Cronos

Cronos, the former ruler of the world and king of the Titans.

“This time, Retribution finally comes to me, Spartan! – Cronos

Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, Cronos (Κρόνος) was the leader and also the youngest of the first generation of Titans. During the reign of Ouranos, the sky, the hundred-armed Hecatonchires and one-eyed Cyclops were imprisoned within Tartarus, causing Gaia great pain (Tartarus being her bowels). She created a stone sickle for one of her Titan sons to kill Uranus and take his place as ruler. Only Cronos was willing to do the deed, and so Gaia gave him the sickle and placed him in ambush. When Uranus met with Gaia, Cronos attacked his father and cut off his genitals, castrating him and casting the severed member into the sea. From the blood sprouted the Gigantes, Erinyes, and Meliae. From the member that was cast into the sea, Aphrodite emerged.

After defeating Ouranos, Cronos re-imprisoned the Hecatonchires and the Cyclops along with the Gigantes and set the dragon Campe to guard them forever. He and his sister-wife Rhea took the throne of the world as king and queen. This period of Cronos' rule was called the Golden Age, as the people of the time had no need for laws or rules; everyone did the right thing, and immorality was absent.

Cronos learned from the Sisters of Fate that he was destined to be overcome by his own son, just as he had overthrown his father. As a result, although he sired the gods Demeter, Hera, Hades, Hestia, and Poseidon by Rhea, he swallowed them all as soon as they were born to preempt the prophecy. The sixth and final child, Zeus, would become the son destined to overthrow Cronos and defeat the Titans.

Cronos was usually depicted with a sickle, which he used to harvest crops and also the weapon used to defeat Ouranos. Other children he is reputed to have fathered is Chiron, by Philyra.

In the God of War Series

Birth and Early Days

In the beginning, the mighty Titans were created by the union of Gaia and Ouranos. They were all born on the Island of Creation, home to the Sisters of Fate. Above any other beings, including the Titans, the Sisters of Fate could see the future and predict what would happen to any living being. The Titans feared the Sisters of Fate for this, and left the Island of Creation to rule the mortal world. This marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Mankind.

Cronos, the mighty ruler of the Titans, was prophesized to be overthrown by his own children in the future. To prevent this from coming true, Cronos tried to bribe the Sisters of Fate into changing his destiny by granting them the Steeds of Time. However, this gift would not prevent the prophecy from coming true. In a second attempt to prevent this from happening, his wife, Rhea, bore his children and one by one he swallowed them whole, imprisoning them within his belly. Rhea could not bear another loss, for she already had five children taken from her. When the sixth child, Zeus, was born, Rhea called upon an eagle to take the baby far away from the watchful eyes of Cronos. In the baby’s place Rhea wrapped a stone in cloth, giving it to Cronos who foolishly swallowed it believing it to be the baby.

Great War

Farther beyond the Island of Creation, baby Zeus was reared by Gaia. She cared for Zeus and nurtured his desire to free his siblings from Cronos. When he came of age, Zeus freed them, and started a war against the Titans. He desired to rule over the mortals more than anything. The continuous battles between the new gods and the Titans forged the landscape of the mortal world.

The mighty Atlas was the leader of the Titans in their epic battle against the gods. Mountains were hurled like pebbles and tremendous earthquakes shook the world. Cronos had almost been defeated, but was saved by Atlas, and was defeated by both Hades and Poseidon. After Zeus created the Blade of Olympus, the Titans were banished to the darkest pits of Tartarus to endure great suffering for all time, but Cronos would be granted another great fate in time.

God of War

Zeus punished Cronos by forcing him to wander the Desert of Lost Souls with Pandora's Temple chained to his back. The whirling sands may have one day ripped the very flesh from Cronos’ bones, but he was given no sympathy. When the Titan Horn would be blown, Cronos would be called upon to allow countless warriors to endure the many dangers which lurked within the temple. Above all warriors, Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta, was responsible for completing the many feats within the temple and even retrieving Pandora's Box.

God of War II

Kratos also discovered the magic Cronos had hidden within the Steeds of Time. This magic, called Cronos' Rage, allowed Kratos to electrify his enemies much like Poseidon's Rage. Nothing else is known about the Titan other than the fact that he was responsible for destroying his own father, starting a vicious cycle. This cycle was between fathers being destroyed by their sons, much like Kratos tried to do when he fought Zeus upon the Summit of Sacrifice.

God of War III

"Kratos! Your death will not be a gentle one!" - Cronos

It is revealed that after Kratos made use of Pandora's Box, Zeus became consumed with fear and banished Cronos to the Pits of Tartarus so that the Titan would be tormented for all eternity.

He is encountered in the Underworld still with Pandora's Temple on his back. There he reveals to Kratos that after he managed to find Pandora's Box and used it to kill Ares, Zeus became paranoid and banished Cronos to Tartarus in order to further protect the box. Believing Kratos had killed Gaia, Cronos tries to squash Kratos despite the later claiming that he now fights against Zeus. Eventually, Kratos uses Solar Flare to blind him. Cronos still tries to squash Kratos but Kratos manages to maneuver his way around Cronos's body, and then take Cronos' fingernail off, but is eventually devoured by him.

After falling down Cronos's throat and into his stomach, Kratos use the Blade of Olympus to slice his way out, spilling Cronos's guts. He then uses a piece of Cronos's shackles to impale him through the jaw then uses the blade again to stab him in the forehead. Cronos collapses and dies, but not before cursing Kratos' name, marking him a "coward who kills his own kin".

Trivia

• In God of War, Kratos was surprised that Cronos still existed even though he seen and fought Atlas ten years prior in God of War: Chains of Olympus. He might have believed Cronos was killed by Zeus. Although he may have just been shocked to hear a Titan was still present in the mortal world, whereas Atlas had been freed from the Underworld.
• In God of War, Cronos is shown in cutscenes with only four fingers, but in God of War III, he has five.

Related Pages

• Titans

Gallery

Cronos approaching the sacrifice altar

Cronos devours a disguised rock

Cronos being attacked by Hades

Cronos picks ups a rock believing it is Zeus

Cronos spectral image

Cronos giving Kratos Cronos' Rage

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Kratos during his fight against Cronos

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Cronos trying to crush Kratos