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Omega (God of War)

This article contains lore based on real-life sources of the Greek mythology as introduced from the God of War Greek era.


Kratos, the gods demand more of you.

–Artemis

Artemis (Greek: Ἄρτεμις) is the Olympian Goddess of the Hunt. She is the daughter of Zeus and oldest twin sister of Apollo.

Greek Mythology[]

Artemis was a popular and widely worshiped deity across the Hellenic world. Aside from the usual hunting, she ruled over forests and wild beasts, archery and disease. She was also a protector of young and unmarried women.

When the Titan Leto found safe haven on Delos to give birth, Artemis was born first. The young goddess immediately assisted her mother with the birth of her twin Apollo, and from then on she assumed the role of Goddess of Childbirth.

After the birth of the twins Apollo decided to go hunt down Python, the earth-dragon of Delphi that was sent by Hera to kill their mother. With the dragon defeated Hera then sent the giant Tityos after Leto. Artemis and Apollo battled and defeated the giant together. After their victory Zeus stepped in and imprisoned Tityos in Tartarus.

When Artemis and Apollo were still young the twins had been sent by their mother to kill the children of Niobe. The mortal bragged about having more kids than Leto, which upset the Titan goddess. Not wanting to see their mother sad or angry Artemis and Apollo quickly wasted no time in killing the children. Apollo killed Niobe's boys and Artemis killed Niobe's girls. The twins have shown in the fight with the Python, the fight with Tityos the punishment of Niobe and the punishment of the Lycian Peasants that they will protect their mother.

Artemis was a virgin goddess and demanded chastity of her mortal companions, so she had no offspring or lovers. The great hunter Orion did woo her, but a jealous Apollo sent Skorpius to kill him. The giant Scorpion was summoned when Orion started killing too many animals, an act that Apollo knew Gaia would despise. So the sun god used this to his advantage this allowed him to have control over Skorpius.

Because of her beauty and virginity many males such as Adonis, Actaeon, the river god Alpheus and many others tried to win the love of Artemis but to no avail. Orion had been the only one who came close only for their love to tragically end with his death. Actaeon was turned into a deer and killed by his own hounds for watching Artemis bathe and for bragging about his hunting skills. Adonis was killed by a boar because Artemis wanted revenge on Aphrodite for killing one of her hunters.

After Aphrodite killed Hippolytus, one of the male hunters who chose to follow Artemis because the goddess of love couldn't woo him over, Artemis asked for Asclepius to revive him. He agreed but it was an act that would cost him his life, as Hades took offense to it and asked Zeus to kill him. As for Artemis she decided to kill Adonis one of Aphrodite's lovers in an act of vengeance. However the hunting goddess didn't act alone; Ares the god of war heard about Aphrodite having another lover so he decided to help Artemis kill Adonis. The two received news of the mortal from Apollo who also wanted revenge on Aphrodite for blinding one of his children when he saw the goddess of love with Adonis. Together they sent a boar to kill Aphrodite's young mortal lover because Adonis liked to hunt.

When the Giants rose up to overthrow the gods, Artemis fought to defend Olympus, personally cutting down the Giant Gration.

Like the other gods and goddesses Artemis had her mortal champions. Atalanta was greatest out of all her champions. The human Atalanta was left in the woods as baby Artemis sent a female bear to raise the infant. Atalanta eventually left the forest and traveled to the human cities.

Atalanta was one of the heroes to help take down the Calydonian Boar. Artemis sent the beast to attack Calydon because king Oeneus forgot to sacrifice the first fruits of harvest to the goddess. After the boar was killed Atalanta gave the boar's hide to Artemis as an offering in replacement of the fruit.

Artemis, Apollo and her mother Leto sided with Troy during the Trojan war. Artemis fought against Hera but the queen of the gods defeated Artemis by knocking her bow, arrows and quiver on the ground. Then Hera took Artemis own weapons and boxed the hunting goddess' ears with them. After the war Leto picked her daughters weapons and gave them back to Artemis.

God of War series[]

Comics[]

Artemis takes part in the Wager of the Gods, choosing Pothia, Queen of the Kerosians, as her champion. Appropriately, she curses the tribe with stillborn children to force them to search for the Ambrosia, but Pothia's death at the hands of Kratos disqualifies Artemis from winning. She is the only God who does not retaliate against Kratos for costing her the wager.

God of War[]

Artemis appears to Kratos shortly after he enters Pandora's Temple, presenting her personal blade as a gift and referencing her using it to defend Olympus.

God of War: Betrayal[]

The goddess herself never appears, but her blade is still wielded by Kratos.

God of War (2018)[]

A runic is named after Artemis called Wrath of Artemis can be obtained by defeating the troll Dauði Munr, who is fought during the onslaught in the Jötunheim tower, in the Realm Between Realms.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Artemis is conspicuous by her absence in later games, as she is the only god from God of War that didn't appear in any other instalments, including God of War III.
  • Artemis is the only god in God of War whom Kratos does not address as 'Lord'.
  • Though Artemis says she killed a Titan with her Blade, in the mythology the Giants were a separate race born from Gaia to avenge the Titans' loss in the Great War.
    • Also Artemis isn't known to possess any blade in the mythology.
  • Todd Papy revealed that he planned to make Artemis a playable character in God of War: Ascension. He further stated that the character would have the body of a Sphinx (The head and torso of a human and lower body of a lioness). She was more likely to be appear in the multiplayer. However, the idea was scrapped for reasons unknown and only concept art was made.
  • She is mentioned in God of War (2018) where a Runic Attack for the Blades of Chaos called "Wrath of Artemis" is named after her.
  • Her twin brother Apollo, while mentioned several times, has never made a physical appearance.
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