11 Norse Characters We Want To See In God of War Ragnarok
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VOICE OVER: Johnny Reynolds
WRITTEN BY: Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're showcasing 11 Norse Characters We Hope to See in “God of War: Ragnarok.” For this list, we'll be looking at popular Norse figures who weren't in the first game, but who we'd like to see in Sony Santa Monica's upcoming sequel. Our list includes Odin, Ragnar Lodbrok, Heimdall, Fenrir, Thor and more!
Script written by Johnny Reynolds
Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re showcasing 11 Norse Characters We Hope to See in “God of War: Ragnarok.”
For this list, we’ll be looking at popular Norse figures who weren’t in the first game, but who we’d like to see in Sony Santa Monica’s upcoming sequel.
Which powerful Norse character do you hope to see? Head to those comments and let us know.
The Allfather was name-dropped about a thousand times in the previous game. So it seems like Odin is a shoe-in. Although he was never seen in the 2018 game, his presence was constantly felt through in-game events and Mimir’s troubling stories. Odin is one powerful deity, though he’s also known for his wisdom and the stakes he will go to to learn more. In mythology, he even hung himself from the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine straight days without sustenance in order to gain the secrets of existence. Add on the facet of how brutal Odin can be, exhibited by the aftermath of his decimation of the giants, and Kratos will have one formidable foe.
While Norse mythology doesn’t have quite the wealth of heroes that Greek stories offer, the most famous is undoubtedly Ragnar Lodbrok. Popularized through History’s “Vikings” series, Ragnar was a supreme warrior and commander, especially when it came to raiding England and France. He also believed himself to be a descendant of Odin, which the developers could use when constructing a fight against Kratos. And he’d fit the mid-level boss role previously occupied by characters like Perseus and Theseus. Moreover, having Kratos face an enemy so devoted to his God would offer an interesting character contrast considering Kratos was once so devoted to Ares.
Just as we saw in Kratos’ previous adventures, not every Norse deity is an all-powerful warrior the player could have to fight. Idunn is the Goddess of youth and rejuvenation, with her signature apples being collectibles in the latest game. While these apples act as health upgrades for Kratos, they play a much more important role in Norse myth. They grant the Aesir their immortality and keep them youthful, making Idunn one of Asgard’s most important residents. Her death would definitely deal a hefty blow to the Aesir. But Kratos isn’t the same brutal God he once was. Nevertheless, a confrontation between the two is something we’d love to see.
Kratos has faced deities of vengeance before with the Furies in “God of War: Ascension.” However, considering Vidar is said to be the most powerful of the Aesir only behind Thor, we’re sure he’d give Kratos a run for his money. But there are other reasons that call for his appearance. Due to most information on Vidar being lost to history, he hasn’t been represented much in pop culture before, which could give the developers breathing room for how they characterize him. Also, Vidar’s most well-known feat comes during the event of Ragnarok, where he avenges the death of his father Odin at the hands of Fenrir, a giant wolf. But this could always be tweaked to point Vidar’s wrath towards Kratos.
Considering Asgard was teased at Tyr’s temple in the 2018 game, and since Ragnarok chronicles the destruction of Asgard, it’s a pretty safe bet we’ll see it in the sequel. Which means we’ll likely see Heimdall, its stalwart guardian. Heimdall has incredible sight and hearing, able to witness events across the nine realms. He resides in the cliffs atop the Bifrost, the rainbow bridge and entrance to Asgard. His nature and position would make him a tough obstacle for players entering the city. But like many other Norse figures, he has a role to play in Ragnarok. It is foretold that he and Loki will slay each other after the latter leads the giants into Asgard.
Sometimes referred to as Hela, the Goddess in charge of Norse mythology’s underworld would be a fantastic addition for the sequel. Players already got a chance to visit her realm in the first game, though the mystical undertaker was never seen. But there were hints towards a larger realm, such as the giant eagle Hrasevelgr (HRAYS-vel-grr) and the area Mimir warns Kratos about. Whether or not Hel would be on Kratos’ side is hard to say. It’s in her nature to be cruel and the story of Ragnarok has her refuse to release the soul of Baldur. Regardless, Ragnarok brings a lot of death so it seems only right that this Goddess makes an appearance.
There will be plenty of Aesir Gods in the sequel, but this Vanir deity and Freya’s twin brother deserves to be included. Freyr is actually a key figure in “God of War’s” lore. “The Lost Pages of Norse Myth,” a promotional podcast with small world-building stories, revealed Freyr to be the catalyst of the Aesir-Vanir war, an event referenced throughout the game. Being a God of fertility, prosperity, and harvest, Freyr attempted to teach the Aesir magic for their crops. But when it didn’t work, the Aesir tortured and almost killed Freyr before he escaped. Freyr is likely in the home of the Vanir, Vanaheim, whose entrance was shown to be locked by Odin in the first game. But with Freya’s mental state being fragile at best by the end of the game, we think she’ll need her brother.
