Move Aside Kratos, The Next God of War Should Be A Woman

No, this is not another woke idea. It’s not clickbait. And no, it’s not meant to be controversial. Stay with me, and I’ll convince you why having a woman as the protagonist of a God of War game (after Ragnarok) would be a great idea.

Why Should The Next God of War Be A Woman?

Recently, I’ve been replaying Uncharted Lost Legacy (another PlayStation-exclusive title). It’s a game that takes place in the same universe as the previous Uncharted games but allows the series protagonist, Nathan Drake, to enjoy his retirement and instead focus on two female character leads, Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. In my review of the game, I commented on how I realised I didn’t miss Nathan Drake. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the smart-aleck adventurer just as much as the next person, but the two new heroines in Uncharted Lost Legacy brought a fresh take to the franchise.

Of course, this made me think: What if one of the most masculine gaming franchises included a female protagonist? What if a battle-hardened, playable female character joined the God of War himself? What if the next God of War introduced a heroine to accompany Kratos and Atreus on their adventure? What if the next God of War was a woman?

Wait! Before you, all go full God of War on me. Hear me out.

The New Kratos

If you have played the latest God of War games (which many believe are the best games on the PS4 and PS5), then you would be aware that, although Kratos is still the always-pissed anti-hero we all love, his anger is tempered by the responsibility and love he feels towards his son, Atreus. This change angered some fans of the franchise earlier in development. But personally, I can understand how a child can completely turn your world upside down, even if you are an angry warrior. Atreus’ introduction allowed players to see a more emotional side of Kratos.

If the father-son story is to evolve and expand in the next game, it might be a great idea to introduce another hero. Perhaps it would be a good idea to introduce someone who can become the matriarch of the group, someone who can show Atreus the less angry side of life but who can still be just as dangerous as Kratos, should the situation call for it. Maybe it’s time for a woman to be the next God of War lead.

Introducing Morrigan, The Goddess of War

God of War has already hinted at the existence of multiple realms, each comprised of various pantheons of gods. From Egyptian to Japanese mythology, these have all been teased in the games in some way. One little Easter egg from the 2018 God of War game is the Triskele symbol. This symbol has appeared throughout history and is most closely associated with Celtic mythology. More commonly called a “Celtic spiral,” these symbols have been around for many years. So, what exactly does this have to do with a woman being the next God of War?

Well, the Celtic God of War is actually a goddess called Morrigan. Not only is she tasked with everything to do with war, but she is also the goddess of fate and can shape-shift into a raven. Known as the Phantom Queen, she is a mysterious goddess who can foretell doom and bring it down on those who deserve it. She is also a powerful wielder of magic, which could be very handy in combat. Even more interesting is that she is said to be associated with premonitions concerned with the violent deaths of warriors and has also been known to get on the wrong side of the other Celtic gods.

Morrigan sounds like she would fit in perfectly with Kratos, or even Atreus. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that Morrigan gets on the wrong side of one of the more powerful deities and that she is forced to flee her realm. She could end up in the Norse realm or another realm where she would come across Kratos or Atreus. 

Obviously, this could turn into a great opportunity for a God of War game to show just how powerful she is as she and Kratos can face off against each other in the same spectacular way Kratos duked it out with Baldur. Eventually, Morrigan could end up joining Kratos or even Atreus in their inevitable face-off against other gods.

Kratos’ Retirement

Of course, Kratos would probably need to bow out sooner or later as the series’ lead protagonist. I mean, he’s had a few good years under his belt. It might be time for him to accept his gold watch and retire. One way to transition between Kratos and a new protagonist could be to have him heroically and emotionally (I will shed a tear) fall in the final battle against one of the more powerful gods.

Seeing as Morrigan tends to have premonitions about the violent deaths of warriors, she could become aware of Kratos’ inevitable demise but keep it secret from him and Atreus. This could also be the reason why she might form a bond with Kratos’ son, realising that he will be on his own without her. This would tie in nicely with the ending of the 2018 God of War game, where an uncovered mural not only reveals Kratos’ wife’s secret but also Kratos lying in what appears to be Atreus’ arms.

Also, did I mention that the Triskele or Celtic spiral, which consists of three interlocking spirals (or interlocking lives – Atreus, Kratos and Morrigan), essentially represents the movement of life, past, present and future… as in the inevitability of death and moving on?

In an interview, God of War director Cory Barlog mentioned that he wasn’t against introducing a new protagonist but that it would need to form part of a cohesive narrative – commenting that he was at the “whim of the story” and was willing to go wherever the “story and his vision takes him”.

