God of War has been exploring the Norse realm, and it has served as a deeply important catalyst when it comes to Kratos’ growth as a god and a father. The Norse God of War chapters kick off in a heart-wrenching way, as Kratos and his son Atreus bury his recently deceased wife Faye, which sets in motion a beautifully written story about a father and son coming to terms with such a heavy loss and learning to depend on one another despite their clashing personalities. God of War‘s Norse saga has presented one of the best video game stories of the decade, but the next Kratos-led chapter could undo all that progress if mishandled.
Santa Monica Studio’s Cory Barlog recently let it slip at San Diego Comic-Con that a new Kratos God of War game is in development and is directly connected to the upcoming God of War Laufey that follows Faye as she experiences the afterlife of the gods. A God of War story focused on Faye and a mysterious new realm was exciting enough, but getting another Kratos chapter next is a one-two punch of awesomeness. God of War‘s Norse era has been one of my favorite series of the past decade, and as excited as I am for another Kratos game, I’m crossing my fingers that Santa Monica Studio refrains from reuniting him and Faye.
If Kratos and Faye Are Reunited After God of War Laufey, It Would Be a Disservice to Him and Atreus’ Character Arcs
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Santa Monica Studio -
Santa Monica Studio -
Santa Monica Studio
God of War Laufey gameplay footage and the game’s main premise were revealed earlier this year, but much of the story still remains under wraps. Santa Monica Studio’s preview did a great job at raising more questions than offering any answers, which makes the chapter that much more intriguing. All that is known so far is that Faye will be joined by two companions, Rue and Phranque, and Mongolian and Egyptian deities are confirmed as the first villains she encounters in a realm called the Everywhen.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
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Even though it’s clear that Faye is very much dead in the story, there are hints throughout the gameplay preview that make it seem as though the veil between God of War Laufey‘s Everywhen and the Norse Realm is thin. She has a vision of Kratos, and he’s even able to touch her and help her up during this moment. This could merely be a hallucination. However, this could also be teasing that a reunion is destined to happen.
The Mongolian deity shown in God of War Laufey‘s gameplay preview is named Begtse, while the Egyptian deity is a goddess known as Sekhmet. They are both gods of war in their respective pantheons, so it makes me wonder if every boss in Laufey will be war gods from mythologies that the franchise has never explored.
Since God of War takes place in such a fantastical world, a scenario where Faye is somehow able to fight her way out of the Everywhen and be reunited with her husband and son isn’t too farfetched. This is a story where ancient gods and magical beings exist, after all. Kratos and Faye reuniting and being able to raise Atreus together as a family again would definitely be heartwarming, but this needs to be avoided at all costs.
For Kratos’ Growth to Really Mean Something, Faye Needs to Stay Dead After God of War Laufey
Kratos and Atreus have been through a lot ever since Faye died. Whether it was defeating Odin or simply trying to connect and understand each other, the two were forced to grow without Faye being there as a voice of reason. Although Faye’s role in the Norse saga has been small, her flashback scenes in Ragnarok made it clear that she was incredibly wise and more emotionally mature than Kratos when they were married. After her death, Kratos’ emotional shortcomings were amplified. He was impatient and easy to anger, but he eventually learned to tame those aspects of himself and gain the emotional strength to match his physical power.
Faye’s death also filled Kratos with a deep fear that he would lose Atreus, too. He seemed detached, but he simply didn’t know how to handle these kinds of feelings on his own. Kratos lost his first family in God of War‘s Greek saga, and losing Faye led him to believe that death simply follows him wherever he goes and everyone he loves is destined for a tragic end. The guilt he feels from being unable to save the people he cares for is one of his defining features at the beginning of the Norse story.
God of War Laufey‘s confirmed cast includes Deborah Ann Woll as Faye, Jack Quaid as Phranque, and Perlina Lau as Rue. Christopher Judge will also be returning to voice Kratos.
As God of War‘s Norse saga continues, though, Kratos learns to forgive himself and move on from his past guilt. He becomes emotionally mature, a more understanding father, and he also learns that he can live on without Faye even though the pain is still there. The Norse saga has shown just how much depth Kratos actually has, and such a beautiful story about grief and acceptance will simply become trivialized if Faye is brought back from the dead.
Kratos’ Most Important Moments in the Norse Saga
- Killing Baldur puts an end to Kratos trying to hide himself and Atreus from the world.
- Kratos’ vision of Zeus highlights his fear of repeating his past mistakes.
- Regaining the Blades of Chaos forces him to confront his past.
- Telling Atreus the truth about their godhood is a huge step in Kratos building trust with his son.
- Spreading Faye’s ashes in Jotunheim brings Kratos and Atreus some closure.
- Kratos’ fight with Thor in Ragnarok ends in mercy instead of the bloodshed he was once known for.
- Kneeling to Brok revealed how much more humble he had become.
- Kratos lets Atreus go out on his own to search for the remaining Giants.
- At the end of Ragnarok, Kratos finds the shrine that reveals him being worshiped as a god of peace instead of war.
Kratos’ embrace of a more peaceful path isn’t just for his own sake. He’s doing it for Faye and Atreus, too. Kratos wants to be a good father, and he wants to be someone Faye would be proud of. God of War Ragnarok‘s ending showed that such a path is possible. In the first Norse game, Kratos tells Atreus, “You must be better than me,” and Kratos eventually realizes that he can even better himself instead of focusing solely on Atreus breaking the cycle of violence. Atreus later helps drive this message home by telling Kratos in Ragnarok, “Don’t be sorry, be better.”
It’s possible that the two could have learned these lessons with Faye still in the picture, but this change being brought on out of desperation is a far more compelling narrative choice. Embracing hope and peace wasn’t just growth. It became an essential survival tactic. God of War Ragnarok‘s story would have ended a lot differently if Kratos had continued to allow himself to be controlled by his anger.
God of War Laufey and the Next Kratos-Led Game Have High Expectations to Meet
Right now, God of War Laufey is my most anticipated game of 2027. Next year’s calendar still hasn’t been filled up yet, but Laufey is the kind of game that I’ve been craving. I loved watching Deborah Ann Woll as Faye in Ragnarok, and getting a full-blown game with her as the lead still feels too good to be true. The Norse saga has meant a lot to me over these last few years, and I’m crossing my fingers that Laufey can hit the same narrative gut punches that its two predecessors were able to do so well.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
As much as I would love to see Faye and Kratos together again, God of War Laufey is better off avoiding a reunion. Flashbacks and visions are perfectly fine, but Kratos’ grief was an essential piece of that puzzle that built his growth. Bringing Faye back to life would simply tarnish that.
God of War Laufey‘s release date was also confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. The game will be coming to PS5 on February 16, 2027. This puts it a week ahead of Fable‘s February 23 release date. The latter has faced several delays and has been anticipated for years at this point, so God of War Laufey will have some stiff competition to look forward to.
Santa Monica Studio is bound to reveal a little bit more about God of War Laufey as the year continues, but it’s going to be fascinating to see how the game handles her death status once it’s finally here, especially since Kratos’ next chapter is apparently directly tied to it. As wonderful as two new God of War games are, these chapters have the potential to make or break the Norse saga depending on how Kratos and Faye are handled.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Number of Players
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Single-player
