The COMPLETE God of War Timeline Explained

The Complete God of War Timeline Explained

The pantheons of Greek and Norse myth have been adapted and altered so many times, it’s hard to keep track. But when it comes to video games, none have quite reached the success of Sony’s “God of War.” On paper, it’s fairly straightforward, about an extremely pale barbarian pushed to his limits until he murders the Gods themselves. However, with several spin-offs released out of chronological order and the series gaining new fans all the time, its history can get a little complex. Welcome to MojoPlays, and this is the “God of War” timeline explained.

The earliest point shown in the games, that doesn’t involve a bunch of deities kicking the snot out of each other, takes place in “Ghost of Sparta,” released for the PSP in 2010. Growing up in Sparta, a city famed for its warriors, Kratos desired nothing more than to rise in the ranks of its army. He trained alongside his brother, Deimos, who was born with a sizable red birthmark. However, when a prophecy foretold the fall of Olympus at the hands of a marked warrior, Zeus assumed it referred to Deimos. He sent his children, Ares, the God of War, and Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, to find and kidnap the boy. Despite Kratos’ best efforts, he was a mere helpless child compared to his brother’s captors. In honor of Deimos, he would one day tattoo himself in the style of his brother’s birthmark, which would have huge ramifications later.

The early trauma of losing his sibling didn’t keep Kratos from pursuing his dreams. He climbed the ranks of the Spartan Army and, as seen through flashbacks in the original game, became a General. Despite warnings from his wife, Lysandra, Kratos followed his lust for blood and Spartan expansion until a mighty Barbarian horde crushed his forces. He then pleaded with Ares, seemingly not knowing who he dealt with as a child, to help him. The then-current God of War obliged, but only after Kratos swore an oath to serve him. Kratos was given immense power and the Blades of Chaos, mighty weapons whose chains were seared into his forearms.

With the strength of Ares on his side, nothing could stand in Kratos’ way. Unfortunately for him, Ares believed there was something holding his prized fighter back from becoming the ultimate weapon. And so, one day, he commanded Kratos and his army to attack a village loyal to his sister, Athena. Unbeknownst to Kratos, who was blinded by fury, his wife and daughter, Calliope, were in the village and were tragically killed by Kratos himself. The village’s oracle then cursed him to forever wear the ashes of his slain family on his skin, giving birth to his famous nickname.

Of course, the Ghost of Sparta didn’t take this betrayal lying down. He renounced his oath and swore vengeance one day, which Ares naturally took issue with. He commanded the Furies to capture Kratos and torture him for the slight, which kicks off 2013’s “Ascension.” During the game, Kratos meets Orkos, son of Ares and Alecto, Queen of the Furies. Orkos seeks to help Kratos due to his father not playing fairly, what with the whole murdered family and all. Orkos also uncovered the fact that his father coveted Zeus’ throne on Olympus, building Kratos as a perfect warrior to use against his father. Although the pair formed an unlikely friendship, and Kratos defeated the Furies, Orkos had been made keeper of Kratos’ oath. The Spartan would never be free so long as Orkos lived, and it was with a heavy heart that Kratos gave in to Orkos’ request to take his life.

It would still be quite a long time before Kratos earned his vengeance on Ares. Plagued by visions of the horrible things he had done, Kratos would serve the larger Greek pantheon for 10 years to atone. 2008’s “Chains of Olympus” occurs during this service. After the God of the Sun, Helios, goes missing, the rest of the Gods are put to sleep by Morpheus, God of Dreams. Therefore, it falls to Kratos to rescue Helios, which eventually takes him to the Underworld. There he meets its Queen, Persephone, who will reunite him with his daughter, as long as he gives up his power. It’s a pretty easy decision for Kratos to make, but the touching reunion is cut short when he realizes Persephone’s plan is to destroy all of existence, including his daughter. I guess she didn’t take kindly to Zeus marrying her off to Hades, which…is fair. After the saddest quick-time event in gaming, Kratos regains his powers, eventually defeating Persephone and her co-conspirator, the Titan Atlas, but is warned by both of them that he shouldn’t have helped the Gods. Yeah, you can say that again.

