Decoding the 4 Mysterious Symbols in God of War
As an avid God of War fan, I was captivated by the mysterious symbols that adorned the walls in Tyr‘s vault room. These 4 ancient mythic symbols represent different facets of war across cultures – but what do they each mean? I decided to dig deeper into the history.
Table of Contents
- The Egyptian Eye of Horus
- The Greek Omega Letter
- The Japanese Mitsudomoe
- The Celtic Triskelion
- Collectively – Symbols of War
The Egyptian Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus is one of ancient Egypt‘s most iconic symbols. According to Egyptian mythology, Horus was a powerful sky god closely linked to royalty, protection, healing, and even resurrection.
His right Eye (the Eye of Ra) represents the sun and regeneration while his left eye (the Eye of Horus) was damaged in battle with his uncle Set, subsequently restored and associated with healing:
"The damaged eye of Horus was magically restored by the god Thoth. After this restoration, the eye‘s connotations transcended that of physical healing or protection also to embody spiritually regenerative qualities." – Ancient Pages
So in God of War, this symbol seems connected to restoration and redemption – positive postwar concepts. Horus himself was a god associated with pharaohs waging war to unite Egypt, making his Eye a reasonable symbol to include.
The Greek Omega Letter
Omega Ω is the 24th and final letter of the Greek alphabet used in modern God of War titles instead of a more expected Alpha symbol. As the final letter, Omega represents conclusion, cessation or limit – endings and completion of all sorts:
"Omega often symbolizes the end of a cycle and is representative of doors closing or chapters ending before new ones can begin…Omega‘s deeper meanings relate to finality and the profound interplay between death and life." – Symbol Sage
Consider warfare as the chaotic form of this cycle until resolution restores order. Kratos inscribes his body with Omega in God of War II upon the end of his servitude to the gods. To the Ghost of Sparta, Omega marks endings and perhaps a strange, paradoxical concept of cycles of war concluding.
The Japanese Mitsudomoe
The triple swirl Mitsudomoe (三つ巴) design is ancient, associated with Shintoism and symbols of life-death-rebirth cycles. The triquetra-like form bears threefold rotational symmetry.
The 3 curves signify the basic cycles of life and the passage of Time:
- Birth
- Death
- Resurgence
"The Mitsudomoe is considered a symbol of the eternal spiritual life cycle and progression" – Symbol Dictionary
War too undergoes cycles of endings and renewed beginnings – embodied by the Mitsudomoe here as a neutral, cyclical phenomenon.
The Celtic Triskelion
This Celtic triple spiral motif conveys motion or progress. The rotational symmetry drives the eye inward along 3 bending legs in an ever-forward progression.
Triskelion designs appear in various ancient Celtic cultures, including:
- Pre-Christian Irish
- Early societies across Iberia
- Neolithic/Bronze Age Britain
The motif bears rich symbolic meaning:
"The triple spiral was possibly the precursor to the later triskele design found in the manuscripts. The triple spiral symbolised plurality, motion, progress, revolution, competition and the eternal perpetuation of spiritual life." – Mythopedia.com
Concepts of vengeance against oppressors and eternality resonate with endless cycles of war across history and cultures.
Collectively: Symbols of War
In God of War, Kratos‘ companion Mimir explains how Tyr traveled widely and united aspects from disparate civilizations. These four mythic symbols collectively represent "War" itself in the context of the game‘s lore.
Each icon conveys facets related to armed conflict:
| Symbol | Aspects |
|---|---|
| Eye of Horus | Healing/Restoration |
| Greek Omega | Endings/Completion |
| Japanese Mitsudomoe | Cycles of Life & Death |
| Celtic Triskelion | Eternal Progress & Competition |
War‘s ending brings renewal. New conflicts continue indefinitely as competitive civilizations vie for dominance. No matter the era, humanity remains locked in this cycle.
So while Kratos opts to walk the path of solitude after his Greek saga, war goes on. The four symbols will endure across realms, a reminder that war is intrinsic to mankind across all cultures. Kratos‘ own story is not yet over either…
This has been but one gamer-historian‘s interpretation of some incredible GoW symbolism. Let me know if you have any other insights into these great mythic symbols!
