In God of War Ragnarok, Kratos and Thor go head-to-head very early on, reminiscent of the Baldur boss fight in God of War (2018). During this bout, Kratos manages to give Thor a nasty gash in his stomach with the Leviathan Axe. Throughout the rest of God of War Ragnarok, players can see that wound present on Thor's abdomen, even though he is an Aesir God and should be able to heal quickly and thoroughly.
There are a few things that fans should note. First, Gods may be immortal and have ever-lasting life, but that does not mean that they cannot be killed. Kratos has killed many deities in the God of War games, including Ares and Zeus of the Greek Pantheon. Also, Santa Monica Studio tries to stick to the Norse Mythology as much as it can, but does take some creative liberties for the sake of storytelling, so fans should not look for a one-to-one comparison. With that in mind, players can begin to understand what is going on in the complex interactions between Kratos and Thor in God of War Ragnarok.
The God of War versus The God of Thunder
Thor's introduction and first battle in God of War Ragnarok rank among the best moments in the game. The impact of Thor's lightning being felt in Kratos' hut before their interactions begin show players how much power he has. Then, throughout the "mafia boss" scene with Odin, Thor's presence is akin to a dangerous bodyguard just waiting for Kratos or Atreus to make the wrong move. Even though the Aesir live for death, according to Odin, Thor is still angry about the death of his sons Magni and Modi.
Though some God of War Ragnarok players have conquered the Thor fight on the highest difficulty with added challenges of their own, it is still a difficult encounter for most players jumping into the game for the first time. When negotiations fail and Odin leaves, Thor starts the fight and players are forced to go without their axe at first. When it finally comes, he swings straight at Thor and cuts him in his stomach, leaving a bloody gash. That gash remains throughout the rest of the game, which begs the question of how Kratos was able to permanently harm a powerful Aesir God like Thor.
Jormungandr's Blessing in God of War 2018
As fans work through the story of 2018's God of War, they are sure to recall the moment of Jormungandr's introduction. When Kratos and Atreus first arrive at the Lake of Nine, Kratos throws the Leviathan Axe into the lake, which triggers a massive cutscene that shows the World Serpent rising out of the lake and lowering the water level.
The important part of this cutscene is when Jormungandr spits the Leviathan Axe back out, landing with a satisfying thud in Kratos' boat. On screen, it says "Eitr Imbued." Eitr is Jormungandr's venom, and it is mythologically known as one of the few substances that can harm and kill Aesir Gods. Santa Monica Studio knew even during the first game that Kratos would eventually be going up against Thor, and would need a bit of an edge. This is why the Leviathan Axe is able to harm Thor to such a degree that he cannot heal in God of War Ragnarok. Fans of God of War have really gotten to know Kratos' weapons, and these little details make the lore even more compelling.
Norse Mythology: Thor versus Jormungandr
Thor is given a complex characterization in God of War Ragnarok, detailing his alcoholism and attempts to get better for Sif and Thrudd, but he relapses during Atreus' Asgard arc of the game. In the Norse legends, Thor is similarly a complex and interesting character. In order to save Asgard from Loki and from utter destruction, he is tasked with removing Jormungandr, Fenrir, and Hel from the equation. He tosses Jormungandr into the sea, which causes him to grow to such a massive size.
Jormungandr in Norse Myth is the son of Loki and Angrboda, and takes on Thor in multiple fights, each ending in stalemates. In God of War Ragnarok, Atreus creates a new World Serpent by giving a small snake in Jotunheim one of the lost Jotnar souls, which is meant to be a callback to how the original Jormungandr was created as well. The developers of God of War Ragnarok really took Norse Mythology and ran with it, creating even more interesting and complex arcs that include a variety of diverse characters.
God of War Ragnarok players are still discovering secrets in the game months after its release, which just goes to show how much care and attention to detail the developers put in. As time goes on, more bits of lore are sure to hit online forums, and fans are sure to be eager to devour them all. God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok are steeped in Norse Mythology and draw a lot of inspiration from Norse culture, which gives the series much more color and makes for an even more compelling narrative.
God of War Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.
