Is Kratos Stronger than Ares in Greek Mythology?
No, definitively Kratos is not stronger than the Greek God of War Ares in the original myths. While the God of War video game saga depicts Kratos killing Ares and taking his place, in actual Greek tradition Ares is superior.
As a passionate gaming fan, I wanted to deeply explore their backgrounds – both in ancient lore and Sony’s iconic franchise. Let’s compare these two heavy-hitting war gods across mediums!
Profile of a Punisher: Who is Kratos in Mythology?
Before becoming the “Ghost of Sparta” on PlayStation, Kratos had humble divine beginnings in Greek tradition:
- Role – God/daemon of strength, might, power
- Siblings – Nike (Victory), Bia (Force), Zelus (Rivalry)
- Servants – Winged enforcers who attended Zeus’ throne
As this description from Theoi.com shows, Kratos was a minor god tasked with carrying out Zeus’ will through shows of strength and force:
“KRATOS (Cratus) was the god or personified spirit (daimon) of strength, might, power and sovereign rule. He and his three siblings–Nike (Victory), Bia (Force) and Zelus (Rivalry)–were the winged enforcers of the gopd Zeus, angel-like beings who stood in attendance of the heavenly throne.”
So while an immortal being, Kratos wasn’t even close to a top-tier deity in the pantheon. But the games would drastically raise his status!
Ares, The Feared Greek God of War
Unlike Kratos, Ares was revered by Greeks in ancient times as the brutal embodiment of war:
- Role – Olympian God of War, Battlelust, Bloodshed
- Epithets – “Spear Fighter” and “Shield Piercer”
- Symbol – Petrified Spartoi warriorsturned-skeletons
- Parents – Zeus and Hera
As God of War developer David Jaffe explained, Ares reflected the violent realities of combat in the age:
“He represented the violent and untamed aspect of war that was unleashed on the battlefield.”
Jaffe also noted how Ares directly influenced Spartan society, including its vicious agoge training regimen for warriors.
With the Greeks constantly at war, they made many tributes to Ares hoping for victory or protection. And contrary to pop culture, the myths don’t portray rivals like Athena regularly getting the better of him.
Kratos Ascends in God of War Games
However, Kratos’ fortunes changed drastically in Sony’s hit series starting in 2005. As summarised on Fandom:
After accidentally killing his family due to the trickery of his former mentor Ares, the God of War…[Kratos] later avenges the deaths of his family and becomes the new "God of War" after killing Ares.
Some key notes on how Kratos bested his mythological superior:
- Lost first fight against Ares due to broken Blade of the Gods
- Imbued with godly power by Athena to match Ares
- Used an empowered Blade of the Gods to achieve victory
- Took Ares spot on Olympus after slaying him
As that quote shows, Kratos needed massive assistance just to compete with Ares before narrowly winning. But it made for an epic showdown that fittingly ended the first game!
Comparing Powers and Abilities
Here’s a chart looking at how both Kratos and Ares stacked up ability wise both in mythology and God of War:
| Power/Ability | Kratos (Myth) | Ares (Myth) | Kratos (Games) | Ares (Games) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godly Domain | Strength/Might | Warfare/Bloodlust | Same | Same |
| Weapon Skill | N/A | Legendary | Legendary (Blades) | Legendary (Spear/Sword) |
| Battle Prowess | Minor Deity | Top Olympian | Demi-God Level | God Level |
| Super Strength | Moderate | Godly | Godly+ | Godly+ |
| Other Powers | Flight (Wings) | Shapeshift | Magic/Rage Mode | Energy Projection |
Clearly in tradition, Ares exceeds Kratos substantially as the actual Greek God of War. But game Kratos closes the gap thanks partly to crazy weapons like the Blades of Chaos/Athena/Exile.
Yet despite some similarities after his apotheosis finishing Ares, OG myth Kratos remains vastly inferior.
Why Defeating Ares Was a Pivotal Gaming Moment
As a life-long gamer, I still vividly remember battling Ares back in 2005. And Kratos overcoming the iconic God of War was an absolute jaw-dropping moment.
Here’s why his victory left such an impression on me and fans worldwide:
- Rare to defeat/kill a top-tier Greek god
- Sold players on Kratos believably becoming the new God of War
- Vengeance completion after Ares tricks Kratos into killing his family
- Epic clash of powers on massive scale before bloody finish
- Left Kratos sitting atop a conquered Olympus afterwards
Synchronising moves to finally impale Ares through the chest felt so satisfying and badass. It made you feel like you achieved Greek god-slaying status thanks to slick PS2 controls translating to Kratos’ on-screen actions.
And his takeover instantly cemented the Ghost of Sparta as a truePlayStation legend. What an all-time classic gaming moment!
In Myths, Ares Remains Supreme Over Kratos
While God of War wonderfully rebuilt Kratos from lowering demi-god to a warring titan, his standing never reached such heights in ancient Greek tradition.
As shared earlier, Ares was one of Greece’s most prominent and feared gods commanding immense power. Whereas Kratos had a minimal supporting role beside Zeus’ throne.
There are no recorded myths of Kratos challenging Ares, let alone proving victorious. At most, rival gods like Athena, Hera or Hercules could match Ares in battle.
So while the game universe empowers Kratos to depose his mentor, in mythology Ares outranks his angelic servant across the board!
Let me know your thoughts on Kratos vs Ares in the comments. And for all the latest on God of War Ragnarök before its November launch, stay tuned to the channel!
