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Thor Odinson

Thor Odinson The God of Thunder


Omega (God of War 2018)

This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse Mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse Era.


Was it LUCK? Did my sons die to blind, FUCKING luck?

–Thor to Kratos, God of War Ragnarök

Thor (Old Norse: Þórr, Nordic: ᚦᛟᚱ), also known as Thor Odinson (Translation: Thor, son of Odin) was the Norse Aesir God of Thunder, Lightning, Storms, Wrestling, Strength, Consecration, the Sky, War, Hallowing and the Champion of the Aesir. Head of a family of strong warriors, he was the son of Odin and Fjörgyn and step-son of Frigg, nephew of Vili and , husband of Sif, older half-brother of Baldur, as well as the father of Magni, Modi and Thrúd, and uncle of Forseti.

First born of Odin, Thor grew up in a violent environment and was raised in fear and obedience of the All-Father, who destined him to become the figurehead of the Aesir family as well as his primary enforcer. Hatred of the Giants was instilled in him, yet another part of Odin's plan to break his son's spirit and make it more malleable. Following his mother's death, Thor progressively rejected his maternal heritage and fully embraced his destiny as the Champion of the Aesir.

In the wake of the creation of the legendary Mjölnir, the half-giant-half-God Thor made a name for himself for the infamous genocide he committed across the Nine Realms against the Jötnar, a race he hated with a passion. This hatred reached its climax when the Aesir confronted the gigantic Jörmungandr in Midgard in a brutal slugging match. Destined to kill the World Serpent during Ragnarök, Thor was widely considered as the most powerful of Odin's sons and the infamous symbol of the Aesir's rampage. Serving as Odin's right-hand and primary henchmen, he was typically sent as the All-Father's envoy when intimidation was required.

The God of Thunder is introduced for the first time in God of War (2018), where he makes a cameo appearance in the secret ending. Although Thor is never met in person, he is often mentioned throughout the journey by the main protagonists and various characters, which further emphasizes his particular importance across the Nine Realms. His life took an even darker turn when he suddenly lost his sons at the hands of Kratos and Atreus, making him more miserable than ever and prompt to fall back in his old ways. Following the onset of Fimbulwinter, Thor was tasked by Odin to come with him negotiate with Kratos, hoping to cut a deal with the Spartan with the goal of preventing Ragnarök.

The mighty God of Lightning then makes his first real appearance in God of War Ragnarök as the secondary antagonist and Kratos' nemesis. By the time the God of Thunder finally meets the Spartan, he was little more than a shadow of himself, suffering silently upon witnessing his family slowly but surely falling apart. Considering Kratos as his match and aware of the Spartan's background, Thor claimed his blood payment from the murderer of his sons in a legendary duel that ultimately ended in a stalemate. Back in Asgard, Odin required him to work with Loki in their quest to find the missing pieces of the legendary mask of creation. Thor reluctantly served as Atreus' bodyguard and although this unholy alliance was not easy between the two of them, the God of Thunder nevertheless honored his mission but gained nothing from his efforts to gain Odin's favour.

Left bitter and more infuriated than ever, Thor also had to deal with more personal issues as his loyalty to Odin was being seriously questioned by both his wife and his enemies. Unwilling to stand up to the All-Father and lacking the courage to openly face him, Thor instead unleashed his wrath and frustration on Loki, which not only caused Odin to expose himself to his enemies but also prompted Kratos to trigger Ragnarök. Putting up a hell of a fight, Thor successfully sent Jörmungrandr back in time but could not prevent the invading forces from breaching the Walls of Asgard. Upon noticing Kratos with Thrúd, he unleashed his fury on the Ghost of Sparta and engaged him in battle one last time right in front of Odin's Hall.

The duel was set for a fight to the death; one of them would not survive the ordeal. However, Thor was this time facing a more wary and better prepared opponent. Blaming Kratos for having brought the war to Asgard and for the destruction of his family, the God of Thunder was blinded by anger and refused to listen to his enemies, who unsuccessfully urged him to stop fighting. Wounded and damaged by Kratos, the enraged Aesir unleashed the full weight of his powers but proved unable to break through the Spartan's discipline, who ultimately overpowered the might of Mjölnir with the resilience of the Leviathan Axe.