When it comes to imposing Norse characters that would make for an excellent boss fight, there’s no one quite like Surtr. The fire giant and ruler of Musphelheim spends his days training with a giant fire sword in preparation for Ragnarok, where it is foretold he’ll lead his people in the destruction of Asgard. While traditional Norse myth states he and Freyr will defeat each other in combat, the game tweaks Surtr’s destiny to die at the hands of Thor and Odin. But not before destroying their home and forcing the Earth to be reborn. His fate may put him in line with Kratos, but we really hope the developers let us test our might against this behemoth.
The Norse God of War was another deity frequently referenced throughout the first game, though never seen. But unlike his Greek counterpart, Tyr desired peace above all else. The game’s lore explains that Tyr attempted to broker peace between the Aesir and the Giants before all Hel broke loose. And he played a major role in shaping the world that the player explores. Although his current location is unknown, his temple and the relics throughout paint the picture of a powerful and beloved deity. Seeing Kratos interact with Tyr, both Gods of War with wildly different methods, would be fascinating.
In Norse myth, Fenrir is one of three children that Loki has with the giantess Angrboda, along with Hel and the world serpent Jormungandr. More importantly, however, is Fenrir’s role in Ragnarok, where he kills Odin before being slain by Vidar. His anger at the Allfather comes from his imprisonment by the Aesir, which is implied to have already happened within the game. A giant, ferocious wolf would clearly make an exciting boss battle, but teaming up with Fenrir against Odin would be a jaw-dropping battle. And with Atreus’ connection with Jormungandr explored in the first game, it seems only fitting to add another oversized animal companion.
The mighty God of Thunder was teased in an optional post-game scene in the 2018 release, so he’s essentially guaranteed to make an appearance in “Ragnarok.” And we can’t wait to smite him. Far from the jovial MCU version, the Thor seen in Norse myths is a violent, war-hungry brute. And that’s exactly the route Sony Santa Monica is taking him down. The game’s backstory shows that Thor, on the orders of Odin, decimated the giants of Midgard and was more than happy to do so. He’s the most powerful of all the Aesir Gods. And considering Kratos and Atreus killed his half-brother and both of his sons, his wrath is surely coming. Bring it on.
11 Norse Characters We Hope To See In God of War: Ragnarok
Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re showcasing 11 Norse Characters We Hope to See in “God of War: Ragnarok.”
For this list, we’ll be looking at popular Norse figures who weren’t in the first game, but who we’d like to see in Sony Santa Monica’s upcoming sequel.
Which powerful Norse character do you hope to see? Head to those comments and let us know.
Odin
The Allfather was name-dropped about a thousand times in the previous game. So it seems like Odin is a shoe-in. Although he was never seen in the 2018 game, his presence was constantly felt through in-game events and Mimir’s troubling stories. Odin is one powerful deity, though he’s also known for his wisdom and the stakes he will go to to learn more. In mythology, he even hung himself from the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine straight days without sustenance in order to gain the secrets of existence. Add on the facet of how brutal Odin can be, exhibited by the aftermath of his decimation of the giants, and Kratos will have one formidable foe.
Ragnar Lodbrok
While Norse mythology doesn’t have quite the wealth of heroes that Greek stories offer, the most famous is undoubtedly Ragnar Lodbrok. Popularized through History’s “Vikings” series, Ragnar was a supreme warrior and commander, especially when it came to raiding England and France. He also believed himself to be a descendant of Odin, which the developers could use when constructing a fight against Kratos. And he’d fit the mid-level boss role previously occupied by characters like Perseus and Theseus. Moreover, having Kratos face an enemy so devoted to his God would offer an interesting character contrast considering Kratos was once so devoted to Ares.
Idunn
Just as we saw in Kratos’ previous adventures, not every Norse deity is an all-powerful warrior the player could have to fight. Idunn is the Goddess of youth and rejuvenation, with her signature apples being collectibles in the latest game. While these apples act as health upgrades for Kratos, they play a much more important role in Norse myth. They grant the Aesir their immortality and keep them youthful, making Idunn one of Asgard’s most important residents. Her death would definitely deal a hefty blow to the Aesir. But Kratos isn’t the same brutal God he once was. Nevertheless, a confrontation between the two is something we’d love to see.
