Along with the addition of more realms, characters, and moves, God of War Ragnarok allows players to control Atreus this go around. Older and wiser, Atreus has much more depth in his combat ability, importance to the story, and the quality of his dialogue. Now that he knows he is part Jotun, Atreus becomes a much bigger figure in the war to come and the series as a whole.
He still butts heads with Kratos like he did in the first game and many of his quotes contain the same childish fiery-ness, but he is also smarter and more understanding of why his father kept certain things from him. Atreus has grown a lot between the games, and he has the quotes to prove it. They paint the picture of a young boy growing into a man and struggling to understand his place in the world and how to follow his father but not make the same mistakes.
10 "I Intend To Help The God Of War And Stop Odin."
Atreus' Perspective On Tyr
When Thor and Odin break into Kratos’ home and set the plot in motion, the first thing Atreus and Kratos do is set out to find and release Tyr. On their way to find the god, Kratos asks what Atreus intends to do once they find Tyr. Atreus tells Kratos what his plans are exactly.
It’s a very interesting quote because Atreus doesn’t even realize the significance of what he’s saying. Tyr is the god of war in Norse theology but unbeknownst to him, his father is also the god of war in the Greek pantheon. Even when he doesn’t mean to, Atreus pledges himself to fighting alongside his father against Odin and essentially lays out the finale.
9 "See What I Can Do When You Trust Me?"
Atreus Is All Grown Up
One of the main conflicts of the Norse Era God of War games is how Kratos tries to protect his son from the dangers of the world even if that means overprotecting him to the point of not letting him make his own decisions. Atreus pushes against these restrictions as he tries to make his own way in life.
Kratos doesn’t trust Atreus because he is worried if he does, he’ll lose him. But Atreus proves what he can do when Kratos trusts him after he saves his father and turns the hellhound Garmr to the heroes’ side. Atreus explains here that he’s no longer a child, and he’ll need to be counted on if they want to succeed.
8 "My Arrow, My Mistake."
Atreus Learns To Own Up To His Mistakes
Atreus’ growth throughout the games is shown by his actions and his dialogue and one of his lines calls back to an event in the previous game when he was younger and more foolish. In God of War (2018) Atreus accidentally shoots a boar who is really a shape-shifter, Hildisvini.
In Ragnarok, Atreus and Kratos run into Hildisvini in his human form and while the shape-shifter holds no ill-will against the pair, they are apologetic for their part in maiming him. Kratos tries to place the blame on himself, but Atreus stops him and says that he made the shot, so it’s for him to apologize. Even years after the event, he still knows he made a mistake and finally owns up to it.
7 "Whatever."
Atreus Is Still A Moody Teen
“Whatever” is as much a catchphrase for Atreus as “Boy!” is for Kratos. It’s the perfect word to describe his teenage, moody feelings. Combine that with the fact that he is secretly part Jotun, and “whatever” may be the nicest thing that can come out of his mouth. It's easily memeable and can partially sum up the God of War games.
He says it so often that at one point in Ragnarok Atreus is transported to a dreamlike world filled with younger versions of Atreus who repeat lines from the previous game. But eventually, they all devolve into saying the same thing over and over “whatever”. It becomes a cacophony of sound that throws Atreus’ inaction and anger back in his face.
6 "You Could Be Helping More, Don’t You Think?"
Atreus Meets Thor
In one of the most exciting sequences in God of War Ragnarok, Atreus finds Thor in Asgard in one of the warrior temples, drunk and depressed because of the loss of his sons. Atreus tries to get him to stand up but all that gets him a drunken, bar-wide melee between all the warriors.
At one point, Atreus is nearly beaten up by one of the Einherjar before Thor tosses him away laughing. Atreus then says how the god of thunder could be a little more helpful. It’s a classic action-movie line that fits in so well with the tone of the game and makes Atreus seem cool under pressure but not over-confident. It's moments like these that make the God of War games so incredible.
5 "Wars Are Won By Those Willing To Sacrifice Everything."
Atreus Learns The Cost Of War
Atreus is the son of the god of war and before the climactic battle in Ragnarok, he finally sees, for the first time, the man his father was before he arrived in Midgard after the events in the Greek era of God of War. Kratos’ war-speech has many echoes of his time as a bloody Spartan general and Atreus latches on to one moment.
Atreus repeats the sacrifice line when he sees innocent people dying during the battle and uses it to calm himself even though he knows it’s wrong. It’s a great line because it shows that Atreus is always listening to his father and will absorb the wrong teachings if he’s not careful.
4 "I’m Building Focus, Something My Father Taught Me."
Atreus' Journey Mimics His Fathers
The match cut from Kratos punching a wall and turning into Atreus doing the same thing in Midgard really drives home the importance of this quote. At this point in the story, Atreus has abandoned Kratos for Midgard and seems to be taking a liking to Odin, as a sort of other father.
But Atreus hasn’t completely forgotten about his father yet. When he finds time to be alone, he goes back to the things his father once told him to do. In this case, punching a wall to build strength and focus, but it’s significant that he remembers those lessons even when apart.
3 "The Truth Is You’re Being A Complete A**hole!"
Atreus Still Acts Young
While the Atreus in God of War Ragnarok is more mature than the one gamers met in the 2018 game, he can still act like a child at times. When Atreus sneaks off alone and discovers some secrets for himself, he gets into a fight with his father about lies and truths.
Atreus accuses his father of keeping secrets and not trusting him and when Kratos demands to know the truth of where he has been, Atreus explodes and curses at him. It’s a temper tantrum thrown by a half-god, half-jotun and even Mimir tells him to take it down a notch.
2 "Close Your Heart To It."
Atreus Becomes Battle Hardened
During the siege of Asgard and the beginning of Ragnarok, Atreus sees what Kratos had been trying to hide from him for so long, namely violence and warfare. When Atreus runs into it and sees that innocent Midgardians had been put on the front line by Odin, he is at first shaken by the sight.
But he tells himself to harden his heart and continue battling, the same way Kratos used to handle his own problems. The quote shows that while Atreus will hurt others for the greater good, it does not come easy to him. Thankfully, his father is there to lead him down a more righteous path.
1 "Don’t Be Sorry Father, Be Better."
Kratos And Atreus Connect
Before the climax of the game’s storyline, Atreus and Kratos have a heart-to-heart where Kratos apologizes to Atreus for distrusting him and treating him like a child. It’s an unusual moment of vulnerability and recognition of how his way has not always been the best way.
Atreus’ quote here is the perfect response to Kratos’ contrition. Atreus tells him to be better instead of being sorry. This may sound like he’s not accepting the apology, but it’s the same line Kratos said to Atreus in the beginning of God of War (2018) when Atreus apologizes for scaring a deer away. It’s an acceptance of Kratos’ apology as well as an acknowledgment that Atreus respects his father.
Source:gamerant.com