God of War Ragnarok, one of the most anticipated games of all time, has finally released. Somehow managing to live up to the monumental expectations set by its predecessor, God of War Ragnarok is a phenomenal sequel that expands on the first game in a number of ways, including via the game's lore. Introducing more mythical creatures and mythological characters, as well as exploring more of Kratos' past, God of War Ragnarok is a deep game, with plenty of references and Easter eggs to characters from previous entries.
A good few hours into God of War Ragnarok, Kratos briefly mentions a character named Deimos, who long-time fans will remember being teased in the very first God of War game, and finally appearing in God of War: Ghost of Sparta, the PSP sequel. Taken by the gods at a young age, Deimos is Kratos' brother. A tragic tale of anger, revenge, and betrayal, it's clear that Deimos has had a sizable impact on Kratos' life, even years later.
Who Is God of War's Deimos?
In Greek mythology, Deimos is known as the son of Ares and Aphrodite and is recognized as the personification of terror. While he isn't an embodied character, Deimos is meant to represent the horrors of war and the widespread fear that results from it. God of War takes a bit more of a literal approach, making Deimos the brother of Kratos.
Born in Sparta a few years after Kratos, Deimos had a close bond with his older brother, with the two training from a very young age. One day, the Greek gods Athena and Ares travel to Deimos and Kratos' village, where they set an army of centaurs on the town and abduct Deimos. Believing him to be the prophesied Masked Warrior that's said to destroy Olympus, the gods take Deimos to Thanatos in his Domain of Death, where he's left imprisoned.
Spending years in the Domain of Death, being routinely tortured, Deimos' love for his brother turns to hatred, believing that Kratos should have come to save him by then. Upon learning in Atlantis that his brother was alive, Kratos rushed to the Temple of Thanatos, where he set his brother free. Fueled by rage, Deimos fights his brother but is intercepted by Thanatos, who takes him away once again.
Following them to Suicide Bluffs, Kratos observes as Deimos and Thanatos brutally fight each other, and Kratos narrowly saves his brother from being thrown off the cliff's edge. Recognizing that his brother has finally come to his aid, Deimos makes peace with Kratos, and the two engage in a fierce battle with Thanatos. Pursuing him higher up the cliff, Kratos and Deimos corner the God of Death. Seeing that Kratos is the real threat, Thanatos states that Ares and Athena had chosen the wrong child to take, and in doing so, the prophecy had come true. Kratos exclaims that he is not commanded by any prophecy, and that he's in charge of his own actions, to which Thanatos argues that everyone's fate is already decided by the gods and the Sisters of Fate.
Though the two brothers manage to defeat Thanatos, Deimos is killed in the battle, and Kratos is left to bury his brother next to his mother's grave. Reflecting on his relationship with Deimos, and the pain that the gods have caused them, Kratos makes a vow to enact revenge on Olympus, and every god that resides there.
God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