Exhausted and defeated, Thor was spared by Kratos and finally chose to listen to reason, for the sake of his daughter. As Odin personally showed up and urged his son to resume his fight, Thor finally opened his eyes and saw what his father truly was, and what he made of him. When the God of Thunder dared to openly disobey for the first time, he met his demise at the hands of his own father, who promptly impaled him with Gungnir just in time for Atreus and Thrúd to witness his death. Thor's last thought was for his beloved daughter, and he ultimately faded away.

Codex Description[]

There are many differences between Thor and his brother Baldur. Baldur fought wildly, his motivation to inflict pain. Thor is calmer-his bloodlust is for the fight itself, not for the suffering it inflicts. The full force of his attack is as heavy as any I have felt. The hammer, Mjölnir, only compounds his power... each blow echoes with the death and destruction they have wrought together. He chose to end our fight prematurely. It is good for both of us that it did not reach its conclusion.

Kratos

I never heard any stories about Loki and Thor going on adventures together! This may be the strangest part of this whole trip. Thor doesn't seem happy about it - or anything else for that matter - but it's what Odin wants and that means Thor will do it... even if he'd rather smash me with his hammer instead. Hopefully while I'm here I can figure him out a little better.

Atreus

Norse Mythology[]

Thor, the brawny thunder god, is the archetype of a loyal and honorable warrior, the ideal toward which the average human warrior aspired. He's the indefatigable defender of the Aesir gods and their fortress, Asgard, from the encroachments of the giants, who are usually (although far from invariably) the enemies of the gods.

No one is better suited for this task than Thor. His courage and sense of duty are unshakeable, and his physical strength is virtually unmatched. He even owns an unnamed belt of strength (Old Norse megingjarðar) that makes his power doubly formidable when he wears the belt. His most famous possession, however, is his hammer, Mjöllnir ("Lightning"). Only rarely does he go anywhere without it. For the heathen Scandinavians, just as thunder was the embodiment of Thor, lightning was the embodiment of his hammer slaying giants as he rode across the sky in his goat-drawn chariot. (Of course, they didn't believe he physically rode in a chariot drawn by goats – like everything else in Germanic mythology, this is a symbol used to express an invisible reality upon which the material world is perceived to be patterned.)

Thor's particular enemy is Jormungandr, the enormous sea serpent who encircles Midgard, the world of human civilization. In one myth, he tries to pull Jormungand out of the ocean while on a fishing trip, and is stopped only when his giant companion cuts the fishing line out of fear. Thor and Jormungand finally face each other during Ragnarok, where the two put an end to each other.

Given his ever-vigilant protection of the ordered cosmos of pre-Christian northern Europe against the forces of chaos, destruction, and entropy represented by the giants, it's somewhat ironic that Thor is himself three-quarters giant. His father, Odin, is half-giant, and his mother, variously named as Jord (Old Norse "Earth"), Hlöðyn, or Fjörgyn, is entirely of giant ancestry. However, such a lineage is very common amongst the gods, and shows how the relationship between the gods and the giants, as tense and full of strife as it is, can’t be reduced to just enmity.

In the God of War Series[]

Backstory[]

Birth[]

Thor was born to Odin, king of Asgard, and the giantess, Fjörgyn. He is also the brother of Baldur. At some point in his life, he would marry Sif and sire a son and a daughter with her. Thor also had another eldest son, Magni, whom Thor was conceived with Járnsaxa.

Odin commissioned Brok and Sindri to build a powerful weapon, Mjölnir, for Thor to use to protect Asgard. Both dwarven brothers would come to bitterly regret making the hammer many years later, as Thor would use it to spread death and destruction across the realms without restraint.

At some point, Odin invited the stone giant, Hrungnir, to Asgard. After getting drunk on mead, Hrungnir was goaded by Odin into making all manner of boasts and antics, all for the amusement of the court. When Thor arrived at the hall, he was unamused by the drunken giant's threats, and proceeded to slam Mjölnir so hard on Hrungnir's stone head that it was smashed to pieces, with chunks of rock ending up lodged in Thor's own skull. Startled by the faceful of rock, he didn't notice Hrungnir's body falling on top of him. None of the Aesir in the hall were strong enough to push the corpse off him. But then Thor's sons, Magni and Modi, who at the time were no bigger than shrubs, would come to their father's aid and lift Hrungnir's body off him while no one, except for Mimir, was looking. Magni would get all the praise from Thor for being blonder, while Modi became bitter and resentful towards his brother for not getting any credit for his involvement.

