WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for the God of War Ragnarok Valhalla DLC.
Summary
One of the biggest end-of-the-year surprises has without a doubt been the release ofGod of War Ragnarok’s free Valhalla DLC. The expansion, which wasannounced at the 2023 Game Awards, shocked many fans of the franchise. Although Valhalla is a Roguelike addition to the base game, it’s actually much more than that. The DLC holds an important key to what the future ofGod of Warand Kratos' story may hold.
It appears that there’s a new trend ofPlayStation exclusives embracing Roguelike modes, which has presented studios with a unique way to add more content to a game. However,Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC has approached a Roguelike mode in a way that not only gives players extra action, but also adds a new chapter to the game’s overall story. The action in Valhalla is a fun addition to the game, but a beautiful story of self acceptance for Kratos is found at the heart of Valhalla, and it provides the next game in the franchise with a perfect title: God of Hope.
What Valhalla’s Hopeful Ending Could Mean For Kratos
The main story ofValhallainvolvesTyr fighting Kratosin a series of challenges to prove that Kratos is worthy of being the new god of war in the Norse pantheon. Kratos is wary of this prospect, but Tyr continues to insist that he’s the one for the job. One of the prominent themes that persists throughout Valhalla is Kratos' guilt over who he was in the past, leading him to initially reject any possibility of becoming the new god of war. However, after beating Tyr four times, the finale of the game leads Kratos to finally face himself and his mistakes.
Kratos Finally Makes Peace with Himself
The ending of the Valhalla DLC shows Kratos having to come face to face with his greatest adversary: himself. The DLC ends in an incredible scene that depictsKratos facing the younger version of himselfand acknowledging that his past mistakes do not define who he chooses to be now. Kratos finally sees the power of mastering one’s own self and taking responsibility for past faults in order to become a better person. This leads Kratos to the realization that he can be a god of hope, which plants the seeds for the next game’s title.
Kratos as a God of Hope
One of the most profound parts of Kratos' realization is that it shows him allowing himself to heal from the actions of his past. Tyr’s instinct that Kratos is fit to be included in the Norse pantheon is correct because he sees thatKratos is no longer who he was in the pastbefore Kratos even realizes it himself. Kratos taking up the mantle as a god of war would actually be a move filled with optimism, because the title would be taken over by someone who is actually not fueled by wrath but by hope and growth. This means Kratos would handle his title with responsibility and maturity instead of anger.
Thenext game in theGod of Warfranchiseembracing the title of Kratos being a god of hope would be a powerful way to illustrate just how far the series has come since its beginnings. Kratos' growth and search for inner peace has been one of the most compelling story arcs in modern gaming, and seeing such a beloved character coming to terms with his past and using it as a guide to become a better god is a great move for the franchise.
