Unmasking Odin’s True Desires: What He Really Wanted From Kratos in God of War Ragnarok
Odin’s motivations in God of War Ragnarok are complex, shrouded in layers of deception and self-preservation. While he initially extends an offer of peace to Kratos, his true intentions are far more manipulative. Odin didn’t want genuine peace with Kratos; he wanted Kratos’s cooperation, or rather, his submission, to serve Odin’s own selfish purposes. Ultimately, Odin sought to leverage Kratos as a tool in his grand scheme to prevent Ragnarok and secure his own immortality and knowledge of the universe’s deepest secrets. He attempted to lure Kratos with the promise of freedom from conflict, but it was a facade designed to distract from his true desires.
Odin’s False Offer of Peace
At the outset, Odin approaches Kratos with a seemingly conciliatory proposal. He claims to want peace just as much as Kratos does, suggesting they could achieve it together. However, this is merely a ploy to gain Kratos’s trust, which Odin desperately needs to achieve his true goals. Odin’s vision of “peace” isn’t one of harmony or understanding; it’s a tyrannical order where his will reigns supreme. He believes he can prevent Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world, by gathering all the knowledge he can and destroying any potential threats.
Odin’s True Objective: Avoiding Ragnarok and Securing Power
The core of Odin’s ambition was to avoid his prophesied death during Ragnarok and to gain ultimate power. He sought to steal all the answers of the universe’s creation, using this knowledge to manipulate fate and eradicate any threat to his dominance. His methods are far from peaceful. He plans to force his version of peace upon the realms through fear and total control, which ultimately contradicts his supposed desire for peace. This is the major divergence from traditional Norse mythology where Odin is often seen as embracing his fate. In God of War, Odin desperately seeks to circumvent it.
Manipulating Kratos Through Freya and Deception
Odin’s initial approach involves an offer to eliminate Freya, essentially promising to “get her off your back,” which Kratos immediately sees as a threat. This is a clear demonstration that Odin uses those around Kratos as a way of gaining his compliance through manipulation. Kratos, having learned the hard way that deals with gods are never beneficial, refuses to be drawn into Odin’s machinations. Odin knows that Kratos has a deep bond with Freya, and attempts to exploit that as a way to exert influence.
The Importance of Atreus to Odin
Perhaps the most crucial aspect of Odin’s plan revolved around Atreus. Odin was obsessed with Atreus because of his potential to unlock the secrets of a rift into another realm. Odin believed that by studying this rift, he could obtain infinite knowledge, particularly concerning what happens after death. He needed Atreus to find the mask fragments that protect him from this rift’s power. This knowledge was his ultimate goal: to secure his place in the cosmos, even beyond death. He knew he had to die but he also wanted to know what happened next, which is why Atreus was so vital to his scheme.
Kratos’s Rejection and Distrust
Kratos consistently rejects Odin’s offers due to his past experiences with the deceptive nature of gods and specifically to protect Freya. He has learned not to trust them and understands that any deal with them is inevitably flawed and exploitative. His history of being manipulated by the Greek gods has instilled in him a deep-seated distrust for all deities. Mimir also reinforces this skepticism by reminding him of Odin’s deceitful past. This distrust, combined with Odin’s threat to Freya, ensures Kratos will never ally himself with Odin. Kratos also does not want to be the cause of any harm to those he cares about.
Fear as a Motivator for Odin
While Odin often appears confident, he is also driven by fear. Odin feared Kratos’s presence in Midgard because he understood Kratos’s power and reputation as the “Ghost of Sparta.” He feared that Kratos could challenge his authority over the nine realms and ruin his long-term plans. He knew that Kratos was powerful and a challenge he was not sure he could overcome. This apprehension was also why he always had his ravens watch Kratos and his family, as detailed in the Novelization of God of War.
Odin’s True Desire: Knowledge and Power Over Death
Ultimately, Odin wanted infinite knowledge and control over fate and death through Atreus’s ability to access the realm rift. This thirst for understanding and self-preservation propelled him. He was determined to avoid the prophesied Ragnarok and secure his own immortality by any means necessary. His offer of peace was merely a tool to achieve these selfish aims, a calculated step in his grand plan. This aligns with the concept of Odin seeking knowledge through self-sacrifice in Norse mythology, but in God of War, he seeks this knowledge to conquer death itself.
Odin’s interactions with Kratos reveal a character deeply motivated by self-interest, fear, and a hunger for absolute control, making him a complex and formidable antagonist in God of War Ragnarok. He wasn’t seeking partnership with Kratos. He was seeking to exploit him.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Did Odin truly want peace in God of War Ragnarok?
No, Odin’s offer of peace was a manipulative tactic. He wanted to control the realms and prevent Ragnarok to secure his own power and immortality, not to create genuine peace.
2. Why was Odin so obsessed with Atreus?
Odin was obsessed with Atreus because he believed that Atreus could unlock a rift into another realm. Odin wanted to access this realm for its infinite knowledge, particularly concerning what happens after death.
3. What was Odin’s specific offer to Kratos?
Odin offered to “get Freya off your back,” implying he would kill her. This was a way of showing his power and attempting to manipulate Kratos, which ultimately backfired.
4. Why did Kratos refuse Odin’s offer?
Kratos refused because he deeply distrusts gods and their deals, especially after his past with the Greek gods. He also cares about Freya and saw Odin’s offer as a direct threat to her. Mimir also advised him against trusting Odin.
5. Was Odin trying to prevent Ragnarok for the good of the realms?
No, Odin’s aim to prevent Ragnarok was purely self-serving. He wanted to secure his own survival and power, not for the well-being of the nine realms.
6. Why did Odin fear Kratos?
Odin feared Kratos due to his power and reputation as the Ghost of Sparta. He was concerned that Kratos could challenge his control over the realms and thwart his plans.
7. How did Odin try to manipulate Atreus?
Odin used Atreus’s desire for knowledge and his fascination with prophecy to lure him to his side and to seek the mask fragments that could give him access to the rift.
8. Was Odin’s plan similar to his actions in Norse mythology?
Not exactly. While Odin’s pursuit of knowledge is a theme in Norse myth, his desire to actively circumvent his prophesied death is a divergence from the traditional tales. In God of War, he tries to control his fate rather than embrace it.
9. Did Odin use his ravens to spy on Kratos?
Yes, according to the Novelization of God of War by J.M Barlog, Odin used his ravens to spy on Kratos and Atreus throughout their journey.
10. Was Odin aware of Kratos’s past in Greece?
Yes, it’s implied that Odin knew of Kratos’s past in Greece, which was part of why he was weary of his presence in Midgard.
11. Was Zeus more powerful than Odin?
This is a question of interpretation and depends on the source material. In the context of God of War, it is implied that Odin is a formidable foe with knowledge and magic beyond what Zeus possessed, although a direct comparison is not drawn.
12. Why was Odin so intent on gaining knowledge?
Odin was obsessed with knowledge because he wanted to understand the universe and its secrets, specifically concerning what happens after death, so he could manipulate it to his advantage.
13. What was Odin’s plan with the rift into another realm?
Odin planned to enter the rift to obtain infinite knowledge, especially concerning the afterlife. He needed Atreus to access the rift and the mask fragments to do this without being harmed.
14. How was Odin ultimately defeated?
Odin was defeated by Kratos, Freya, and Atreus during their final confrontation and was ultimately destroyed by Sindri, who was seeking revenge for Brok’s death, whom Odin caused while disguised as Tyr.
15. Did Odin ever show genuine care for anyone?
It is debatable. His interactions suggest that he prioritizes control and self-preservation, even at the expense of others. Any semblance of care was likely part of his manipulations.