There are a number of recent and upcoming games, films and tv shows that use various cultures and mythologies to drive their stories. This series aims to explore the relationship between an IP and its surrounding mythology. Today, we look at the upcoming God of War game, exploring the character of Odin and how the use of mythology in the God of War series might shape his character design.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for God of War.

God of War Ragnarok is set to be released in 2022. Since the trailer was released last September, we’ve seen images of both Thor and Tyr, key characters in both the Norse and God of War universes. But one character we haven’t seen yet, one whose effects permeates the entire world, is Odin.

Odin’s appearance in Norse Mythology

Odin in Norse Mythology is the leader of the Aesir. Known as the ‘Allfather’, Odin was the god of wisdom, death, war, magic and prophecy, poetry and healing. He is often depicted as an old man.

Odin’s search for wisdom is famous. Stories of how Odin ripped out his own eye, stabbed himself with his own spear and hanged himself from the World Tree, Yggdrasil, in order to gain knowledge of runes are well-known. Accompanied by his ravens, Huginn and Muninn, and armed with the gift of prophecy, the one-eyed god oversaw all of Midgard and Asgard.

We can expect, therefore, to see a one-eyed Odin in God of War. In the game, Mimir says how Odin tried to gouge out his own eyes after drinking from a drugged well, but that Mimir “managed to stop him before he finished the job.”

We can also expect to see Odin’s spear. Given to Odin by the Sons of Ivalnir – often known as Brokkr and Sindri – the spear is called Gungnir. It is not stated whether this was the spear with which Odin stabbed himself, but it is the spear with which Odin fights Fenrir, the Giant Wolf.

Odin will probably be accompanied by his two ravens, Huginn and Muninn in God of War Ragnarok. The two all-seeing ravens have already made an appearance in the trailer – probably acting as spies for the Allfather.

Finally, we may see some signs of his hanging. Having hanged from the tree for nine days, it seems likely Odin would have felt the effects of the rope, even if he could heal himself.

Character traits in God of War

Tattoos

Tattoos have a clear importance in the God of War franchise. Kratos’ red tattoos are a memorial to his brother, Deimos, and remind him of who he has lost. Baldur, covered in tattoos, is constantly reminded about his curse by those runic tattoos. The tattoos glowed an icy-blue when he attacked Kratos. In the promotional image of Tyr, we see he has a hieroglyphic tattoo on his arm, hinting towards his travels to Egypt that we heard about in the 2018 game. In Thor’s concept as well, we see Norse runes adorning his chest. Clearly, then, these tattoos tell a story about who each character is and the Norse Runes seem to have some magical abilities.

As one who hanged himself to learn of the Runes’ power and meaning, Odin will probably be adorned with several. These may just be used to tell his stories or they may have some magical abilities in the game or in combat. In fact, with his knowledge of the runes, what other weapon does Odin need?

Or perhaps Odin will adorn himself in the Nordic knotwork art-style that peppers the God of War design. Having hanged himself to learn of the Runes, perhaps Odin will boast of his victory over death by adorning himself with images of the ropes that bound him to the World Tree.

Scars

Scars also have an importance in God of War. The most prominent scar is Kratos’ abdominal wound from when he was stabbed by Zeus. Although Kratos can heal himself, he retained the scar – suggesting it be a constant reminder of his past. In addition, at the end of God of War, Kratos uncovers the seared scars of the Blades of Chaos, stating “I have nothing more to hide.” The scars are a reminder of who he was and we see Kratos accepting this past – with the promise to be better.

With Odin, we may see the scar from his spear or from where he ripped out his eye. But we may also see the scars of when he hanged himself – which leads us to the final point.

Kratos and Odin: A Parallel

During 2018’s God of War, we learn constantly of Odin’s tyranny and poor parenthood. He is a terrible husband and a terrible father. Kratos, meanwhile, is learning how to be a father and trying to learn from his own mistakes to teach Atreus to be better. Through the examples of the Allfather, Kratos learns what to avoid.

We also see the parallels between Odin and Kratos through their relationship with fate. Kratos claims “fate is another lie told by the gods. Nothing is written that cannot be unwritten.” Mimir replies, “on that, brother, you and the Allfather may just agree.” Both Kratos and Odin are trying to change their fate. Kratos is trying to stop the curse of son killing father and Odin is trying to stop Ragnarok. Both gods need to believe that fate can be changed.

