When Sony announced that God of War was getting a PS5 sequel in 2021, fans were indubitably ecstatic. There’s a lot that could happen with the premise that “Ragnarok is coming,” and it’s likely fans will get to duke it out with Thor as Kratos at least once. However, Atreus as a character may present a narrative problem in the God of War Ragnarok sequel.
With the onset of Fimbulwinter, there’s a good chance that three years have passed since the first game. That means Atreus is going to be older, but age doesn’t always beget wisdom. Atreus’ temper and his inner struggles with Godhood are likely to manifest, but as a general statement, there are some who find children in video games annoying. Now, while that’s not usually a big deal, combine this with the “The Scrappy” TV trope that stylizes Atreus, and it could present a hurdle.
As an NPC companion, Atreus is actually quite helpful in God of War gameplay. The character himself, on the other hand, isn’t so much. From a narrative standpoint, he fits into the trope of the “Scrappy” character which is often overly annoying, arrogant, or abrasive. Further, these characters are often unintentionally hated for narrative reasons. This is where Atreus finds himself already in God of War, and it’s only likely to get worse.
Atreus, as a child, is curious. This innocent trait is translated to annoying by some, especially given the intense father-son relationship between Kratos and Atreus, but there are some other traits as well. Atreus is young and inexperienced, often leading to simple mistakes that have to be corrected. As the God of War‘s son, Atreus is angry and gives into rage quite easily, and in contrast to his inexperience, can be overconfident at times. Upon the discovery that he is a god, Atreus grows cocky and impulsive, insulting Sindri and Mimir for what he believes is beneath his newly discovered status.
At one point, it’s clear that Atreus thinks he can do anything just because he’s a god, becoming careless in battle and disobeying Kratos. He even believes it’s his right to kill Modi, which is one of the reasons Thor seeks vengeance in God of War.
Ultimately, Kratos does attempt to straighten him out and Atreus humbles himself, especially after learning of the cycle of patricide as seen in the God of War franchise. As a note of comparison, though, Atreus’ character is much like Ava in Borderlands 3. There’s hope that Ava learns from her training and becomes a more redeemable character, but for Atreus, it’s highly likely that it gets worse before it gets better.
First, there’s the fact that Atreus will be roughly 13 if the three full years of Fimbulwinter pass. Atreus is likely to be especially angry and hormonal, as many kids at that age are. Having been trapped inside for three years with his father may very well put him on age as well, and some of his worst traits now have had time to fester and become more part of his character. Ultimately, any changes to Atreus in this three-year span are likely to be negative.
Secondly, there’s the foreshadowing true name of Atreus: Loki. There’s a good chance that his character arc is about overcoming this secondary identity, but as the God of War World Serpent recognizes Atreus, it’s likely that some mythological aspects are true. Through time-traveling shenanigans, Atreus/Loki is the father of the serpent, and that itself is enough for anyone to deal with. As Ragnarok comes upon them, Atreus will likely struggle with this identity.
Finally, the mural at God of War‘s end has big implications for the future. It seemingly shows Atreus absorbing Kratos’ life energy, making it seem likely that Atreus is somehow responsible for Kratos’ death. The end of the first game makes it seem inevitable, but how fans react and how the events go down is potentially going to force a lot of hate, intentionally or otherwise, onto Atreus
All things considered, Santa Monica Studio has to find a way to deliver this scrappy character, who is already struggling with godhood, who has a dark destiny, and who may inadvertently otherwise continue the God of War franchise’s theme of patricide. It’s a hard task, one the studio is surely aware of and up to, but Atreus’ future with the God of War Ragnarok sequel remains to be seen.
A God of War sequel is in development for PS5.
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