. That's what I miss

[@zeeb2190]

I guess they guy wanted kratos to, just be hyperviolent angryman. His loss tbh

[@Vyyc-m9g]

That's because he hasn't actually played the game so he has no idea how Kratos developed throughout ragnarok. He just yapped about it because other folks who haven't played the game yapped about Kratos being written bad, basically Jaffe is full of shit. Don't get me wrong though, ragnaroks story is still pretty boring and bad just not Kratos' development.

[@winniethepooh-bc4wj]

@@Vyyc-m9g you don't even know what are you talking about.

[@dave7244]

@@Vyyc-m9g Kratos in God of War Ragnarok was written badly. Many lines felt like they came out of marvel. In the 2018 game he was written well.

[@GrandRegentSScratch]

Kratos has always been a deep character.

[@SoulHero7]

"You were always more than what others saw." - Kratos to Kratos.

[@GrandRegentSScratch]

@justingary5322 holy shit

[@xmangle5382]

"By the gods, what have I become?"

[@najibzulkafli5820]

The last scene where Kratos is confronting his past self, I love that he has no weapons or armor, and is being vulnerable to his past self. The moment he said “I chose” after saying “you” so many times shows that he is becoming accepting to his past

[@samuelazzaro]

I still wonder if this doesn't open a door to the one big remaining elephant in the room. The one big person we know of (minus sindri) still nursing a grudge against Kratos. Athena. Cause, for all we know, she is still "alive" and powerful. Last we definitively saw her, she still had the blade of Olympus and the entirety of what remained of greece at her fingertips. In other words, I wonder if, now that Kratos has come to terms with his mistakes, we have to finally face the last person who would still be after him for what he did. Plus, the more you think about it, the more it would make sense to turn Athena into a long game antagonist. After all, was it not Athena who led Kratos down his dark path to begin with by leaving......gaps in what she told him?

[@SoulHero7]

Athena can still easily be relevant if the Roman Gods come into play. In the real world, the Romans conquered the Greeks and turned the Greek gods into Roman ones. Athena would be one of those gods, and Athena would be glad to tell her new followers about the monster that destroyed her homeland. The real world Roman God of War is named Mars, and Athena would most likely manipulate the Romans into creating Mars and allowing her to train him. Athena is the goddess of tactical warfare, so she could mold Mars like she tried to mold Kratos.

[@Chad-Kratos-jf8zy]

>After all, was it not Athena who led Kratos down his dark path to begin with by leaving......gaps in what she told him? No stop villainizing her, it's more than frustrating to character assassination someone, what dark path she led him onto huh? The writers confirm that so many times she had no ulterior motives before dying, it's all nonsensical theories that people make on their internet without even paying attention to the lore. She got corrupted after dying and reaching higher existence, so she became greedy in 3. Also "leaving gaps his knowledlge" He doesn't need to know many things, and he doesn't even understand anything, it's entirely irrelevant.

[@matti.8465]

@@Chad-Kratos-jf8zy Yeah as interesting as it would be if Athena was behind everything all along, it'd be like shifting the blame to someone else.

[@Chad-Kratos-jf8zy]

@@matti.8465 she isn't so...

[@winniethepooh-bc4wj]

@@matti.8465 huh?

[@aseemmaurya8267]

I loved the younger self scene. I know what it means but I just wanna point out how good, cool and scary the young Kratos's experssions were. I had chills for a second when he stares with his hateful yellow eyes.

[@brambllstar7567]

First time catching these within the first minute. Amazing for liserning to when zoning out in mc, keep up the amazing work Brett!

