Wow… I did not anticipate this video doing this well. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your support and comments. This truly means the world to me. I have more content like this coming out soon so don’t forget to subscribe! What should I react to next?!
The most poetic part of this is A "GOD OF WAR" ARES made him the monster. And A "GOD OF WAR" TYR showed him that it's not about the title, it's about the person who has it.
Ares made Kratos into a Monster Tyr made Kratos into a Paragon Beautiful. This is even reflected when Kratos fights both of them. Ares fights Kratos to kill him, and Kratos like wise battles Ares for revenge. Tyr fights Kratos to aid his healing, and Kratos battles Tyr to overcome his past.
Wonder what does that mean for other War Gods like Montu the Egyptian God, Hachiman of Shinto myth, Buluc Chabtan of Mayan myth and Neit of Celtic myth? What will they do when they see what Kratos has become? Will they remind him of his title or will they be inspired by Kratos to follow his own destiny and do the right thing?
Kratos's viewpoint on violence has changed drastically by the time he had Atreus. Now he believes that violence should only be done when it is necessary, a stark change to his prior actions. But learning from past experiences and teaching them to his son helps Atreus not make the same mistakes he did. What a story telling man. Truly incredible.
Funny you should say that. @@traumadelic Overly Sarcastic Productions has a video about Fate in this franchise and they come to the realization that, and I quote, "fate is a metaphore for generational trauma." Looking at all the families in Ragnarok, they all have some form of generational trauma and they all handle it differently.
@@varthalgamekiin4931 the boat captain locked a bunch of woman and children (most likely slaves) in a room with undead soldiers to most likely save his own skin, and Helios literally tried to fight Kratos using a glorified flashlight... what are you even on about? did you even play the old games or did you only read about then trough memes and ragnarok playthroughs on youtube?
The 'when all else is lost...;' while holding the Pandora figure is a wonderful callback to her. She told Kratos "Hope is what we fight for when all else is lost."
@@traumadelic Hear, hear! There's a discussion online on whether Kratos has re-claimed his old throne as the God of War… or if he has claimed a whole new one and become the God of Hope instead I’d be curious to hear your opinion as a therapist on the subject My own personal belief is that he has reclaimed that part of his divinity (War) having grown and found Hope anew for himself that he has grown far enough that he will be strong enough not to give into the pain again
I see it like this Tyr is the God of War and Justice Kratos could primarily be the God of war with the second title being the god of hope@@Ingram_Jarl
The quote "Goodness is not a destination we arrive at, but a practice." really resonates with me. Týr is every bit as wise as he was hyped up to be. I might get that tattooed next year, tbh.
I was playing the the whole game on Give me God of War went in blind no spoilers read every piece of letter listen closely to every dialogue and Valhalla as well. I cried like a baby at the end when Tyr told him he was ready to walk through the door and what he saw. I felt that was made specifically for me it resonated heavily throughout my mental heart and Soul literally.
It's rare to see such an old writing technique, a soliloquy, be used in modern media. To see a character speaking to themselves in their own heads in self reflection. Plus to see it so masterfully done, with great dialog, supported by strong character work and history. This really is master class stuff. I really hope the writer gets more opportunities to explore other characters and worlds.
"You are more than that." And to think, David Jaffee (the creator of the original games) hates this take on Kratos, feeling in his mind that Kratos is not capable of change or processing his own trauma. Which is a therapy diagnosis in waiting itself.
The only part of Kratos in Ragnarok that I didn't like was that he acted just a little to nice sometimes. Kind of came off as odd to me. But the character development in general has been amazing and to reach this point in this DLC is just a well deserved conclusion to his personal story and TRULY moving forward.
@@virtual_bomber5698 Being a father changes you, and Kratos has both seen the effects of his old cruelty and general unkindess can cause in everyone around him (Norse or Greek), and also has been surrounded by excellent influences (at least in the empathy and kindness department) in his friends, his son, and late wife. If anything, it could even be argued that it's strange that he HASN'T become more generally kind in vocabulary and tone, still being a fairly stoic man.
Dumbest part is, he wrote all the old Kratos things?? His self hate, his shame, his regret, HIS HOPE?? like bruh he wrote that because of the pain in him he chose to kill himself. He THEN killed himself as repentance in the third game! Like how does he not think Kratos is complex and grows?
Hey I am seeing a therapist some issues from my past and I just finished Valhalla. I came on the internet to find people who could explain why it felt so powerful and moving to me… I think you’ve nailed it. Thank you for using your expertise to put this in to words so I could feel like I’m not alone in how I felt about it. The ending killed me holy shit.
Dude thank you so much for coming and sharing your journey. I appreciate you connecting your experience to this video. Means a lot! And yes, Valhalla’s story does so much to flesh out the complexities of healing
I feel like Tyr’s “fighting occupies the body” thing is somatic healing, which is therapeutic intention while in motion. Common for a lot of people with PTSD.
When i was exiting service with the army i was told i needed to get back to something i feel i have control over, suggesting i pick up a physical hobby, i guess it allows you to physically maintain control while you mentally work through whatever is going on.
It's also thematically appropriate that it was Tyr helping guide him through this. Tyr himself is the Norse God of War, so he understands what it means to hold that seat. If it was anyone else, it probably wouldn't resonate as much and with Tyr serving under Odin (who is a manipulative self serving narcissistic) knows what's it like to be under the rule of a cruel God King. Both are/were God's of War, both warriors and Tyr helped him through the lense of being warriors. Tyr also know Kratos's past, as he's been to Greece and heard tales of Kratos, and not once admonished him for his terrible deeds. Not only did Tyr play the part of therapist, he is also a friend and gave him trial of combat against him.
Not only that, but Týr is an incredibly curious, and understanding character. Almost every single interaction he has with Kratos, he is asking him questions about his past. It’s a wonderful character difference from Odin’s version of Tyr
Really enjoyed this breakdown of Kratos and his path to self-acceptance. Also, you take on Helios was spot-on. After completing Valhalla, you can, of course, re-enter it, and Helios will reappear taking Mimir's place. When Kratos asks him why, the bitter god gives his usual scathing, jerkass responces, and also indicates something.. helpful, about the projection: Helios: "You WANT me here. Because I'll never let you forget what you did. And sometimes an ugly memory is the only thing keeping history from repeating itself."
Also Helios saved kratos’s live, he didn’t have too but he did and that was probably the only time someone when out of they way to help him, to do something good for him without expecting something in return and what does kratos do to repaid him? Rip is head of to steal is power, this is probably one of the kills kratos regrets the most
So THAT might be why, after being nearly 15 years removed, I can't forget one of my greatest social mistakes, even though I was forgiven for it; because I don't want to repeat it...
@@Scooter227 cory barlog confirmed that this is because the curse weakens slightly over time. So the ashes on his skin indeed go away eeeeeever so slightly over a very long time. So SOME DAY, the curse will have faded away and he will have his original skin tone.
I like that you talked about Kratos brute forcing everything. It made me laugh a little when I thought about how it always usually works for him so of course he's going to do it.
This is such an interesting perspective. To hear a therapist's perspective on trauma of fictional characters like Kratos isn't something I've seen before. I'm genuinely intrigued by your content now.
Wow thank you so much for your comment. As a trauma therapist, this is something I’ve wanted to create and share for a while. Kratos’s story has so many gems that demonstrate how complicated trauma healing can be. Your support is so appreciated
@@traumadelic if you continue doing trauma analysis on characters in fiction, could I throw a relatable (to me at least) recommendation? Celes Chere from Final Fantasy VI. Velvet said it best, your context on fiction is interesting, enough so to earn my sub after one video
Overly Sarcastic Productions mentioned that 2018 and Ragnarok used Fate as a metaphor for Generational Trauma. Thor not wanting to make the same mistakes with Thrud as he did with Magni and Modi, Kratos seeing the bad lessons he had given Atreus... the moment they make a change, make a different choice, is the moment that Fate is broken.
As they said it in-game to defy prophecy is to take a different approach not based on instinct, like how he spared thor, had he tried to kill him, atreus’ fear would have come to pass
@@jordansimeonov1501 It's not just that. Kratos from the original Greek games would have torn through everything to kill Odin, innocents be damned. Everything turns on the one choice Kratos makes: spare the Midgardians. Because he spared them, Skjöldr was there to convince Thrúd to side with Loki, and fought alongside him and Kratos. Thrúd would have tried to cut Loki down, and Kratos would have intervened. Because Thrúd was unharmed, Thor was able to see reason, and stand down. Because of that, Odin killed him. If Odin had joined Thor in the fight, it may have ended with Kratos' death, and Odin would have shown Loki how much of a murderous monster Kratos was, showing him the fields of dead Midgardians. "Look what he made you do." Without Thor, Odin was overpowered and slain. Kratos's entire Fate was hinged on that one choice. Once he made the choice to not pass on his own trauma to his son, he broke Fate.
