Kratos

Character's games and general info

• God of War
• God of War II
• God of War: Betrayal
• God of War: Chains of Olympus (prequel to God of War)
• God of War III

Kratos the main character and anti-hero of the God of War series. He's the son of Zeus and a mortal Spartan woman. He was once a great Spartan general who won many victories through brutality. But it would end one day when his army was near defeat by the Barbarians. Kratos called upon the name of Ares and had become his servant. He received the Blades of Chaos and slayed the Barbarian King while his enemy's army were laid to waste by the God of War. Later, Kratos was tricked into killing his wife and child by Ares (in order to make sure nothing held him back from being a great warrior). Kratos turned his back on Ares for allowing him to commit this terrible act. From that day forth, he was cursed to wear the ashes of his family onto his skin and be known as the 'Ghost of Sparta'. The former Spartan general was haunted by this event and could not find peace. Thinking there may be a way to free himself of this misery, he turns to the Gods and pledges his allegiance to them. He serves under the gods for 10 years but holds a grudge against Ares. Though, the gods find Kratos valuable, the mortals of Greece see him as a heartless savage.

During the events of Chains of Olympus, he goes on a quest to save the world from Persephone, who wishes to cause complete destruction, with the help of Atlas, to be freed of her grieved life. Kratos sees his daughter, Calliope in the realm of Hades and wishes to seek her. He eventually meets Persephone who tells him that the only way to be with Calliope is to be cleansed of past evils and surrender his powers. Kratos does so and becomes a normal human. However, he is taunted by Persephone and reveals her true plans. Sadly for him, he had no choice but to abandon his daughter and regains his powers. Kratos defeats Persephone with the Gauntlet of Zeus and chains up Atlas, forced to hold the crust of the Earth in fires of Hades. Before Persephone dies, she tells Kratos that his nightmares will never end.

Now in the events of the first God of War game, Kratos is ordered to claim Pandora's Box to defeat Ares. The 'Ghost of Sparta' goes on a journey and into Pandora's temple, which is strapped onto the back of the titan Kronos. With the aid of the gods and his abilities, he made it past the temple's numerous traps and defeated its inhabitants. When he obtained Pandora's Box, he was discovered by Ares and killed by a thrown pillar. Kratos was sent to Hades, Pandora's Box now in the god of war's clutches. The 'Ghost of Sparta' manages to escape the realm of dead and claims the Box once again. Opening it, Kratos is enlarged to god size and squares off against Ares. After a tough battle and losing his Blades his Chaos, Kratos defeats the god of war by thrusting the Blade of the Gods into his chest. The gods forgave him of his treacherous past but do not relieve him of his misery. Kratos, seeing no point in living, tries to end his life. But Athena, prevents this act and decides that he has earned his status as an Olympian. Kratos became the new god of war.

Later (in the events of God of War: Betrayal), Kratos is framed for the murder of Hera's pet by an unknown assassin who wishes to destroy his reputation among the gods. The 'Ghost of Sparta' travels throughout Greece to find this assassin, bringing causing destruction in his search. Ceryx, the son of Hermes, tries to make Kratos cease his violence but he is forced into battle. Kratos kills the god and the Spartans celebrate his victory. However, the assassin gets away unnoticed and Zeus would take notice of Ceryx's death.

In God of War II, Kratos favored the Spartans over all those living in Greece. The new god of war ordered them to attack and conquer the Greek cities. Athena warned Kratos not to continue his treachery but he would not listen. Kratos decides to go to Rhodes and cause destruction in Rhodes. Athena, in form of a bird, depowers Kratos and unleashes the Colossus at him. Kratos, still with some of his god powers, fights his way past soldiers and battles the bronze giant. All of a sudden, Zeus offers him the Blade of Olympus, the weapon that ended the Great War between the gods and titans. Pouring his remaining godly power into the sword, Kratos defeats the Colossus of Rhodes but the giant delivers a fatal crush to the 'Ghost of Sparta'. Kratos is severly injured and goes to the Blade of Olympus as it is his only mean of survival. But Zeus appears and kills him along with the warriors of the city. The arms of Hades claim Kratos' corpse and is dragged into the depths of Hell. But Gaia, the Mother Titan, revives him. Kratos escapes into the mortal realm once again, now with the purpose of killing Zeus. But Gaia tells him that he is no match for him and that he must seek the Sisters of Fate to travel back to the time to claim the Blade of Olympus. Kratos goes on another quest fighting dangerous opponents and earning powers from some Titans. He later discovers, after killing a Young Spartan by accident, that Zeus destroyed Sparta. This would only anger Kratos even more. Soon, he reaches the Sisters of Fate and defeats them all. He goes back to the time when Zeus delivered his death. After an epic battle, Kratos was overwhelmed by Zeus and forced to surrender. Kratos requests to be freed from his torment but Zeus says his death would only be the beginning of eternal torment. Without any choice but to fend for himself, the 'Ghost of Sparta' manages to get the king of Olympus off guard and was about to kill him until Athena interfered. Kratos tries another stab to finish off Zeus but Athena gets in the way, resulting in her death. With her last breaths, she reveals to Kratos that he is the son of Zeus and that the gods will defend Olympus. The 'Ghost of Sparta' decides that Olympus must fall and the gods must die. He goes back in time and rescues the Titans from the Great War. They return back to Kratos' time period and invade Olympus.