After Odin was forced to flee Jötunheim when the Giants discovered him trying to steal their secret knowledge of the future, he furiously ordered Thor to use Mjölnir to slaughter every giant in Midgard that he could find. By the time of Laufey's death, Thor had already slaughtered most of the Giants in Midgard (with the exception of Jörmungandr) and earned a fearful reputation as the strongest Norse God in all the Nine Realms.

At some point in Vanaheim, a drunken Thor had fought with Laufey, contributing to the destruction of the valley they tore apart along with the many lives killed there. Both of them were evenly matched and the fight ended in a stalemate and the creation of a frozen lightning bolt.

An enormous statue of Thor was commissioned by Odin to be build overlooking the Lake of Nine Realms. Though both Sindri and Brock refused to aid in its construction, the statue was eventually constructed by an unknown sculptor. Although the statue was sculpted in Thor's likeness, the God of Thunder was openly unsatisfied with the results, prompting Odin to bring in another sculptor who crafted a statue Thor found a great deal more flattering.

When the giant Thamur went to Midgard in order to search for his son, Hrimthur, Thor appeared and killed the stonemason by causing him to fall on his own chisel and Thamur's gigantic body crushed a fishing village that worshiped the Vanir God Njörd. Thor would always act like he planned to make the Giant fall onto the village and destroy it, although Mimir states that it was simply just a case of luck and called the God of Thunder a "sweaty bawbag".

Following the murder, Odin entered a bet with Hrimthur, who had disguised himself as a mortal, to improve the walls of Asgard within a near-impossible span of time. Odin lost the bet and sent Thor to kill Hrimthur when he discovered the stonemasons true nature as a Jötunn. Unbeknownst to Odin, Hrimthur had placed a weakness in the walls and entrusted the secret of his deception only to Freya for the preparation for Ragnarök when Surtr would arrive and burn Asgard to ash.

The giant king Thrym once stole Mjölnir and ran off with it to Jötunheim, while Thor (Mimir described him as a "thunder lummox") was sleeping. Thor then snuck into Jötunheim with Freya into the wedding feast between her and Thrym. When The Giant King revealed Mjölnir during the ceremony, Thor revealed himself, took back his hammer and began slaughtering every Giant present for the festivities, including Thrym by smashing his skull. That is until Freya cast a spell to return Thor and herself back to Asgard, which caused him to hold some form of disdain against her as he was also ordered by Odin to establish a foothold in the realm.

Thor also still trusted his brother Baldur completely, despite the fact that the God of Light had lost his sanity long ago in the eyes of the other Aesir and was regarded as dangerously unhinged.

At some point in his life, Thor during one of his many drunken rages, murdered the Vanir poet Kvasir, most likely due to him not understanding the "depth" of his poems, showing another example of his aversion to thinking too hard about anything and probably feeling that not understanding it made him look like an idiot which further enraged him.

God of War (2018)[]

Although absent in the main campaign, he is mentioned consistently throughout as a monster who slew every Giant he could find in Midgard to satisfy his bloodlust. Thor is also mentioned to have fought The World Serpent years ago during his massacre of the Giants. But, instead of emerging victorious, the World Serpent proved to be just as strong as the Thunder God, leading to a stalemate. Thus, Thor was forced to return to his father Odin empty-handed. As a result, Thor and The World Serpent have hated each other ever since. It is also said that their rivalry will not end until the coming of Ragnarök.

Kratos and Atreus also meet the spirit of a former disciple of Thor, who desires vengeance on the God for wronging his family. After his father died, the spirit's mother built a statue of Thor to watch over his grave and were surprised when the Aesir God himself came to offer condolences. While they were initially thrilled, Thor took advantage of the family's hospitality. When the mother begged him to leave, Thor murdered her in a fit of drunken rage. The spirit, throughout the rest of his life, lived in grief until it turned into rage and hatred.