What got me was the look of fear and apprehension as he sat in the throne, then the sense of relief as he didn't become his old self, how he had learned to forgive himself. That scene got the eyes watering up real quick. An emotionally powerful scene about the human condition.
As a longstanding Kratos fan since the OG days, where I defended him vociferously in that his actions were far more nuanced than many believed, I am glad with what the Norse duology and Valhalla did. It vindicated years of what I've been saying. I love Kratos man.
And I appreciate that what they did, DIDN'T absolve him or excuse the consequences that came from his decisions. They didn't retcon, or even downplay, his cruelty and selfishness. They simply added context that wasn't there previously.
@@mcmewsen Yet he is still given the chance to make things right by placing himself in service for the people in the nine realms. Even if there is no forgiveness to be received, Kratos hopes that he can build himself to be better than his younger self. And that, I believe, is worth a lot more than forgiveness.
I can't help but feel that that throne comes with a lot of baggage. His old self sitting there represents all his self resentment and guilt. Represents the fear of turning to his old ways if he sits in that chair again. In the previous game it was all about running from his past. Keeping it hidden. Not accepting it. The moment, you very astutely pointed out, he says "I chose", is the moment he starts accepting it. And then he turns towards the throne and the baggage is gone. It is ready to be used correctly this time.
One thing in the ending i see so few talk about, is when kratos sits in a throne again. look at the contrast of the old and the new throne. the old is high backed, lots of detail and looks expensive. the new throne is just stone, no decorations. all the pomp and ceremony is gone. Kratos' new throne is the throne of someone humble and literally Down to earth.
Another super small thing I love, is that as the scene is fading out. The model of Young Kratos fades in with the full beard. Such a small but beautiful way to show that he is whole again
I don't blame Kratos for having the trauma he has. His brother being kidnapped and tortured then soon is murdered in front of him wishing he could've done something. Being tricked into killing his Wife and Daughter, so Ares can have the "perfect" warrior. Having no choice but to kill his own mother all because, he wanted to know who his father was and lastly having to serve the gods, who won't help him with his nightmares, continue to look down on him, and having being pushed to the edge by killing those who wronged him.
I had anger issues as a teenager. And I did things that truly made me feel shame. My entire childhood and young life was violence. And that was my response to everything that angered me. It took me years to work through that an be better. This ending with Kratos accepting his past hit me in ways I can't express.
I was in college when the original came out. I was just under 40 when Ragnarok hit, and even closer to 40 when Valhalla dropped. I have journeyed with this character through mistakes of youth and the triumph of healing and acceptance of maturity. Thank you SSM and Chris Judge for bringing it all home, and for giving all of us hope. Kaizen.
As a gamer, this is closure to a tragic character “ confronting one’s self, to find your truth. “ as much as escapism goes, reality hurts worse. For kratos throughout the series, he was but a tool to resolve through horrible means, stuck in a spiral of unrest, festering rage while in service yet eventually it no longer becomes tolerable, therefore rage must burst out. When we look at him now. It is him among others not tearing him down a spiral, they in their own ways lifting him up to stability. The last scene wasn’t just about reflecting, it’s the meaning of that very throne.
Wow this was really great. I think many of us thought of this as a sort of therapy for Kratos while playing through it, but its really cool to have that qualified by someone who can really speak about it in those terms. Thanks for this!
I felt the same way while playing this initially. It was such an amazing way for them to “therapeutically” wrap up Kratos’s arc here. Thank you so much for your comment!
It was here, in that final scene, when the Norse Saga has its first official "break." The camera finally cuts, and, imo, it shows Kratos finally moving from what he's done.
A favorite bit of mine is his change of perception on service. He starts off with "Place myself in SERVICE!". Essentially equating being the new God of War for these people as placing himself back in the chains of slavery. But then he rethinks it as being of use and helping people instead of being their puppet. It's a quick moment but it's very potent, and shows how broken his view on his life is up to this point.
What an interesting perspective to view this game from. I’m working on recovering from trauma myself and this felt like a therapy session. You’ve got a new subscriber sir! Can’t wait to see more from you !!!
“Fighting occupies the body while our mind works out the rest” Some people I’ve know do like, martial arts as a kind of moving meditation, and I find it easier to think over things like a paper while doing something like a horde mode in a video game, so I completely buy what Týr is saying.
Such an amazing video, the only thing you didn't mention that I was hoping you would- although you gave me a much appreciated new perspective- was when Kratos said "Place myself in service" you said it was about doing good within his position, but I thought of it as more of that self-shaming that you talked about, Kratos being slightly hesitant to be work for someone or something again after what happened when he did so for Athena as "her monster" which was brought up in the main story when he was trying to reconcile with Freya. Kratos refuses to be at someone's will again, but like with you brought up, he can do good within that role, it's about the person not the position like Tyr said... and again, I'm TYR-ING up because this story and Kratos' character is so amazing
As I have grown up playing the games, I have come to realise how much I have related to Kratos. He has gone through a great deal and I used to think anger was the way of gritting your teeth and getting throught the hardships. After a lot of mistakes and broken relationships I had found out that It was the ideals that I had which left me so torn up. As I was starting to change, the new iteration of GOW games came out and was a crucial part of bettering my understanding of myself. When this DLC dropped I had no Idea that I would get to see Kratos begin to heal in such a wonderful way just as I have.
All comes with acceptance. Kratos once said that the hands of death could not hold him, but his past was holding him all the time, guiding his actions. The key is freedom from who you were before, and who you are now. When you realize that yesterday is dead and all that matters are your actions from now on, that’s the beginning of wisdom.
The fact that he knows he’s a monster and he can snap is crazy, self criticism is the hardest thing to do, but he has hope he won’t revert back to that ❤️🙌🏽
As someone with a messed up past, this DLC was something that most people who seek self love and self acceptance is a giant step in the right direction. The many ups and downs is something we struggle to look at and accept when a golden opportunity is placed in front of us to better ourselves. Personally I still struggle to see the same things my friends and family see in me and I honestly don’t know how to handle it all… Therapy is definitely something I want to look into but I’m honestly afraid to confront my past sins and endeavors.
Imagine grinding the gym for so long, you lost 50 kg but you still see yourself as a fat discord mod, but everyone else sees that it’s the opposite, that’s my case, but it’s the same anyhow
I love CinemaTherapy(channel) for being about the two things I love. And I love Kratos for being a human behind all the choices he makes, even when he was a God. And that is also why I love gaming. And I appreciate this channel. I hope you grow and prosper on this platform. The effort is real and i wanna see you through it.
The fact that there is a clip of one of the original creators of gow saying that he hates the direction they have taken kratos is sad because this is beautiful
I think an interesting consideration is the scene where he puts Helios’s head in the chamber to be sacrificed to the fire. He willingly did so either as obligation in order to move forward or as a willful act to burn his past. When Mimir appeared, Kratos was no longer willing to accept that sacrifice and Valhalla wasn’t willing to accept Kratos trying to effectively rewrite his own past. We can’t undo our past and sometimes it is easy for us to slip back into metaphorically sacrificing our own version of Helios in the fire. Under duress or new circumstances, we make the same mistakes again.
Nailed it on the head. Confronting himself in the chair was his own view of his past self and once he accepted his own change, it was empty to allow Kratos to place a new version of what he would see as the "God of War". He won't forget what he chose to become but he won't let those choices define him anymore than the good ones he has made, as Tyr pointed out and reinforced by Mimir.
After Atreus was born, he wanted to become better, and truly loves and cares for him and always ends up forgiving him, just wanting to know what is going on, he is not good at showing his emotions as he is closed in, but he slowly learn to connect with him over time and wants to make his son the best person he could be, when his son Atreus struggled early on and his anger was to my theory a reflection of his father's anger.. that Atreus reflected him because he wanted to look up to him.
I think the few people who complain that the monologue at the end isn't a full-on conversation miss the point of that scene. He's staring at a mirror image and everything he says is representation of what he sees in that mirror image.
so glad that we got your video on our recommended. i look forward, as someone who has self reflected on myself to better myself, to seeing what else you can talk about in the future! Insights like yours are valuable so I am glad that we get to hear from someone who can shed light
“You knows of the evils within your pact. You know of the evils within yourself. Yes, THESE you dwell on, but it’s not that simple? Is it?” I love this. It draws attention how we as humans tend to hyper fixate on the negative consequences of our actions, not the actions themselves, and punish ourselves for it. Despite the fact that the consequences of our actions are not always indicative of our intentions. Or even our involvement.
