God of War Ragnarök has been a sensation, from being the fastest-selling first-party PlayStation game to having the most nominations at the Game Awards. The game had an immense amount of hype before release, and it's clear that the excitement has been lived up to.
God of War has had a long ride with the Norse Saga coming to a close. There are many great characters that appear in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök that may feel similar to characters from the initial God of War trilogy due to similarities of mythologies and/or personalities.
Mimir And Athena, The Gods Of Wisdom
Not only is Mimir the god of wisdom like Athena is the goddess of wisdom, but these two are actually the most helpful gods that Kratos has in his respective journeys. In the Norse era, Kratos has Mimir tied to his belt, constantly giving advice and telling stories along the way.
Athena, on the other hand, is a driving point in the series who aids Kratos in his quest first against Ares and the second against Zeus and his pantheon after she dies at the hands of Kratos by protecting Zeus.
Tyr And Ares, The Gods Of War
It's no surprise that similarities would be drawn between Tyr and Kratos alone in God of War Ragnarök, with Kratos seeming to be the one who truly led the realms against Odin, rather than Tyr, one of the worst-portrayed gods in GoW Ragnarök.
Both Tyr and Ares are the gods of war in their respective pantheons, and interestingly enough, they are some of the first gods known to be killed. Tyr is killed years before the events of God of War (2018) even begin and Ares is the first god that Kratos ever kills.
Loki And Hermes, The Trickster Gods
While Hermes's pranks and tricks that he pulled in the actual myths are not as disastrous and catastrophic as Loki in his myths, the two of them are both known for their trickery and pranks. There aren't many gods in mythologies designed this way, and it's what has led to their depictions in modern times being similar to jesters.
In God of War, Hermes's jokes seem to mostly be mockeries he throws at Kratos, and he seems to even have a personality very similar to Heimdall, one of the most difficult gods players fight in GoW Ragnarök. Loki, on the other hand, shows his trickery by trying to deceive Odin, and he constantly lies to his father, though with usually good intentions.
Hel And Hades, Rulers Of The Underworld
Hades is perhaps the most well-known ruler of the dead and is a difficult obstacle for Kratos to overcome in God of War III. The ruler of Niflheim in the Norse era is Hræsvelgr, who is also known as Hel. Hel is usually known as the daughter of Loki; however, this Hel doesn't seem to be the same one, and Mimir seems to suggest that Hel is a title.
Fans also learn toward the end of the game that Mimir promised Hræsvelgr a replacement as the ruler of Hel. There was mention of Loki having a son who would be Hel in God of War (2018), so it's likely another giant soul will replace Hræsvelgr on Loki's solo journey.
Ymir And Cronos, Notable Giants
Both of these characters are giants in their respective mythologies, and their defeat brought about the beginning of each god's rules. Ymir was killed by Odin and his brothers, and from there, he went on to create Asgard and ruled over the Nine Realms.
Cronos is also defeated by Zeus and his brothers, who go on to also rule as gods shortly after. However, unlike in normal Greek mythology, Zeus doesn't actually kill Cronos in God of War and instead forces him to carry Pandora's Box on his back. In God of War II, he fights Kratos, who kills Cronos in one of the most brutal boss kills in GoW.
The Norns And Sisters Of Fate, Weavers Of Destiny
What has always baffled fans of mythology the most is the striking similarities between the Norns from Norse mythology and the Sisters of Fate from Greek mythology. Both of them appear to be three witches who weave fate with threads.
Most of the prophecies come from these beings, and they can know and see all. In the Greek era of God of War, the Sisters are far more grotesque than the Norns and are some of the toughest opponents that Kratos fights.
Garm And Cerberus, Watchdogs Of The Underworld
Both Helheim and the Underworld are the realms of the dead. In Helheim, an important wolf named Garm stands on guard at the gates of Helheim. Kratos and Atreus face off against this seemingly immortal beast, fighting him until Atreus places the soul of his wolf Fenrir in him.
Similarly, Cerberus is known as the three-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld. However, in God of War, Cerberus is far less of an intimidating creature as it is much smaller in stature, and there are many of them, not just one.
Thor And Zeus, Gods Of Thunder And Lightning
Thor and Zeus are both, of course, well known for being the gods of thunder, lightning, and storms. They are both some of the most important gods in their respective pantheons and are likely the most known from both of their mythologies.
Not only this, but both of these gods have given Kratos some of the most difficult challenges he has ever faced. Both Kratos's first boss fight against Thor and Kratos's last boss fight against Zeus are some of the most visually appealing boss fights in the franchise, which has helped solidify these two as some of the coolest villains in GoW games.
Freya And Hera, Goddesses Of Marriage
Both Freya and Hera have been the wives of the god ruling over the others, Odin and Zeus. They both have associations with marriage, fertility, love, and beauty. While they bear many similarities, the approach of their characters in the games is completely different.
Freya is a warrior, and despite her initial hatred toward Kratos in Ragnarök, she's able to put it aside and join him. Hera, on the other hand, doesn't do any fighting and tries to stand in Kratos's way via obstacles of puzzles and through champions like Hercules.
Odin And Zeus, Rulers Of The Gods
Both Odin and Zeus are well-known as the all-father characters, the gods that sit atop all the others in their pantheons. Both of these characters are the final antagonist that Kratos faces in the Greek and Norse eras.
Odin gives players a test of the skills that they've honed along the way, switching between their three various weapons. Meanwhile, Zeus gives the player an ultimate test and experience with an incredible cinematic experience that perfectly wraps up Kratos's journey at that point.
Source:gamerant.com