Before he can leave Midgard to begin his quest for vengeance, he requests that the statue be destroyed, and any valuables in his father's grave may be looted with his blessing. In their boat, Kratos uses the man's story to remind his son of an important lesson: the lives of men mean nothing to the Gods, recounting Kratos' own experience of being betrayed time and again by the Olympian Gods. After the statue was destroyed and the father's grave was looted, Kratos and Atreus returned to the spirit to let him know. Knowing that his bond to Midgard is now severed, he gave the duo his gratitude before leaving, thus beginning his quest. When Atreus amazingly remarked on the spirit's bravery, Kratos called the spirit a fool, as he knew that going off to find and face off against Thor is really foolish, as the God of Thunder is really formidable.

Modi and Magni joined Baldur in hunting Kratos and Atreus, the former of whom killed Magni in a confrontation. A horrified Modi fled to Asgard and reported Magni's demise to Thor, who was furious to learn of his favored son's death. Believing Modi had abandoned Magni and further angered by his failure to avenge his brother, Thor brutally beat him for his cowardice. These wounds would leave Modi severely weakened physically and emotionally which would later lead to his death at Atreus' hands.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-17 à 20.44

The terrifying Thor is likely coming to avenge his family.

Thor only physically appears in the game's true ending. During a dream about the future, years after the events of the game, Kratos and Atreus were sleeping. Thor arrives and summoned a huge storm outside their house, causing Kratos and Atreus to investigate. When Kratos demands he reveal his identity, Thor silently lifts his cloak, revealing Mjölnir as it emits electricity. The dream ends and is relayed by Atreus to his father after he wakens, theorizing Thor will come to avenge the deaths of both his sons and his half-brother Baldur.

Between the end of the first game and the beginning of Ragnarök Sif and Thor promised to abstain from alcohol for the sake of their only surviving child, Thrúd although it was more recent for Thor than his wife and much harder.

God of War Ragnarök[]

The Calm before the Storm[]

I'm sure we'll find LOTS to talk about.

–Thor to Kratos

Capture d’écran 2022-12-17 à 18.47

As feared by Atreus, the God of Thunder himself finally came knocking at their door.

Three years after Baldur, Magni, and Modi's death, Atreus' premonition proved to be true as the God of Thunder himself suddenly showed up right at Kratos' front door, summoning up a storm upon his theatrical arrival. As the Ghost of Sparta asks to know who he is dealing with, Thor merely pulls his cape aside, revealing the legendary hammer that has brought so much death and devastation all over the Nine Realms. But instead of raising Mjölnir, Thor unexpectedly grabbed a canteen filled with mead - certainly good for warming up in such freezing conditions - and suggested they have a drink together. Although Kratos was unwilling to let Thor enter his home, he obviously felt that this man could not be dealt with the same way he dealt with his half-brother prior to Fimbulwinter. Thor was no joke and the Ghost of Sparta knew who he was, and what he had done. The God of Thunder then entered Kratos' Cabin, closely followed by Huginn and Muninn and showing off his enormous size compared to the already very tall Kratos.

You seem like a calm and reasonable person. Are you... a calm and reasonable person?

–Thor to Kratos

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The two legendary gods gauge each other, a mixed - and shared - feeling of respect and curiosity.

Thor quickly took advantage of Kratos' hospitality by sitting at the table and setting Mjölnir on it as a gesture of goodwill, intensely staring at the Ghost of Sparta he heard so much about; the very man who killed his sons and his half-brother. But maybe more than anger, it was curiosity and even respect that drove Thor to hold back. He knew Kratos' background, his legendary feats as the Ghost of Sparta and what he had done long ago in his homeland. The God of Thunder felt that he finally met his match and was willing to treat the Spartan as his equal, despite the sins the latter has committed against him. True to his reputation, Thor promptly filled the mugs Kratos had his son fetch with mead and was about to serve Atreus, only to be firmly interrupted by Kratos. While such an insult from anybody else would have certainly been met with Mjölnir, nothing happened between the two gods, although the tension was palpable. Despite his reputation as an infamous drunkard, Thor was still attempting to retain his sobriety and merely smells the mead before dipping his finger into the mug and caressing the surface his of hammer whilst quietly sizing up Kratos. The two of them were soon joined in by the All-Father himself, who seemingly sent Thor first to keep Kratos in check. As soon as Odin entered the home, Thor found himself sidelined, showing evidence of his inferior position while in presence of his father. Adding the insult to injury, he had nothing to say when Odin insulted his two sons in front of their murderer. Remaining silent during most of the exchange between Kratos and the All-Father, Thor secretly welcomed Kratos' rejection of Odin's peace terms with jubilation. The All-Father could not tolerate such affront, and he discreetly gave his son his approval to try and convince Kratos with his own methods.

