Ever since the first God of War game, there has been a little running gag about a certain minor character simply known as the Captain. He has appeared and/or referenced in every main God of War title, which is quite funny since the man is just one of the thousands of average people unfortunate enough to be killed by Kratos. Fans don't know his backstory or name. He is simply the Captain from the very first part of the very first God of War, and the way he keeps reappearing in the games despite dying is funny and fascinating.
With God of War Ragnarok coming up in the future, it is possible the captain or a mention of him will make another appearance. This trend should not stop, as it is a pretty comedic and comforting gag in an otherwise dark and violent series.
The Captain's Appearances Throughout The Series
The Captain was most involved in the first God of War and is actually one of the first characters the players get to meet as Kratos. He is met during the first boss fight of the series, a Hyrda. He, and much of his crew, are attacked and eaten by the Hydra. Kratos defeats the Hydra in an epic battle and goes into the beast's throat in order to get the Captain's key. He meets the Captain, who takes his hand, and thanks the Spartan for coming to save him. Kratos tells the Captain "I didn't come back for you," and drops the Captain, letting him die in the Hydra's stomach.
Later on, in the same game, Kratos meets the Captain in the Underworld after being killed by Ares. He grabs onto the Captain's legs to stop himself from falling into the River Styx, as the Captain is trying to climb out of the Underworld. The Captain recognizes Kratos, yells at him, and Kratos uses the man as a stepping stool to climb and then kicks him down to the River Styx.
In God of War 2, the Captain is met again during a battle against the Barbarian King. The King is able to summon souls of the undead to fight for him, and the Captain's soul is summoned. The Captain's soul recognizes Kratos, tries to escape, but is ultimately killed by him again.
On another journey to the Underworld in God of War 3, Kratos can find a note that was written by the Captain. The note reflects on how Kratos killed him and curses his name, hoping the Sparton will suffer as much as he has. In the same game, Kratos hears the Captain in the Pool of Blood saying, "Oh no, not you again!" Lastly, in God of War 4, the Captain is mentioned in one of the treasure maps. Additionally, his ship is discovered to have made it to the Lake of Nine. After the Captain's death, one of his crew inherited the ship and went to the Norse World.
How The Captain Can Appear Again
An ever-present theme in God of War is that Kratos cannot escape his past, no matter how hard he tries. In this Norse arc, he has reinvented himself more than ever before by moving to a whole new location and having a son. However, trouble always seems to find him. The boat Captain is a bit more than just a funny gag, but part of an overall theme in God of War, that the past always comes back to haunt you.
There are many ways in God of War Ragnarok where the Captain can be mentioned or seen again. There is always the possibility of flashbacks and dream sequences, but there is one literal way the Captain can come back. At the end of God of War 3, Greece is in ruins due to all the gods being killed by Kratos. Every god's death resulted in some form of chaos. A notable one was Hades, whose death let loose all the souls of the Underworld. This means that is possible the trusty Captain is somewhere out there, a lost soul.
God of War Ragnarok is in development for PS4 and PS5.
