Let’s dive into the detailed story of the original God of War game (2005) — the one that started it all.
Prologue: The Ghost of Sparta
The game opens with Kratos, a Spartan warrior, standing on a cliff above the Aegean Sea. Haunted by his past and driven by guilt, he throws himself into the sea. As he sinks, the game flashes back three weeks earlier, revealing his tragic story.
Kratos’ Background
Kratos was a ruthless and ambitious Spartan general. In a desperate battle against a barbarian horde, facing certain death, Kratos called upon Ares, the God of War, pledging his life in exchange for victory. Ares granted him the power he needed, giving him the Blades of Chaos — chained weapons infused with fire — and Kratos swiftly defeated his enemies.
However, serving Ares came at a terrible cost. Under Ares’ influence, Kratos became more bloodthirsty and savage. In one attack on a village dedicated to Athena, Ares tricked Kratos into slaughtering his own wife and daughter, whom Ares saw as a distraction from Kratos’ path of becoming the perfect warrior. After realizing what he’d done, Kratos was devastated. The village’s oracle cursed him, causing his skin to turn white from the ashes of his dead family — hence his title, The Ghost of Sparta.
The Quest for Redemption
Tormented by nightmares and seeking redemption, Kratos serves the Olympian gods for ten years, hoping they’ll forgive his sins and take away his visions. The gods eventually offer him one final task: to defeat Ares, who has gone rogue and is laying waste to Athens.
Guided by Athena, Kratos sets out on his mission. He battles through legions of monsters, mythological creatures, and dangerous traps. Along the way, he receives weapons and magical abilities from other gods:
The Path to Pandora’s Box
To defeat Ares, Kratos must obtain Pandora’s Box, a legendary artifact containing the power needed to kill a god. He travels to the Temple of Pandora, built on the back of the titan Cronos, who endlessly crawls through the desert. Inside the temple, Kratos faces deadly traps, solves intricate puzzles, and defeats powerful guardians. Eventually, he claims Pandora’s Box.
However, as Kratos leaves the temple, Ares senses the threat and hurls a massive spear from Athens, impaling Kratos and killing him. Kratos descends into Hades, but through sheer determination and brutal fights against the undead, he escapes and climbs back to the mortal realm.
The Final Battle
Kratos retrieves Pandora’s Box and opens it, absorbing its immense power. This allows him to grow in size, matching Ares in a climactic battle. The two fight fiercely, and Ares, in an attempt to break Kratos mentally, strips him of his weapons and recreates the moment he killed his family. Kratos, determined not to be broken again, overcomes the illusion and defeats Ares using the Blade of the Gods, a massive weapon provided by Athena.
With Ares dead, Athens is saved, and Kratos expects the gods to release him from his nightmares. But Athena tells him that while his service has earned the gods’ forgiveness, they cannot erase his memories. Overcome with despair, Kratos returns to the cliff from the game’s opening and throws himself into the sea.
A New Purpose
But instead of dying, Kratos is saved by Athena. With Ares gone, Olympus needs a new God of War — and they offer the position to Kratos. He ascends to the throne on Mount Olympus, becoming the new God of War, though his soul remains haunted by the memories of his past.
End Credits and Legacy
The game ends with Kratos seated on his new throne, still tormented but now wielding divine power — setting the stage for the epic journey that continues in the sequels.
God of War II (2007), one of the most iconic and intense chapters in Kratos’ journey.
Prologue: The Fall of a God
After the events of the first game, Kratos has become the new God of War, but his reign is brutal and merciless. Despite his divine status, he is still haunted by the memories of his past and the murder of his family. Unlike the other gods of Olympus, Kratos shows no respect for them — he only seeks blood and conquest.
Kratos leads his Spartan army in an assault on the city of Rhodes, defying the will of the gods. During the battle, the Colossus of Rhodes, a massive bronze statue, comes to life and attacks. Zeus offers Kratos the Blade of Olympus, a powerful weapon that Zeus himself used to end the Great War between the Titans and the Olympians. However, using the blade requires Kratos to pour his godly power into it.
Weakened after transferring his power, Kratos defeats the Colossus, but the statue collapses on him, leaving him mortally wounded. At this moment of vulnerability, Zeus appears — and betrays him. Zeus accuses Kratos of arrogance and defiance and uses the Blade of Olympus to kill him, sending Kratos to the Underworld.
The Quest for Revenge
In the Underworld, Gaia, the mother of the Titans, saves Kratos. She explains the war between the Titans and the Olympians and reveals that Zeus fears Kratos will overthrow him, just as Zeus overthrew his own father, Cronos. Gaia tells Kratos that his only hope for revenge is to find the Sisters of Fate, who have the power to alter time itself. With their help, Kratos could go back to the moment of his death and change his fate.
Revived and determined, Kratos sets out on his quest, traveling through dangerous and mythological locations:
Throughout his journey, Kratos battles legendary creatures like the Barbarian King (an old enemy from his mortal life), Perseus, and the Griffin-Riding Dark Rider. He also encounters Icarus, stealing his Wings of Icarus to navigate dangerous chasms.
