At the beginning of God of War: Ragnarok, players notice Fenrir dying in Atreus’ arms, but he was casting a spell that trapped the creature’s soul in his Knife.
God of War: Ragnarok is a thrilling action-adventure video game, which is the ninth instalment of the God of War franchise. The game is based on Norse mythology, and it takes place in ancient Scandinavia.
The main story arc follows the series’ protagonist, Kratos, and his teenage son, Atreus. The game is the finale to the Norse era, as it covers Ragnarok, the eschatological event which is central to Norse mythology.
While progressing in Ragnarok, you will come across the Knife of Atreus, and, many players have wondered whose soul is captured in the Knife.
Knife of Atreus
The Knife of Atreus is a weapon that belonged to Laufey, however, after her death, Atreus takes ownership of the knife to use it as a weapon and tool.
The Knife was meant to be cremated alongside the remains of Laufey, Atreus’ mother, but when Atreus noticed its presence, he saved it from the flames, and he burned his palm in the process. Kratos decided that the knife must aid the boy in the adventure that is about to begin for him.
Unfortunately, Atreus lost the knife when they encountered Freya, but Kratos found it and returned it to its rightful owner. Atreus broke the knife in an attempt to stop a trap in Tyr’s Temple.
God of War Ragnarok: Whose soul is in Atreus’ Knife?
In a world full of Norse mythology, there will always be mysteries that remain unsolved. However, for other events, there is always an explanation, and this is where Ragnarok players find themselves with regard to Atreus.
At the beginning of the game, Freya attacks Kratos and Atreus, but the duo manages to escape her. Players later discover that Fenrir died in the arms of Atreus. During the final moments of the wolf, Atreus chants some words, “Sofna, upp fra dessu, sofna hedon, sofna, sofna, sofna…”.
While Atreus chants these words, we see that the wolf’s eyes turn white and begin to glow. After some time, players see the wolf’s soul leaving its body.
It gets divided into 4 fragments, and while 3 of them float away, the fourth fragment enters Atreus’ Knife. And with it, the wolf passes away.
The thing that most players are not aware of is that it was not a mere miracle. Atreus later learns from a non-player-character (NPC) that it was a spell that he cast on Fenrir.
The spell allows the caster to take a soul and house it in something physical. Players also see the opposite happening later in the game.
It also relates to how the Giants of Jotunheim escaped further persecution of Odin. Many of the Giants have hidden away in those marbles that Angrboda possesses.
Who is Fenrir?
In Norse mythology, there is a wolf named Fenrir, who is one of Loki’s children. The creature starts out as a normal wolf, but it continues to eat until it grows to an extraordinary size.
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Fenrir will devour the Sun and in the Ragnarok, he will fight against the chief god Odin and swallow him.
A wolf named Fenrir makes an appearance in God of War: Ragnarok, but his story is not the same as the one from the myth.
Does Fenrir’s soul stay in Atreus’ Knife?
Later in the story, Atreus is able to put Fenrir’s soul fragment into Garm’s body. Garm is a giant wolf that is capable of tearing holes in realms. Fenrir’s soul turns Garm into one of Atreus’ allies.
Atreus is able to manipulate the souls of friends and foes, as he moves them from one form to another. In order to avoid spoiling the story of Ragnarok, this talent is especially useful during the final scenes of the game.
Why did Atreus put Fenrir’s soul in Garm?
In Ragnarok, players can witness Atreus releasing the powerful wolf, Garm. Once Atreus returns home to Kratos, they attempt to defeat the wolf only for it to return repeatedly. They later realised that the wolf cannot be killed as it does not have a soul.
Atreus sees this as the perfect opportunity to bring Fenrir back to life as he uses a spell to put Fenrir’s soul into Garm’s body. This allowed Garm to take on Fenrir’s properties, which, in turn, made him obedient to Atreus.