The Mask of Creation is an ancient and primordial artifact used by Odin and wielded by Atreus. This wooden mask is magically bound to the Rift of Creation, though its real purpose remains unknown.
In God of War[]
History[]
The Mask's origins are a complete mystery. While the Jötnar were not responsible for its creation, a few of them had seen it in their visions. Although no one knew where it came from, it was believed that the mask could allow someone to look into the secrets of Creation itself and grant infinite knowledge. However, some like Mimir think it's nothing more than a story and it's just a waste of time trying to find the pieces.
When Odin killed Ymir and shaped the world with his corpse, he accidentally tore a hole in the very fabric of reality itself, showing him the Realm of Creation. In his version of events, the loss of his right eye was due to gazing into the realm and almost resulted in madness. Mimir recounts that Odin claimed he heard a voice one night that told him of the mask, hoping he'd collect it and take control of his destiny, and afterwards he took a ship to find it. The subsequent voyage resulted in the loss of his entire crew, a sacrifice Odin deemed acceptable for the artifact he found. That was when he discovered a mask with green markings that, when completed, was capable of allowing its wearer to look into Creation. Wishing to use the mask to find all the answers he so desperately coveted, Odin decided to use Atreus, due to his ability to understand different writings and languages, as a way to complete the mask as the pieces were scattered across the Nine Realms and only the mask piece he had gotten could find them.
Thanks to Atreus, the mask was fully restored, but he was forced to escape with it from a vengeful Thor. Odin nearly got his hands on it after he killed Brok but Kratos managed to pin it to the wall with Draupnir before he could escape. During Ragnarök, because the mask was restored, this caused the rift to open, and Odin urged Atreus to use it to take a glimpse into the rift. However, to his horror, Atreus refused and broke the mask in half, causing it to get sucked into the rift of Creation, sealing it up forever.
Decoding the Mask's Inscriptions[]
The writings on the mask are in Ancient Greek, Japanese, and Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Greek Translation and Interpretation:
- Original Text: επι iης φλεγομενης γης και επι pου εζ οψιανου σπινθηρος πεδιοντι μαχωι ουδεηοτε νενμενων
- Translation: "On the flammable lands and on the surface of the earth, Obsidian, a sparkling mahogany tree or sparkling fields. No one will die."
- Interpretation: The text tells of a burning earth and sparks of fire, possibly indicating a place filled with energy and transformation. This may be a poetic reference to Muspelheim, one of the primordial worlds, and a key location in the game.
Japanese Translation and Interpretation:
- Original Text: 新しい風が舞わる大ききそらひ笑
- Translation: "The new wind, the great dance of the vortex, the shining sky laughs."
- Interpretation: This poetic description associates a new wind with the beginning of something new and great, with the laughter of heaven symbolizing various themes like joy, transcendence, irony of fate, or the presence of higher powers.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs Interpretation:
- Original Text: 𓇋𓆛𓈖𓃀𓏏𓄕𓏦𓀠𓈖𓎡𓄿𓊪𓏏𓇮𓈓𓇏𓏏𓈇𓏤𓏪𓂋𓎡𓋴𓌬𓅃𓏏𓏛𓅃𓄣𓏤𓅃𓎼𓄿𓂋𓏤𓍘𓇋𓊌𓏥
- Interpretation: This complex metaphor of travel and transformation tells about the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It reflects the movement of souls through time and space, the balance of good and evil, and the spiritual nourishment necessary for ascending to higher levels of being.
Conclusion[]
The inscriptions on the Mask of Creation are deeply symbolic, weaving together themes of transformation, cosmic order, and the journey of the soul. The mask serves as a key to understanding the mysteries of existence, inviting those who wear it to delve into the secrets of Creation itself. The decoded texts from Greek, Japanese, and Egyptian sources contribute to a rich narrative that enhances the mythological depth of the God of War universe.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Despite the mask playing a rather crucial role in the narrative of God of War: Ragnarök, The Mask of Creation itself has no clear connection to Norse Mythology.
- There is an ancient Icelandic mask known as "Grima" currently on display in the National Museum of Iceland which is supposedly haunted. This is most likely a coincidence, however.
- The Mask of Creation superficially resembles the Mask of Loki from the 1994 film adaptation of Mike Richardson's The Mask.