Although it appeared for a very long time that Kratos might remain the only character of noteworthiness from God of War, the PS4 game brought his son Atreus. Due to the grand reveal of him being a version of Loki, interest in Atreus has remained high ever since the release of the game.
Now that God of War: Ragnarok is set for release, big things are expected from Atreus. So much so, that many are convinced he might become the next main character of the series. All this means you need to be caught up on the behind-the-scenes workings of Atreus’ development and real-world facts that led to his creation.
10 He Was Almost Cut From The Game
Given that the latest entry ranks at the top of the God of War games, it was a good decision to go with the route director Cory Barlog wanted. However, he revealed that Atreus was almost cut from the title entirely, as executives felt implementing him within gameplay was far too ambitious.
Barlog was successful in arguing that Atreus was the reason why Kratos would come across as a layered character, as being the only character would make him one-dimensional. So, it turns out that Atreus is to thank for making God of War PS4 the success it is.
9 There Is An Atreus In Mythology
The series has been lauded for keeping its characters close to their mythological counterparts. That’s not the case with Atreus, though, who has a much different background in legend. According to myth, Atreus was a Mycenaean king.
He was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. One thing that is the same between mythology and the God of War series is that Atreus was the grandson of Zeus, although Zeus was his great-grandfather since Atreus’ grandfather was Zeus’ offspring.
8 Jormungandr Is His Son
One of the reasons why God of War’s Thor is considered stronger than Marvel’s Thor is because of his feat of sending the World Serpent to the past. Jormungandr was not only from the future but is the son of Atreus, meaning the latter actually met his child in God of War PS4.
It doesn’t stop there, as Atreus will also have two other children in the future: his daughter Hel and his wolf son Fenrir. These children will be a result of his union with Angrbooa, his fated wife.
7 The Meaning Of His Tattoos
Atreus’ tattoos were an interesting part of his character model, and this wasn’t simply for aesthetic purposes. Each tattoo has a specific meaning, lending further characterization towards Atreus. These are all relevant to his journey in the game.
The tattoos on his neck translate to “steady mind,” with the one on the back of his hand meaning “quick hand.” The ones on his arm translate to “lucky shot” and “fortune to strike.” Finally, his other two tattoos translate as “strong arm.” Considering his role with the bow, these tattoos were clearly meant to indicate his main mastery.
6 He Was Partially Based On Director Cory Barlog's Son
It seems fans have Cory Barlog’s son to thank for making God of War PS4. According to the director, the game’s storyline was based on the idea of an adventure he would like to have with his son, Helo. While Barlog did admit he didn’t want his son to have a distant relationship with him like Kratos and Atreus, the basic outline was the same.
Atreus’ role in the game is to serve as the moral compass for Kratos. Even though he is set up to do bigger things in the future, God of War PS4 is meant to illustrate the father-son dynamic between Atreus and Kratos, first and foremost.
5 Atreus' Death Has An Impact On The World
Remember that red cloud that hovered around the sky when Atreus was gravely ill during God of War PS4? That was supposed to be a very ominous thing, as it meant that Atreus was potentially on the fringes of death.
As was the case in the Greek gods’ deaths, Atreus’ demise would have seen his body explode into the sky and have an adverse effect on the world. The red cloud would have interacted with Atreus’ body had he perished, and no doubt some calamity might have fallen.
4 Atreus Is The Only Main Character To Have Ancestors From Different Worlds
There are a lot of powerful Olympians and other god-like beings in media. What’s rare is to have a character who’s a result of gods from different worlds entirely. This is what makes Atreus unique, as he’s not entirely Greek or Nordic.
Even in the God of War series, Atreus is so far the only character who has different ancestry within him. Being the descendant of Zeus and the Frost Giants is unheard of, making Atreus an anomaly that has no other similar beings.
3 He Is More Than 150 Years Younger Than His Sister
Since Kratos has been featured in DC Comics, he’s one of the oldest characters in the comics’ chronology. This was confirmed when a 150-year-old vase with his history was found in God of War PS4. It also meant that Atreus had no chance of ever meeting his sister.
Calliope was born when Kratos was only in his 30s. Seeing as she was only mortal, Atreus would never have gotten around to interacting with his elder sister. It’s quite a fact that Atreus has a sibling who is more than 150 years older than him.
2 He Was A Sickly Child Who Only Recently Became Stronger
People tend to overlook this fact quite a lot due to it being part of the fleeting conversation in the game. As it is, Atreus wasn’t close to Kratos because he was hardly well enough to be around him. Even when Kratos was at home, Atreus was too weak to do much.
He was born and raised while being a sickly child who needed a lot of care. His mother filled this role, which is why Atreus continued to see her in a fair light even after it was revealed that Faye had plotted Atreus’ birth the whole time.
1 He Is Potentially Mortal
Atreus might not enjoy the luxury of coming back stronger from death like his father. As Kratos reminded him by the end of God of War PS4, Atreus is also part-mortal, along with his Giant and God ancestry. Considering that Faye died of natural causes, Atreus has even more reason to believe in his mortality.
Giants are said to live extended life cycles but are still essentially mortal even if they can be around for thousands of years. While Atreus’ god blood might grant him immortality like Kratos, he still has a chance of dying a natural death.