Just found your channel randomly on my nightly scroll through recommendations. Really loved this video you put out. Would love to see more similar to it.❤
I really loved that Santa Monica made it a point to say that Kratos isn't suddenly forgiven or absolved for what he did. Krato once said to Atreus, "it is not intent, but consequences that matter". In Kratos' worldview, he has created a worse world for many people, and so his intent should not matter. Where they excelled in writing was helping Kratos, a man who was bred into the black and white world of Spartans, see the color grey for the first time in himself. Black-and-white thinking can be really destructive because of how unaccomodating it is to anything outside of it. Kratos believes he is bad, and therefore will only view himself as bad, and importantly will only believe any news that lends itself to the argument that he is a bad person. Tyr helped him see that the world is not black and white, but full of grey. The funny thing is, is that Kratos has given that same grace to many other people, such as Freya and Mimir. He accepted them for who they are now, despite the terrible things they had done in their past. Valhalla simply provided Kratos the mirror so that he could give extend that same grace, that same hope, that he generously gives to others. Kratos has healed many of his traumas through a radical acceptance of his actions alongside his intent. Brilliant writing by Santa Monica, and I'm excited to see Kratos have his new resolve tested so he can begin to prove to himself he deserves self-love.
This was a great video. I appreciate a professional's view on Kratos! I personally viewed the "in service" line to be a comparison; how he was used and abused while held "in service" to Olympus, as opposed to willingly helping and aiding all the people we've met in the Norse saga.
Another thing that gets ignored is the fact that Kratos' choices were so very often not even real choices at all. Choose between allowing Hades' wife to kill everyone, including himself and his daughter, or walk away from said daughter in order to protect her? Choose to let Zeus murder him and condemn him to an eternity of nightmares and reliving the murder of his family, or to fight back any way that you can? He becomes blinded by his rage and his hurt along the way, yes, but it's not as if this was a man who casually chose to go down a path of ruin and tyranny. This was a man whose entire life in Ancient Greece can be summarized as 'the Gods and the world keep dunking on me, and so I hardened my heart so I wouldn't be hurt anymore'. The few times he chose to allow himself to feel, the gods and even people whom he considered allies attacked the source of those feelings. What other recourse does such a man have when nobody else will even allow him to walk away. He gets played for a fool by the Gods for ten years, baited with the promise of release from the pain of memories and nightmares so long as he serves them loyally -- and he does, to the point of giving up his own child -- and his reward is "you didn't read the fine print." And then when he attempts to end his life to escape it? "We won't let you die either." The box for the original first PS2 game has the quote: "Those whom the gods would destroy, first they make mad." That summarizes the entire Greek arc of Kratos' life. A man who is under continuous and endless psychological assault until it twists him inside and out and he begins to strike out at everything around him. There was never any room or any time for rest or for healing. From the instant that he was bound to Ares there wasn't a single moment where the Gods weren't interfering in his life and ruining his days.
And now, Kratos had a purpose. After reaching his full vengeance, all else was lost, except for hope. Hope drove him to the far lands of the north and created Atreus. Atreus was the proof that he could start over again and be better. I mean, it was all related to the man that’s able to forgive himself, and not being hold and handcuffed forever to his own bloody past.
Very well said! There's one moment in particular that also stands out to me, when he recollects the story of the boat captain he let die, he asks Tyr if Tyr is excusing his actions, Tyr told him the exercise is not to excuse his actions, but to accept them. As human beings we crave to belong on a side, either good or bad, but we are so much more complicated than that. Sometimes you have to accept that you're a good person who did a bad thing, and while it does not excuse you, it does not have to define you.
I like your analysis. I also like analyzing stuff like this in games. There are several things I've thought about, read online, and that are confirmed in the game. Valhalla basically draws from the memories of whoever goes in. Those who can't come to a resolution tend to get stuck in a loop, hence making their Valhalla a sort of jail. As you climb Valhalla, you're essentially diving into Kratos's mind. Going deeper and into older territory. It's just neat how they use the environment to give you that sense of inner traversal alongside the physical. Lastly, each of Kratos's weapons came about at different points of his life and are appropriately representative of those points. The Blades of Chaos were to be wielded by a warrior who is in a fiery mental state of chaos. The weapons swing about wildly, even hitting innocent bystanders on occasion, which could represent... how lost Kratos was. The Leviathan Axe was his second wife's weapon before she passed away. Him wielding it tells me that he always carries what she represents within himself in and out of battle. He's still lost... but he's "cooled down" some, represented by the frozen nature of the axe. But he regains his Blades of Chaos when his son's life was in danger. So he would still resort to brute force to get things in order whenever he feels the axe and his calmer nature won't be able to resolve a matter. Finally, the Draupnir Spear. A general's weapon. Kratos has always had the capacity to be a general. But I believe he received this weapon at a point when he was truly settling into the seat of being more of a general, like in the emotional sense, not just the logical. Someone you could look to for direction and inspiration. The windy nature of this weapon seems to suggest a soul that is more free and can blow away many things that stand in his way. The precision of the spear throws seems to suggest someone who is paying more attention to what truly matters. This may indeed be the first step he took towards the direction he took in Valhalla. I believe he sees his axe now as an axe of hope. It is what both his wives saw within him, it is what a lot of people see in him, and it is now what he sees within himself.
I absolutely LOVED this video! (Your tlou and tlou2 ones, too.) Would love to see more! When I played this DLC I had the same thought you did about Helios. I got into God of War with 2018 but even just hearing a bit about the previous games from a friend I could imagine how Kratos was feeling and what he was internally dealing with. Helios' dialogue just seemed to echo that all too well to not be some sort of manifestation of his inner thoughts. Esp with how he only appears in the Greece portions. You could argue that Mimir stays in Valhalla bc he's Norse and Valhalla is a Nordic concept, but you can also say that being in Greece (or at least surrounded by Grecian objects and architecture) would mentally transport Kratos back to that version of himself and bring up all that trauma and hardship he went through there. Anyway, great video. As I said would absolutely love to see more!
That's so awesome to hear I wasn't the only one who thought that. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. And I'm so very appreciative of your support. Thank you for spending time with these videos!:) Glad this content has been entertaining!
I have several friends who are combat vets that played through this DLC, and it even helped them out. I could be wrong, but I would guess that Kratos's unrelenting inner monolog is similar to what combat vets feel. After they process what they feel they had to do to survive an extreme situation; wheb your options are "sucks," "sucks more," and "sucks the most," it creates that cognitive dissonance with what an individual morally believes vs. what someone has to do to survive or even what they see others and themselves are capable of in such situations. I think that is why it's so important that Kratos and like-minded people gain perspective on their past actions. A person may understand then what they are capable of, but that means they are in a different place. Because they now have the tools to temper those reactions through self reflection. It's hard, but it's so important to understand that what we are capable of doesn't necessarily define us. But so many spend so long believing it does. I don't k ow if the devs realized just how important this game is to a generation traumatized with 20 years of constant war. ETA: this is also important because it is a window for others to see an example of the kind of self deprication many combat cets deal with, or revisitation of horrors. And by that extension PTSD suffers in general. Its the scars we dont see but need to ubderstand. Emoathy can go a long way.
Shit it hard when you’ve been through a lot as well, with everyone bringing up your past rather than see the person you are now, worse part they do it just to tear you down but god forbid you do the same
I’ve played the God of War franchise since the beginning (2005) and it will always be my lifetime favorite. The continuation of the franchise with God of War 2018 released at such an appropriate time… as I lost a loved one to suicide that same year… The 2018 version helped me cope with this and I constantly kept telling myself to “Be Better.” Make that loved one proud as they would always be there with me. God of Ragnarok & Valhalla unpacked so much trauma & guilt that I’ve buried inside of myself. Some examples that truly resonated with me were: (1) Faye telling Kratos “Open your heart to the world as you have opened it to me, and you will find every reason to keep living in it.” That cut-deep as I’ve contemplated taking my own life ever since my loss, but reminding myself that by opening our hearts, it will in fact heal us. (2) When Kratos & Atreus are breaching Asgard, Kratos finally has his character arc of breaking the cycle. He now tells Atreus the same thing of “Opening his heart”. He no longer wants the path of pain & and suffering to continue with his son as he’s experienced. (3) Old Kratos confronting Young Kratos. I believe this scene hit me the hardest as I felt it was an honest reflection of how I perceive & treated myself over the years… The feeling of shame, guilt, and hatred towards myself. Losing a loved one to suicide, I could only blame myself. It’s taken years to accept the fact that they were in pain and the only time they felt in control was to finally let go. The ending of Valhalla taught me about accepting the past, to “Be Better”, and that forgiving yourself is a lifelong journey. This isn’t a video game ladies and gentlemen. This is STORYTELLING. This is ART ❤️🔥
The concept for this DLC was great and give the character therapy that he has needed for a long time. He just was not ready for it till know. Personality I think the speech at the end was the best performance of Christopher judge’s as Kratos. If this is the last time we play Kratos as the main character I am satisfied with it. They have done so much more with the character in regards to growth and performance then I think anyone was expecting going into the Norse reboot. I am excited to see where they take the series regardless of what form that may take.