It may be, then, that we see these parallels reflected in the character design of Kratos and Odin – with both characters fully embracing their past.

However, with no news of when the game will be released this year, we will just have to wait and see.

God of War 2018 is available at Go2Games and is available on both PS4 and PC. God of War Ragnarok will be available on both PS4 and PS5 upon release. 

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The post Mythology Corner: Odin in God of War Ragnarok first appeared on Get2Gaming.

There are a number of recent and upcoming games, films and tv shows that use various cultures and mythologies to drive their stories. This series aims to explore the relationship between an IP and its surrounding mythology and how this shapes its characters. Today, we look at the tv show Moon Knight, exploring the character design of Khonshu and his links to Egyptian Mythology.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Moon Knight. 

Moon Knight

Moon Knight is Disney+‘s latest TV show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Oscar Isaac stars as Steven-‘with a v’-Grant, a museum gift-shop employee, who has blackouts and a sleeping disorder. Steven learns he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with Marc Spector, a mercenary. Steven is suddenly thrust into a world of violent Egyptian mythology when it turns out Marc Spector is the chosen avatar of Khonshu, the Egyptian god of the moon. Under the guise of Moon Knight, Steven and Marc must work together if they are to overcome the evil forces that seek destruction of the world.

But who exactly is Khonshu?

In the TV show, Khonshu is a mysterious figure that seems to haunt both Steven’s mind and city rooftops. A violent god who uses his avatar to kill people – the god seems to be a mix of a petulant child throwing temper tantrums and a narcissist, claiming to be “true justice”. This unpleasant mix is also seen in the comics, with Khonshu manipulating Marc Spector to do his bidding and bring “vengeance” on those he deems deserving. The similarities between the comics and the TV show also extends into the character design of Khonshu. The god is presented as a looming figure, wrapped in bandages with a large bird’s skull for a head. But who exactly is this god?

Khonshu is based on the Egyptian god Khonsu. Khonsu was the god of the moon, but also associated with fertility and healing. It’s thought the name Khonsu comes from the Egyptian word, khenes, meaning to wander or travel. Khonsu, as the personification of the moon, would travel across the sky and was changeable in his nature – waxing and waning throughout the year.

Seen as the sole source of light during the night, Khonsu was seen as a protector against evil – battling the darkness, while Ra descended into the underworld to do battle there. Closely related with the darkness, therefore, Khonsu was also seen as a violent and vengeful god – and it’s here we see the links with the comic book Khonshu. In fact, Khonsu is mentioned in both the Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts – Ancient Egyptian sources – as a force of vengeance. The Pyramid Texts state “he is the envoy who is sent to punish” and this is clearly echoed in Moon Knight, where Khonshu declares “I only punish those who deserve it, I am true justice.”

On a side note, it is also interesting how the concept of Khonsu changed over time. This is the only mention of Khonsu in the Pyramid Texts, suggesting he wasn’t that prevalent in early Egyptian mythology. This might explain why in the TV show, Khonshu seems to be sidelined by the major deities of the Egyptian pantheon. However, in the later Coffin texts, Khonsu is mentioned far more often, suggesting he had grown in importance. And by the time of the New Kingdom, when his temple was built at Karnak, he was described as “the greatest god of the great gods.” An epithet that was also used in Vol 188 of the Moon Knight comics.

The Iconography of Khonsu and Khonshu

The Egyptian god Khonsu was either depicted in mummiform or wearing a bird head. In the TV show and comics, we see Khonshu’s design takes both these elements. The mummified aspect in Egyptian iconography was probably used to point towards the eternal aspect of the god. But it also perhaps points to his protection of the wandering souls, seen in the Coffin Texts. In the comics and TV show, it serves to connect Khonshu with Ancient Egypt and also adds a disturbing element to the character. The flowing robes of the character also makes it feel ghostly – as well as a priestly image.

The TV and comics also make use of the bird head depiction. However, whilst in Ancient Egypt Khonsu was presented with a hawk or falcon head, Khonshu seems to have a raven or crow head. The falcon or hawk in Ancient Egypt was a symbol of power and sight – king of the sky overlooking his domain. However, the character design of Khonshu once again focuses on death imagery, with ravens and crows being carrion and scavengers of corpses. In addition, the use of a skull creates this unsettling image and the long, overreaching beak creates a more threatening feel than that of a hawk or falcon.