Confronting the Sisters of Fate
Kratos finally reaches the Palace of the Fates, where the three Sisters — Lahkesis, Atropos, and Clotho — attempt to stop him. They refuse his request to change his destiny, so Kratos battles them in a series of epic fights. He defeats each sister, even fighting Atropos inside a time-distorted vision of his past battle with Ares from the first game.
After slaying the last sister, Kratos takes control of the Loom of Fate and rewinds time to the moment of his betrayal by Zeus. This time, prepared and empowered, Kratos avoids Zeus’ fatal strike and takes the fight to the King of the Gods.
The Battle with Zeus and a Shocking Revelation
Kratos battles Zeus fiercely and nearly kills him with the Blade of Olympus — but before delivering the final blow, Athena intervenes. She sacrifices herself to save Zeus and, in her dying moments, reveals the truth: Zeus is Kratos’ father. Zeus feared Kratos would overthrow him, just as Zeus had overthrown Cronos, leading to his betrayal.
As Athena dies, Kratos’ rage deepens. He declares his intention to bring down all of Olympus.
The Alliance with the Titans
Using the Loom of Fate one last time, Kratos travels back to the Great War — the ancient battle between the Titans and the Olympians. He offers the Titans a chance for revenge, and they accept. Kratos brings the Titans forward in time to the present day, and the game ends with an epic scene: Kratos and the Titans climbing Mount Olympus, preparing for war against Zeus and the gods.
Kratos shouts his declaration of vengeance: “Zeus! Your son has returned! And I bring the destruction of Olympus!”
Ending and Setup for God of War III
The game ends on this dramatic cliffhanger, perfectly setting up the final confrontation in God of War III.
God of War III (2010) — the explosive conclusion to the original God of War trilogy and the climax of Kratos’ quest for vengeance.
Opening: War on Olympus
The game begins exactly where God of War II ended: Kratos, alongside the Titans, is scaling Mount Olympus to bring war to the gods. Fueled by his rage and betrayal, Kratos seeks to destroy Zeus and all of Olympus.
As they climb, the gods respond. Poseidon, God of the Sea, launches a fierce counterattack, creating massive sea creatures and unleashing his power against the Titans and Kratos. After an intense battle, Kratos kills Poseidon, drowning much of the world in floods.
The Titans continue their assault, but when they reach the top, Gaia betrays Kratos. She tells him he was just a pawn in the Titans’ war against the gods and lets him fall from the mountain, sending him plummeting into the River Styx in the Underworld.
The Underworld and Allies
Weakened but still alive, Kratos meets the spirit of Athena, who has ascended to a higher form of existence after her death. She offers her continued guidance, giving him the Blades of Exile and urging him to find the Flame of Olympus, which protects Zeus.
As Kratos makes his way through the Underworld, he encounters familiar figures:
The Destruction of the Gods
Kratos continues his bloody path through Olympus, killing the gods and leaving devastation in his wake:
The Truth and Pandora’s Sacrifice
As Kratos reaches the Flame of Olympus, he learns the devastating truth: the Flame’s power can only be unlocked by Pandora’s death. Though he tries to protect her, Pandora insists on fulfilling her destiny. As she sacrifices herself, the Flame dies — but instead of finding the power to kill Zeus, Kratos finds Pandora’s Box, empty.
Enraged and heartbroken, Kratos confronts Zeus in a final battle. Their fight rages across Mount Olympus, causing destruction on an unimaginable scale.
Gaia’s Return and the Final Battle
In the middle of the battle, Gaia returns, seeking revenge on both Zeus and Kratos. The three fight inside Gaia’s heart, and Kratos ultimately kills both Zeus and Gaia by impaling them with the Blade of Olympus.
But Zeus’ spirit lingers, launching a final, psychological attack on Kratos, forcing him to confront his guilt and the memories of his past. With the help of Pandora’s spirit, Kratos overcomes his inner demons and finally destroys Zeus, ending the reign of the Olympians.
The Aftermath and Kratos’ Fate
After the battle, Athena reappears, demanding the power that was inside Pandora’s Box. Kratos reveals the box was empty, but Athena realizes that when Kratos first opened it in the original God of War, the box released Hope — a force powerful enough to rival fear, which had been corrupting the gods. That hope had been inside Kratos all along.
When Athena demands he return that power, Kratos refuses. In one final act of defiance and redemption, Kratos impales himself with the Blade of Olympus, releasing Hope into the world so humanity can thrive without the gods. Athena, disappointed but resigned, leaves him to his fate.
As Kratos lies seemingly dying, the screen fades out — but in a post-credits scene, a trail of blood leads away from his body, suggesting that his story might not be over after all.
Conclusion
God of War III ends Kratos’ quest for vengeance with unparalleled destruction, wiping out nearly the entire Greek pantheon and fundamentally reshaping the world. Yet it also leaves Kratos’ fate open-ended, paving the way for his later return in the God of War (2018) reboot.
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