[@kurzor0007]

At his first run in the Chamber of Sacrifice, I think Kratos initially believed that since Valhalla draws upon his memories, all the events will progress as he remembers it thus he believed he only needs to follow the script So I think it wasn't that he didn't grow throughout his journey but didn't initially understand how Valhalla works

[@MMLCGG]

Two of my favorite things that they’ve done for this dlc was how they respected Kratos’s character from the old games as a battle hardened soldier who would do anything for what he thought was the right thing to get what he wanted (granted that being for revenge) and that he developed from a grumpy, tired old man/dad from the last game to an older brother and father who is willing to listen to others

[@UncommonSensed]

Thank you for another solid commentary FatBrett! You truly take the time to sit down and really get a feel for the story and characters involved. Excellent work

[@supermaro2349]

13:28 That’s actually really similar to what Kratos says to Mimir after beating King Hrolf Kraki. After Mimir asks why Kratos is going to use Skofnung, Kratos says “The story of this sword is still being written. Future Generations will weigh its good deeds against the bad and decide for themselves”

[@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex]

About the evils of the Greek Gods there is dialouge during one of the Týr bossfights. Tyr says this: (Summarization) What was contained in the box? Kratos responds: (Summarization) Hate, Greed, Vanity and Fear. Magnifying what was already in the gods. So they were already assholes but opening the box worsened the evils within them.

[@thegemguy1334]

A question's just come to my mind about whether the Greek Gods were aware of the evil in the Box might infect them or not. It was Athena's idea to open the box and the other Gods agreed with her plan. But how could they agreed yet unaware? They had the box made for the very purpose of containing the evils. Unless they counted on using Kratos as a scapegoat, that he, with his own inner evil, would attract and absorb all the evils in the box. Athena herself assumed as much, that the power Kratos used to kill Ares was from the evils. That was why she told Kratos to find the box again because she thought the box still have the power of hope since it would be logical to think, that the evils would flock to Kratos and hope would refused to come out in the presence of such an evil person ans opted to stay back in the box. So the plan was to let Kratos absorb the evils and kill Ares. Then they would have a legit reason to get rid of Kratos later. All they need was a good plan. And unlike Ares who was born an Olympian God, Kratos was not and Zeus was free to skirt around the no fighting among themselves rule.

[@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex]

@@thegemguy1334 They knew about the evils of the box, yet they didn't plan on opening the box that was Athena's idae for Kratos to kill Ares with the evils of the box. They became the consequences of the box's opening and release of the evils. Athena used it to manipulate Kratos.

[@winniethepooh-bc4wj]

​@@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex You don't know what are you talking about.

[@winniethepooh-bc4wj]

​ @thegemguy1334 It is explored in the book of 1. Basically some of strict Zeus' rule, then some of the visions she got about Ares, and the weakness of Kratos at that time against Ares. Forced Athena to come up with a plan to let Kratos open the box. And Zeus approved the opening of the box. Athena had no ulterior motives, it was a desperate choice, and more like the only choice they had at that time. Any other lore detail is more like inconsistency.

[@TheTrueTyrannosaurusRex]

@@winniethepooh-bc4wj No, in Valhalla it's even told by Kratos "It was Athena's plan". Zeus had no idea that they headed for the box, none of them had any idea.

[@roguewarriors9957]

Valhalla was an ending and a beginning for Kratos, he confronts his pasts to move forward into a new future, one where he gets to continue improve and be a better god, a better god of war. What a great DLC!

[@jackmack4181]

25:41 I feel that hand rest spoke of “connect those dots, if I’m you and I did all that, what does that make you now?” And how young kratos’s arm slightly raises as he lowering, as if this illusion is actually resisting the urge to fight

[@andrewowens4421]

I think it's suppose to represent how close old Kratos looked like he'd come to blows and how the younger was ready to react. But old Kratos pulled himself back into more self-reflection, showing he had grown to control himself better.

[@iamfeixue]

15:21 even in God Of War 3 when Athena said to him that mankind is in suffer , Kratos simply reply " Let them suffer , Zeus death is all that matter " So yeah , kratos is really bloodthirsty that time.

[@samguercho]

I like also the symbol of Kratos having Mimir, symbol of knowledge and wisdom, to hir right arm as soon as he took the throne. He is finally ready to rule the wars with wisdom, always with his brother to remind him that war is brothers fighting other brothers

[@RickyUzumaki993]

Same here

[@Generlc_Human]

Something I love about the final scene is that the light shining on Young Kratos glows on his white skin, stained by the ashes, but when Older Kratos sits on the throne, the light slightly shines through the ashes, and you can see Kratos's true skin. It might be my brain tricking me but I swear that is what I see, Kratos's true colors.