Duel with the God of War[]

I've been WAITING for this. You're not from here. We got a tradition called "blood payments". It means I get a piece of you, for what you took from my family. You'll pick it up.

–Thor to Kratos

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Thor gave Kratos a run for his money, successfully overwhelming the Spartan with Mjölnir.

Genuinely delighted by the Spartan's refusal, Thor wastes no time and takes Kratos off guard, uppercutting the Ghost of Sparta with Mjölnir and sending him fly right through the roof, towards the secret chamber in Týr's Temple. While flying, Thor catches up to Kratos and introduces him to a Norse tradition they call "blood payments", where he's allowed to take something from what he took from his family. The two engage in a ferocious combat, with Thor repeatedly goading Kratos in hopes of seeing the true Ghost of Sparta. Thor initially fights Kratos hand-to-hand, taking it easy on his opponent. However, as the punches and the axe blows start raining upon Thor, the latter calls Mjölnir after Kratos uses the Leviathan Axe to severely wound his opponent. Resuming the fight on Týr's bridge, the God of Thunder eventually gains the upper hand and knocks Kratos unconscious with his powerful hammer, almost killing him. However, Thor, refusing to let Kratos die until he gets to see him at his best, resuscitates him using Mjölnir.

You think you can come here, become a DADDY, get a clean slate? That ain't how it works. You're a DESTROYER, like ME.

–Thor to Kratos

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The brutal clash ended yet in a stalemate.

The two Gods continue to fight, with Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe clashing so hard that it creates a frozen lightning bolt, which felt familiar to Thor. As their weapons clash, Thor was infuriated when Kratos told him that Modi sought him and Atreus in fear of Thor, and that he died of the wounds his father gave him, but Thor brushed it off. Eventually, Thor was able to grab hold of Kratos after breaking his shield, understanding how his sons were defeated at his hands, but explains that he is someone totally different who is able to put up a challenging fight against Kratos. He then mentions that Odin has plans for Atreus, a response that finally brings out Kratos' inner-beast, using it to secure a good punch to Thor's face, which broke one of his teeth. By choice, Thor chooses not to carry on because he's gotten to see Kratos' Spartan Rage, ripping out a broken tooth. Satisfied, he states to the Spartan that his blood debt is paid and leaves.

There he is... There's the god of war. Consider your blood debt paid. Be seeing ya.

–Thor before leaving Kratos

Unholy alliance with Loki[]

Capture d’écran 2022-12-07 à 21.02

Thor does not hesitate to threaten Heimdall.

In Asgard, Thor has arrived to stop Heimdall from harming Atreus any longer and confirms that he is indeed a guest for Odin, whether he agrees with Heimdall or not. Things get heated between the two when Heimdall insults Thor, and the God of Thunder intimidates him in response, enough to make him give up wanting to fight, claiming that Thor is a sick man. Dismissed by Odin to go do something else after his arrival, Thor leaves. Called down to help Atreus with a mission to find the map, the Thunder God jump-scares Odin from behind in a second. Whether or not it was a fatherly thing to say or an insult, while Odin tells Atreus to take the mask, he includes in Thor and calls him by the name, "This stealthy side of beef". Before they left, directly by command, Thor is told to go easy on Atreus because of the bad blood he has towards the kid.

On their mission, Thor helps to clear away enemies and to smash any obstacles in the way, leaving everything else to Atreus. However, without Odin watching them, he threatens Atreus that he would've killed him right now if it wasn't for the command he was given by Odin, no hint of forgiveness being given as he was the one that killed Modi. That said, they go their separate ways for now to finish looking for the mask. Heading back to Asgard, Thor tells Atreus to never test him again and gives another threat that because of his Jötunn blood, he'll revel in killing him. When they returned to Asgard, Thor wasn't given any of the credit by Odin, who doesn't believe that he has taught Atreus anything just like the latter himself said. It's shown then that Thor likely means nothing to his father, but he's been dealing with it so much he's learnt to go with it.

