NOTE – SPOILERS FOR GOD OF WAR 2018
We finally got the epic, story-heavy, and action-packed trailer for God of War Ragnarok we have all been waiting for. The trailer was jam-packed with story teases and crazy set-pieces, obliterating any doubts about the quality of God of War Ragnarok. When one watches such a trailer, you can’t help but watch it over and over again. I did just that, and with a little help from eagle-eyed people on the internet, I gathered five interesting details from the trailer. What I have to say shouldn’t be taken as fact, it is merely observations distilled from a content-heavy and beautiful trailer.
Atreus’ New Abilities
The first God of War started with Kratos cutting down a massive tree with a golden hand on it. The trailer for Ragnarok starts with Atreus placing his hand on a tree as yellow light beams from his palm. The big reveal at the end of God of War 2018 revealed that Atreus is Loki, the god of mischief. With this revelation, we are bound to see Atreus uncover and wrestle with his newfound abilities. It looks like Atreus is putting his golden handprint on the tree, an ability befitting for the son of Faye.
As we found out in the previous game, Faye, Atreus’ mother, was leaving behind golden markers to lead Kratos and Atreus along their journey. I’m not sure of the significance of Atreus doing this, however, it’s heartwarming to see Atreus manifest the abilities of his long-lost mom. Additionally, we get the sense that Atreus knows something that Kratos doesn’t, possibly because of his newly attained identity as the God of mischief or the ability of giants to see the future. We don’t know the extent of Atreus’ powers, but with this being the last game in the Norse saga, God of War Ragnarok will surely hold nothing back.
Atreus’ Role in Ragnarok
As mentioned above, Atreus will be a major component of the God of War sequel, so it is no surprise that he shows up twice on this list. In the original, Atreus could translate Norse text, often filling Kratos in on much-needed information. We see this role gets expanded in the trailer in one scene where Atreus, Kratos, and an unidentified character stand in a room filled with gold dust. They look at symbols on the wall that could potentially represent Ragnarok. We see several people representing different realms, including Jotunheim and Muspelheim, slowly erode, perhaps showing Ragnarok’s apocalyptic effects. Later, we see Atreus’ direct involvement in the catastrophe.
In the most beautiful scene of the trailer, and maybe of any game, we see Atreus standing with two massive wolves. These creatures are likely Skoll and Hati, two wolves destined to continually chase the sun and moon. Atreus shoots an arrow into the eclipsed sky and separates the sun and moon, immediately causing the wolf to jump into the sky in his perpetual chase. Moving celestial objects and bringing night into day is an immense, world-changing power that will play a significant role in impending destruction.
Odin’s Appearance
In one striking scene, we see a silhouetted figure stand at the entrance of Kratos’ and Atreus’ home, eerily similar to the intro scene from God of War 2018 when Kratos enters the cottage. The mysterious man here is likely Odin, who is Loki’s adopted father in Norse mythology. It is impossible not to see the symbolism of introducing Odin in a scene that plays homage to a previous scene involving Kratos. Will Odin take on a father role for Atreus and influence his actions throughout the game? The relationship will put a strain on Kratos and Atreus, enraging Kratos’ hatred for the all-father. The two father figures will likely fight over their influence on Atreus, leaving the boy to keep secrets from both and, maybe shape destiny with his own hands instead of following the will of his biological or adopted father.
Odin’s Ravens
You can’t forget the annoying ravens that circled the sky as Kratos’ and Atreus journeyed through the Norse realms. These pesky birds could be killed with a thrown leviathan ax if you wanted to 100 percent the game. Well, in the trailer, the ravens showed up again, but this time they are all gathered on a frozen tree like Christmas lights. Since these ravens serve as spies for Odin, this tree must be an important part of the story, especially since Kratos and Atreus are approaching it. The stunning visual of a tree with bright green ravens perched on frozen branches could signify several things for the story. Could this simply be a nest for Odin’s Ravens? Does the snow represent Ragnarok? Or, most interestingly is this the tree Odin hanged himself on to gain knowledge, a story told by Mimir in God of War 2018? Whatever this tree signifies, I perceive it will be the center of some major story developments.
Thor Snapping His Fingers
Thor snapping his fingers to call Mjolnir back is a small detail compared to the rest on the list, but it’s a significant distinguishment between Kratos and Thor. With both combatants using weapons that can return to them at any time, there has to be something that separates the two. Additionally, it’s a cool quirk I’ve never seen from Thor, so the addition further differentiates this Thor from all of his other representations. We see the snap briefly during what is presumed to be the opening fight between the two gods. It’s an anticipated fight and we don’t have to wait long to experience it. God of War Ragnarok launches on November 9, 2022.
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