Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
How It Works • Games & Tech

Kratos (God of War)

Kratos is the protagonist of Sony Santa Monica's *God of War* video game series.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Kratos is the main protagonist of the God of War video game series, a Spartan warrior and demigod. He is known as the Ghost of Sparta and later becomes the God of War before taking on a fatherly role in Norse mythology.

Character overview

Kratos is a central character in the God of War series, first introduced in the 2005 game. He is portrayed as a violent Spartan demigod whose story combines revenge, guilt, and later attempts at redemption.

Greek-era storyline

In the Greek-era games, Kratos serves Ares, is manipulated into killing his own family, and becomes the Ghost of Sparta. He later defeats Ares, becomes the new God of War, and turns against Olympus.

Norse-era storyline

In the later games, Kratos leaves Greece and appears in a Norse setting where he is shown as older, more restrained, and focused on parenting Atreus. This era emphasizes self-control and family relationships more than his earlier quest for revenge.

In short

  • Main protagonist of God of War franchise
  • Tricked into killing his family by Ares
  • Kills Ares and becomes the God of War
  • In Norse era, focuses on fatherhood and controlling his rage
Canadian angle

The character is relevant to Canadian readers through the *God of War* franchise’s popularity on PlayStation platforms widely sold in Canada, and through coverage by international game media read by Canadian audiences.

Quick questions

Who is Kratos?
Kratos is the main protagonist of the God of War video game series, a Spartan warrior and demigod who becomes the Greek God of War.
Why is Kratos called the Ghost of Sparta?
He earns that title after Ares tricks him into killing his wife and child, and their ashes are fused to his skin.
Is Kratos a god or a mortal?
He is a demigod, later becoming the God of War after defeating Ares.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kratos_(God_of_War)
    Supports: Main character role, Ghost of Sparta title, Ares incident, Zeus parentage, and Greek-era story beats.
  2. Fandomhttps://godofwar.fandom.com/wiki/Kratos
    Supports: Ares tricking Kratos into killing his family, the Ghost of Sparta title, and Kratos becoming God of War.
  3. IGNhttps://www.ign.com/wikis/god-of-war-ragnarok/Kratos
    Supports: Kratos as protagonist, Christopher Judge voice actor, Zeus parentage, and later Norse-era setting.
  4. CharacTourhttps://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Kratos.God-of-War
    Supports: Spartan upbringing, family background, and characterization.