The relationship between Kratos and Atreus has grown in God of War Ragnarok, and part of this involves the Ghost of Sparta calling his son by his name. Players were first introduced to Atreus in the 2018 God of War reboot, which saw his father Kratos abandon his old God-killing ways from the original God of War games in favor of a quiet life in Midgard. This peaceful existence wouldn’t last long though, as the pair are tasked with journeying to the highest peak in Jotunheim as per the dying wish of Kratos’ wife Faye.
Due in part to both Faye’s death and the tragic loss of his original family in the old God of War trilogy, Kratos begins God of War (2018) in a cold and distant relationship with Atreus. This is best demonstrated in how Kratos calls his son “Boy” instead of his name at any given opportunity – even after his bond with Atreus starts to grow as the epic story progresses. The real-life explanation for why Kratos called Atreus “Boy” in God of War was that the developers at Sony Santa Monica weren’t able to agree on Atreus’ real name until relatively late in God of War (2018)’s production, but “Boy” soon became a popular meme for the game’s fans and made Kratos all the more endearing in his new role as an awkward dad.
However, it seems like Kratos will refrain from calling Atreus “Boy” in God of War Ragnarok, as confirmed by director Eric Williams in an interview with GamesRadar. He explains that the relationship between father and son has grown in the time between God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok, and as a result Kratos will refer to Atreus by his name as a sign of respect. This is also meant to signify Atreus’s newfound maturity and independence, as previous God of War Ragnarok story trailers showed the boy challenging Kratos and urging his father to take a more active role in the brewing conflict against the Gods of Asgard. “The last game you had Atreus just always being told what to do by adults. Anybody asks a question and they never give him an answer. But we wanted to be a lot more grey,” Williams explains. “We really took the idea that it takes a village because Kratos can’t answer a lot of the questions that are being asked of him… I love those parts that Kratos struggles with because he can’t beat them up.”
Kratos And Atreus’s Relationship Grows In God Of War Ragnarok
Sure enough, Atreus seems to be taking a more proactive role in God of War Ragnarok, as he is shown actively trying to uncover the truth behind the titular prophecy and his destined role as the God of War version of the infamous trickster god Loki. The previous God of War game saw Atreus discover his true nature as the son of a God, and some fans suspect that past God of War Ragnarok trailers are hiding a twist surrounding Atreus’s gameplay.
Kratos and Atreus have come a long way since they first began their journey in God of War (2018), and part of how this relationship develops in God of War Ragnarok involves Kratos abandoning his son’s old nickname. The story of this now-beloved father/son duo will reach its zenith when God of War Ragnarok launches on November 9, though it means saying goodbye to one of the first game’s most popular memes.
Source: GamesRadar, PlayStation/YouTube