In the events of God of War III, Kratos storms Olympus with the Titans. He manages to kill Poseidon with the help of Gaia but is betrayed by her after a confrontation with Zeus. He was thrown down into the river Styx, drained of power and his Blades of Athena destroyed. He meets up with Athena's ghost who has changed and now wants Kratos' to defeat the gods of Olympus. She grants the ghost of Sparta the Blades of Exile and tells him that the only way to defeat Zeus is to extinguish the Flame of Olympus. He fights his way through the realm of the dead and meets Hephaestus who reveals info about the Flame of Olympus. He later escapes the Hades' realm after defeating the god of the dead himself and goes on to fight the inhabitants of Olympus and the titans. Each god that Kratos defeats affects the world (Poseidon's death floods the world, Helios' death blocks out the sun, etc). He would soon meet Pandora is the key to putting out the fires of Olympus which protects Pandora's Box from being used. Pandora ends up sacrificing herself as Kratos does battle with Zeus. When Kratos opens Pandora's Box, he discovers that it is empty. The Ghost of Sparta would then engage in another clash before being interrupted by Gaia. The father and son venture inside the titan for a final battle. Kratos would emerge as victor as plunges the Blade of Olympus into Zeus and the heart of Gaia. It appears that his vengeance is complete but the king of the Gods was gone yet. Zeus's spirit destroys his son's weapons and puts him in the brink of death. But Pandora helps Kratos one last time so that he can conquer the pains and horrors of his past. Kratos gains the power of Hope and destroys Zeus, ending the reign of Olympus forever. Athena comes to congratulate him but she demands that his power be handed over. It is revealed that the goddess wanted to be the one who rules over mortals. Refusing, Kratos kills himself and releases hope into the world. Disappointed, Athena pities the fallen Spartan and disappears.

Kratos' Abilities

Because he is the son of Zeus, he has inherited super strength and durability making him at the level of Hercules. He regularly tears his foes with his bare hands and even overpowered monsters much larger than him. He is also quite agile and has super human reflexes and he's able to avoid enemy strikes or repel them. His former status as general and his accomplishments in his quests prove that he is the best warrior in Greece and a natural in leadership and war tactics. He is has mastered various melee weapons (especially his Blades of Chaos/Athena) and is an expert archer.

During his mission to kill Ares, he had several magics granted by the gods which made him even more dangerous especially when combined with Rage of the Gods - a state where he gains invincibility and unlimited magic for a brief period of time. As the god of war, he gained godly power and even immortality. It is possible that he gained the power of Ares (i.e. psychokinetic and pyrokinetic powers) but that has never been shown. But his godly powers and magics would be lost after he defied the gods and when he grasped the Blade of Olympus.

During the time he went to the Sisters of Fate to get his revenge on Zeus, he had Titan magic and the Rage of the Titans, which increases his strength and durability and adds fire and speed to his attacks. If Kratos delivers enough strikes during Rage of the Titans, he can unleash Prometheus Inferno - a whirlwind of flames which does massive damage (powerful enough to instantly kill Cerberus breeders and Cyclops). He can also create explosions. These powers seemed to have been lost when he fell into the River Styx when he was betrayed by Gaia although, none of that was used when the Titans were storming Mt. Olympus.

In the final chapter of Kratos' story, he seems to be more powerful as he can defeat tougher foes much quicker than before and easily overpower a group of enemies. He was also able to kill gods without the aid of Pandora's Box or the Blade of Olympus.

Equipment

Weapons
*Blades of Chaos

-Forged from the foulest depths of Hades, these are the pair of swords that Ares gave to Kratos. They are attached to chains which are burned onto Kratos' arms. The chains give the blades much range and enable them to be swung like whips. When used, the swords are engulfed in fire. They can be upgraded to 5 levels. At Level 2, Rage of the Gods can be used with allows increased strength and invincibility for a brief period of time. At Level 5, Rage of the Gods allows infinite use of magic. Kratos loses this weapon when he fought Ares.

