King Midas using the golden touch on a rock
| “ | I'm cursed! Stay away! Don't you see? Everything I touch...gold. | ” |
The Golden Touch is an accursed power given to the King of Macedonia, Midas.
Greek Mythology[]
In Greek myth, Midas, king of Macedonia, was given this power by Dionysus, God of Wine in return for Midas' hospitality towards the god's servant, Silenus. Initially, Midas rejoiced at his power, but soon wanted to rid himself of it after realizing he'll starve to death due to his food and drinks being turned to gold and accidentally transforming his beloved daughter to gold. Midas eventually sought help from Dionysus, who consented; the god told Midas to dip himself in the river of Pactolus. Upon Midas' doing so, his power flowed into the river, and the river sands turned into gold. After that, everything that was gold returned to normal, even his daughter.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta[]
After Kratos entered the Canyons of Sorrow, he discovered Midas fleeing from the sight of his daughter, now turned into gold because of his golden touch. After Kratos had an encounter with the King once again, Midas hallucinated that he had fallen to the Underworld, and that he was on the banks of the River Styx. As he reached his hand to what he believed was the black waters of the dead (but what was, in truth, lava), Midas lost his left hand, but simultaneously turned the lava into bright gold. Kratos then encountered Midas for a third time, knocked him unconscious and dragged him to the lava falls, with intent to turn them into gold so that he can pass through. Midas begged for the Ghost of Sparta to let him go, but nevertheless was thrown into the lava, dying an excruciating death but also allowing Kratos safe passage, as the lava was turned into solid gold after Midas' plunge. This finally allowed Kratos to progress, as Midas died turning into a gold statue being merged in the "wall".