Yes, Atreus is the Real Loki
As revealed in an epic plot twist in God of War (2018), Kratos‘ son Atreus does indeed grow up to become Loki, the iconic Norse god of mischief. I‘ve played through the game multiple times and analyzed every clue pointing to this big reveal about Atreus‘ true origins and identity. In this deep dive article, I‘ll showcase concrete evidence across Norse myth and the game backing up the Loki/Atreus connection, discuss awesome fan theories, and explore the exciting implications of Atreus embracing his role as the god of mischief.
Background on Atreus and Loki
First, a quick profile on our main characters:
Atreus Profile
- Son of Kratos (Greek god) and Laufey (Jötunn giant)
- Raised unaware of his divine heritage
- Naive yet skilled with a bow and arrow
- Eventually learns of his prophesied role as "Loki"
Loki Profile
- God of mischief, magic and mayhem in Norse mythology
- cunning trickster figure
- Shape-shifter able to transform into animals or other beings
- Plays crucial part in Ragnarök apocalypse events
So how did sweet young Atreus become this notorious trouble-making god? Let‘s investigate step-by-step how the game establishes the Atreus/Loki connection.
Evidence Supporting the Atreus = Loki Reveal
Jötnar Murals and Markings Depict Atreus as Loki
The first clue comes early when Atreus and Kratos discover Jötunheim mural markings referring to the "nameless warrior" (Kratos) and his son "Loki":
Throughout their Jötunheim journey, many Jötnar structures clearly depict Atreus alongside the name Loki, foreshadowing his role. The Lost Pages artifact Atreus finds also initially says his name is Loki.
Mimir and Odin Call Atreus Loki
Once the pair meet Mimir, the omniscient disembodied head, he lets slip several references to Atreus‘ connection to Loki that go over the boy‘s head. Towards the end when Atreus falls ill, Mimir directly says:
"He‘s a god. He‘s not a giant. But he‘s part giant and part God – part mortal. What he is – I can‘t say for sure. But I know for certain is, he‘s gonna do something wonderful."
Since Loki is known as a god/giant hybrid who does wondrous things in Norse myth – this is a thinly veiled Loki reference from Mimir.
Finally, Odin himself repeatedly refers to Atreus by name as Loki when they meet at the end, fully confirming the true identity Atreus eventually embraces.
Atreus‘ Magical Capabilities Reflect Loki
Atreus already begins exhibiting strange magical talents exceeding human norms early on. He instantly masters languages previously unfamiliar to him when exploring the Lake of Nine, indicating his innate linguistic gifts.
Throughout the adventure, Atreus also displays unusual aptitude with rune translation, spell-casting and speaking to spirits/animals. These talents closely align with Loki‘s magical mischief-making and shape-shifting abilities per the Norse legends.
His Godhood Realization Makes Him Physically Ill
When Atreus first realizes his godly heritage and screams out his father is a god, he reacts extremely poorly:
He gets violently ill several times over and his hubris goes out of control. Developers intentionally showed Atreus mirroring Loki‘s troubled coming-of-age story upon discovering his divine lineage. Just as in the myths Loki had difficulty reconciling his giant/God background – young Atreus struggles terribly with processing he will become a powerful trickster god.
Theories and Speculation on Atreus-Loki‘s Origins and Destiny
Fans have cooked up several juicy theories about plot holes or future twists related to Atreus‘ emergence as Loki. Here are two of my personal favorites:
Atreus Shape-Shifts to Advance Ragnarök in Future Games
A popular fan theory is Atreus will shape-shift to drive forward Ragnarök prophecy events just as Loki does in the Norse legends. Perhaps he pretends to be other creatures/gods to sow chaos and advance Fimbulwinter apocalypse conditions. Given his mom Laufey was a master tinkerer who often crafted helpful magical items, Atreus may utilize artifacts or potions to achieve transforming effects. What an epic gameplay twist this could be in a future title!
Atreus shape-shifting into beasts could make for crazy combat dynamics! (Credit: Sony/Santa Monica Studios)
Atreus Adopts More Mischief-Making Persona as He Ages
I speculate Atreus will shift towards a more mischievous trouble-maker personality befitting the Loki archetype as he matures in any God of War sequels. Even by the end of latest game, we see Atreus start to challenge his father more often and act defiantly. This lines up neatly with Loki‘s trademark defiant behavior against gods/authority figures like Odin or Thor. I‘d bet dollars to donuts we are going to get a snarky, over-confident adolescent Atreus twisting events to his advantage and driving Kratos nuts in the next installment!
What Atreus Becoming Loki Means for Future Games
Atreus growing into his role as Loki has monumental ramifications for the trajectory of the God of War reboot series. Here are just a few repercussions:
- His prophesied involvement in Ragnarök events will drive future game storylines
- Magical new combat abilities like shapeshifting could refresh gameplay dynamics
- More complex father-son dynamic as Atreus taps into his trickster side
- Major impact on how Norse apocalypse plays out compared to legends
- Opportunity to show original versions of iconic Loki moments
As you can see, the Atreus-Loki twist opens up a ton of fertile ground for Santa Monica Studios. I personally cannot wait for the boy to create mayhem with his blossoming powers as Kratos attempts to manage his chaos! It also should make their relationship far more turbulent and emotionally turbulent in coming-of-age fashion. ¡Viva Loki!
References:
- Resetera Forum: https://www.resetera.com/threads/spoilers-god-of-war-4-story-and-ending-leaked-read-with-caution.10063/
- Easy Allies YouTube Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ubKSSVMoY
- Forbes Games Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2020/08/15/theory-god-of-war-5-will-have-us-play-as-both-an-older-atreus-and-kratos/?sh=324177111c95
- WhatCulture Gaming: http://whatculture.com/gaming/god-of-war-15-things-that-make-no-sense-about-atreus
