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God of War: Ragnarok is the end of the Norse saga. Can Kratos fight other cultures' pantheons w/o ugly, racial and cultural undertones?

ToddBonzalez

ToddBonzalez

The Pyramids? That's nothing compared to RDR2
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
15,530
Something that's been on my mind a bit for the last couple days- Kratos took out the entire Greek pantheon in the initial run of GoW games on PS2 and PS3. Now he's working his way through the Norse Pantheon on PS4 and PS5. Sony Santa Monica has already announced that God of War: Ragnarok is the end of the series' Norse saga. With that information, people are already speculating where Kratos will go next- Egypt, China, maybe somewhere else? Assuming that the series' trend of the gods largely being portrayed as villains waiting to be slaughtered by Kratos will continue, does this present a problem going forward regarding cultural sensitivity? Especially considering the history of colonialism, does the idea of seeing an outsider enter an African or Asian culture and watching him brutally murder their entire pantheon feel off-putting to anyone else?

I suppose they could retire Kratos and create a new main character for their next mythology, but Kratos feels inexorably tied to this series and Cory Barlog has said as much in interviews. Though it's possible, I can't really imagine SSM letting him go. Anyway, thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts on the future of this franchise. Curious to hear some thoughts.
 
Vito

Vito

One Winged Slayer - Formerly Undead Fantasy
Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,070
Wish Sony had th balls for Kratos vs Jesus Christ.
 

Skeff

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,628
I don't think there would be a problem with Egyptian Gods next at all to be honest. I think it would just be a continuation of the story, besides, we don't even know if Kratos will survive raindrop now we have Atreus...
 
Vito

Vito

One Winged Slayer - Formerly Undead Fantasy
Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,070
Also no to retiring Kratos. He is God of War.

Atreus can have a side game though.
 
Spring-Loaded

Spring-Loaded

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,904
Honest question: Does anyone believe in Greek or Norse gods anymore? Feels like you can get away with depictions of/killing those figures compared to jesus
 
Napalm_Frank

Napalm_Frank

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
5,735
Finland
Oghuz

Oghuz

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,911
He is not slaughtering the people. He is slaughtering the gods. So who gives a shit?
 
Kingpin722

Kingpin722

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,028
Given the things Greek & Norse Gods engage in within their stories, it's not hard to portray them as villains. A lot of assholes there.
 
More_Badass

More_Badass

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,623
Is it the end? Sounds like this one is focused on Fimbulwinter and Thor? I can't imagine them not building up to Odin and the battle of Ragnarok in a third game
 
Joni

Joni

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,508
Just do a set of games with the Roman gods. But I'd be very disappointed if we don't see more Kratos vs Norse Gods after this one.
 

OldMuffin

Member
Nov 1, 2017
1,179
Oh sh*t guess I missed the whole thing about this being the last game in that storyline.
Id prefer them just using kratos (if he survives) against the Egyptian pantheon, just so we could get the complete trilogy so to speak.
Other than that maybe something fictional like lovecraftian or something? I don't know…
 
BabyDontHurtMe

BabyDontHurtMe

Member
Dec 9, 2018
21,077
New Jersey
I think Sony will try to steer away from current religious pantheons and focus on more ancient ones, like the Egyptian gods and the Mayan gods. Kratos was always depicted to be a villainous character anyway so him invading other territories wouldn't be out of character.
 

Deleted member 16876

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
39,148
JusDoIt said:
Nobody gonna care about Kratos Black ass fighting the Egyptian pantheon. We've been dying to see it for years.
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This.

When it comes to the other mythologies they can do something different if they wanted. He doesn't have to fuck up every single one after all. Heck in the greek saga he left some gods alive (Apolo being a good example) and now he is trying to change.
 
Mobu

Mobu

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
5,932
Christianity would be bizarre, the actual bible is boring as hell so it could only work if they based it on a bunch of apocryphal books and works like dante inferno or Paradise Lost
 
j7vikes

j7vikes

Definitely not shooting blanks
Member
Jan 5, 2020
5,663
I truly don't know for sure but it would seem as if most people view the games so far as the killing of old fictional things anyways. I mean how many people believe Thor is the god of thunder for real?

I'm not a believer so I wouldn't have any problem with any of it but I think a big difference exists between killing religious figures that are believed in today vs those that were believed in centuries ago.
 

firstseeker

Member
Dec 4, 2019
266
Doggg said:
It also just doesn't make any sense since Jesus wasn't exactly known for his martial prowess. Why culminate with fighting the "prince of peace"?
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I think those in favor, just want to stick it to a certain group and have fun with all the uproar. Kinda like that Florida preacher who burned the koran a while back
 
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zombiejames

zombiejames

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,933
Mushroomer25 said:
This has to end with Kratos fighting Jesus Christ.
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Hybrid Rainbow

Hybrid Rainbow

Banned
Jun 23, 2019
6,446
tobes231 said:
How would it be any different to fighting any of the Gods he has faced so far?
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One is one of the most practiced active religions in the world. The other two are dead religions with Asatro sporadically appearing amongst some people. You're not going to see Kratos fight any of the top religions, not unless Sony wants a PR nightmare.
 
NLCPRESIDENT

NLCPRESIDENT

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,969
Midwest
Atreus will take over. And he will eventually want to know his family that his dad has slaughtered. Atreus will go back to Olympus and eventually have revenge for what Kratos has done. He will face his dad at some point like every father and son. Can't wait
 
Phoenix Splash

Phoenix Splash

Member
Mar 23, 2018
2,654
Kratos' character must continue.

Aztec-Mayan-Inca and Egypt mythology just fits his brutality. Kratos should make it until then, IMO.

They're the only other mythologies I've got some knowledge about, so please, if someone could enlighten me regarding other mythologies such as the Chinese one, Hindu one etc, I'd love to learn more about it.
 
IIFloodyII

IIFloodyII

Member
Oct 26, 2017
23,978
There's plenty of ways to involve more mythologies than just Kratos fighting all of them just because (they haven't even done that with Norse mythology, he's only fought 1 actual big player Norse God, who is always destined to die). I feel like a Kratos in Egyptian Mythology story would actually be more a his past catching up to him deal, with the remaining Greek Gods (they aren't all dead at the end of 3) finally coming for their revenge and the Egyptian Gods falling on either side of that conflict. Ragnarok is many Norse mythological beings killing each other, I'd be very surprised if Kratos kills many more directly.
 
DoomGaze

DoomGaze

Member
Nov 16, 2017
181
I think it could be done without being racially and/or culturally ugly, but it would probably at the very least be culturally insensitive without some awkward/obvious walk-arounds
 
Praedyth

Praedyth

Member
Feb 25, 2020
6,526
Brazil
ToddBonzalez said:
Assuming that the series' trend of the gods largely being portrayed as villains waiting to be slaughtered by Kratos will continue, does this present a problem going forward regarding cultural sensitivity?
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That's literally the contrary of what the first game tries to tell you. I think they'll be fine, Kratos is no longer a beast driven by pure rage. If he goes to a new culture, he'll try to remain on his own business and not bother anyone.
 
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