There are lots of lessons we can all learn from the adventures of God of War’s calm and reasonable, epitome-of-Stoicism-behaving dad (check out this article written by 507 for enlightenment) and his half-giant, half-god son.
The last two installments have really changed the paradigm and shifted Kraros’ destiny from being a slave of his sins, to being a projection of his achievements and will to change — personally and familywise.
In this article, I will share and develop some lessons that have stuck with me ever since I finished the first game; lessons that, I believe, only a video-game can teach you in such a good manner.
There is no destiny
Throughout the last two games, Kratos and Atreus encounter lots of stories and occurences that either foreshadow future events, or are a result of old prophecies. God of War: Ragnarök, in particular, develops a complex antithesis between the protagonists’ effort to stop Ragnarök and their seemingly inevitable failure(s).
The player can even taste a sip of ludonarrative dissonance, considering that, at least for the first half of the game, the actions of our heroes, even though driven by their desire to stop the end of the world, always lead to the fulfillment of existent prophecies. Furthermore, despite Kratos’ efforts to stop seeking venegance, it seems that the path he walks leads him to it again and again.
But everything changes when Kratos, Freya and Mimir meet the Norse Fates (the Norns). That scene in particular was beautifully written, but one part really stood out and opened my eyes wider than they’ve ever been (though I have to say, I didn’t realize its meaning on the spot — and, judging by the reaction of the characters, they too did not).
There is no destiny, Puck.
— Urð
Easy to say; but then, what’s out there? How come some people seem to never be able to escape their fate?
There is no grand design. No script. Only the choices you make. That your choices are so predictable merely make us seem prescient.
— Urð
At that moment, something clicked. Words so simple, yet so powerfully spoken. How come I’ve never looked at it from this perspective?
People rarely change. And because they don’t, it all seems like fate, like they were made to suffer. They like to revel in their supposed inability to adjust, to use whatever excuse they have to avoid bearing the weight of change on their shoulders and own their mistakes. They like to cuddle like babies in the powerful arms of God all their lives, never even trying to understand that the change must come from inside themselves first. Have you ever tried to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped? It’s useless, maybe even impossible sometimes. Why would this be any different?
You are the sum of your choices, nothing more.
— Urð
And I have another quote that compliments the words of Urð very well:
You are born looking like your parents, but you die looking like your decisions.
— Unknown
Whatever you do in life, in moderation or excess, is going to leave a mark on you; a scar on your body, a disease inside of it, a beautiful mind trapped in your brain etc. You are choosing to do what you do every second of your life. “Is this a good choice or a bad choice? How often am I going to keep repreating this mistake”?
I used to blame God for giving me the same challenges again and again in my life, until I realized I’m looking at it from the wrong perspective. It’s not that I’m always being tested, it’s just the fact that I don’t want to learn. I don’t want to change — heck, I’m ignoring it. The challenge is going to be there and hit me on the head like a chinese drop of water for as long as I refuse change.
Don’t blame it on the fate; consider change. If you don’t take action, someone else will do it for you.
Open your heart to it
Kratos has been trying to teach Atreus to “close his heart to the suffering of his enemies”. Yet, when you put it in perspective, Atreus has been trying to teach his father to open his heart to others’ suffering, only for him to finally understand what his son’s nature has been all this time and admit he was wrong.
The only aim Kratos has is to keep his son safe, no matter the cost. Whatever lessons he tried to teach Atreus were well intentioned, even though they may not have been the most emotionally-intelligent ones.
Judging by the path Kratos has been on, it’s understandable that he may be reluctant when it comes to trusting others, showing emotion or being kind. That’s what he knows and that what he’s been trying to teach Atreus.
This strategy may have kept them alive and going, but, as Atreus says in the first game, “it’s not a fun way to live, though”.
As we already know, Kratos is a stoic. But Stoicism is about understanding your emotions and not being a slave to them — it’s about owning them. Not allowing yourself to feel nor understand what it is you feel will not turn you into an emotional master; it will only make you oblivious to the needs of the ones besides you.
As our main protagonist has once said:
It is a delicate balance.