With the Greek world saved, Kratos returned to a life of servitude, which finally brings us to the actual events of 2005’s “God of War.” After ten years of service, Athena offers Kratos a chance to be forgiven for killing his family, but only if he kills Ares. The God of War’s desire to rule Olympus never faded, though it was impossible for the Gods to kill one another. Since that meant none of them could go after Ares, it fell to Kratos to do their dirty work, not that he’d mind getting vengeance. After traveling to Athens and learning Ares could only be defeated through the use of an artifact called Pandora’s Box, Kratos sought it out on the back of the Titan, Cronos. While he was able to find it, Ares killed Kratos, sending him to the Underworld a second time. This trip would prove to be a lot shorter, however, as Kratos was freed by a mysterious, mystical gravedigger. We’d later find out this was Zeus, which is just about the only kind thing the God of Thunder ever did for him.

Kratos would eventually find Pandora’s Box, open it, and use its power to take on Ares. Despite his strength, and ability to make Kratos relive his family’s death, Ares was defeated. However, while the Gods forgave Kratos for his actions, they couldn’t get rid of his nightmares. Instead of letting Kratos take his own life over the grief, they lifted him up to godhood, offering him the spot of Ares’ old position. And it’s the worst decision any of them ever made.

Next comes the majority of “Ghost of Sparta.” After becoming the God of War, Kratos decides to dig more into his past. He travels to Atlantis, where he’s surprised to find his mother, Callisto. She tells him not only that his brother, Deimos, is alive, but that she was sworn to secrecy and taken to Atlantis by his father. But before she can reveal who that is, a curse triggers, turning her into a vicious monster that Kratos is forced to kill. While she thankfully finds peace, Kratos feels only rage.

After freeing the Titan, Thera, and inadvertently causing the sinking of Atlantis, Kratos has another run-in with Zeus in his gravedigger guise, who unsurprisingly warns him against pissing off the other Gods. Naturally, Poseidon isn’t too pleased that his favorite city has sunk into the ocean, not that Kratos cares much. But it’s an insult that likely plays into the God of Sea’s actions later.

Kratos eventually makes it to the domain of Thanatos, the Primordial God of Death, who has been holding Deimos captive for years. The reunion between brothers doesn’t go too well, with Deimos angry at Kratos for taking so long to rescue him. However, following a fight, the two make up and take down Thanatos together. But Deimos sadly doesn’t make it out of the fight alive. Kratos swears the Gods will one day pay for what happened. Meanwhile, the gravedigger buries the hero’s brother and mother next to an empty grave, stating that only one remains.

Not long after returning to his post, the events of the 2007 mobile game, “God of War: Betrayal,” occur. The game is clearly simplistic, but still features some important events. It follows Kratos basking in his anger and bloodlust, leading the Spartan army in conquest across Greece. Hera, Zeus’ wife and Goddess of Fertility, sends her pet beast, Argos, to stop him. But after a hooded assassin frames him for killing Argos, Kratos attempts to chase the killer while combating minions of Hades, sent to stop his rampage. Zeus also sends Ceryx, son of Hermes, but that encounter only ends in the messenger God’s death. Which explains why Hermes is such a raging dick in “God of War III,” but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Despite the events of “Betrayal,” Kratos doesn’t ease up on the warfare. “God of War II” opens with him ignoring Athena’s requests for peace and joining the Spartan army as they attack the city of Rhodes. During the fight, a giant eagle, which he assumes to be Athena, drains him of much of his power and gives it to a massive statue. However, it’s actually Zeus, who then gives Kratos the Blade of Olympus and tricks him into transferring the rest of his power into it in order to defeat the Colossus. With Kratos weak, and Zeus seemingly tired of pulling strings from behind the curtain, the God of Thunder gives him a choice: serve him and quit with all the destruction or die. Naturally, he tells Zeus, in not so many words, to get bent. As Kratos dies at Zeus’ hands, he swears vengeance and heads to the Underworld once again. However, he’s rescued by the Titan Gaia, who seeks to team up since the Titans also crave vengeance against the Gods due to losing the Great War to them so long ago.