[@sodadrink8363]

20:34 it’s not just “sometimes some people” saying this, kratos literally says in valhalla that the evils inside the box amplified what was already in the olympians, turning them from generally bad people into irredeemable monsters

[@Darthbaldmouse]

You can’t rewrite the past but you can start to write a better ending right now.

[@IndigoLaz3r]

I absolutely loved every video you covered about God of War, and to know now that we not get another for a long long time saddens me deeply, but makes me excited for more of your content to come.

[@ShenaniganJian]

Chapters: 0:00 Intro 3:40 Chamber of Sacrifice 9:11 Deal with Ares 14:23 Helios & the Greek Gods 19:20 Pandora’s Box 24:00 Confront the Past

[@Optimus_PrimeTFP]

at the end of Valhalla, I think Kratos was speaking to his past self in Greek because he'd most likely understand the Greek language more than the current one he's been speaking. another thing is it would be interesting to see Kratos return to Greece and try to rebuild and right his wrongs there.

[@nedzed3663]

I was glad the PSP stories were brought up because it was those 2 titles we got the most characterization out of Greek era Kratos, in my opinion. Where his motivations for those games weren't completely self-serving or based on getting revenge, you could say he was being heroic, somewhat saving the world from Atlas and Persephone, trying to rescue his brother etc.

[@walterwhite4398]

Both were also the darkest because it involves him leaving his family again like his daughter, mother and brother

[@DSS712]

I've noticed that one clear sign of a high-quality sequel/spin off is when the writers make a point to overtly recognize past canon events - whether or not they were seen as significant at the time - as a valid parts of a character's journey.

[@alexiavya722]

I feel like GoW focused so much on the death of Zeus as a first step to true reflection. He still hadn't quite coped with the amount of evil he did at the time and decided to focus on his latest evil. Don't forget that the decision to kill Zeus in the end also meant the death of someone he started to see as his own daughter. He mind could only process so much gried and needed something to focus that into so he could move on to a new life afterwards. I think it's a lot better than you give it credit for, even now.

[@bigredbeanie3310]

Honestly my favorite parts of Valhalla was tyr putting a new perspective on the choices Kratos made

[@metal100k]

"You have always been more than what others saw"

[@morningstarred]

i was just rewatching the two-parter on kratos's development in the norse games last night and thinking to myself 'i'd love to hear his thoughts on valhalla too!' so this is fortuitous! as someone who doesn't really know much about the greek era games beyond what a wiki dive can tell me, i appreciate this sort of video that puts things into the greater context of the whole series. the final scene of valhalla makes me so insane, like, it's a genuine shakespearean soliloquy. the writing, the acting, the animation is all just impeccable. it's so beautiful. i love the moment where kratos says "you have always been more than that" about himself and you can *see* him realize that *he believes what he is saying*. he is finally able to openly believe in the good that exists inherently within himself - not just good that is brought out by people like atreus or mimir or freya, but good that he can always reach for, if he is brave enough and strong enough and wise enough to. a good that he will always have to work for, and that he will have to be vigilant about maintaining, but that is never gone, never beyond reach, even if he should stumble. also when i saw the trophy for finishing the dlc pop up and saw that it was called "god of hope" with the image of kratos from faye's shrine at the end of ragnarok i about cried. what a beautiful idea, what a powerful story and ideal for the people of the (now eight) realms - that even if they have done terrible things, even if they have made mistakes they think are insurmountable, there is always a chance for them to change and become better and do good in the world.

[@stevenmattrell3448]

Missed opportunity to get the original trilogy's voice actor to reprise his role for that conversation between young and old Kratos. Yeah it ended up being a monologue in the final version but I would've preferred it that the two actually had a discussion of some kind.

[@GodisGod777]

Another glorious analysis FatBrett. Awesome content as always.

