Santa Monica’s acclaimed God of War franchise has put many mythological weapons in Kratos’ hands over the years. However, he doesn’t just wield any old sword he picks up; all of Kratos’ weapons deepen the lore of the universe. Every weapon in God of War tells a story, has a history, and means something different to Kratos. Many of them were previously owned by other gods before coming to Kratos and in some way represent that god’s power. Others were used to kill the gods that opposed Kratos or brought about the end of wars.
The weapons Kratos wields have had a tremendous impact on his character development and the overall narrative. By putting such meaningful weapons in its games, Santa Monica has truly leaned into and cemented Kratos’ identity as the God of War. Where a weapon like the Blades of Chaos is a painful reminder of the loss Kratos has endured, the Leviathan Axe is a reminder of his wife and the importance of family. From the Claws of Hades to the Leviathan Axe, there are plenty of stories behind the most legendary God of War weapons.
The Claws of Hades make their first appearance in a God of War 2 cutscene, but Kratos obtains them for himself in God of War 3. The claws arguably possess the darkest powers of all Kratos’ weapons, but their unique abilities make them stand out in his arsenal. Hades, the God of the Underworld, used the claws during the war with the Titans, which gave him the ability to magically- and brutally- rip souls from the bodies of his victims. This power extends beyond human souls as well, as Hades used the claws to absorb the soul of Atlas, the leader of the Titans.
With each soul absorbed, the claws become faster, brighter, and more powerful. In addition to harvesting souls, the Claws of Hades have the ability to summon undead armies to fight for their bearer. In some attacks, the claws even seem to be move on their own. It’s unclear how the Claws of Hades were made or who they were made by, but it’s probably safe to assume they were designed and forged for Hades himself. Their power is everything one might expect for the God of the Underworld. When Kratos eventually took the claws from Hades, he was able to use the same powers until Zeus ultimately destroyed them.
The Blade of Olympus is only wielded by Kratos on select few occasions, but it appears in enough significant story moments to make it one of Kratos’ most recognizable weapons. The blade was created by Zeus for the purpose of defeating the Titans and banishing them to Tartarus, thus ending the Great War. Later, the Blade of Olympus was used by Kratos to kill formidable foes like Cronos, Gaia, Athena, and Zeus himself in God of War 3.
The most interesting property of the blade is its ability to both absorb and release power. The first time Kratos used the weapon, Zeus manipulated him into letting the blade sap his godlike abilities. When Kratos was severely weakened, Zeus took the Blade of Olympus as a way to withhold his power.
At the end of God of War 3, Kratos impales himself with the Blade of Olympus. In doing so, he is able to draw out the power of Hope he received from Pandora and give it to humanity, ending their need for the Olympian gods altogether. At the same time, the power within the blade is released and it becomes powerless, ultimately abandoned by Kratos when he moves to the Nordic realm. The Blade of Olympus is a powerful sword with the unique ability to hold power in reserve, but it’s one of the most iconic weapons in the franchise because of the role it plays in vital story moments. With the Blade of Olympus in hand, Kratos changed the world.
Of all the weapons Kratos wields, the Blades of Chaos are the heaviest because of the painful memories Kratos associates with them. They are also one of the most iconic—Santa Monica’s decision to trade the Blades of Chaos for the Leviathan Axe in God of War marked an important shift in Kratos’ identity that did not go unnoticed by fans.
The Blades of Chaos were created by Ares, the original God of War. He forged them in the Underworld and saturated them with fire; by nature, the blades represent darkness and destruction. While they allow for elegant, fluid, and devastating attacks, Ares intended for the blades to be a symbol of servitude. The Blades of Chaos become permanently attached to the owner’s arms, making the individual a constant instrument of war until either their service has ended or Ares chooses to remove them. The blades essentially strip Ares’ servants of their humanity. They are incredibly powerful, allowing the user to wield fire and decimate opponents, but they are also the inescapable chains that bind the owner to Ares.
Ares gave the Blades of Chaos to Kratos, who then used them to perform many violent deeds in the god’s service. Most devastatingly, Ares forced Kratos to use them against his own wife and daughter in a wild, violent rampage. Kratos wanted nothing to do with them after that, but the blades ultimately belong to the God of War. Ares only retained ultimate control over the weapons until he was replaced by Kratos. Kratos couldn’t escape ownership of the blades, even though he tried multiple times. He never intended to use them again until Helheim, when he needed to use fire instead of the ice powers in the Leviathan Axe.
The Leviathan Axe is the most iconic of Kratos’ weapons, dominantly featured in the 2018 God of War. Serving as a replacement for the Blades of Chaos, the axe is the only weapon players have access to for almost half of the game and represents a franchise shift. God of War intended to recover the human side of Kratos, and the axe’s history contributed to accomplishing that goal.
The Leviathan Axe was forged for Laufey (Faye), Kratos’ second wife, by the Huldra Brothers, Sindri and Brok. Their handiwork is not to be taken lightly- Sindri and Brok are also responsible for the creation of Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer. After the universal damage caused by the Aesir, a violent faction of gods that include Odin and Thor, the Huldra Brothers knew they had to create a weapon powerful enough to challenge them. Faye doesn’t wield the axe herself in God of War, but it was designed with her in mind. The Leviathan Axe is supposedly imbued with the screams of frost trolls, a fitting detail considering that Faye was a revered Frost Giant warrior from Jotunheim in her true form. After her death, the axe was given to Kratos. He wields it valiantly in her honor.
Similar to Thor’s hammer, the Leviathan Axe can be magically called back to its owner at any time during combat. It can also be upgraded throughout the game with Frozen Flames, paradoxical items that possess both fire and ice.
God of War is available now on PS4, and is backwards compatible with the PS5.
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