Does Kratos Still Have the Power of Hope?
Based on his long road to redemption over the course of the God of War franchise, it stands to reason the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, has regained the ability to tap into the Power of Hope bestowed upon him many years ago. Let‘s analyze the evidence.
The Nature of Hope‘s Power
For those less familiar, a brief primer on the Power of Hope in God of War lore:
- Origins lie in Pandora‘s Box, given to Kratos in God of War III
- The Greek gods had sealed Hope away, fearing what it could do
- By unleashing Hope from its ancient prison, Kratos gained the power needed to slay Zeus
However, developer Cory Barlog has hinted Hope‘s true nature is more nuanced:
"It’s the power of forgiveness. Kratos, hoping he can be forgiven for all the terrible things he did, receives redemption."
So in freeing Hope, Kratos simultaneously attained the power of redemption – something that would enable him to forgive himself.
The Burden of Guilt Prevents Usage
In the aftermath of his vicious revenge against the Greek gods though, Kratos was consumed by intense survivor‘s guilt for all he had done.
Per creative director Stig Asmussen in an IGN interview:
"He’s destroyed everything that’s meant anything to him. He’s left in this utter emptiness."
Kratos suppressed Hope‘s power due to feeling unworthy of forgiveness. He hid it away, buried under layers of sorrow, guilt, and regret over his sin-filled past.
| Game | Evidence of Kratos‘ Guilt |
|---|---|
| God of War: Ascension | Haunted by nightmares of his past crimes |
| God of War (PS4) | Initially refuses to talk about or explain his history to Atreus |
This guilt plagued Kratos for many years, preventing him from being able or willing to access Hope‘s power after defeating Zeus.
Finding Redemption Through Fatherhood
In the later God of War games set within the Norse realms however, we see a very changed Kratos. Having turned over a new leaf, he now struggles to control his rage and be a caring father to Atreus.
Through years raising his son alone after his second wife‘s passing, Kratos has come to terms with who he was. The transformative nature of parenting has forged a calmer, wiser man than the previous raging god killer.
Atreus enables Kratos to confront his past, forgive himself, and finally heal and move forward. As evidenced in God of War (2018):
"I have nothing more to hide."
No longer suppressing the harsh truths of his history from Atreus, this moment symbolizes Kratos attaining inner peace with the man he once was through forgiveness.
The Reawakening of Hope‘s Power
By finding redemption; accepting his sinful past yet still hoping he can be a caring father; Kratos has demonstrated the mental fortitude and strength to once again harness Hope‘s power.
"Hope never dies"
The Power of Hope never faded or diminished intrinsically. Rather it was Kratos who willfully suppressed access to it due to the burden of his tremendous guilt and lack of self-forgiveness.
But through his long, arduous journey and fatherly redemption arc across the last two games – the Ghost of Sparta has shown he has crucially regained hope.
Hope in himself.
And with that renewed self-belief and self-forgiveness, all evidence suggests Kratos has reawakened Pandora‘s power lying dormant within him.
The Future Fight Against Odin & Norse Gods
Looking ahead, Kratos will likely need to tap into vast wells of inner power to defeat the Allfather Odin and his Norse pantheon in the next game.
Against the combined might of Thor, Freya and Odin himself, Kratos may need to unlock the full fury of his Spartan rage. And that infamous rage has always flowed stronger when his hope burns brighter.
Therefore in the final epic saga chapter of Kratos vs Gods Saga 8.0 – we as fans may yet see the Power of Hope unleashed to its full chain-sword swinging, god-slaying potential.
For the Ghost of Sparta still harbors Pandora‘s power. The power of forgiveness and redemption. The Power of Hope.