• Gauntlet of Zeus

-An oversized gauntlet forged by Hephaestus which was used by Zeus to chain the Titans in Tartarus. It can be used as weapon to deliver powerful blows that even shatter stone and iron. It is also capable of using electricity. It was taken away by Helios and Athena.

• Sun Shield

-A shield that Kratos used in Chains of Olympus. It can be used to block and counter attacks and can reflect projectiles (after obtaining Primordial Fire). It is the precursor to the Golden Fleece and was taken away by Helios and Athena.

• Blade of Artemis

-An oversized scimitar that Artemis used to slay a Titan. She gave this Kratos during God of War and it's assumed that she has it once again after the defeat of Ares. The sword is covered in purple energy and is capable of piercing armor. It's stronger than the Blades of Chaos but isn't as useful. It can be upgraded to deal more damage.

• Blade of the Gods

-A giant sword which also serves as a bridge in Athens. Kratos wielded this blade when he was under the effects of Pandoras's Box. It has no special properties and was simply used to kill Ares when the Blades of Chaos were taken away.

• Blades of Athena

-A weapon identical to the Blades of Chaos, this was given to Kratos when he became the God of War. When used, the weapon is engulfed in golden godly energy and is possibly more powerful than the weapon given by Ares. When Kratos lost his position as a god, it gained the fire properties as Blades of Chaos. It was destroyed by the souls of the river, Styx in God of War 3.

• Barbarian Hammer

-This large spiked hammer was once wielded by the Barbarian King. It is slow but deals greater damage than the Blades of Athena. When slammed onto the floor, it can create shockwaves that knock down foes and upgrades allow it summon the souls of the undead (much like the Hades Army spell).

• Spear of Destiny

-A spear once wielded by the Dark Rider. It has a crystal-like appearance and can stretch to increase it's rage. It is also capable of releasing a spread burst of energy (like the shotguns in Metal Slug) and with upgrades, could shoot crystals, lay mines, and make explosions upon impact.

• Blade of Olympus

-A large sword crackling with blue energy and the most powerful weapon in the series. It was created by Zeus to end the Great War. It can shoot beams powerful enough to penetrate the Colossus of Rhodes and is capable of killing the Olympian gods. When wielded by Zeus, it defeated the Titans in one swoop and disintegrated all of the soldiers in Rhodes with one swing. Currently, it contains the remaining god power that Kratos once had. It is capable of killing foes as large as Cronos even if reduced to human-size. In the beginning of God of War 3, it can use the spell Divine Reckoning, which creates a magical vortex. The Blade is also capable of charging itself to make its strikes more powerful.

• Blades of Exile

-Weapons given by the ghost of Athena to replace the ruined Blades of Athena. Besides the appearance, the Blades of Exile is very similar to previous signature weapons but it can create explosions without going into a Rage mode. It can use the spell, Army of Sparta which can call forth the souls of slain Spartans which shield the user and thrust at enemies with spears. When fully upgraded, the ghostly Spartans will rain arrows in the area.

• Claws of Hades

-Chained blades belonging to Hades which have the power to steal souls and summon souls to fight for the user. They are similar to the Blades of Chaos/Athena/Exile. Kratos takes these weapons from the god of the dead and steals his soul. With it, he can summon the souls of enemies from the game.

• Nemean Cestus

-Giant gauntlets that once were wielded by Hercules, they are the perfect weapon for those with superhuman strength. They hit harder than the Blades of Exile and are strong enough to pulverize onyx. It can be extended via chains. The Cestus can use the spell, Nemean Roar that creates a white explosive wave. When the weapon is fully upgraded, Nemean Roar releases two explosive waves, one after another.

• Nemesis Whip

-Claw-like weapons attached to chains. The weapon was created by Hephaestus who tried to use it against Kratos. While it's weaker than the Blades of Exile, it can be used like a buzzsaw/chainsaw and electrocute foes. It can use the spell, Nemesis Rage which shoots out a wave of electricity that launches foes into the air. Once fully upgraded, Nemesis Rage becomes explosive making it similar to Cronos' Rage.

Former Magic

• Efreet

-Kratos summons a fire spirit that attacks enemies. It is gone after Chains of Olympus for unknown reasons.

• Light of Dawn

-This spell allows Kratos to throw orbs of bright light which deal damage and can be charged for more power. He longer has it after Chains of Olympus for unknown reasons.

• Charon's Wrath

-Using the mask of the boatman Charon, Kratos can call forth clouds of green flames to damage enemies which can spread to other foes. Kratos no longer has this after Chains of Olympus.

