Did Odin fear Kratos?
As a long-time God of War fanatic, I am beyond thrilled to geeking out over the tense dynamic between Kratos and Odin that has emerged as the spine of the series‘ Norse era. And after closely analyzing their interactions across the latest two games, I can say with absolute certainty: Yes, Odin greatly feared Kratos from the moment the Ghost of Sparta set foot in the Nine Realms.
Kratos Threatens Ragnarök – Odin‘s Apocalyptic Nightmare
Most importantly, Odin rightfully feared that Kratos would ignite Ragnarök – the long-prophesied apocalyptic event fated to kill Odin and most of his fellow Aesir gods. As the Allfather, Odin had dedicated centuries toward fracturing, decoding and manipulating ancient Nordic prophecies regarding Fimbulwinter and Ragnarök, all in an effort to delay his foretold demise or alter fate outright.
In fact, by some accounts Odin had successfully pushed back Ragnarök by hundreds of years prior the start of God of War through cunning schemes and sacrifices. But Kratos‘ sudden arrival threatened to undo all of Odin‘s meticulous planning instantly. After all, Kratos bore a mysterious tattoo marking him as the prophesied "harbinger of the apocalypse" – a figure destined to trigger Ragnarök and the twilight of the gods sooner than the already paranoid Odin was prepared for.
This represents an Existential threat on a scale previously unfathomable to Odin. And his fears directly manifested in increasingly unhinged attempts to eliminate Kratos, predicting that the longer this foreign god lingered in Midgard, the fast the extinction of Aesir rule approached.
Kratos Boasts Unmatched Power and Battle Experience
Now let‘s examine why Odin himself lacked the confidence to confront Kratos directly. Plainly stated, the Greek demigod can be considered vastly more powerful than Odin or any other resident Norse deity we have been introduced to thus far. After all, Kratos essentially serves as an unstoppable personification of weaponized rage who had killed Greek gods, Titans and creatures that make the Nine Realms‘ nastiest fiends look cute as baby goats by comparison.
For instance, let‘s contrast Kratos‘ power levels against the most mighty Norse opponents he has faced off against:
Baldur – The seemingly invulnerable Aesir god of light was built up as presumably the mightiest warrior in all of Midgard. Yet in their every encounter, Kratos consistently battered Baldur around like a ragdoll. In fact, not only did Kratos break Baldur‘s supposedly unbreakable invincibility spell, he then proceeded to decisively snap Baldur‘s neck – accomplishing what no other being in the Nine Realms could previously manage. Advantage: Kratos
Magni & Modi – These sons of Thor were considered the most formidable Aesir warriors besides their father. Yet Atreus managed to kill Modi in single combat while an exhausted, wounded Kratos still slew Magni. Hardly the showings expected of gods second only to Thor himself in combat prowness. Advantage: Kratos
Thor – Arguably Kratos‘ first legitimate powerhouse adversary since entering Midgard. Their opening battle proves more evenly matched. However, Atreus openly admits that Kratos had plenty of fight left in him when he willingly yielded to protect his son. Once recovered from Thor‘s sucker punch and his weapons retrieved, early evidence suggests Kratos holds the upper hand against Odin‘s son. Advantage (albeit tentatively): Kratos
Note that we cannot accurately gauge Odin‘s power just yet…but upcoming games will likely provide that perspective. Nevertheless, these comparisons help illustrate why Odin himself rightfully feared direct confrontation with Kratos and instead relied on proxies like Thor and Baldur to challenge the formidable demigod.
Simply put, from Odin‘s viewpoint – if the supposed best warriors Asgard can offer fall so woefully short again Kratos, what chance does the Allfather stand on his lonesome? As such, it is no wonder Odin desperately expended every magical asset and alliance available to him in efforts to eliminate Kratos ASAP once the threat he posed became clear.
Kratos Corrupted Odin‘s Beloved Son Baldur
One particular point of escalation in Odin‘s fears involves Kratos reshaping the moral trajectory of Baldur, Odin‘s most treasured son and bodyguard. Baldur had loyally served as Odin‘s personal bounty hunter and tracker of giants for centuries. So when Baldur suddenly turned openly defiant after encountering Kratos, it represented an unthinkable shift in a relationship Odin had dominated unquestioned for ages.
This subversion of Baldur‘s role vastly exacerbated Odin‘s distrust and apprehension regarding the foreign god interloper. In Odin‘s mind, if Kratos could stealthily corrupt the loyalty of his purportedly most devoted follower, no Aesir ally could be considered safe from his insidious influence.
It is paramount to recognize the sheer devastation losing Baldur‘s service and companionship wrought upon Odin emotionally following his beloved son‘s death. This traumatic loss saw a particularly unhinged Odin draw the conclusion that if he could fail to protect even his dearest Baldur from Kratos‘ clutches – Ragnarök must be barreling toward fruition at unprecedented pace.
And an Odin stripped of both his staunchest supporter and mental stability poses an even more erratic, dangerous wildcard element still hidden in the shadows.