While Atreus is walking over to Odin, Thor is heard questioning his father on why the young Jötunn is even in Asgard if he was the one who killed one of their own. Thinking that Sif is the one putting these lies into his head, he excludes her from the conversation and says that it's about Modi and Magni. Having had enough of it, Odin sends Thor away to go break something, claiming he honestly thought of him better when he was drunk.

Turmoil at the Mead Hall[]

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Thor secretly started drinking again.

Sent to find Thor for another mission, Atreus goes to Thrúd for help and they both search her dad in a famous Asgardian pub - the Black Thunder - drinking and reverting to his bad habits. It turns out that the death of Heimdall and everything that was going on made the god of thunder sink into the drink. When they find him at a table with some others Einherjar, the God of Thunder was so drunk that he didn't immediately notice their presence, and he barely listened to Loki when the latter tried to get him out of here. But Thrúd knew better how to handle her father, and as soon as she showed up next to him, Thor finally paid attention. Reacting with disbelief at her presence in the Mead Hall but unable to scold her, he instead turned his attention to Atreus and berated him for having brought his daughter to such a disreputable place. Nevertheless, Thor felt genuinely ashamed since he had promised his daughter that he would stop drinking, and as a result he consciously avoided her furious gaze.

Let it be known that the God of Thunder is good for two things: killing Giants, and PISSING MEAD!

–Thor.

Though she asks for him to stop, Thor says that there's not much to stop because he's already drunk, then boastfully declares to the whole pub that he was only good at two things - killing giants and pissing mead - and that should anyone whoever thinks otherwise greet Mjölnir with their face. Such behaviour ashamed Thrúd, and she eventually gave up. Atreus then gave it another try and having enough of Atreus' talking, he tells him to to be quiet and throws his mug, Atreus dodges it and a drunken Einherjar is hit instead, mistaking Atreus to be the one who threw it.

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Completely drunk, the God of Thunder barely notices the presence of Thrúd and Atreus.

From that, a giant brawl breaks out and Thor joins in. Through the madness, he's seen throwing another of the Einherjar onto a table, beating multiple others, and drinking while ignoring Atreus, but returns to the fight after his mug gets destroyed. If he wanted to or if he was drunk, he kills an Einherjar captain and saves Atreus who was in his tight grip. After the brawl concluded, Thrúd still tries to talk to her father, but Thor doesn't listen and just gulps the last of his drink before collapsing on the floor, drunk to the max. Too weak (and drunk) to stand on his own, he has to be helped outside by the teens and is berated by his own daughter for another 'broken promise', demanding that he get up and go on the mission with Atreus.

The God of Thunder didn't even react and remained miserably slumped on the ground. Depressed and self-loathing, the reality is that Thor simply couldn't stand himself anymore. By this point, he had done so many terrible things that he didn't even attempt to justify himself to his daughter, and so turned once more to alcohol as a coping mechanism. He truly offered a miserable spectacle: ungroomed and in overweight, unable to take care of himself - he seemingly didn't even try to heal the wound he received from his first fight with Kratos - Thor was nothing more than a hollowed out wreck of a man. His daughter knew that and how Odin treated him, which is why she reminded her father that she and Sif were always here for him, even in the worst moments. After Thrúd left, Thor finally summoned Mjölnir and got up with difficulty, refusing the help Atreus offered. He then called for Huginn and together with Loki, the two of them traveled to Niflheim.

Breaking point on Niflheim[]

You have no idea of the kind of shit I've been through.

–Thor to Atreus.

Capture d’écran 2023-02-26 à 10.07

Thor drank so much that he needed to catch a break for an obvious reason.

Serving as Atreus' pet was seriously getting on Thor's nerves, and he urged the latter to make their mission as quick as possible. Shortly after they arrived in Niflheim, he was as angry and frustrated as ever, constantly talking to Atreus in a tired tone, but nevertheless kept going with the young man. However, the unfortunate Thor still hadn't recovered from the episode at the Mead Hall, and needed to stop a few seconds in order to puke - literally speaking - much to Loki's embarrassment. As they made their way through waves of frozen enemies, the two gods kept arguing with each other, with Thor notably complaining about all he has endured until this day. Atreus' remarks about the way the God of Thunder managed his family relationships earned him to be promptly rebuffed, but they eventually reached the location of the last piece of the wooden mask.