With this and GOW 5, you're not human if you don't shed some tears. So many life lessons spoken. The interaction of Faye and her words still echo in my head, especially to grieve deeply is to love fully to grieve deeply is to love fully Faye.
I'm having to unlearn annoyance hearing someone online talk and Jung because of a certain Canadian. This was very well put in this discussion. As a psychological guy myself (I'm still I'm college, I am in no way an expert) this was awesome to hear and experience. Thanks for the video!
Fantastic video there were so many nuacned takeaways from this DLC written so poetically and you really consolidated my thoughts and brought about new perspectives!
Athena: There is nowhere you can hide, Spartan. Put as much distance between you and the truth you want. It changes nothing. Pretend to be everything you are not: teacher, husband,...father. But there is one unavoidable truth you will NEVER escape, you will always be a monster. Kratos: I know. But I am your monster no longer.
Santa Monica Studios did a fantastic job with Kratos. Amazing character development. It's a shame that the original creator of Kratos/GOW doesn't like this new Kratos.
This was a great video, really enjoyed your perspective on things. I think it would be great to see you check out God of War 2018 and Ragnarok with the same type of analysis. Because you are a fan of the series, you can really understand Kratos' mindset. One of my favorite things is that while 2018 has a main theme of "change" and how "change is possible no matter where you come from", Ragnarok focus on the idea that just because you've changed, you are not done, and if you're not careful you might end up turning back to who you were. It's not so easy to just completely change who you were for many decades in just a few months. Ragnarok explores that idea with the concept of Prophecies. In that game we get the revelation that there is no such thing as prophecy in this world, and that the Norns can only see what will happen because they are able to look at a person's past and self and come to the conclusion of what they will do in the future. Like they say: "There is no grand design. No script. Only the choices you make. That your choices are so predictable merely makes us seem prescient." So even after the development Kratos has gone, they still see him murdering gods and destroying the norse realms. It's only when Kratos decides to make a choice he would never do before, that things start to change. It's a moment close to the end of the battle, when Kratos tells Atreus to feel for his enemies and decides to go in after Odin with just Atreus. Kratos is now seeking justice, not vengeance. Another thing that makes this idea so clear, is when you compare Ragnarok to God of War 3. They are both wars against the reigning gods of this realm, so many fans expected the games to be similar, in fact many fans to this day still talk how they wished Kratos fought and killed more gods, and stuff like that. But i think Ragnarok was made to be exactly the opposite of God of War 3. While in God of War 3 Kratos meets many characters, he is too focused on his own mission, he doesn't care what others need and ends up killing many of the gods in his path simply because they are on his way to getting to Zeus. On Ragnarok, it's the complete reverse, Kratos meets many characters and gods who are in need of help, and because of Atreus, Mimir and his own self development, he helps all of them, including the Vanir gods. So, instead of going on a rampage, ignoring and killing all, Kratos helps and befriends all of them, which leads to the end, where Kratos doesn't go on a one man killing rampage of the gods, but instead is helped by a large group of characters and gods he interacted along this saga.
There was some implication in the game that Helios is sort of a reminder to steer Kratos away from certain decisions in the future by reminding him of how similar decisions ended before
This is an incredible video!!! You did an amazing job analyzing Kratos!!! I enjoyed your perspective on his character!!! It was very informative and entertaining!!!
I would honestly pay to watch you go through the games and do a breakdown. I am so serious. I bet others would as well, because kratos is so incredibly relatable as a human. Which sounds weird, I guess? But he's much more relatable than people would think.
It'd be amazing if he read Berserk and did a reaction to that. The immense trauma Guts goes through and how that man strives on is inspiring. Guts is extremely similar to Kratos on how they act, and the loss of people they deeply loved. Anyways, amazing video! I subscribed and wish to see more of what you do! Love from Australia
As a dude who's played God of War 3 the way helios died was both deserved yet unfair because Helios was a tad bit cocky but when it came to his own life he begged for himself to be spared...but fueled by rage against his father Zeus Kratos decapitated Helios
This is the first video of yours I've seen and I really enjoyed it. Going to watch a little of your backlog now. I don't know if you're interested but the character of Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 would make for an amazing analysis from a therapists perspective, I think.
@@traumadelic There is a channel here called FatBrett and he does these AMAZING God of War deep dives. Do yourself a favor and check them out, especially the one about Freya and her son
Was interesting to see the video. As a game lover, and has some interest in psychology, it was quite educational, self reflecting and, some form of indirect, therapy session for me. I hope you make similar contents in more future. Probably Batman arkham series? Thnx for the video.
Keep up the good work man, I think you’ve found your niche. Love hearing what you have to say about video game stories, and I’ve played the 3 you’ve broken down so far. Red Dead Redemption 2 next??
What a Nice Video 👐✨ , i would like to see more content like this , i'm a huge fan of God of War but seeing some characters from other Franchises would be interesting 🤔
I think you could make an amazing analysis of just those final moments. Kratos and his past self. Acceptance. Forgiveness. Loving your videos. Games like this and the last of us and content like yours about these games help me workout my own stuff. Sometimes for some reason, it can be easier to work my own traumas out through the lens of video game or tv show or movie depictions. Sometimes we can struggle understanding why or what happened in our own experience but seeing the experience from an external view through others somehow makes things easier to understand. Kinda how sometimes it’s difficult to express how you feel but a song or lyrics can take you to that feeling or emotion instantly. Maybe we dissociate when we think of our past whereas we are better able to stay present seeing it in happen in others. Idk
Wow… I did not anticipate this video doing this well. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your support and comments. This truly means the world to me. I have more content like this coming out soon so don’t forget to subscribe! What should I react to next?!
THERAPIST REACTS TO:
DETROIT BECOME HUMAN
Therapist Reacts to Smosh Reacts to Kids React to Smosh
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Why does your room look like MoistCritikals 💀
The most poetic part of this is A "GOD OF WAR" ARES made him the monster.
And A "GOD OF WAR" TYR showed him that it's not about the title, it's about the person who has it.
remember Brok's words: its no the form that's define something, its the nature that defines them.
@@akbarrmd7714 stop it, you're gonnba me cry again :'
Ares made Kratos into a Monster
Tyr made Kratos into a Paragon
Beautiful.
This is even reflected when Kratos fights both of them.
Ares fights Kratos to kill him, and Kratos like wise battles Ares for revenge.
Tyr fights Kratos to aid his healing, and Kratos battles Tyr to overcome his past.
Wonder what does that mean for other War Gods like Montu the Egyptian God, Hachiman of Shinto myth, Buluc Chabtan of Mayan myth and Neit of Celtic myth? What will they do when they see what Kratos has become? Will they remind him of his title or will they be inspired by Kratos to follow his own destiny and do the right thing?
It's not the shape of a thing, it's the nature of a thing
The last scene where he just sits down. Decide to sit on it for a while. He looks relaxed, more unguarded than his usual self.
Kratos's viewpoint on violence has changed drastically by the time he had Atreus. Now he believes that violence should only be done when it is necessary, a stark change to his prior actions. But learning from past experiences and teaching them to his son helps Atreus not make the same mistakes he did. What a story telling man. Truly incredible.
Exactly! Great story of how generational trauma cycles can be broken
Funny you should say that. @@traumadelic Overly Sarcastic Productions has a video about Fate in this franchise and they come to the realization that, and I quote, "fate is a metaphore for generational trauma." Looking at all the families in Ragnarok, they all have some form of generational trauma and they all handle it differently.
i mean... younger Kratos does try to let people go but they never take the offer.
Tell that to the boat captain. And Helios. @@vanconojl
@@varthalgamekiin4931 the boat captain locked a bunch of woman and children (most likely slaves) in a room with undead soldiers to most likely save his own skin,
and Helios literally tried to fight Kratos using a glorified flashlight... what are you even on about? did you even play the old games or did you only read about then trough memes and ragnarok playthroughs on youtube?
There was this meme, where tyr was the therapist with the notebook and all, Kratos the patient, and the blade of olympus the stress toy
LOL that's fire
The 'when all else is lost...;' while holding the Pandora figure is a wonderful callback to her. She told Kratos "Hope is what we fight for when all else is lost."
I love that detail that they added for the OG fans 🙏🏾
The once broken man now sits on his throne, the broken throne, the throne of hope.