[@blackjesus1443]

Stfu you couldnt even watch the full video

[@blackjesus1443]

@justingary5322 I aint reading allat

[@arcluz77]

24:12 I was actually hoping that they would bring back the old VA of young Kratos and have a bit of a back and forth. But this was good, too.

[@Elite_Teach]

Love your video analyses man. Keep up the good work

[@rebeccacosme1372]

As someone who has benefitted greatly from therapy, I can't help but see some of the same processes that I have gone through myself in this journey. I LOVE that the culmination is him talking to his younger self, addressing the problems, but then showing kindness to himself. It is just so damn good.

[@danielferrieri7434]

I had an idea in my head where Kratos' Weapons spoke, and each weapon would be like the Triforce from Zelda The Levianthan Axe would have a cold yet soft-spoken voice, much like his wife. It would give Kratos words of Wisdom The Draupnir Spear would speak like an adventurous hero. He would enjoy the thrill of battle and give Kratos the Courage to keep going, regardless of the challenge ahead The Blades of Chaos would speak like Evil Sadistic Demon, having an entire library's worth of stories to tell about Kratos' past. Enjoys slaughtering enemies by the thousands. Tells Kratos to Power through his enemies, as he did back at Greece. And will openly tell everyone all the terrible stuff Kratos has done in the past.

[@jhonnrhodes9870]

Why do I kinda like this idea lol

[@falconeshield]

Hey this would've been neat

[@WTFisTingispingis]

That's actually pretty cool.

[@loaf1712]

Bro hears voices

[@thomashongshagen4912]

Its an interesting idea, though i would switch what the spear and axe represented. The axe is a gift from his wife, it symbolizes the courage she instilled in him to face the world and find his place in it. Meanwhile, the creation of the spear centres entirely around wisdom. The wisdom to decide when force is needed, but more importantly, the wisdom to know when to comfort someone when they are in pain. It symbolises Kratos' growth as a man, a god and a friend.

[@jacklastname6351]

I really love this series. Thank you for the effort you put into this.

[@Hexra_]

The scene with young Kratos was beautifully done. It reminds me of the movie Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, where the main character was given the choice to either live in a world where everything is normal, something he has wanted since the very start of the series, or be in the fantastical world with aliens, time travelers, espers, etc, something he wanted to believe in as a child but comes at the cost of him having to fix certain problems caused by these things. When the choice of the entire world is put into one person, the main character has an argument with himself, talking about how he never wanted these things to be real in the first place. After a similar scene that happened to Kratos happened in the movie (which surprisingly has more kicking than in Valhalla), the main character breaks free and accepts that being in a fantastical world with problems is better than a boring world without problems. It was an amazing scene that shows self-reflection and what is needed to enjoy whatever comes next. The scene Kratos had with himself was amazing, and made even more amazing from the fact that he wanted to stay a while longer to show that he wants to bask in knowing he finally accepts himself as what he is, not who he was.

[@ulfberht4431]

You make some of the best God of War content dude! I’ve seen so many asshats trying to gatekeep the original and make ridiculous excuses as to why the newer games should’ve stayed like the old, gameplay-wise. I’ve seen how people look at the newer games with a very shallow perspective and can give nothing but bias, and sometimes untruthful, statements. It’s nice to see that there are people who have the capability to look beyond the shallows and delve deeper into the game’s theme and characters. It gives me hope, just like the theme of this game.

[@shadowsniper9542]

There is so much to consider about who Kratos is and was. Redemption is not the focus of this DLC, it's about understanding the choices he made and why. His selfishness was obviously a factor, but there was more to them. It also demonstrates the idea of making a better choice, and that power is not necessarily always an evil. The same power, whether it be a powerful weapon or a position of authority and influence, can be used for great evil, great good, or both in tandem. Kratos taking the throne is similar to his choice to again pick up the Blades of Chaos, but out of need for his son instead of his need for victory. He takes the throne, not out of lust for power but out of need to preserve the peace that had cost them so much to obtain.