With aid from the Titans, including his former foe, Atlas, Kratos journeys to the home of the Three Fates, seeking a way to alter his destiny. They, of course, refuse, which means they all end up dying at his hands. Using the Loom of Fate, Kratos returns to the moment Zeus kills him and goes about enacting his revenge. And he ends up defeating the mighty leader of the Olympians. Sadly, Athena, who knows Zeus’ death means the end of Olympus, sacrifices herself to save her father. Before her final breath, she reveals to Kratos that Zeus is also his father. Desiring the destruction of the Gods now more than ever, Kratos uses the Loom to travel back to the Great War, rescue the Titans, and bring them into present day where they lead an attack on the home of the Gods.

When you look at everything leading up to 2010’s “God of War III,” war was inevitable. Kratos, with two dead families and his own demise at the hands of his father, deserves justice. On the other side, you have Hades, with a dead wife, Hermes, with a dead son, Poseidon, with the destruction of his city, and Zeus, who is genuinely a terrible deity, but who is still trying to stop the fall of Olympus, which will throw Greece into chaos.

The climax of the Greek era kicks off swiftly, with a massive fight of Kratos and Gaia versus the God of the Sea. It’s a stellar opening and leads to Poseidon’s brutal beatdown at the hands of Kratos. Unfortunately, Kratos is knocked out of the fight after being struck by Zeus’ lightning and Gaia refuses to save him. He falls all the way to the River Styx, venturing into the Underworld for a final time, where he meets Athena’s spirit, whose sacrifice caused her to ascend to a higher plane of existence. Now, she’s all for killing Zeus and tells Kratos he has to put out the Flame of Olympus to do so. Lovely…could’ve saved a lot of time and effort though.

Kratos makes it back to the land of the living by killing Hades and releasing all the souls of the Underworld. In Greece, he then kills Helios, a bit more brutal than necessary, which causes the Sun to, once again, disappear. But without Morpheus’ involvement this time around, the Gods don’t fall into a slumber and the battle rages on. Next on Kratos’ chopping block is Hermes, whose talent for being an annoying twerp is unmatched, but whose death sends a plague across Greece. Amidst all the death, Kratos learns Pandora’s Box from the first game is now held within the Flame of Olympus, and can only be opened by Pandora, daughter of the Smith God, Hephaestus.

There’s a whole lot more death to come before Kratos ever reaches it, though. He’s forced to square off against his half-brother, Hercules. He once again visits Cronos, this time in search of a material Hephaestus needs for a new weapon, and kills the Titan for it. Hephaestus also tries to kill Kratos after forging the new weapon, due to Kratos opening Pandora’s Box in the first game, causing Zeus to imprison the real Pandora. Kratos also later kills a drunken Hera, which destroys all plant life in Greece.

After rescuing Pandora, Kratos finally makes it to his father. Although Pandora sacrifices herself, the box is found to be empty and the final clash begins. The fight takes the duo inside Gaia, who tries to murder them both. It’s a tough fight, but the God of War prevails, impaling Zeus through Gaia’s heart and killing them both…or so it would seem. Zeus’ spirit refuses to go down, but Kratos’ hatred knows no bounds. He forces his father’s spirit back inside his body and proceeds to viciously beat the deity to death.

With Greece having been thrust into all-out chaos, Athena reappears and commands Kratos to give her what was inside Pandora’s Box. Turns out, after the Great War between the Gods and Titans, Zeus sealed all evils into the Box, while Athena placed the power of Hope inside. When Kratos first opened the box, the evils corrupted the Gods while Hope was buried within Kratos. With this power, Athena could fix and subsequently rule over Greece. Instead, Kratos stabs himself with the Blade of Olympus, unleashing Hope into the world for all. Of course, as we all know, this second attempt at his own life also fails. And thus ends the bloodsoaked Greek saga.