Tears to my eyes!!!
@@traumadelic Hear, hear!
There's a discussion online on whether Kratos has re-claimed his old throne as the God of War… or if he has claimed a whole new one and become the God of Hope instead
I’d be curious to hear your opinion as a therapist on the subject
My own personal belief is that he has reclaimed that part of his divinity (War) having grown and found Hope anew for himself that he has grown far enough that he will be strong enough not to give into the pain again
The throne if hope, the god of hope.
The only one wise enough to sit upon the Throne of War is the God of Hope.
I see it like this Tyr is the God of War and Justice
Kratos could primarily be the God of war with the second title being the god of hope@@Ingram_Jarl
That final scene helped me with some personal stuff on my end too. It’s not just a fun game. It’s an important one.
I can 100% resonate🙏🏽🙏🏽
The quote "Goodness is not a destination we arrive at, but a practice." really resonates with me. Týr is every bit as wise as he was hyped up to be.
I might get that tattooed next year, tbh.
I was playing the the whole game on Give me God of War went in blind no spoilers read every piece of letter listen closely to every dialogue and Valhalla as well. I cried like a baby at the end when Tyr told him he was ready to walk through the door and what he saw. I felt that was made specifically for me it resonated heavily throughout my mental heart and Soul literally.
It's a masterpiece of story telling in video games. The culmination of decades of refining the art.
It's rare to see such an old writing technique, a soliloquy, be used in modern media. To see a character speaking to themselves in their own heads in self reflection.
Plus to see it so masterfully done, with great dialog, supported by strong character work and history.
This really is master class stuff. I really hope the writer gets more opportunities to explore other characters and worlds.
"You are more than that."
And to think, David Jaffee (the creator of the original games) hates this take on Kratos, feeling in his mind that Kratos is not capable of change or processing his own trauma. Which is a therapy diagnosis in waiting itself.
Amen. Lol
He represents kratos’ old self, a relic of the past.
The only part of Kratos in Ragnarok that I didn't like was that he acted just a little to nice sometimes. Kind of came off as odd to me.
But the character development in general has been amazing and to reach this point in this DLC is just a well deserved conclusion to his personal story and TRULY moving forward.
@@virtual_bomber5698 Being a father changes you, and Kratos has both seen the effects of his old cruelty and general unkindess can cause in everyone around him (Norse or Greek), and also has been surrounded by excellent influences (at least in the empathy and kindness department) in his friends, his son, and late wife. If anything, it could even be argued that it's strange that he HASN'T become more generally kind in vocabulary and tone, still being a fairly stoic man.
Dumbest part is, he wrote all the old Kratos things?? His self hate, his shame, his regret, HIS HOPE?? like bruh he wrote that because of the pain in him he chose to kill himself. He THEN killed himself as repentance in the third game! Like how does he not think Kratos is complex and grows?
Hey I am seeing a therapist some issues from my past and I just finished Valhalla. I came on the internet to find people who could explain why it felt so powerful and moving to me… I think you’ve nailed it.
Thank you for using your expertise to put this in to words so I could feel like I’m not alone in how I felt about it.
The ending killed me holy shit.
Dude thank you so much for coming and sharing your journey. I appreciate you connecting your experience to this video. Means a lot! And yes, Valhalla’s story does so much to flesh out the complexities of healing
I feel like Tyr’s “fighting occupies the body” thing is somatic healing, which is therapeutic intention while in motion. Common for a lot of people with PTSD.
When i was exiting service with the army i was told i needed to get back to something i feel i have control over, suggesting i pick up a physical hobby, i guess it allows you to physically maintain control while you mentally work through whatever is going on.
It's also thematically appropriate that it was Tyr helping guide him through this. Tyr himself is the Norse God of War, so he understands what it means to hold that seat. If it was anyone else, it probably wouldn't resonate as much and with Tyr serving under Odin (who is a manipulative self serving narcissistic) knows what's it like to be under the rule of a cruel God King. Both are/were God's of War, both warriors and Tyr helped him through the lense of being warriors. Tyr also know Kratos's past, as he's been to Greece and heard tales of Kratos, and not once admonished him for his terrible deeds. Not only did Tyr play the part of therapist, he is also a friend and gave him trial of combat against him.
Not only that, but Týr is an incredibly curious, and understanding character. Almost every single interaction he has with Kratos, he is asking him questions about his past. It’s a wonderful character difference from Odin’s version of Tyr
@@voids4818 Yeah, getting to see a bit of the actual Týr really shows what a mockery Odin made of him.
God, I love their dynamic. Top tier ship, I'm not gonna lie.
... well shit, now this makes me want a spin-off game where you play as Tyr during his time as the God of War, see what he's been through.
Really enjoyed this breakdown of Kratos and his path to self-acceptance. Also, you take on Helios was spot-on. After completing Valhalla, you can, of course, re-enter it, and Helios will reappear taking Mimir's place. When Kratos asks him why, the bitter god gives his usual scathing, jerkass responces, and also indicates something.. helpful, about the projection:
Helios: "You WANT me here. Because I'll never let you forget what you did. And sometimes an ugly memory is the only thing keeping history from repeating itself."
Also Helios saved kratos’s live, he didn’t have too but he did and that was probably the only time someone when out of they way to help him, to do something good for him without expecting something in return and what does kratos do to repaid him? Rip is head of to steal is power, this is probably one of the kills kratos regrets the most
So THAT might be why, after being nearly 15 years removed, I can't forget one of my greatest social mistakes, even though I was forgiven for it; because I don't want to repeat it...
Damn I can't stop crying as a 35 year man this brings strong emotions out me now as a father and a husban.. i have fail so much
I love how his tattoo and white skin is more faded than his younger self. It’s a subtle way of showing his growth in becoming a better man.
I don’t think the ashes of his former family is ever gonna fade away
@@Scooter227they seem more prominent during his moments of rage
@@Scooter227 cory barlog confirmed that this is because the curse weakens slightly over time. So the ashes on his skin indeed go away eeeeeever so slightly over a very long time.
So SOME DAY, the curse will have faded away and he will have his original skin tone.
I like that you talked about Kratos brute forcing everything. It made me laugh a little when I thought about how it always usually works for him so of course he's going to do it.
This is such an interesting perspective. To hear a therapist's perspective on trauma of fictional characters like Kratos isn't something I've seen before. I'm genuinely intrigued by your content now.
Wow thank you so much for your comment. As a trauma therapist, this is something I’ve wanted to create and share for a while. Kratos’s story has so many gems that demonstrate how complicated trauma healing can be. Your support is so appreciated
@@traumadelic if you continue doing trauma analysis on characters in fiction, could I throw a relatable (to me at least) recommendation? Celes Chere from Final Fantasy VI. Velvet said it best, your context on fiction is interesting, enough so to earn my sub after one video
Fun fact: every weapon that tyr uses are weapons on places that he went to during wars like Greek, Norse, and so on
“There is no forgiving you! You chose!……….. I chose” Christopher Judge deserves an Oscar for this speech. I almost bawled like a baby.
Overly Sarcastic Productions mentioned that 2018 and Ragnarok used Fate as a metaphor for Generational Trauma. Thor not wanting to make the same mistakes with Thrud as he did with Magni and Modi, Kratos seeing the bad lessons he had given Atreus... the moment they make a change, make a different choice, is the moment that Fate is broken.
As they said it in-game to defy prophecy is to take a different approach not based on instinct, like how he spared thor, had he tried to kill him, atreus’ fear would have come to pass
@@jordansimeonov1501 It's not just that. Kratos from the original Greek games would have torn through everything to kill Odin, innocents be damned. Everything turns on the one choice Kratos makes: spare the Midgardians.
Because he spared them, Skjöldr was there to convince Thrúd to side with Loki, and fought alongside him and Kratos. Thrúd would have tried to cut Loki down, and Kratos would have intervened.
Because Thrúd was unharmed, Thor was able to see reason, and stand down. Because of that, Odin killed him. If Odin had joined Thor in the fight, it may have ended with Kratos' death, and Odin would have shown Loki how much of a murderous monster Kratos was, showing him the fields of dead Midgardians. "Look what he made you do." Without Thor, Odin was overpowered and slain.
Kratos's entire Fate was hinged on that one choice. Once he made the choice to not pass on his own trauma to his son, he broke Fate.
What got me was the look of fear and apprehension as he sat in the throne, then the sense of relief as he didn't become his old self, how he had learned to forgive himself. That scene got the eyes watering up real quick. An emotionally powerful scene about the human condition.
As a longstanding Kratos fan since the OG days, where I defended him vociferously in that his actions were far more nuanced than many believed, I am glad with what the Norse duology and Valhalla did. It vindicated years of what I've been saying.