[@moisesguandiquejr497]

Your breakdowns are amazing.. in a person on level.I am very grateful.To have finding your videos .Thank you

[@paulkleihege1509]

I would love to see you do of an anlysis of Odin's imitation of Tyr vs the real deal since Valhalla gives us so much more time with the real Tyr. I think there's a lot of material there to discuss between the perceptuon of pacifism and the wisdom of knowing how much damage you can really do and choosing not to. Odin's masquerade as Tyr is super obvious in hindsight after spending some time with the real one.

[@GrantMartin-lm1jh]

Dude you do the deepest most thoughtful essay of any KZbinr, love your work and dedication

[@Shirohige4yonko]

I personally feel that the writers are telling us that if they do more games in the future they want us to forget the sensation we all had playing the norse games: "Kratos is going back to his old self". I believe they want us to see kratos as a new God of war a God who like tyr will use his power and growth for greater good. It also felt like a self-critique on how many including the former director who said kratos is soft and that these are not God of war games. If they end up making more games I'm glad Kratos had this epilogue in which tyr was what kratos needed: a god who taught him they right way to use God hood powers.

[@darnell2477]

Been waiting for a Valhalla video, your stuff is great man keep it up

[@RandomDude647]

i rlly liked valhalla, the only thing is i wish we got to talk to more characters from the first 3 games other than just Helios

[@TheAzure2330]

I do to but I think they wanted to focus and I think it's better for it

[@wendigotoes]

“Should I lose everything and everyone, will there still be enough left inside so that I do not become you?… I do not know. But I have hope.” That line is so important. He’s choosing to accept the fact that he can’t really control what happens to him in the future, but he’s also choosing to have hope. Not only is he hoping that he doesn’t lose everything again, but he’s hoping that even if he does, he will not become a monster again.

[@punishedvenomsnake716]

As someone who wasn't expecting a DLC for Ragnarök, Valhalla was such a nice surprise and even more so as Sony Santa Monica gave to us for free. This was a beautiful gift and a heartfelt and thoughtful way to end 2023. Also Týr was badass, man, goddamn.

[@tyrantravealpha]

All of the introspection here is masterfully handled. But that last scene with Kratos talking to his younger self is transcendent. Christopher Judge's monologue, Bear's subtle impactful music, and the sheer brilliant simplicity of the throne all make the scene one for the ages.

[@matti.8465]

The Kratos of the norse duology is very different from the one we knew before, he's a husband and a father. The big question in both of these games was "if you strip away those new roles, is he still the old Kratos?". He loses his wife in the first game and Ragnarok has Kratos grapple with the the fear that he'll regress as soon as Atreus leaves his life. Valhalla takes it one step further: now Kratos is not only without Faye and Atreus, but he's being put in the exact same situation that led to his downfall in Greece. Whatever happens next proves if Kratos really changed and that's why he was so afraid to take the throne, he didn't want to find out. But now he's at least willing to HOPE the past won't repeat, even if he doesn't know for certain.

[@mordercainear9573]

Atreus and Kratos made a promise remember? that they would listen to each other voices even if they aren't around each other. Atreus acts like a conscious that guide Kratos, just as when he admitted that he was wrong about "close your heart to their suffering"

[@matti.8465]

​@@mordercainear9573 Pretty much. Kratos was afraid that without Atreur he'd just go back to his old ways, but he learned that just because someone is no longer there doesn't mean their influence won't remain

[@djblue056]

I was waiting so long for you to do a video about this. Glad it was worth the wait.

[@TerryB01]

Alright our boy Brett is back!

[@thegamingbadger1190]

I also love the symbolism with the throne. Once new with violent spikes and sharp, rigid lines, now it's worn and rounded. It's not as imposing yet it still gives of that feeling of strength.

[@Warrior-Of-Virtue]

Old Kratos: You chose! Young Kratos: I chose nothing! I obeyed! I obeyed the King of Sparta! I obeyed Ares! I obeyed Olympus! And for my obedience, I was betrayed at every turn! Monsters are not born, they are made. They made me what I am...what you were. But in the end, I chose to give Hope to the world. I chose to become you.