While the story of the Greek Gods was over, Kratos’ story certainly wasn’t. He would leave his doomed land, eventually making it to Midgard, the Earthen realm of Norse mythology. With a different pantheon, this land was not utterly destroyed like Greece. Kratos would find an uneasy peace, at least for a time, with a woman called Faye, whom he would have a son with named Atreus.

The 2018 game picks up directly after Faye’s death, with her final wish being to spread her ashes from the highest peak in the realms. However, Kratos’ mountains of family-related trauma and the fact that Atreus has no idea who he really is means their journey is a fraught one. Unfortunately, there’s also a whole lot Faye never told them. Before they can leave home, and in an extreme case of mistaken identity, Kratos is attacked by a mighty Stranger, who he’d later learn was the unkillable God, Baldur.

After he defeats Baldur several times in a row, Kratos and Atreus try to fulfill Faye’s final wish. They meet some friendly faces along the way, including two dwarf blacksmith brothers, Brok and Sindri, a helpful witch in the woods, who turns out to be the Goddess, Freya, and, of course, the smartest severed head to ever exist, Mimir. It’s Mimir who tells them the highest peak in the realms is not in Midgard, but Jotunheim, the realm of the giants, which was sealed long ago when the Giants left.

Of course, there are some not-so-friendly faces, too. Alongside Baldur are Magni and Modi, the sons of Thor. The brothers eventually catch up to father and son, though Magni takes an ax to the head during their fight. Another stressful encounter with Modi takes its toll on Atreus, as does not knowing about his own godhood. He falls ill, and can be saved by Freya if Kratos gets her the heart of a Troll in Helheim. With his icy Leviathan Ax useless against the creatures who reside there, Kratos returns home to begrudgingly reunite with the Blades of Chaos. He experiences visions of Athena, as well as Zeus in Helheim, but is able to get the heart, bring it to Freya, and help heal Atreus, who he then comes clean to about being a God at long last. With how badly his experiences with past Gods went, and with his own self-hatred, Kratos’ misgivings about coming clean were pretty understandable.

The revelation about his divinity causes Atreus to get a bit too big for his britches, leading him to murder a weakened Modi, who had been savagely beaten by his father for Magni’s death. It’s at this strained point in their relationship when Baldur attacks once again, causing their one way into Jotunheim to be destroyed. The fight takes them from Midgard to Helheim, where Kratos and Atreus finally learn why Baldur can’t be killed.

Long before the game takes place, Freya, a Vanir Goddess, and Odin, ruler of the Aesir Gods, married to form a peace between their people. Baldur was the result of this marriage. But after a prophecy foretold his death, Freya placed a spell on him so that he would never die, but also so that he couldn’t feel anything. After she refused to remove the spell, Baldur grew to hate his mother. And after her marriage with Odin dissolved, Freya was cursed to never leave Midgard while her son’s mind was tainted by her former husband.

Just like in real Norse myth, the only thing that could break Freya’s spell was mistletoe, which Atreus just so happened to have an arrowhead made out of. During the final fight, the spell is broken, though Baldur still seeks his mother’s death for what she did to him. Kratos intervenes and kills him, causing Freya to vow vengeance as she still loved her child, despite his wishes to kill her. But there’s still more story to be told.

At the end, Kratos and Atreus make it to Jotunheim, where a few big surprises are in store. Since the giants were known for prophecies, the two find murals depicting their entire journey. They learn Baldur was sent looking for Faye by Odin due to her being a giant in hiding, since the group had previously been in conflict with the Aesir, and that Atreus was referred to as Loki by the Giants. After spreading Faye’s ashes, they return to Midgard, where they learn Fimbulwinter has begun. According to another prophecy, that means the apocalyptic Ragnarök will occur in three years. Which brings us to the 2022 installment.