• Poseidon's Rage

-A gift from Poseidon himself, this spell allows Kratos expels electricity around him. Upgrades increase its damage and radius. This is Kratos second most powerful magic in the first game. It is lost when Kratos pours all of his remaining god powers into the Blade of Olympus.

• Medusa's Gaze

-Wielding the decapitated head of Medusa, Kratos fires a green beam from her mouth which turns enemies to stone after exposure for some time. Upgrades make the beam stronger and allow instant petrification to multiple opponents. It is unknown what happened to it after Betrayal.

• Zeus's Fury

-A gift from Zeus himself, this spell allows Kratos to toss a lightning bolt from his hands. Upgrades give more power and speed to the bolts and allow it to be charged up for even more power. It became lost after Kratos was depowered by Athena.

• Army of Hades

-A gift from Hades himself, this spell summons the souls of the Underworld that attack enemies in sight like hungry dogs. Upgrades power up the spell as well as increasing the number of souls. This most powerful spell in the first game and was lost when Athena depowered Kratos.

• Typhon's Bane

-A magical bow that was once part of Typhon's eye. It shoots out wind-like arrows and can be fired rapidly. With upgrades, it can shoot stronger arrows, home in on targets, and create a tornado. What has happened to this spell after GoW2 is unknown but it most likely was lost when Kratos fell into the River Styx.

• Cronos' Rage

-Given by the Titan Cronos, this magic creates an orb that electrocutes foes. With upgrades, 3 orbs can be produced at a time, create chain-lightning, and explode after a short time. What has happened to this spell after GoW2 is unknown but it most likely was lost when Kratos fell into the River Styx.

• Head of Euryale

-The head of one of Medusa's sisters. Though more hideous in appearance, it's much the same as Medusa's Gaze. It is unknown what happened to it after GoW2.

• Atlas Quake

-Given to Kratos by the Titan Atlas, this spell allows the user to create quakes by punching the ground. With upgrades, damage increase and boulders are shot around which increase the damage radius. What has happened to this spell after GoW2 is unknown but it most likely was lost when Kratos fell into the River Styx.

Other Things

• Triton's Lance/Poseidon's Trident

-It allows Kratos swim skillfully and breathe underwater.

• Pandora Box

-The most powerful weapon (according to God of War) that a mortal can wield. It was created so that a mortal can defeat a God who rebelled against Olympus. Anyone that opens the box is increased in power and size to be equal with that of a god. Kratos used this to stand a fighting chance against Ares. In God of War III, opening Pandora's Box gave Kratos the power of Hope which allowed him to easily defeat Fear Zeus, a form of the King of Olympus that almost ended the Spartan's conquest for revenge and destroyed his weapons and items.

• Amulet of the Fates

-A stone with the appearance of an eye that can slow down time when a Fates statue is nearby.

• Golden Fleece

-An armlet that use to belong to Jason of the Argonauts. It can reflect most projectiles and deflect many melee attacks (which leads to a powerful counterattack). It's powerful enough to deflect a strike from the Blade of Olympus.

• Icarus Wings

-These wings, which were once owned by Icarus, allow Kratos to glide short distances. He can fly freely only along gusts of wind. Kratos can also use the wings to lift humanoid or small creatures up into the air.

• Head of Helios

-The head which once belonged to the Greek sun god. It can be used as a lantern and can reveal secret areas and invisible objects. It can shoot a Solar Flash that can blind enemies and break the intangibility of untouchable foes. It can be charged for a Solar Flare (stronger version of Solar Flash) which illuminates a dark room for a few seconds and can even blind a foe as big as Cronos.

• Bow of Apollo

-A bow that shoot a rapid-fire flurry of arrows or be charged to fire a single arrow that incinerates enemies.

• Boots of Hermes

-Boots that once belonged to the god of speed. With it, the user can run at fast speeds and leave trails of fire. It can be used to air dodge and run up or along walls.

Quotes

God of War All of them came from this site

[Kratos saves the boat captain from falling down into the dead Hydra's stomach]
Boat Captain: Thank the gods you came back for me!
Kratos: I didn't come back for you!
[Kratos takes the key from the captain's necklace and throws him down Hydra's throat]

Kratos: God of war. I haven't forgotten you. For what you did that night, this city will be your grave…

Kratos: [to Ares] The monster you created has returned… to kill you!

Kratos: [Kratos is facing a group of undead soldiers] Mangy beasts! I shall send you BACK to the depths of Hades!

Ares: That night… I was trying to make you a great warrior!
Kratos: …You succeeded.

God of War II All quotes from this site

Kratos: If all those on Olympus would deny me my vengeance, then all of Olympus will die.