I get that many fans of the God of War series would like to see Kratos beating up gods forever, but as the recent soft reboot showed, change can be good for a franchise. If you had told me back when the first God of War game was released that the symbol of anger and masculinity would eventually evolve into a less angry father, I would have laughed (and cried a little bit). Fast-forward a couple of years, and this evolution proved to be one of the best things that could’ve happened to the franchise. It breathed new life into a series that felt like it was stagnating.

Introducing a woman as the god of war in God of War 6 would be another bold move that might just help the franchise grow and evolve further. Having a magic-wielding, badass female goddess take over from Kratos could actually turn out to be a good thing and help expand the franchise’s lore in a meaningful way.

The 5 Goddesses of War Who Could Take Over From Kratos

Mythology from many ancient cultures offers no shortage of formidable goddesses associated with war, underscoring the prominence of female warriors in history. The contingent of battle goddesses across world myths points to an opportunity for the series to shift to a woman’s perspective.

Recently, God of War‘s creator, David Jaffe, mentioned he’s disappointed by the tone of the newer games – primarily due to Kratos’ more down-to-earth character. While some fans of the original trilogy might see this as an ill-omen for the franchise’s future, I think it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce a new character to the saga – one that’s diametrically opposite to good ol’ Kratos in every way.

That’s why introducing a female protagonist to the God of War franchise is far from being “woke:” In many ways, it’s the only thing that makes sense. Knowing this, we should look at some likely candidates from all over mythology, searching for who our next Goddess of War might be.

1. Morrigan (Celtic myth)

As I mentioned before, Morrigan seems like the most likely pick to star in the new God of War. The pieces just all fit way too conveniently. Not only is Celtic mythology closely tied to the Norse myths, but the clues scattered throughout the series paint a pretty clear picture of Morrigan being the next Kratos.

Another interesting bit of trivia about Morrigan is that she’s formed of three different personalities merged into one. The goddess is commonly depicted as a trio of sisters called the Three Morrigna. This is where the triskele comes into play once again. Having Morrigan join Kratos in the next game would be the best way to present the third game in the modern God of War saga.

2. Itzpapalotl (Aztec mythology)

With a blood-drenched history of violence and human sacrifice, Aztec culture breeds fertile ground for a formidable warrior goddess fit to helm the God of War franchise. Look no further than Itzpapalotl, the terrifying goddess of death and a formidable skeletal warrior who strikes fear into the hearts of her foes and allies alike.

This fearsome goddess sprinkles flint on her victims’ hearts to spark wars before sweeping onto the scene, brandishing her emblematic obsidian weaponry to finish the job with her own hands. Aztec mythology, in general, would be an excellent new setting for the series, as it would take us to some really cool-looking locations – not to mention that it would reintroduce the series’ trademark ultraviolence back for the more traditional fans.

3. Oya (Yoruba religion)

Though not expressly a goddess of war, Oya has more than enough fight in her as a deity tied profoundly to storms and raging winds. Known as a fierce protector of women and controller of lightning and other destructive forces of nature, Oya has all the volatility and power necessary for the series.

Oya can also shapeshift into a buffalo, which is great for those one-on-one battles against deities. Her connection with Vodou’s Maman Brigitte also makes her a fascinating character that could take the God of War series into the most uncharted territory of all – America.

4. Durga (Hinduism)

With her multiple arms brandishing fearsome weapons, the Hindu goddess Durga perfectly epitomizes the image of female warrior prowess ready to translate into overpowered gameplay. Revered for channelling the invincible feminine force (Shakti) into vanquishing demons in defence of the gods themselves, Durga has the kit for max-level mayhem.

Durga rides a lion (or a tiger, sometimes) into battle. Her array of supernatural combat talents, from shapeshifting to casting protective forcefields, gives the God of War developers fertile ground for crafting variant playstyles, too.

She would be another great option as the first woman to take over from Kratos as the God of War protagonist.

5. Sekhmet (Ancient Egypt)

Since the beginning of the God of War series, fans have wanted one thing: to finally see the Egyptian pantheon in action. For a while – before the PS4 games came out – it seemed as if Egypt was the next logical step for the series – and how wrong we all were.

However, now’s the time for the series to finally land on the hot sands of Egypt – and who better to herald this new saga than Sekhmet herself? Hell hath no fury like the ancient Egyptian goddess Sekhmet when warring against her enemies – this bloodthirsty deity encapsulates divine retribution through her worship as “The Powerful One.” With the head of a lioness and a ravenous taste for vengeance, Sekhmet serves up slaughter without mercy across scorched desert battlegrounds.

Players could inhabit her fierce might while traversing pyramids, temples, obelisks, and more iconic ancient Egyptian architecture rendered in stunning next-gen visuals. Honestly? That’s all I ever wanted from a God of War game.

RELATED: Looking Back, God of War Ragnarok Should Have Been Better

Tell us, do you want the next God of War to be a woman?