I love Kratos man.
And I appreciate that what they did, DIDN'T absolve him or excuse the consequences that came from his decisions.
They didn't retcon, or even downplay, his cruelty and selfishness. They simply added context that wasn't there previously.
@@mcmewsen Yet he is still given the chance to make things right by placing himself in service for the people in the nine realms. Even if there is no forgiveness to be received, Kratos hopes that he can build himself to be better than his younger self. And that, I believe, is worth a lot more than forgiveness.
I can't help but feel that that throne comes with a lot of baggage. His old self sitting there represents all his self resentment and guilt. Represents the fear of turning to his old ways if he sits in that chair again. In the previous game it was all about running from his past. Keeping it hidden. Not accepting it. The moment, you very astutely pointed out, he says "I chose", is the moment he starts accepting it. And then he turns towards the throne and the baggage is gone. It is ready to be used correctly this time.
One thing in the ending i see so few talk about, is when kratos sits in a throne again. look at the contrast of the old and the new throne. the old is high backed, lots of detail and looks expensive. the new throne is just stone, no decorations. all the pomp and ceremony is gone. Kratos' new throne is the throne of someone humble and literally Down to earth.
To me, it was the best ending for Kratos. I loved how he developed as a character.
I've seen Doctors, fighters, Teachers reacting to videogmes but Therapist that's cool
Thanks so much! I figured a therapist’s perspective here would be cool so thank you for validating that. Appreciate!
Another super small thing I love, is that as the scene is fading out. The model of Young Kratos fades in with the full beard. Such a small but beautiful way to show that he is whole again
“The Norns say I chase redemption that I know I can never deserve. What does that make me? A god of fools?” No. No, it makes you a god of hope.
I don't blame Kratos for having the trauma he has. His brother being kidnapped and tortured then soon is murdered in front of him wishing he could've done something. Being tricked into killing his Wife and Daughter, so Ares can have the "perfect" warrior. Having no choice but to kill his own mother all because, he wanted to know who his father was and lastly having to serve the gods, who won't help him with his nightmares, continue to look down on him, and having being pushed to the edge by killing those who wronged him.
I had anger issues as a teenager. And I did things that truly made me feel shame. My entire childhood and young life was violence. And that was my response to everything that angered me. It took me years to work through that an be better. This ending with Kratos accepting his past hit me in ways I can't express.
I was in college when the original came out.
I was just under 40 when Ragnarok hit, and even closer to 40 when Valhalla dropped.
I have journeyed with this character through mistakes of youth and the triumph of healing and acceptance of maturity.
Thank you SSM and Chris Judge for bringing it all home, and for giving all of us hope.
Kaizen.
As a gamer, this is closure to a tragic character “ confronting one’s self, to find your truth. “ as much as escapism goes, reality hurts worse. For kratos throughout the series, he was but a tool to resolve through horrible means, stuck in a spiral of unrest, festering rage while in service yet eventually it no longer becomes tolerable, therefore rage must burst out. When we look at him now. It is him among others not tearing him down a spiral, they in their own ways lifting him up to stability. The last scene wasn’t just about reflecting, it’s the meaning of that very throne.
Wow this was really great. I think many of us thought of this as a sort of therapy for Kratos while playing through it, but its really cool to have that qualified by someone who can really speak about it in those terms. Thanks for this!
I felt the same way while playing this initially. It was such an amazing way for them to “therapeutically” wrap up Kratos’s arc here. Thank you so much for your comment!
It was here, in that final scene, when the Norse Saga has its first official "break."
The camera finally cuts, and, imo, it shows Kratos finally moving from what he's done.
A favorite bit of mine is his change of perception on service. He starts off with "Place myself in SERVICE!". Essentially equating being the new God of War for these people as placing himself back in the chains of slavery. But then he rethinks it as being of use and helping people instead of being their puppet.
It's a quick moment but it's very potent, and shows how broken his view on his life is up to this point.
What an interesting perspective to view this game from. I’m working on recovering from trauma myself and this felt like a therapy session. You’ve got a new subscriber sir! Can’t wait to see more from you !!!
Thank you so much for this lovely comment. I appreciate you sharing about your healing journey. You are welcome here!:)
“Fighting occupies the body while our mind works out the rest”
Some people I’ve know do like, martial arts as a kind of moving meditation, and I find it easier to think over things like a paper while doing something like a horde mode in a video game, so I completely buy what Týr is saying.
Excellent video, i love how it was a genuine heartfelt breakdown and not just a generic reaction. I look forward to seeing more of your videos!
Thank you so much for recognizing that! Truly means so much to me
Such an amazing video, the only thing you didn't mention that I was hoping you would- although you gave me a much appreciated new perspective- was when Kratos said "Place myself in service" you said it was about doing good within his position, but I thought of it as more of that self-shaming that you talked about, Kratos being slightly hesitant to be work for someone or something again after what happened when he did so for Athena as "her monster" which was brought up in the main story when he was trying to reconcile with Freya. Kratos refuses to be at someone's will again, but like with you brought up, he can do good within that role, it's about the person not the position like Tyr said...
and again, I'm TYR-ING up because this story and Kratos' character is so amazing
havent seen the video yet but was waiting for a therapist to evaluate Valhalla, it brought tears to my eyes
As I have grown up playing the games, I have come to realise how much I have related to Kratos. He has gone through a great deal and I used to think anger was the way of gritting your teeth and getting throught the hardships. After a lot of mistakes and broken relationships I had found out that It was the ideals that I had which left me so torn up. As I was starting to change, the new iteration of GOW games came out and was a crucial part of bettering my understanding of myself. When this DLC dropped I had no Idea that I would get to see Kratos begin to heal in such a wonderful way just as I have.
All comes with acceptance.
Kratos once said that the hands of death could not hold him, but his past was holding him all the time, guiding his actions.
The key is freedom from who you were before, and who you are now. When you realize that yesterday is dead and all that matters are your actions from now on, that’s the beginning of wisdom.
The fact that he knows he’s a monster and he can snap is crazy, self criticism is the hardest thing to do, but he has hope he won’t revert back to that ❤️🙌🏽
As someone with a messed up past, this DLC was something that most people who seek self love and self acceptance is a giant step in the right direction. The many ups and downs is something we struggle to look at and accept when a golden opportunity is placed in front of us to better ourselves. Personally I still struggle to see the same things my friends and family see in me and I honestly don’t know how to handle it all… Therapy is definitely something I want to look into but I’m honestly afraid to confront my past sins and endeavors.
Imagine grinding the gym for so long, you lost 50 kg but you still see yourself as a fat discord mod, but everyone else sees that it’s the opposite, that’s my case, but it’s the same anyhow
I find it entertaining watching a therapist react to kratos go through his trauma of his thousands of years of torture in vanhalla
The music in the credits, also implies what you said “integration” , the old theme “vengeful spartan” and the new one sync up
Good catch!! I didn't even know that
I love CinemaTherapy(channel) for being about the two things I love. And I love Kratos for being a human behind all the choices he makes, even when he was a God. And that is also why I love gaming. And I appreciate this channel. I hope you grow and prosper on this platform. The effort is real and i wanna see you through it.
Thank you so much for your comment. That truly means the world to me🙏🏽 Let’s see where this journey takes us
I have been wondering what he meant by "will there still be enough left inside so that I do not become you?" He is talking about hope.
Can we show some love to the writers for making this beautiful game, and Christopher judge for is Oscar worthy performance as Kratos?
The fact that there is a clip of one of the original creators of gow saying that he hates the direction they have taken kratos is sad because this is beautiful
This channel is about to blow up. Mark my words.
Fingers crossed!!
I think an interesting consideration is the scene where he puts Helios’s head in the chamber to be sacrificed to the fire. He willingly did so either as obligation in order to move forward or as a willful act to burn his past. When Mimir appeared, Kratos was no longer willing to accept that sacrifice and Valhalla wasn’t willing to accept Kratos trying to effectively rewrite his own past. We can’t undo our past and sometimes it is easy for us to slip back into metaphorically sacrificing our own version of Helios in the fire. Under duress or new circumstances, we make the same mistakes again.
Nailed it on the head.
Confronting himself in the chair was his own view of his past self and once he accepted his own change, it was empty to allow Kratos to place a new version of what he would see as the "God of War".
He won't forget what he chose to become but he won't let those choices define him anymore than the good ones he has made, as Tyr pointed out and reinforced by Mimir.
After Atreus was born, he wanted to become better, and truly loves and cares for him and always ends up forgiving him, just wanting to know what is going on, he is not good at showing his emotions as he is closed in, but he slowly learn to connect with him over time and wants to make his son the best person he could be, when his son Atreus struggled early on and his anger was to my theory a reflection of his father's anger.. that Atreus reflected him because he wanted to look up to him.
