One subtle detail in God of War Ragnarok instantly signals Kratos’ growth from the previous game. The new God of War series showcases how Kratos has changed and continues to change from his past rage-filled self in the original God of War trilogy. Much of Kratos’ development is exhibited through his relationship with his son, Atreus, exposing a more stoic, caring and wistful side to the demigod. The game’s developers therefore make a small alteration in this father-son dynamic to demonstrate Kratos’ growth since the events of 2018’s God of War.
Throughout God of War’s story, Kratos constantly called Atreus “boy” as a term of endearment while teaching him to hunt and fight. In fact, he did this so much it became a meme. But in Ragnarok, Kratos no longer calls Atreus “boy”. By dropping this name, Kratos appears to acknowledge Atreus as a man. This one trick of dialogue immediately demonstrates to the player that Kratos has raised his estimation of Atreus. However, their relationship is not so clear-cut, as seen during the events of Ragnarok.
Atreus Earned Kratos’ Respect In God Of War
At the beginning of God of War, Atreus is mainly a “stakes character”; in other words, he’s someone for Kratos to protect from Baldur and the other Norse forces. But as the journey progresses, Atreus causes changes in God of War‘s story as his skills improve and he begins to carry his own, even solving puzzles as the ‘brain’ of the duo. Kratos acknowledges this growth by bestowing upon Atreus a knife that was forged on the day of his birth. Atreus asks “So I’m a man now?”, to which Kratos reminds him, “No, we are more than that. The responsibility is far greater.” By gifting Atreus the knife, Kratos is showing his willingness to place more faith in him.
This trust is tested in Ragnarok immediately, however, when Atreus has become more of a man. He’s bigger, his voice is deeper, and in a not-so-subtle puberty metaphor, he uncontrollably transforms into a bear due to his Atreus’ awakening Giant powers from Norse myth. More crucially though, Atreus’ teenage rebellious streak leads him to question Kratos’ judgment. Atreus wants to venture out and discover more about his ancestry, while Kratos would have him stay home and train for the coming war.
Fear of losing Atreus muddies Kratos’ judgment, as Atreus himself remarks, “Stop thinking like a father for a moment and start thinking like a General”. Atreus’ frustration later boils over when he disregards Kratos’ command not to visit Asgard, and as he runs away Kratos calls him back: “BOY!” This is the only time throughout God of War Ragnarok‘s story that Kratos reverts to calling Atreus “boy”, signifying both Atreus’ childish behavior and Kratos’ unwillingness to let him decide his own fate, despite the lessons he’s learned in regards to his son.
With Atreus striving for independence, the father and son must jostle for new positions to maintain their relationship. Kratos, as someone who has matured and is able to see their relationship in a new light, takes the first step towards reconciliation here, declaring that Atreus has “grown into a warrior. The two promise that, even when apart, they will keep the other’s voice in their mind. To demonstrate this trust, when Atreus suggests returning to Asgard once more, Kratos no longer stands in his way.
In return for Kratos’ trust, Atreus feels comfortable to once again lean on Kratos for paternal comfort. It’s clear that like any child Atreus still needs his father’s love and guidance and Kratos is able to balance his emotions between protecting his wayward son and acknowledging the man he has become; something his character couldn’t have done before, displaying his own growth throughout God of War Ragnarok.