Vidar
Kratos has faced deities of vengeance before with the Furies in “God of War: Ascension.” However, considering Vidar is said to be the most powerful of the Aesir only behind Thor, we’re sure he’d give Kratos a run for his money. But there are other reasons that call for his appearance. Due to most information on Vidar being lost to history, he hasn’t been represented much in pop culture before, which could give the developers breathing room for how they characterize him. Also, Vidar’s most well-known feat comes during the event of Ragnarok, where he avenges the death of his father Odin at the hands of Fenrir, a giant wolf. But this could always be tweaked to point Vidar’s wrath towards Kratos.
Heimdall
Considering Asgard was teased at Tyr’s temple in the 2018 game, and since Ragnarok chronicles the destruction of Asgard, it’s a pretty safe bet we’ll see it in the sequel. Which means we’ll likely see Heimdall, its stalwart guardian. Heimdall has incredible sight and hearing, able to witness events across the nine realms. He resides in the cliffs atop the Bifrost, the rainbow bridge and entrance to Asgard. His nature and position would make him a tough obstacle for players entering the city. But like many other Norse figures, he has a role to play in Ragnarok. It is foretold that he and Loki will slay each other after the latter leads the giants into Asgard.
Hel
Sometimes referred to as Hela, the Goddess in charge of Norse mythology’s underworld would be a fantastic addition for the sequel. Players already got a chance to visit her realm in the first game, though the mystical undertaker was never seen. But there were hints towards a larger realm, such as the giant eagle Hrasevelgr (HRAYS-vel-grr) and the area Mimir warns Kratos about. Whether or not Hel would be on Kratos’ side is hard to say. It’s in her nature to be cruel and the story of Ragnarok has her refuse to release the soul of Baldur. Regardless, Ragnarok brings a lot of death so it seems only right that this Goddess makes an appearance.
Freyr
There will be plenty of Aesir Gods in the sequel, but this Vanir deity and Freya’s twin brother deserves to be included. Freyr is actually a key figure in “God of War’s” lore. “The Lost Pages of Norse Myth,” a promotional podcast with small world-building stories, revealed Freyr to be the catalyst of the Aesir-Vanir war, an event referenced throughout the game. Being a God of fertility, prosperity, and harvest, Freyr attempted to teach the Aesir magic for their crops. But when it didn’t work, the Aesir tortured and almost killed Freyr before he escaped. Freyr is likely in the home of the Vanir, Vanaheim, whose entrance was shown to be locked by Odin in the first game. But with Freya’s mental state being fragile at best by the end of the game, we think she’ll need her brother.
Surtr
When it comes to imposing Norse characters that would make for an excellent boss fight, there’s no one quite like Surtr. The fire giant and ruler of Musphelheim spends his days training with a giant fire sword in preparation for Ragnarok, where it is foretold he’ll lead his people in the destruction of Asgard. While traditional Norse myth states he and Freyr will defeat each other in combat, the game tweaks Surtr’s destiny to die at the hands of Thor and Odin. But not before destroying their home and forcing the Earth to be reborn. His fate may put him in line with Kratos, but we really hope the developers let us test our might against this behemoth.
Tyr
The Norse God of War was another deity frequently referenced throughout the first game, though never seen. But unlike his Greek counterpart, Tyr desired peace above all else. The game’s lore explains that Tyr attempted to broker peace between the Aesir and the Giants before all Hel broke loose. And he played a major role in shaping the world that the player explores. Although his current location is unknown, his temple and the relics throughout paint the picture of a powerful and beloved deity. Seeing Kratos interact with Tyr, both Gods of War with wildly different methods, would be fascinating.
Fenrir
In Norse myth, Fenrir is one of three children that Loki has with the giantess Angrboda, along with Hel and the world serpent Jormungandr. More importantly, however, is Fenrir’s role in Ragnarok, where he kills Odin before being slain by Vidar. His anger at the Allfather comes from his imprisonment by the Aesir, which is implied to have already happened within the game. A giant, ferocious wolf would clearly make an exciting boss battle, but teaming up with Fenrir against Odin would be a jaw-dropping battle. And with Atreus’ connection with Jormungandr explored in the first game, it seems only fitting to add another oversized animal companion.
Thor
The mighty God of Thunder was teased in an optional post-game scene in the 2018 release, so he’s essentially guaranteed to make an appearance in “Ragnarok.” And we can’t wait to smite him. Far from the jovial MCU version, the Thor seen in Norse myths is a violent, war-hungry brute. And that’s exactly the route Sony Santa Monica is taking him down. The game’s backstory shows that Thor, on the orders of Odin, decimated the giants of Midgard and was more than happy to do so. He’s the most powerful of all the Aesir Gods. And considering Kratos and Atreus killed his half-brother and both of his sons, his wrath is surely coming. Bring it on.
