| JustThatGamer said: Always liked Kratos, it's easy to see why people who've only played 2 and/or 3 think he's a shallow one-dimensional character but once you've played them all (forget GoW: Ascension) you'll understand his tragic backstory and see that his anger and relentless quest for vengeance is well justified. Still, I'm glad that they've put an end to using vengeance & hatred as his motivation in the upcoming game, looking forward to seeing how he's developed since the end of GoW3. |
On point!
| Aeolus451 said: Kratos is not misunderstood. He's just a poorly written character. |
Looks like someone didn't read the OP, any of the synopsis given by series veterans here and took the story at face value.
twintail said:
I think you guys have this wrong. The gods dont back out of any promise they make. What Athena says to him at the beginning of GoW 1 that if he kills Ares then 'his past will be forgiven'. Obviously to Kratos, and to the gamer, we assume it to be what Kratos wants. But as we learn its his, and our own, misconception. She never said that she would take away the memories that haunt him. And in the end she says his past is forgiven just as she promised. But this is important nonetheless since it highlights the fundamental flaw of Kratos: his inability to accept responsibility for this actions and therefore be unable to forgive himself what he did to his family. He can hide behind Ares tricking him, but he still killed his wife and daughter with his own hands. He wants the Gods to erase these memories (nightmares) because he cant accept what he did. He wants to kill himself because maybe that will end everything. But it doesn't. It wont. Its why family becomes a key theme in GoW3, especially with Pandora and Zeus mocking him etc. Kratos is so hellbent on getting revenge, and blaming others etc that he doesnt see who is really at fault: himself. And the final story arc of GoW3 is about this realisation. Likewise its important to note that Kratos view of the Gods only becomes one of pessimism as the games go on. Where he was once asking Ares for his help, he now feels betrayed and despises what the Gods represent. Not getting what he wanted in GoW is a defining point in him becoming unhinged... its also a defining point in the Gods ultimately sealing their own fate by thinking that can control a man who has suffered like he has suffered by making him a God. Also I disagree with the idea that he just wants all the gods dead. He just wants Zeus dead. The others just happen to stand in his way. Likewise, Kratos comes to the realisation that power cannot be placed in the hands of the Gods because he knows first hand that it just creates a cycle of control, but also indirectly a cycle of not assuming responsibility for your own actions because man will just worship Gods whenever they need help (this is more metaphorical) . Kratos forgiving himself and reaching this point of accepting what he had down is the ultimate stand against the Gods. He doesnt need them. And he never did. And this is how they lose their power and influence. |
He totally takes responsibility for his actions but he also knows that he isn't the only one responsible for it. I agree with the rest. Its funny how people completely overlook the fact that he didn't intend to kill Zeus till Zeus betrayed and killed him in GOW 2, he killed Ares only because the Gods asked him to and he killed the other Olympian Gods only because they stood between him and Zeus, he didn't really have any beef with them per se. He killed Hercules because Hercules wanted to prove himself to Zeus by killing him, he killed Erinys because she threatened to kill him, Thanatos because he kidnapped his brother and killed him, Persephone because she wanted to destroy the world, Cronos because he wanted to kill him and Gaia because she betrayed him. You see a running theme here, Kratos doesn't kill Gods and Titans just because they exist like many portray him to be, he always has a reason and they give him a reason to do so.
| hunter_alien said: Kratos is one of the best and most captivating gaming anti-heores that was ever made. That why there are so many people who hate it and so many who absolutly adore him. He represents everything that is bad in humans yet in the same time you can constantly see what power and possibilities lie behind it, and you are never surprised when he manages to push things even more over the top than they are. And the next game simply seems like the same concept but backed up by an even more refined character development. Love it or hate it there is a reason why he managed to become one of the most icoic gaming characters in 15 years. |
I agree. Kratos has a cool origin, iconic design, cool weapons and unique backstory. He is pretty much PlayStation's defining character and even those who never played GOW at all know his name. That despite being an R rated anti hero is quite an accomplishment.