[@SoulHero7]

Honestly, I wish Young Kratos said that. Everyone remebers Kratos being a godslayer, but they forget how loyal and devout he was up until then. And even then he tried to kill himself near the end of GoW1 before he tried to kill the entire pantheon, and the gods wouldn't let him die. He only betrayed the gods because the gods betrayed him.

[@big.gib.4L]

You missed the most important part, he says he chose because he believed he had no other choice, and did what he believed he had to. Kratos was a man determined to survive when put between a rock and a hard place every single time

[@solracstormhunter3023]

​@@big.gib.4L *GOW: Chains of Olympus* Atlas: "Tell me Spartan, what good is the word of an olympian?" Kratos: "IT'S ALL I HAVE, ATLAS!"

[@SoulHero7]

@justingary5322 As a Christian, I have to say... Stop it. Please. You are doing this so wrong, and you have no idea why.

[@yamatostwitcharchives3327]

Oh bro this is what I've been waiting for thank you so much

[@guitaripod]

It won't be the end for Kratos. They can expand him into anything. He's beyond normal shackles.

[@MrAnimeFan4Eva]

I love how in the final speech you can see kratos's eye constantly thinking and reflecting on everything he's saying...this was such a love letter to the whole franchise

[@ar7hur06]

At 15:35 you touched on the fact that 2018 agonizes about Zeus' death too much, but I say it's not as simple as Kratos just stating this is an action that he regrets ever doing, as the scene would incline you to think. In that moment, Kratos killed none other than Baldur, Freya's son, which was trying to kill his mother. A son of a god killing their parent, just like he himself did with Zeus in the past. At that moment, Kratos was ashamed of telling his son that he was the one to kill his father, because it's a mistake that he has commited before and, therefore, he's afraid Atreus will take that as an action that invalidates their actions on stopping Baldur. Hence why Atreus asks if that is just the way things are meant to happen: if gods are just meant to kill their fathers, mothers and vice-versa. Of course, Kratos makes sure to tell his son that their choices are not defined by their past, which in turn is what Kratos learns himself in Valhalla: to not let his old self's choices hold him back from making new and possibly better ones, tying these scenes together beautifully. Thank you for reading.

[@begadkirat1680]

This channel is pure gold

[@poken7691]

Well Pandora's box was created to house those evils, which means they had to come from somewhere before being encased. So the gods probably were evil, just the evil was taken away once the box had been sealed

[@andrewowens4421]

That's an interesting way to look at it. True, evil isn't just born from nothing so you could argue that the evil in the gods was growing too great for them to contain. Maybe their ambitions and the like were growing wild and uncontrollable. But instead of facing those evils head on and trying to sort through them the gods created a box to house them; to simply seal them away so that they wouldn't go out of control. But in order to contain such evil "Hope" had to be present as well. When the box was opened it didn't _introduce_ evil to them, but just returned the evil that was already festering inside of them. It would be more narratively compelling that the box didn't make them more evil; the problems that they thought they could seal away smacked them back in the face.

[@Marethyu5285]

I have been waiting for this video since the release of the dlc.

[@Rainman1_2]

Another note about Kratos using the Blades: he uses the same reasoning as you did with Skofnung (or however the swords name is spelled). Mimir suggests that it’s too evil to be used and should be destroyed, but Kratos says that it’s story is still being written, just like his own Blades of Chaos.

[@SgtGrub]

I think likening "goodness" to a skill, one you sharpen and practice by making better choices, is a really compelling take for a redemption story

[@Corbify]

Honey wake up FatBrett uploaded

[@LFielding07]

When Kratos sits, he looks the most human he has in a long time, the image of the ghost of sparta is still there, but faintly. Compare it to his younger self, whose red tattoos are still vivid as he sits.

[@isaacmaya1915]

Stuff like this makes me so much more upset that so many people see the Norse saga as kratos going woke or going Disney or going soft etc etc. When it's the opposite. He's MORE mature MORE grown up MORE of a whole person. It takes more strength to face your problems and mistakes and admit that you made them than to beat everything up

[@RickyUzumaki993]

I know, right?