Highlights
- Atreus' shapeshifting abilities in God of War: Ragnarok may have come from his father, Kratos, according to a new theory from a fan.
- The theory suggests that Atreus inherited his abilities from Zeus, who could shapeshift in Greek mythology.
- If Atreus were to take the lead in a God of War spinoff, his shapeshifting abilities could play a crucial role in combat gameplay, making it more dynamic and fast-paced.
A new God of War: Ragnarok theory makes Atreus' shapeshifting abilities far more interesting and involved. Throughout that game, the character began to take the forms of creatures such as bears and wolves as the game progressed which was primarily used in the game's combat. The new God of War: Ragnarok theory, however, points to Kratos' lineage as the source of Atreus' abilities.
Last year, the sequel to the 2018 game hit shelves and digital storefronts worldwide. The game would go on to be well-reviewed by critics and has sold over eleven million copies as of February 2023, with God of War: Ragnarok's story listed as one of 2022's best. Because of the game's dense narrative, people are still coming up with theories about the story and noticing new details within it. One such detail has inspired a new theory about Atreus' abilities.
Like some of the Aesir gods, Atreus can shapeshift throughout God of War:Ragnarok, though the source of his abilities is somewhat vague. In a recent post, Reddit user Traveler548 suggests that this ability may have come from his father, Kratos. In the game, Angrboda states that shapeshifting isn't really a thing that giants can do but felt it might be a good thing all the same. The Reddit user went on to point out that Zeus could shapeshift throughout Greek mythology and suggests that this may have been where Atreus got his abilities.
Before the game was launched, there was a lot of speculation that Kratos' son would take over the lead role of the franchise. While this didn't happen, arguments have been made that Atreus should take the lead in a God of War spinoff in some way, shape, or form. The developer has yet to confirm what the future of the franchise hold. If this were to be the case, it is likely that the character's shapeshifting abilities would play a key role in the combat gameplay.
While Atreus had many great moments throughout God of War: Ragnarok, the character's combat sections were arguably the weakest. These sections usually broke up interactions with characters like Odin while Atreus tried to find out what the Allfather was up to. Giving the character the ability to shapeshift helps expedite things and move the combat along at a faster pace. If this one Reddit user is correct, however, it may be that the character's abilities originated from the gods of Kratos' home and not that of his mother.
God of War: Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
