The God of War: Ragnarok trailer that debuted at PlayStation Showcase 2021 last week gave a lot of exciting hints about what’s to come in the next installment in the God of War franchise. Fans who stuck around for the interview with Eric Williams at the end of the showcase got even more information about the upcoming game.

Williams is directing God of War: Ragnarok instead of Cory Barlog, and he gave fans quite a bit of information about new characters that players can expect to encounter. He revealed details about Santa Monica’s take on mythological figures like Thor and Odin, and the mysterious girl at the end of the trailer, Angrboda. But one statement in particular stood out: Ragnarok is the finale of God of War's Norse saga.

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Fans Are Divided Over the Ragnarok Finale

Williams was clear in the interview that Ragnarok will be the finale of the Norse God of War series. In some ways, that’s not a surprise; Ragnarok is an apocalyptic event that brings about the end of the Norse gods. It’s the final prophecy in Norse mythology. There’s nothing bigger than Ragnarok, so it makes sense that this chapter of God of War would end with this event.

On the other hand, many players have grown accustomed to the idea of trilogies, and it comes as a surprise to hear that the Norse saga will only be two games long. Williams also makes the statement toward the beginning of the interview that he’s excited about the way Santa Monica Studio is “setting up” the Norse finale with Ragnarok, which has a lot of fans thinking that it could be a trilogy after all. However, because Williams confirmed that Ragnarok will take place in the next game and that it is the end of the Norse saga, it seems clear that Santa Monica doesn’t have a trilogy in mind.

Knowing that God of War: Ragnarok will see Kratos and Atreus saying goodbye to the Norse pantheon is a big deal that holds major implications for the rest of the series. It’s unlikely that the God of War franchise itself will end with Ragnarok, so some are wondering what comes next.

God of War Will Probably Explore New Pantheons

God of War fans have already been speculating what will happen to Kratos and Atreus when the Norse period ends. It’s possible to jump from one pantheon to another, given that Kratos made the jump from the Greek pantheon to Norse. When Williams said Ragnarok was the end of the Norse series, that probably means a new series is on the way.

The God of War: Fallen God comic series tells what happened to Kratos before he ended up in the Norse pantheon, and one of the most notable places he visited was Egypt. Kratos is told there that he has a destiny to fulfill in Egypt, which could be hinting at an eventual return. If the Norse series is ending, this could mean the Egyptian series is about to begin.

When development was just beginning on 2018’s God of War, the Santa Monica Studio team was divided on whether to explore Norse or Egyptian mythology. The frigid and isolated Norse setting ended up being more fitting for the story it wanted to tell, but Egypt was seriously considered. With the Norse series coming to a close in God of War: Ragnarok, there’s evidence to suggest that Egypt could be next.

In God of War, Kratos and Atreus also discover some Japanese artifacts in Tyr’s vault. Maybe that was hinting that Japan could be next on the list. Now that Tyr is confirmed to have a larger role in God of War: Ragnarok, he could give Kratos and Atreus a couple of ideas about jumping pantheons.

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Atreus Could Star in the Next Series

One of the biggest things that God of War hinted at was the possibility that Kratos might die in Ragnarok, possibly at Atreus’ hand. If that happens, or some variation of it, more than just the Norse series will be coming to a close.

Kratos has been the protagonist of God of War since 2005, and he’s had quite an impressive run. But all good things come to an end, and it’s possible that God of War: Ragnarok could be the conclusion of Kratos’ story as well. Santa Monica has set Atreus up as a character who could take control of the franchise in his father’s stead, and while Atreus doesn’t have a whole lot in common with his father, he does have the potential.

If Kratos dies in Ragnarok, Atreus will probably take over the franchise. While it would be hard for fans to let go after spending over fifteen years with Kratos, it’s also an opportunity to give the series a fresh start. It would be better to have Kratos’ character arc come to a satisfying conclusion rather than see it drag on needlessly, and there’s no better successor than Atreus.

Even if Kratos doesn’t die, Ragnarok could have him pass the mantle on to his son. Ragnarok looks like it’ll be a big coming-of-age journey for Atreus, and at the end of it Kratos may simply take a step back and let Atreus set out on his own. Atreus could go to Egypt on his own or embark on some other solo adventure.

Knowing the Norse series is ending and what’s been foreshadowed for Kratos, fans could be in for quite the emotional rollercoaster when God of War: Ragnarok launches. The end of the Norse chapter is bittersweet, as the Norse pantheon did breathe new life into the God of War franchise. But that also means that there are tons of new and exciting opportunities for the future of Kratos and Atreus.

God of War: Ragnarok will release in 2022 for PS4 and PS5.

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