I think the few people who complain that the monologue at the end isn't a full-on conversation miss the point of that scene. He's staring at a mirror image and everything he says is representation of what he sees in that mirror image.
so glad that we got your video on our recommended. i look forward, as someone who has self reflected on myself to better myself, to seeing what else you can talk about in the future! Insights like yours are valuable so I am glad that we get to hear from someone who can shed light
Thank you so much for your comment!! Self-reflection is so incredibly important! Appreciate your support
“You knows of the evils within your pact. You know of the evils within yourself. Yes, THESE you dwell on, but it’s not that simple? Is it?”
I love this. It draws attention how we as humans tend to hyper fixate on the negative consequences of our actions, not the actions themselves, and punish ourselves for it. Despite the fact that the consequences of our actions are not always indicative of our intentions. Or even our involvement.
Just found your channel randomly on my nightly scroll through recommendations. Really loved this video you put out. Would love to see more similar to it.❤
Thank you so much for your comment!!! More coming very soon!:)
Kratos' story is such a good example of masculinity and it ends in the best way possible...GoH.
I really loved that Santa Monica made it a point to say that Kratos isn't suddenly forgiven or absolved for what he did. Krato once said to Atreus, "it is not intent, but consequences that matter". In Kratos' worldview, he has created a worse world for many people, and so his intent should not matter. Where they excelled in writing was helping Kratos, a man who was bred into the black and white world of Spartans, see the color grey for the first time in himself. Black-and-white thinking can be really destructive because of how unaccomodating it is to anything outside of it. Kratos believes he is bad, and therefore will only view himself as bad, and importantly will only believe any news that lends itself to the argument that he is a bad person. Tyr helped him see that the world is not black and white, but full of grey.
The funny thing is, is that Kratos has given that same grace to many other people, such as Freya and Mimir. He accepted them for who they are now, despite the terrible things they had done in their past. Valhalla simply provided Kratos the mirror so that he could give extend that same grace, that same hope, that he generously gives to others. Kratos has healed many of his traumas through a radical acceptance of his actions alongside his intent. Brilliant writing by Santa Monica, and I'm excited to see Kratos have his new resolve tested so he can begin to prove to himself he deserves self-love.
This was a great video. I appreciate a professional's view on Kratos!
I personally viewed the "in service" line to be a comparison; how he was used and abused while held "in service" to Olympus, as opposed to willingly helping and aiding all the people we've met in the Norse saga.
This is a beautiful breakdown of Kratos and his mindset. Thank you for such a succinct video.
I think it’s important to have a therapist who once shared the same view as you it’s weird but Tyr was talking to me too at the same time.
Another thing that gets ignored is the fact that Kratos' choices were so very often not even real choices at all. Choose between allowing Hades' wife to kill everyone, including himself and his daughter, or walk away from said daughter in order to protect her? Choose to let Zeus murder him and condemn him to an eternity of nightmares and reliving the murder of his family, or to fight back any way that you can? He becomes blinded by his rage and his hurt along the way, yes, but it's not as if this was a man who casually chose to go down a path of ruin and tyranny.
This was a man whose entire life in Ancient Greece can be summarized as 'the Gods and the world keep dunking on me, and so I hardened my heart so I wouldn't be hurt anymore'. The few times he chose to allow himself to feel, the gods and even people whom he considered allies attacked the source of those feelings. What other recourse does such a man have when nobody else will even allow him to walk away. He gets played for a fool by the Gods for ten years, baited with the promise of release from the pain of memories and nightmares so long as he serves them loyally -- and he does, to the point of giving up his own child -- and his reward is "you didn't read the fine print." And then when he attempts to end his life to escape it? "We won't let you die either."
The box for the original first PS2 game has the quote: "Those whom the gods would destroy, first they make mad." That summarizes the entire Greek arc of Kratos' life. A man who is under continuous and endless psychological assault until it twists him inside and out and he begins to strike out at everything around him.
There was never any room or any time for rest or for healing. From the instant that he was bound to Ares there wasn't a single moment where the Gods weren't interfering in his life and ruining his days.
*Týr: The God of War and Therapy*
And now, Kratos had a purpose. After reaching his full vengeance, all else was lost, except for hope. Hope drove him to the far lands of the north and created Atreus. Atreus was the proof that he could start over again and be better. I mean, it was all related to the man that’s able to forgive himself, and not being hold and handcuffed forever to his own bloody past.
Very well said! There's one moment in particular that also stands out to me, when he recollects the story of the boat captain he let die, he asks Tyr if Tyr is excusing his actions, Tyr told him the exercise is not to excuse his actions, but to accept them. As human beings we crave to belong on a side, either good or bad, but we are so much more complicated than that. Sometimes you have to accept that you're a good person who did a bad thing, and while it does not excuse you, it does not have to define you.
The DLC taught us self acceptance and confronting your inner demons and forgiving yourself
I like your analysis. I also like analyzing stuff like this in games. There are several things I've thought about, read online, and that are confirmed in the game. Valhalla basically draws from the memories of whoever goes in. Those who can't come to a resolution tend to get stuck in a loop, hence making their Valhalla a sort of jail. As you climb Valhalla, you're essentially diving into Kratos's mind. Going deeper and into older territory. It's just neat how they use the environment to give you that sense of inner traversal alongside the physical. Lastly, each of Kratos's weapons came about at different points of his life and are appropriately representative of those points. The Blades of Chaos were to be wielded by a warrior who is in a fiery mental state of chaos. The weapons swing about wildly, even hitting innocent bystanders on occasion, which could represent... how lost Kratos was. The Leviathan Axe was his second wife's weapon before she passed away. Him wielding it tells me that he always carries what she represents within himself in and out of battle. He's still lost... but he's "cooled down" some, represented by the frozen nature of the axe. But he regains his Blades of Chaos when his son's life was in danger. So he would still resort to brute force to get things in order whenever he feels the axe and his calmer nature won't be able to resolve a matter. Finally, the Draupnir Spear. A general's weapon. Kratos has always had the capacity to be a general. But I believe he received this weapon at a point when he was truly settling into the seat of being more of a general, like in the emotional sense, not just the logical. Someone you could look to for direction and inspiration. The windy nature of this weapon seems to suggest a soul that is more free and can blow away many things that stand in his way. The precision of the spear throws seems to suggest someone who is paying more attention to what truly matters. This may indeed be the first step he took towards the direction he took in Valhalla. I believe he sees his axe now as an axe of hope. It is what both his wives saw within him, it is what a lot of people see in him, and it is now what he sees within himself.
I absolutely LOVED this video! (Your tlou and tlou2 ones, too.) Would love to see more! When I played this DLC I had the same thought you did about Helios. I got into God of War with 2018 but even just hearing a bit about the previous games from a friend I could imagine how Kratos was feeling and what he was internally dealing with. Helios' dialogue just seemed to echo that all too well to not be some sort of manifestation of his inner thoughts. Esp with how he only appears in the Greece portions. You could argue that Mimir stays in Valhalla bc he's Norse and Valhalla is a Nordic concept, but you can also say that being in Greece (or at least surrounded by Grecian objects and architecture) would mentally transport Kratos back to that version of himself and bring up all that trauma and hardship he went through there. Anyway, great video. As I said would absolutely love to see more!
That's so awesome to hear I wasn't the only one who thought that. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. And I'm so very appreciative of your support. Thank you for spending time with these videos!:) Glad this content has been entertaining!
I have several friends who are combat vets that played through this DLC, and it even helped them out.
I could be wrong, but I would guess that Kratos's unrelenting inner monolog is similar to what combat vets feel. After they process what they feel they had to do to survive an extreme situation; wheb your options are "sucks," "sucks more," and "sucks the most," it creates that cognitive dissonance with what an individual morally believes vs. what someone has to do to survive or even what they see others and themselves are capable of in such situations. I think that is why it's so important that Kratos and like-minded people gain perspective on their past actions. A person may understand then what they are capable of, but that means they are in a different place. Because they now have the tools to temper those reactions through self reflection.
It's hard, but it's so important to understand that what we are capable of doesn't necessarily define us. But so many spend so long believing it does. I don't k ow if the devs realized just how important this game is to a generation traumatized with 20 years of constant war.
ETA: this is also important because it is a window for others to see an example of the kind of self deprication many combat cets deal with, or revisitation of horrors. And by that extension PTSD suffers in general. Its the scars we dont see but need to ubderstand. Emoathy can go a long way.
Shit it hard when you’ve been through a lot as well, with everyone bringing up your past rather than see the person you are now, worse part they do it just to tear you down but god forbid you do the same
I’ve played the God of War franchise since the beginning (2005) and it will always be my lifetime favorite.