“God of War Ragnarök” opens with Kratos and Atreus still dealing with a vengeful Freya, but far bigger problems arise soon after, and we aren’t just talking about Fenrir’s tragic passing. Fans got the anticipated debut of Odin and Thor, who promised peace as long as Atreus stopped looking for Týr. The peaceful Norse God of War, mentioned multiple times in the first game, was theorized to have been killed by Odin for helping the Giants. That obviously wasn’t the case because, after a tremendous bout between Kratos and Thor, the father and son team find Týr in Svartalfheim, home of the dwarves. Or at least they think they do.

Most of the game chronicles the pair trying to avoid Ragnarök, which is revealed to only be the destruction of Asgard rather than all the realms. Atreus learns more about the Giants, his mother’s people, through Angrboda, one of the last remaining members, as well as his ability to transfer souls. Freya ends up forgiving Kratos when he helps rid her of Odin’s magic, keeping her trapped in Midgard. With her and her brother, Freyr, the Huldra brothers, and Týr on their side, and Odin seemingly okay with Atreus coming and going from Asgard, things are looking up. Atreus even gets his faithful pup, Fenrir, back when he transfers his soul into the body of Garm, a gigantic, vicious wolf in Helheim.

Of course, as is the theme with “God of War,” a prophecy ruins everything. The Norns, the Norse version of the Fates, prophesize Atreus’ death at the hands of Heimdall, whose subsequent murder at the hands of Kratos to save his son kicks the apocalypse into full gear. Even worse is the reveal that Týr was always Odin in disguise; he reveals himself by fatally stabbing Brok, the only one to catch on to him acting strangely. Keeping with all the horrible things Kratos’ allies had told him, Odin played the kindly old man part in order to trick Atreus into helping him.

So, naturally, Odin had it coming. With the knowledge that Ragnarök will only destroy Asgard, Kratos and Atreus go about making it happen. They venture to Musphelheim, where they find the fire giant Surtr, said to be the catalyst in the upcoming destruction. Once they convince him to help them, the battle can begin.

The final clash is one for the ages, with the Vanir, Elves, and even a couple giants joining the resistance’s forces. Kratos battles Thor once again, though the fight ends peacefully when Kratos convinces the God of Thunder to stop for the sake of their children. Or, at least, it would’ve ended peacefully. But Odin kills Thor for disobeying him. Thankfully for the sake of peace, Odin doesn’t last much longer, with Kratos besting him in combat, Atreus transferring his soul into a stone, and Sindri getting vengeance for Brok by smashing it with his hammer. Surtr, imbued with the power of the Blades of Chaos, destroys Asgard, along with Freyr, who sacrifices himself so that his sister and the others can make it to safety.

Although the battle ends, there’s still work to be done. Atreus leaves to find any remaining giants, making for an exceptionally heartfelt goodbye. Kratos, Freya, and Mimir, on the other hand, go about cleaning up Midgard and vanquishing Odin’s remaining forces. They even find the real Týr, imprisoned along with a whole host of other members of various races that Odin had been impersonating.

The story would’ve ended there, but Sony decided to be really cool and give us all free DLC in “Valhalla.” After receiving a mysterious invitation, Kratos and Mimir enter Valhalla, an afterlife reserved for those who die in glorious battle. Inside, Kratos is confronted by mistakes of his past, which either physically assault him like Magni and Modi, or verbally berate him like the head of Helios. It’s revealed the invitation was sent by the real Týr, who wants Kratos to move on from his past. Kratos eventually comes face-to-face with his old self, but is able to find peace within. Realizing he’s not the God he once was, he agrees to join Freya’s council and lend his strength to helping those in need.

And that, so far, is where his story ends. None of us know what the future holds for Kratos. But with everything he’s been through, which, if you’ve made it to the end of this video, you know is a lot, we sincerely hope Sony lets him hold on to the peace he’s found, at least within himself. With more than a lifetime’s worth of death and despair, he certainly deserves it.