Did Kratos Tattoo Himself?
Believing Deimos to be dead, Kratos marked himself with a red tattoo, identical to his brother’s birthmark, to honor his siblings, and therefore, Kratos did indeed tattoo himself. The tattoo is a central point of the story, serving as a reminder of his family and his trademark, symbolizing the blood that was spilled and forewarning of the blood that would be spilled.
Understanding Kratos’ Tattoo
The story behind Kratos’ tattoo is deeply intertwined with his backstory and character development, making it a pivotal element in understanding his motivations and actions throughout the God of War series.
FAQs About Kratos and His Tattoo
1. What does the tattoo on Kratos mean?
The tattoo on Kratos is a red mark similar to his brother Deimos’ birthmark, symbolizing his honor towards his siblings and serving as a reminder of his family.
2. Was Kratos’ tattoo originally blue?
According to David Jaffe, Kratos’ full body tribal tattoo was originally colored blue, but was changed to red after the discovery of another similar-looking hero, likely to avoid character duplication.
3. Was Kratos originally black?
Kratos is not black, as shown in the game, with many scenes depicting him before the ashes were burned onto his skin, although his voice actors, T.C. Carson and Christopher Judge, are African American.
4. Why did they change Kratos’ tattoo to red?
The developers changed Kratos’ tattoo to red instead of matching Deimos’ orange one because they originally wanted it to be blue but changed it to avoid similarity with Diablo 2’s barbarian.
5. How did Kratos turn white and get his red tattoo?
Kratos turned white after an oracle cursed him, baking the ashes of his wife and daughter onto his skin, and he got his red tattoo to honor his brother Deimos, who was taken away by Ares.
6. Why did Kratos tattoo himself?
Kratos tattooed himself with a red mark identical to Deimos’ birthmark to honor his brother, believing him to be dead after being taken by Ares.
7. How old is Kratos?
In God of War Ragnarök, Kratos is likely around 1,055 years old, making him an old man but still youthful enough due to his demigod status.
8. Is Kratos from Greece?
In Greek mythology, Kratos is the divine personification of strength, the son of Pallas and Styx, making him a figure from Greek origins.
9. Is Kratos still white?
After being cursed and having the ashes of his loved ones burned into his skin, Kratos became known as the “Ghost of Sparta” due to his pale appearance, which he still retains.
10. What is Kratos’ race?
Kratos is a Greek Spartan warrior, categorizing him as Caucasian or white in terms of racial background.
11. Why doesn’t Kratos have hair?
Going bald relieves Kratos of hair-related issues and makes him somewhat aerodynamic, possibly giving him an advantage over opponents, although the exact reason is not explicitly stated in the games.
12. How tall is Kratos in God of War?
Kratos’ height varies, with early scripts listing him as 6 feet 6 inches tall, and more recent information suggesting he is about 7 feet 6 inches in comic books and 6 feet 4 inches in the game.
13. Who tattooed Atreus?
Atreus’ tattoos were done by his mother Faye, featuring runic inscriptions, while Kratos’ red tattoo was applied by a Spartan tattoo artist at his request.
14. Is Kratos’ skin fading?
It is evident that the ashes on Kratos’ skin are fading, a change also confirmed by Cory Barlog, though no detailed reason was provided for this transformation.
15. Is Kratos’ story over?
God of War Ragnarok concludes the Norse Saga for Kratos and Atreus, but with loose ends remaining, it suggests that Kratos’ story is not entirely over, leaving room for future sequels to continue his narrative.