The continuation of the franchise with God of War 2018 released at such an appropriate time… as I lost a loved one to suicide that same year… The 2018 version helped me cope with this and I constantly kept telling myself to “Be Better.” Make that loved one proud as they would always be there with me.
God of Ragnarok & Valhalla unpacked so much trauma & guilt that I’ve buried inside of myself. Some examples that truly resonated with me were:
(1) Faye telling Kratos “Open your heart to the world as you have opened it to me, and you will find every reason to keep living in it.” That cut-deep as I’ve contemplated taking my own life ever since my loss, but reminding myself that by opening our hearts, it will in fact heal us.
(2) When Kratos & Atreus are breaching Asgard, Kratos finally has his character arc of breaking the cycle. He now tells Atreus the same thing of “Opening his heart”. He no longer wants the path of pain & and suffering to continue with his son as he’s experienced.
(3) Old Kratos confronting Young Kratos. I believe this scene hit me the hardest as I felt it was an honest reflection of how I perceive & treated myself over the years…
The feeling of shame, guilt, and hatred towards myself. Losing a loved one to suicide, I could only blame myself. It’s taken years to accept the fact that they were in pain and the only time they felt in control was to finally let go.
The ending of Valhalla taught me about accepting the past, to “Be Better”, and that forgiving yourself is a lifelong journey.
This isn’t a video game ladies and gentlemen. This is STORYTELLING. This is ART ❤️🔥
The concept for this DLC was great and give the character therapy that he has needed for a long time. He just was not ready for it till know.
Personality I think the speech at the end was the best performance of Christopher judge’s as Kratos.
If this is the last time we play Kratos as the main character I am satisfied with it. They have done so much more with the character in regards to growth and performance then I think anyone was expecting going into the Norse reboot. I am excited to see where they take the series regardless of what form that may take.
With this and GOW 5, you're not human if you don't shed some tears. So many life lessons spoken. The interaction of Faye and her words still echo in my head, especially to grieve deeply is to love fully to grieve deeply is to love fully Faye.
I'm having to unlearn annoyance hearing someone online talk and Jung because of a certain Canadian. This was very well put in this discussion.
As a psychological guy myself (I'm still I'm college, I am in no way an expert) this was awesome to hear and experience. Thanks for the video!
I would love to see your take on GOW Ragnarök! There are some really powerful scenes throughout the whole game, especially towards the end
Stay tuned!!!
Fantastic video there were so many nuacned takeaways from this DLC written so poetically and you really consolidated my thoughts and brought about new perspectives!
Athena: There is nowhere you can hide, Spartan. Put as much distance between you and the truth you want. It changes nothing. Pretend to be everything you are not: teacher, husband,...father. But there is one unavoidable truth you will NEVER escape, you will always be a monster.
Kratos: I know. But I am your monster no longer.
Santa Monica Studios did a fantastic job with Kratos. Amazing character development. It's a shame that the original creator of Kratos/GOW doesn't like this new Kratos.
This was a great video, really enjoyed your perspective on things.
I think it would be great to see you check out God of War 2018 and Ragnarok with the same type of analysis. Because you are a fan of the series, you can really understand Kratos' mindset.
One of my favorite things is that while 2018 has a main theme of "change" and how "change is possible no matter where you come from", Ragnarok focus on the idea that just because you've changed, you are not done, and if you're not careful you might end up turning back to who you were. It's not so easy to just completely change who you were for many decades in just a few months.
Ragnarok explores that idea with the concept of Prophecies. In that game we get the revelation that there is no such thing as prophecy in this world, and that the Norns can only see what will happen because they are able to look at a person's past and self and come to the conclusion of what they will do in the future. Like they say:
"There is no grand design. No script. Only the choices you make. That your choices are so predictable merely makes us seem prescient."
So even after the development Kratos has gone, they still see him murdering gods and destroying the norse realms. It's only when Kratos decides to make a choice he would never do before, that things start to change. It's a moment close to the end of the battle, when Kratos tells Atreus to feel for his enemies and decides to go in after Odin with just Atreus. Kratos is now seeking justice, not vengeance.
Another thing that makes this idea so clear, is when you compare Ragnarok to God of War 3. They are both wars against the reigning gods of this realm, so many fans expected the games to be similar, in fact many fans to this day still talk how they wished Kratos fought and killed more gods, and stuff like that.
But i think Ragnarok was made to be exactly the opposite of God of War 3. While in God of War 3 Kratos meets many characters, he is too focused on his own mission, he doesn't care what others need and ends up killing many of the gods in his path simply because they are on his way to getting to Zeus. On Ragnarok, it's the complete reverse, Kratos meets many characters and gods who are in need of help, and because of Atreus, Mimir and his own self development, he helps all of them, including the Vanir gods. So, instead of going on a rampage, ignoring and killing all, Kratos helps and befriends all of them, which leads to the end, where Kratos doesn't go on a one man killing rampage of the gods, but instead is helped by a large group of characters and gods he interacted along this saga.
There was some implication in the game that Helios is sort of a reminder to steer Kratos away from certain decisions in the future by reminding him of how similar decisions ended before
Shakespearean dialogue right here. Stuff fit for an actors monologue.
This is an incredible video!!! You did an amazing job analyzing Kratos!!! I enjoyed your perspective on his character!!! It was very informative and entertaining!!!
I would honestly pay to watch you go through the games and do a breakdown.
I am so serious.
I bet others would as well, because kratos is so incredibly relatable as a human.
Which sounds weird, I guess?
But he's much more relatable than people would think.
Wow that truly means a lot! Thank you for your comment. I plan on going through some of the previous games at some point!:)
You are very welcome 🤗
That's fantastic!
I'm so excited to see them, and hear your impressions of them.
Thank you for doing these
Coming from another Therapist, you're good at this. Subscribed. You should consider assessing other videogame/comic characters.
Thank you so much!!!
"i think the inclusion of helios is a very interesting...."
The devs be like: " we put helios ´cause it is easy, and does a lot of damage"
LOL
It'd be amazing if he read Berserk and did a reaction to that. The immense trauma Guts goes through and how that man strives on is inspiring. Guts is extremely similar to Kratos on how they act, and the loss of people they deeply loved.
Anyways, amazing video! I subscribed and wish to see more of what you do! Love from Australia
As a dude who's played God of War 3 the way helios died was both deserved yet unfair because Helios was a tad bit cocky but when it came to his own life he begged for himself to be spared...but fueled by rage against his father Zeus Kratos decapitated Helios
This is the first video of yours I've seen and I really enjoyed it. Going to watch a little of your backlog now. I don't know if you're interested but the character of Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 would make for an amazing analysis from a therapists perspective, I think.
As a fellow therapist (play and KAP) and gamer, thank you for this.
Thank YOU for your comment. Always lovely to meet fellow therapists on this platform. I admire the work you do in your speciality
@@traumadelic There is a channel here called FatBrett and he does these AMAZING God of War deep dives. Do yourself a favor and check them out, especially the one about Freya and her son
Was interesting to see the video.
As a game lover, and has some interest in psychology, it was quite educational, self reflecting and, some form of indirect, therapy session for me.
I hope you make similar contents in more future. Probably Batman arkham series?
Thnx for the video.
What a beautiful character arc & thanks for your interesting perspective.
Master thyself right
After this part we can all agree that this is a good end to the franchise we don't another game based on Egyptian mythology
Keep up the good work man, I think you’ve found your niche. Love hearing what you have to say about video game stories, and I’ve played the 3 you’ve broken down so far. Red Dead Redemption 2 next??
I would love to look into it! Thank you so much for your support 🙏🏽
What a Nice Video 👐✨ , i would like to see more content like this , i'm a huge fan of God of War but seeing some characters from other Franchises would be interesting 🤔
Thanks so much for the feedback! For sure! I’m going to see what I can do moving. Would love to make more content similar to this
I love the cat in the background
Same haha
I think you could make an amazing analysis of just those final moments. Kratos and his past self. Acceptance. Forgiveness. Loving your videos. Games like this and the last of us and content like yours about these games help me workout my own stuff. Sometimes for some reason, it can be easier to work my own traumas out through the lens of video game or tv show or movie depictions. Sometimes we can struggle understanding why or what happened in our own experience but seeing the experience from an external view through others somehow makes things easier to understand. Kinda how sometimes it’s difficult to express how you feel but a song or lyrics can take you to that feeling or emotion instantly. Maybe we dissociate when we think of our past whereas we are better able to stay present seeing it in happen in others. Idk
My React to the Last of Us video is now up on my channel! Let me know what y’all think of it!:)
Did not know that I needed this channel lol