With this in mind, it is clear the character design seems to pull as much from Grim Reaper iconography as it does Egyptian mythology. With his flowing bandages, hollow skull and crescent moon-adorned staff, the character seems designed to evoke the image of Death – which can only be bad news for Steven ‘with a v’.

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There are a number of recent and upcoming games that use various cultures and mythologies to drive their stories. This series aims to explore the relationship between a game and its surrounding mythology and how this shapes its characters. Today, we look at the game Ghostwire Tokyo and its use of Japanese folklore and mythology. 

Ghostwire Tokyo: Cats and Dogs

Ghostwire Tokyo was released 25th March 2022. In the game, Tokyo’s civilians have all disappeared and Yokai, spirits or demons, have invaded the city. You play as Akito, a civilian who survives after being possessed by a demon, KK. Akito and KK must work together, clearing the city of demons and returning Tokyo to the living.

When Ghostwire Tokyo was announced in 2019, one of the major concerns people had was whether or not you could pet the stray dogs. The following year, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda announced that yes, you could pet the dogs. Just before the game’s release, it received more attention for its inclusion of “Yokai Cats Running a Bodega“. Clearly then, the developers knew what the internet wanted. So great is the internet’s love of pets, however, that fans were let down when it was revealed you couldn’t feed the cats, stray or otherwise. Since then the game has received mixed reviews, with people commending its detailed environment design but limited gameplay choices. Coincidence, I think not. Regardless, the publicity surrounding the cats highlights how society today views them as solely pets and is desperate to give them love and attention. However, this wasn’t always the case.

Nekomata 

The Yokai Cats seen in Ghostwire are known as Nekomata. In Japanese folklore, these spirits are cats that have lived for so long that they have acquired both spiritual powers and a second tail. But in the game…they run bodegas. In fact, Nekomata were originally seen in Chinese folklore and were said to be cats that lived in the mountains, with a taste for human flesh. These stories were one of a number of things that were adopted from Chinese culture into Japan. These cats were seen as wild, monstrous beasts that would kill and eat helpless civilians. But in the game…they run bodegas. Gradually, during the Edo period – as cities became more populated – the Nekomata were also said to come from domestic cats that reached old age. Nevertheless, the Nekomata still retained their malevolent tendencies, with the ability to raise and control the dead, cause fires and kill people. But in the ga- you get the idea.

Ghostwire Tokyo‘s Relationship with the Past and Present

Ghostwire Tokyo blends both past and present throughout its game. In this Wired article, the game’s creators remarked upon the juxtaposition between the “old shrines” of Tokyo and its modern skyscrapers and how “the past and modern technology intertwine to give the city its identity”. This idea has been prevalent in the discussion of Japan’s identity as a whole – with some bemoaning Japan’s technical extraordinary progression while seemingly abandoning its Shinto past. One of Japan’s most famous exports, Godzilla, is seen as this battle between nature and technology.

But beyond Ghostwire‘s environment design, the game brings this relationship of past and present into its character design as well. The city is peppered with Yurei, ghosts, who were once overworked civilians and now haunt the city, dressed in their business-suits and carrying umbrellas. Ghosts of teenagers and schoolchildren, once addled by anxiety and the stresses of the future, now haunt the streets headless. Their school uniforms being used to identify them instead. The developers at Tango Gameworks have updated the Yurei folklore of the past to reflect the present. Although the city is seemingly abandoned by the living, the Yurei are dressed as civilians who you would expect to see walking down the street – with the same problems that any civilian today faces. Through this, the developers are further intertwining the living and the dead, the past and the present.

But what does this have to do with cats? Well, the developers do the same thing with the Nekomata. The character design serves to reflect today’s culture. In Japanese culture, cats have gone from being monstrous beasts, from being necromancers and evil spirits to bearers of good luck, to Hello Kitty and now to cute Bodega owners. As Hiroko Yoda – an author on Yokai and consultant on Ghostwire – says “They shape-shift to suit the times. They can be cute. They can be scary. They can be helpful. They can be whatever you need for the purpose.”

The Yokai and Yurei of Ghostwire Tokyo are updated to reflect modern society. They examine the problems of technology, anxiety, stress and everything that encompasses modern day life. And through this reflection they allow players to look at themselves and ask themselves where are they going?

Ghostwire Tokyo is available at Go2Games – on PlayStation and Steam.

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The post Mythology Corner: Ghostwire Tokyo first appeared on Get2Gaming.

