The God of War franchise has historically played fairly fast and loose with its source material, offering up its own interpretations of gods and goddesses and mythological events. Kratos is himself a figure of Greek mythology, but while he is certainly a brutal and merciless figure, he is not quite the muscled Spartan warrior who later becomes the god of war as players know him. Santa Monica Studio's 2018 God of War, and its upcoming sequel God of War: Ragnarok, have taken inspiration from Norse mythology instead of Greek; moving the action of the games to new regions while tackling a new pantheon of gods.
While gamers may have a sense of the overarching story of God of War: Ragnarok, some of which has been gleaned through trailers and promotional material, and some through prior knowledge of the cataclysmic event, there will no doubt still be some surprises in store. It's not clear yet to what extent the developer will use the expansive Ragnarok saga to inform the next God of War entry, but players could look at the interactions between Tyr, the Norse god associated with war and justice, and Loki, the infamous trickster, to see how the relationship between these characters might develop in God of War: Ragnarok.
Tyr and Loki in Norse Mythology
Tyr is an interesting god in Germanic and Norse mythology. He is not nearly as prominent in the various stories as other Norse gods like Thor, Odin, or Freyja, but he is one of the oldest. While Tyr is a patron of warriors and to some extent a god of war, he is characterized as peaceful, and more concerned with justice and law rather than conflict. He is considered the guardian of oaths and a trustworthy god who values agreements and contracts.
The most well-known story associated with Tyr is his tangle with the giant wolf Fenrir, where the gods wanted to trap the creature, but as a show of good faith, Tyr allowed Fenrir to take his hand into his mouth. This was just a distraction, and when the wolf realized this and found himself chained and trapped, he bit off Tyr's hand.
In many ways, Tyr can be seen as the antithesis of traditional depictions of Loki. While Tyr may have participated in the trick to capture Fenrir, he is still all about justice and abiding by laws. Loki is a consummate trickster who never follows the rules and constantly goes back on his word. Fenrir is also considered the offspring of Loki, meaning that it's understandable that due to Tyr's part in Fenrir's capture and the wolf's violent response, both sides probably hold a grudge.
Whenever Loki appears in Norse mythology, he's usually causing some kind of problem. He delights in making mischief and using his formidable shape-shifting talents to trick and humiliate others. He is also presented as an enemy to the other gods, entering their banquets to cause trouble and eventually participating in Ragnarok. In one such banquet, Loki exchanges insults with each god, and when Tyr tries to defend a fellow god, Loki turns his ire on him, mocking him for his inability to be the right hand of justice due to his lacking appendage. Tyr responds, saying that while he may be missing a hand, Loki is missing a child (Fenrir), and will not be reunited until Ragnarok.
Tyr and Loki in God Of War
Similar to his real-world counterpart, God of War's Tyr is the Norse god of war, law, and honor. Despite his associations, he was also a figure that fought for peace, preferring to promote accord between warring factions and learn about different cultures. Tyr was an unwitting part of Odin's treachery of the Giants, and later helped them hide the gate to Jotunheim so that they could be safe from Odin's wrath. Tyr was eventually imprisoned by his father, and Odin spread rumors of his son's supposed death. Just as Tyr is an antithetical figure to Norse mythology's representation of Loki, he also differs greatly from Kratos' characterization as the god of war.
Although in essence, Tyr's representation in God of War appears to be fairly similar to his actual mythological characterization, the same cannot be said of Loki. It was a late-game twist in 2018's God of War that revealed Kratos' son Atreus is actually Loki, and while in both Norse mythology and the game his mother is called Laufey, his depiction is very different. Atreus/Loki's relationship with his father Kratos is complex, and serves as the heart of God of War's tale, and the game also explores his coming of age as he learns more about his parentage and himself. While he's a nuanced character, he's not quite the troublesome trickster from Norse mythology that Loki is.
Where Ragnarok Might Take Them
With Fimbulwinter finally coming to an end and the impending Ragnarok on the horizon, God of War: Ragnarok will see Kratos and Atreus setting out to find Tyr and attempt to stop the prophesied apocalypse from happening. Tyr will clearly be a central figure in the upcoming game, and it will be interesting to see how he interacts with the other two fundamental figures. Given Tyr and Loki's fairly rocky relationship in Norse mythology, it stands to reason that they may have a few issues to overcome. Kratos also has a pretty contrasting personality to Tyr's more peaceful approach, which could cause further conflicts between the characters.
God of War: Ragnarok will no doubt expand Atreus' character further, and it might see him taking on more of the mischievous parts of Loki's personality. With a history of trickery and a penchant for troublemaking, this could put Atreus even more at odds with the law-loving Tyr and could spell trouble for Kratos and his son's plans to prevent Ragnarok. Fenrir may well make an appearance as well, possibly to claim one of Tyr's hands, and while it's unlikely the giant wolf will somehow be the offspring of teenage Atreus, there could be some kind of connection that could further distance Tyr and God of War's Loki.
God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022 on PS4 and PS5.