Kratos: A choice from the gods, is as useless as the gods themselves.

God of War III

Kratos: To catch a fly from the ass of Zeus is not worth my time, Hermes.

Kratos: Hope is for the weak, Pandora.

Athena: I trust you to do the right thing, Kratos.
Kratos: You should'nt.

Kratos: The air on Olympus affects your thinking, brother. Zeus has no favorites.

Kratos: What will you do, father? You can no longer hide behind the skirts of Athena.
Zeus: Athena is dead because of the rage that consumes you, Kratos. What more will you destroy?
Kratos: The hands of Death could not defeat me. The sisters of fate could not hold me. And you will not see the end of this day. I will have my revenge!

Kratos: In the end, there will only be chaos!

Kratos: You know of me?
Pandora: Everyone has heard of the Ghost of Sparta. Everyone is afraid of you.
Kratos: There are reasons for that.

Kratos: [To Pandora] It's good you're not afraid, child. Fear is a heavy burden.

Kratos: I will wash away the past… with the blood of Olympus!

Kratos' feats

God of War

1. Kratos uses his Blades of Chaos to pull the Hydra's main head to be impaled onto a severed pole. The Hydra is around the size of an island and the main head is the size of a house.
2. He manages to escape Hades.

God of War 2

1. Kratos rips Greek soldiers apart with his bare hands
2. With some of his god powers remaining, Kratos was able to avoid being stomped by the Colossus by holding up its foot and send the bronze giant flying.
3. With his some of his god powers intact, Kratos was thrown through the walls without any injury.
4. Kratos being crushed the Colossus's hands and took a beating from Zeus before finally meeting his death to the Blade of Olympus.
5. He is able to rip the heads off Cerberus and force its mouth open.
6. Kratos can push down a crushing floor with his legs.
7. He once powered a large elevator by hand while fighting reanimated skeletons.
8. He can prevent himself from being crushed between Atlas's fingers. Though, the Titan wasn't exactly going to kill him, it was still enough to cause Kratos to spurt blood.
9. In the final battle, Kratos swings huge pillars like baseball bats.

God of War 3

1. Kratos stops Leviathan's giant crab leg from penetrating him, using his bare hands. According to a certain somebody, the crab leg hit Kratos but without any damage. The crab leg is capable of penetrating Gaia, a titan that's completely made of earth.
2. Kratos tanks a charged thunderbolt from Zeus which stripped the "flesh" off of Gaia's wrist. The Spartan was launched a pretty good distance, however.
3. Kratos resists getting his soul ripped from the Claws of Hades.
4. Kratos climbed the Chain of Balance for what seemed to be hours. He showed no signs of fatigue.
5. He picks up Gaia's severed hand and tosses it off of Olympus.
6. Kratos uses his strength to prevent himself from being crushed between Cronos' hands. Kratos is a mere speck compared to the titan.
7. The Ghost of Sparta jumps off from the labyrinth and down into Tartarus while dodging meteors and other obstacles. While it is a very long fall, Kratos recieves no damage at all from the impact on the ground.
8. Kratos uses a lever to push up the entire labyrinth into the palace in Olympus. Each room of the labyrinth resides in a cube that's larger than a house.
9. At the end of the fight with Zeus, Kratos stabs the god king and Gaia's heart causing the titan to crumble. Kratos emerges seemingly unharmed but is exhausted from the battle.

Notable debates

Blade of Olympus vs. Master Sword
Kratos takes on Organization XIII
Ganon vs. Kratos
Kratos vs. Gyarados & Milotic
Wesker vs. Kratos
Kratos vs. Link
Kratos vs. Dante (old)
Kratos vs. Dante (new)
Starkiller vs. Kratos
Kratos vs. Shadow the Hedgehog
Kratos seeks revenge on Link
GoW3 Kratos vs. Bayonetta and Sephiroth
Kratos vs. Gengar
Kratos vs. Zant: The Musical

Trivia

• Though he appears to be completely heartless and merciless, he cares much for his wife and daughter. He also cares for Pandora, due to her similarities to Calliope, to a point where he tried to prevent her death even though it was necessary. Kratos also seemed to care for Athena due to his reactions to her accidental death.
• Kratos, in Greek, means power or strength.
• He is a playable character in Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny. He's equipped with Blades of Chaos, Blade of Olympus, and Icarus Wings plus the ability to use Poseidon's Rage.
• As seen from a God of War II E3 trailer, Kratos was originally going to have a magic where he shoots a burst of white energy from his arms. It was cut from the game.
• It is commonly debated in several VG forums whether Kratos can beat Dante or not. Those kinds of threads usually go on for several pages.