On one hand, not being a slave to your emotions is a good way to shield yourself from unnecessary drama; everybody likes to be in the presence of someone who’s always in control and does not rage when the tiniest inconvenience shows up. But too much of this and you’ll not be the most popular person at the party anymore.
On the other hand, if you’re too empathetic, you need to watch out for people who may profit from your open heart. Don’t rush into trusting others so easily and keep your expectations low, so you don’t get disappointed. At least with new people.
Finally, try to understand everyone’s reasons for doing things. Some people will want to fight you because they have problems. Before attacking them back (either wih words or the Leviathan Axe), try not to take it personal and just see beyond their anger; you’ll find underlying issues that have nothing to do with you, almost everytime.
Discipline is the best weapon you can use to prepare for the future
Do not concern yourself with what might be.
— Kratos
Kratos is not really one to use words like “I hope” or “maybe”; instead, he likes to wait and see.
The only thing you can do to prepare for the future is to try to be better every single day of your life. But to do this, you need discipline.
Discipline means doing what needs to be done, and not because it is written. It means making the choice that’s going to help you prepare for what future holds.
Discipline is the only friend who needs no fuel — you just do what you have to, no questions asked. Take care of it and it will take care of you.
We win because we are determined. Disciplined. Not because we feel ourselves superior.
— Kratos
No one says mindset is not a good weapon to master, considering it’s been forged enough. But what other tool to forge it, than discipline?
Both characters develop discipline in their own unique way: first of all, Kratos needs to keep an eye on his son and protect him at all costs, making sure they both follow the right path towards their goals — up until now, Kratos had only had himself to watch out for, but now someone else depends entirely on him for survival, and nothing compares to the discipline a person develops when they become a parent.
On the other hand, considering Atreus’s age, he is prone to feeling more than thinking, which makes the job harder for Kratos. In the world that they’re living, you can’t really rely on emotion for decision-making, so the father must teach his son how to be prepared to encounter and face danger at all times.
From mastering the raging powers he’s got from his father, to handling weapons, magic and emotions, Atreus has a lot of work to do in order to become a master of his godhood. The only way Kratos knows for achieving this is, obviously, the best one: discipline.
There really is no other choice; motivation is like a burning candle — the flame stays alive as long as there is wax to fuel it. Passion? it’s mortal, as well. Discipline will take you furher than you ever been — you only need to show up.
Make peace with your past
There is a quote I enjoy, and I really think you wil too:
There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.
— St. Augustine
Kratos is obviously haunted by his past, and can you really blame him? He’s killed his father, mother (he had no choice, I know) and brother, and an entire pantheon of gods. The reasons for this are less important than the images and memories he has in his mind. If you played God of War lll, you know what I’m talking about.
Hopefully, no one reading this has got it THAT bad. We all have little past demons still haunting our minds, living rent free inside our heads.
The cycle ends here. We must be better than this.
— Kratos
Is it any other choice? Anything left to do besides moving on?
Yes, we’ve always had choices. We may have made the wrong ones. But as long as you’re alive and kicking, there is no reason for you not to be better.
Everyone refers to Kratos as the destroyer, the god killer, and it really stays like this for the full length of the last two games.
What Kratos sees in the last Giant mural is a future he has chosen, a future build on his will to be better.
Pretend to be everything you are not: teacher, husband, father. But there is an unavoidable truth you will never escape: you cannot change. You will always be a monster.
— Athena
Now look at this:
This is Kratos now. Kratos the Builder. A god worthy of worship once more. He has chosen the better path, a road filled with right choices, sacrifice and will to change. He has not forgotten his past, but he’s made peace with it; learned from it; accepted it.
Whatever you’ve been through, there’s always a new way. There’s always potential for redemption or forgiveness. Yes, the path may be hard; hell, it may be the hardest you’ve ever walked. But it really is worth walking.
Being better is a choice, just like staying the same. Life’s too short to carry the burden of your past forever. Take whatever lessons you can from it and move on.
In the end, I’ll leave you with a scene from the ending of God of War: Ragnarök that I really think speaks for itself on this matter.
Thank you for taking your time to read my article.
Remember: we can always choose to be better.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism | Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box | The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men |
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