Odin Repeatedly Failed to Eliminate God of War‘s Kratos
Moreover, all early assassination efforts Odin orchestrated targeting Kratos resulted in embarrassing failure and tragic losses for the Aesir. Most notably, Baldur, Magni and Modi – arguably the three most capable enforcers at Odin‘s disposal – all perished violently in their attempts to remove the foreign threat.
Worse still, these successive defeats played out in increasingly public fashion as all Nine Realms grew gradually aware of the chaos this Deimos-marked newcomer was leaving in his wake.
As rumors of an unkillable war god trampling Asgard‘s best spread, Odin‘s carefully manicured image of absolute authority suffered irreparable damage. And with it eroded centuries of deterrence toward dissent and open defiance among the masses Odin cruelly lorded over.
Suddenly, both friend and foe began openly questioning if there existed any means left to stall the so-called Ghost of Sparta‘s warpath once he inevitably comes for Odin himself. For few throughout the realms still believed even Asgard‘s cunning ruler capable of stopping Kratos via conventional tactics.
Odin‘s Shattered Faith in Aesir Invincibility
I‘d also posit that Kratos‘ early string of Aesir slayings itself quietly terrified Odin for a deeper reason: it represented the first true challenge toward integral tenants central to Odin‘s iron grip on power – chiefly, the doctrine of innate Aesir superiority and invincibility.
These core dogmas formed the bedrock of supposed Aesir exceptionalism Odin perpetuated to justify tyrannical policies and frighten all in opposition into passivity over centuries of rule. And until Kratos arrived, no empirical threats existed with strength and skill to openly discredit Odin‘s magical boasts that his kin sat firmly at the top of the Nine Realms‘ hierarchy, destined to stand undefeated for all time.
Yet disturbingly, this previously ironclad mythos unraveled rapidly in the face of a foreign demigod shrugging off Asgardian challenges with almost contemptuous ease. And once the aura of invincibility Odin curated around the Aesir lies shattered – it cannot easily be restored to its once pristine luster.
In short, Odin feared Kratos uniquely demolishing centuries of carefully constructed propaganda upholding myths of preeminence and invincibility among the Aesir within mere months – psychological wounds among both the Aesir and Nine Realms citizens that cannot ever fully heal.
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So in summary, by threatening fate itself, openly undermining Odin‘s authority and diminishing once ironclad beliefs in inherent Aesir superiority – Kratos represents a uniquely destructive wildcard gleefully tearing down in months sociopolitical and spiritual pillars fundamental to Odin‘s uncompromising rule which the Allfather built incrementally over centuries.
And this unprecedented multi-front assault fueled Odin‘s worst anxieties regarding his apocalyptic Ragnarök visions barreling toward fruition and personal demise far faster than the increasingly desperate ruler believes he can manage. Hence spawning ever-escalating fears that left the once indomitable Allfather but a shadow of former glory – now appear as paranoid and helpless as the frailest peasant.
Simply put, never before had Odin confronted such an immediate slippery slope toward enduring cataclysm he felt pragmatically helpless to prevent – inevitably culminating in the twilight of both Aesir prominence and his tyrannical reign.
An unnerving humiliation that left the normally unflappable Odin flailing wildly for any means left available to eliminate the instigator uprooting his previously unchallenged dominion by the very foundations.
Even if fully removing this foreign plague glaringly exceeds the B-tier ensemble of D-list flunkies Odin rashly retains access to. Perhaps the increasingly empty A-list roster from which Kratos systematically removed the Allfather‘s best and brightest previously provided Odin an understandable (albeit false) sense of security for too long regarding the presumed invincibility of his inner circle.
Nevertheless, despite his present state of mental disarray, write off the ruler‘s threat at your own peril, as Odin‘s true capabilities and endgame plans largely remain shrouded purposefully in sinister mystery.
For if my long fandom teaches me anything – desperate villains backed into a corner with their lifelong plans unraveling breed startling unpredictability. And those rash actions spawn the most memorable boss fights!
So while the once-untouchable Odin ravages the realms in search of an equal to Kratos’ battle-honed skills, the smarter path is attempting compromise before fate forces their hands. But peace seems an increasingly distant prospect with every violent outburst and/or horrific means Odin pursues toward eliminating his existential nemesis. Sometimes to break the cycle of violence when opposing forces adamantly refuse deescalation – an unstoppable spear of chaos plunging into an immovable empire of order simply makes for ideal entertainment!
Yet despite Odin’s formidable remaining magical arsenal, all evidence presented thus far suggests the Allfather himself lacks confidence in withstanding an extended one-on-one confrontation against the notorious Ghost of Sparta and his pedigree for killing gods. And to me, that underlying self-doubt alone speaks volumes regarding who Odin fears holds the upper hand in their inevitable final reckoning.
But those are just my early speculative theories on the escalating tension between God of War’s fundamental forces currently in conflict – what lies in wait next remains thrillingly unpredictable! Sound off on your own analysis of Odin v Kratos below!
