God of War: Ragnarok saw Kratos and his son, Atreus, rally the Norse realms against the Aesir, fulfilling the prophecy of Ragnarok and bringing an end to the reign of Odin. In addition to overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics, God of War: Ragnarok sold over 11 million copies in its first three months, marking it as one of the most successful titles of 2022. The title's treatment of many Norse figures, including the Giants, differed significantly from the mythological source material, with one figure in particular given much bigger significance. Though the character remains unseen throughout the course of Ragnarok's narrative, her relationship to Ragnarok and presence in the post-game leave the perfect loose end from which future stories can take shape.
God of War: Ragnarok is the sequel to 2018's God of War and brings the Norse Saga of the franchise to a close. The Norse Giants, known as the Jotnar, play a major role in the title's narrative, as they are instrumental in the prophecy of Odin's defeat at Ragnarok. Differing significantly from Norse mythology, the game's version of Ragnarok requires two Giants, Surtr and Sinmara, to merge and become the physical manifestation of Ragnarok itself. This elevates Sinmara, in particular, to a much bigger role in God of War's version of the proceedings.
Sinmara's Tragic Role in Ragnarok is Avoided at a Cost
God of War: Ragnarok's Sinmara differs from mythology. Mentioned only a handful of times throughout historical texts, the Sinmara of mythology is the wife of Mimir, and the keeper of a powerful weapon, Laevateinn. However, God of War: Ragnarok's Sinmara is the lover of Surtr, and stands as one of the most important figures in the prophecy of Ragnarok. She is foretold to fuse with Surtr, killing them both and giving birth to the embodiment of Ragnarok itself. In God of War, the two Giants are separated across realms, though Surtr carries Sinmara's heart within his chest. Surtr and Kratos use Sinmara's heart and the Blades of Chaos to fulfill the required fusion for Ragnarok, circumventing her direct involvement and leaving her alive after the event's conclusion.
Sinmara is one of the most tragic figures in God of War: Ragnarok, which players can discover for themselves during the post-game. If players return to Niflheim following the events of Ragnarok, Sinmara's cries can be heard throughout the realm. Eventually, exploring the realm will trigger a dialogue between Kratos, Mimir, and Freya, during which they discuss whether they should speak with Sinmara about Surtr's passing. Kratos interjects that she must already know, and the group decides not to approach her. Sinmara's presence in the post-game, despite playing no direct role in the narrative, leaves a loose end for future content, though no official plans have been announced.
Sinmara Originally Played a Bigger Role in God of War: Ragnarok
Though God of War: Ragnarok features some of the best side content in gaming, players may not know that even more was originally planned for both the main narrative and post-game. YouTuber Omega Fantasy revealed cut subtitles that point to a massive change in the story, featuring none other than Sinmara at the forefront. In order to ensure that Ragnarok commences, Kratos and Atreus would journey to find her and convince her to fuse with Surtr, who died trying to initiate the plan seen in the final version of the game.
Upon her hesitation, Atreus would commit perhaps his darkest act, lying to Sinmara that Odin killed Surtr. This would lead her to give up her life for revenge, fusing with Surtr's heart, before the plot realigned with God of War: Ragnarok's endgame. A cut post-game quest would see Kratos find the hearts of Surtr and Sinmara in different realms. He would then lay them to rest, together, at the site of their death, the Spark of the World. The omission of this content leaves the door open for it to be revisited in one way or another. Sinmara was not cut from the game completely, so fans may see her debut somewhere down the line.
Fans hoping for new insight into the events of Ragnarok can look forward to the God of War: Ragnarok's New Game Plus mode, which releases in a few months. Though it will likely not contain any major changes, it could, perhaps, feature additional dialogue or artifacts that shed light on unseen events and characters. In the case of Sinmara, the God of War series may have much bigger plans. Until new details or content is announced, players will have to speculate whether Sinmara's role in the story is over, or if it has only just begun.
God of War Ragnarok is now available on PS4 and PS5.
Source: Omega Fantasy/Youtube