As an avid fanatic of the Norse Mythology, you can imagine my excitement when it came to the release of the 2018 reboot of the God of War series. This game had me hyped, and it did not fail to deliver in terms of satisfying action-packed gameplay which saw you encountering a variety of monsters and gods inspired loosely by those of the Norse world.

It also featured a gripping and emotional story that followed Kratos and his son, Atreus on their journey throughout the 9 Realms to fulfil the wishes of Kratos’ second wife, who is also Atreus’ mother. Along the way you come to discover Atreus’ true origin which also alludes to several of the story aspects that we can expect to see within the follow-up title; God of War: Ragnarök.

The sequel’s title, as well as the ending of God of War implies that the game will take place during the events of Ragnarök or at least the events that will lead up to the Nordic apocalypse. Throughout the game we are given hints and teasers that imply some of the events which may take place

. As the game was released a while ago, it’s understandable if you’ve forgotten about or missed some of these key details. In today’s article, I’m going to be giving a refresher on some of these so you can have an idea of what we could possibly expect to see in God of War: Ragnarök.

Freya’s Power is Restored

The first trailer for God of War: Ragnarök made no attempt to hide that Freya and Kratos were involved in some form of conflict against each other. This is understandable, as Freya has every reason to despise Kratos for the death of her son, Baldur, in the first game in the series reboot. However, due to a curse laid upon her by Odin, it is not possible for her to harm any living beings using weapons or magic which has essentially rendered her powerless.

In the trailer though we see her swing for Kratos with a blade. What would the point in her attacking him be, had she not somehow managed to find a way to free herself from these restrictions?  This means that we may get to see how she breaks the curse in Ragnarök, and what consequences that may have for Kratos and Atreus.

The World Serpent’s Creation

Kratos and Atreus first encounter the World Serpent, Jörmungandr, in the Lake of the Nine. We learn from Mimir that the serpent is sent back in time to a period before his birth after a battle with Thor, the Thunder God, when he is struck so hard that the world tree splinters.  From this, we can assume that it is likely that the events of God of War take place during a time before the serpent’s birth.

This is made clear by the fact that Atreus is still a child during his adventure with Kratos. Atreus is also revealed to be Loki, who within the Norse mythology is the World Serpent’s father, so that clearly adds up to meaning its not possible for the serpent’s birth to occur yet.

If the games version of events holds true to its source material, then it is possible that we could come to learn more about the origin of the World Serpent. Mimir also states that the snake feels a sense of familiarity towards Atreus, which further shows the two have some kind of connection.

The Giants Return

During God of War, Kratos and Atreus do not encounter many giants. Those that they do come across tend to be dead, excluding the World Serpent. We do come to discover though that they have not been entirely wiped out, and some fire giants still exist within the realms of Musphelheim. They are foretold to return when Ragnarök occurs. If this is the case, the assumption can be easily made that they may make a return in God of War: Ragnarök.

Contrary to popular belief however, despite what the name implies, the race of giants did not always take on the form of hulking colossal beasts within Norse mythology. The term was instead used to show their shared ancestry with the Aesir gods. If Santa Monica Studios decide to stick to this idea, then we could possibly see giants of all shapes and sizes with immense power and knowledge.

Thor Makes An Appearance

It wouldn’t be right to have any kind of story inspired by Norse Mythology, and not introduce the God of Thunder himself, Thor. In the games first reveal trailer, we see Kratos encounter, who we can assume is Thor due to the mighty hammer at his waist. Santa Monica Studios has a history of starting the series games off with epic boss battles, and Thor would definitely make for a good introduction.

Due to his strength and power, it could also be possible that this battle is intended to be lost and allows Kratos passageway to Valhalla. Not only would this make for a good way to balance Kratos’ power and cause him to lose some of the strength he has gained throughout his journey so far, it would also allow players to experience the Norse afterlife. Kratos is no stranger to escaping death and freeing himself from the afterlife, so this could make for an interesting introduction to the game.

So, here are some of my predictions based on what we’ve seen so far throughout trailers and some teasers in the game itself. What are you guys thoughts? Which Nordic gods would you like to see make an appearance?

Looking for that fast-paced action filled fix while you’re waiting for the next instalment in the series? Why not try Godfall – a looter-slasher, melee action-RPG. Or pick up some God of War merch in our store!

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The post God of War: Ragnarök Story Teasers and Predictions first appeared on Get2Gaming.