Is Kratos in MK9 Canon? Analyzing God of War‘s Surprise Reference
As a long-time gamer and God of War mega-fan, I was overjoyed to spot a subtle reference to Kratos‘ past role as a guest fighter in Mortal Kombat 9 tucked away in the latest franchise installment. This surprise Easter Egg in God of War Ragnarök strongly implies that yes – Kratos‘ MK9 appearance is considered canon in his own universe!
A Quick Refresher on Kratos‘ MK9 Cameo
For those who need a refresher, Kratos was a playable DLC fighter added to 2011‘s Mortal Kombat 9. This brutal M-rated fighting game revamped the franchise and revisited classic storylines from the first three MK games.
Kratos arrived as a gory bonus character wielding his signature chained Blades of Chaos. According to Mortal Kombat Wiki, he entered the tournament after sensing strong souls to claim and drag back to his world for torture.
His fighting style relied on iconic moves like the Apollo‘s Bow and Head of Helios magic attacks. And his gruesome fatalities and victory animations stayed true to the ruthless demigod fans loved from God of War.
The "History‘s Greatest Musician" Reference in Ragnarok
Now let‘s analyze that juicy MK9 reference hidden in 2022‘s God of War Ragnarök. During one scene, Kratos is referred to by another character as "History‘s Greatest Musician." This very odd and specific title immediately stood out to eagle-eyed fans.
As gamers quickly realized, it‘s likely a tongue-in-cheek nod to Kratos‘ MK9 fight with Rain. This Mortal Kombat ninja character utilizes deadly water magic attacks with a background as a traitorous prince.
The "musician" reference correlates to Rain‘s aquatic nature and powers styled after dance moves. So essentially, the God of War team snuck in an Easter Egg implying Kratos battled and defeated Rain in MK canon, earning himself an inside joke of a nickname!
Developers Confirm Other Cameos Are Canon
This subtle name-drop alone may not 100% confirm MK9‘s canonicity. But God of War director Cory Barlog has set a precedent of considering Kratos‘ cameo appearances in other games like Shovel Knight to be canon adventures in his past.
Plus nothing about his MK9 role actually contradicts the character history or abilities shown in the mainline God of War games. The series has established that Kratos retains his godly powers even in foreign lands soaked in different magics.
So trading blows with the champions of Mortal Kombat absolutely fits as an "in-continuity" detour while adventuring abroad.
Kratos‘ Legendary Strength Allows This Feat
Looking at the stats, Kratos wields untold levels of superhuman strength no matter what universe he‘s battling in. God of War Ragnarök confirms he stands an imposing 6‘6" tall and 220 lbs – dwarfing most MK fighters.
| Fighter | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Kratos | 6‘ 6" | 220 lbs |
| Liu Kang | 5‘ 10" | 185 lbs |
| Scorpion | 6‘ 2" | 210 lbs |
| Sub-Zero | 6‘ 2" | 200 lbs |
And when enraged, the literal God of War is strong enough to overpower titans hundreds of feet tall! So to me, his MK9 struggle against sorcerers and elemental ninjas fits perfectly with his power scaling.
What This Means for God of War Going Forward
While some fans debate endlessly over what should "count" as canon in the God of War mythology, I‘m personally thrilled to see this epic PS4 trilogy acknowledge Kratos‘ silly MK detour in subtle ways.
To me, it speaks to the developers‘ willingness to weave his crossover appearances organically into the lore without making them REQUIRED knowledge. Casual players may miss this reference entirely without impacting their enjoyment. Yet devoted fans feel rewarded for catching the clever nod.
And hey – if Shovel Knight and Rain from MK are considered parts of Kratos‘ extensive history, then I hold out hope for a future game centered around that decade he spent angrily battling his way through Ireland!
