Why Baldur Pursued Kratos with Such Vengeance
Baldur, the God of Light, harbored an intense vengeance towards Kratos that drove their many violent confrontations in Midgard. As the legendary Ghost of Sparta would learn, Baldur was on a mission from Odin to find and kill the Jötunn prophetess Faye in order to prevent Ragnarök. This fateful quest led him straight to Kratos‘ doorstep.
Baldur‘s Task from Odin
As one of Odin‘s most trusted agents, Baldur was dispatched to Midgard with orders to locate and eliminate the last living giant – a seeress named Faye who had settled there under the guise of a mortal.
Odin feared Faye‘s prophetic visions and the risk they posed to the Aesir Gods‘ plans to subvert Ragnarök – the fated death of the Gods. By removing Faye from the board, Odin hoped to gain an advantage over fate.
Aesir Gods‘ Motivations in Seeking Faye
+------------------+--------------------------------+
| God | Motivation |
+------------------+--------------------------------+
| Odin | Prevent prophesied death in |
| | Ragnarök |
+------------------+--------------------------------+
| Baldur | Pleasing adoptive father Odin |
| | and proving himself as |
| | formidable warrior |
+------------------+--------------------------------+However, Baldur remained oblivious to the true circumstances around his target. Faye had already succumbed to illness years earlier, meaning his pursuit was ultimately pointless.
A Vicious Cycle of Vengeance
Baldur‘s violent methods and cruelty towards any giants he encountered set off a cycle of vengeance when he crossed paths with Kratos. To Baldur, the former Greek god was simply an obstacle in his path.
But to Kratos, defending his wife‘s memory at any cost was non-negotiable. Their competing goals resulted in an unending escalation of Godly violence.
"Baldur could not see beyond Odin‘s orders and his own desire to prove himself. It was a vicious cycle – his actions inspired vengeance in Kratos, which called for even harsher retaliation… Neither could suffer the other to live."
– Mimir, Norse God of Knowledge
The Role of Fate and Prophecy
Interviews with creator Cory Barlog reveal that prophecy and fate play an integral role throughout the God of War mythos. While the Norse Gods seek to control and rewrite destiny for their own ends, much of their efforts are paradoxically what puts those fated events into motion in the first place.
Baldur‘s untimely death in his battle with Kratos is a prime example. By trying to prevent Ragnarök by any means necessary, his and Odin‘s schemes instead contributed to its occurrence:
Consequences of Baldur‘s Death
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------+
| Consequence | Gods Affected|
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------+
| Accelerates onset of Fimbulwinter (end of times) | Aesir & Vanir|
| | (e.g. Freya) |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------+
| Provokes Freya animosity towards Odin | Aesir (Odin) |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------+
| Catalyzes series of events leading to Ragnarök | All Norse |
| | gods |
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------+This tragic irony lies at the heart of Baldur‘s story. In trying to prevent Ragnarök, he ultimately played a key role in triggering the very apocalypse he sought to avoid.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale
Baldur‘s descent into obsession over a pointless task speaks to the follies of pursuing vengeance at any cost. His bloodlust blinded him to the circumstances around Faye as well as the way his violence promoted more violence.
Ultimately, Baldur‘s tale serves as a warning about the fruitlessness of trying to aggressively fight fate. The Norse Gods‘ efforts to control destiny only locked them into the very future they dreaded.