Here, the Aesir managed to save Atreus' life, preventing the latter from being sucked into a chasm. But as the artifact was finally completed, the All-Father himself showed up. The God of Thunder instinctively walked towards his father, secretly hoping to be credited at last for the success of their mission, but Odin deliberately ignored him and congratulated Atreus instead, praising the latter for their fruitful collaboration. Disappointed and wounded in his pride, Thor merely stepped aside after having thrown a bitter remark. A few seconds later, the three protagonists were caught off guard as Sif and the Valkyries Hrist and Mist appeared in person, very much to Odin's disbelief.

The All-Father immediately demanded explanations from the Goddess of Family, who replied in a cold anger that Forseti had found out who murdered Heimdall and ordered Hrist and Mist to immediately arrest Atreus. However, Odin used his authority to stop the Valkyries, very much to Sif's fury. The two of them started arguing, with Sir including that Atreus had made her husband miserable. But Odin had more important things in mind than the well-being of the Aesir family, and he seized the opportunity to tell Sif that her husband had fallen back into his old ways once more. Remaining silent for a moment, Sif walked towards a powerless Thor and reminded him of the good times they had with Magni and Modi in the past, when they were still alive. She then blamed the All-Father for having deliberately sacrificed their sons, and confessed her fear that Thrúd would be the next one to die.

You know... I finally thought of something I can teach you, Jötunn.

–Thor about to kill Atreus.

Sif and Thor

Thor and Sif sharing a rare moment of intimacy.

Worried as much as his wife for his daughter's safety, Thor remained silent and merely listened to Sif. Deep inside him, he knew what she wanted him to do, but the God of Thunder did not have the will - and the courage - to dare and stand up to Odin. Nevertheless, the idea of losing Thrúdie was the breaking point for him, and instead of facing the All-Father like Sif wanted him to do, Thor raised Mjölnir and advanced menacingly towards a defenseless Loki, his anger - that he kept inside his chest for so long - ready to explode for good. This time, the God of Thunder was completely done with Atreus being in Asgard and blamed him for turning his own family against him. He then mentioned Loki not by his name, but by using "Jötunn", and this mere word was enough to make him lose control. Ignoring Odin's order to stand down, Thor striked on Atreus, who was saved in extremis by Ingrid.

Thor's impulsiveness would cost him more than he thought. Firstly, because by causing Atreus to flee with the precious mask, he jeopardized Odin's plans and forced the All-Father to immediately resume his disguise as Týr. Secondly, Odin's failed attempt to reclaim the artifact and the death of Brok at his hands would prove determinant in uniting the enemies of Asgard against the Aesir. Finally, Kratos and his allies would respond by triggering Ragnarök much earlier than expected, with dire consequences. Unbeknownst to Thor, he also lost the faith Sif still had for him, driving her to rely on Thrúd to try and prevent her family from falling apart for good.

Duel of Fates in Asgard[]

Capture d’écran 2023-02-23 à 15.12

The Elves are no match for the mighty God of Thunder, who easily wiped out many of them.

Later, Kratos brought Ragnarök to Asgard, leading to an all-out battle between the Spartan's armies and Odin's garrison. The All-Father had expected this and prepared himself as well as the Einherjar as a consequence. He personally ordered Thor to deal with Kratos as soon as he finished Jörmungandr off. When the invasion began, the God of Thunder had much to do as the city of Gladsheim was literally swarmed by thousands of Elves, who bypassed the Einherjar's defenses and Hrimthur's Wall by attacking through the air. Thor was quick to react and personally went into the thick of the battle, channeling his powers into Mjölnir to inflict heavy losses among the Elven ranks. But already, the Bifröst was disintegrating and waves of enemies kept pouring into the city, so Thor flew above the Walls to try and push them back to Týr's Temple.

However, the God of Thunder was forced to break off the engagement as soon as the gigantic Jörmungandr showed up in the river, not far off the Alfheim Tower. As it's been prophesied, Thor finally engaged his archenemy and struggled forward as he kept a reasonable distance between himself and the monster who sought to devour him. The two seemingly fought for a few hours, and it was Thor who delivered the first blow to the creature by knocking it so hard with Mjölnir that the shock produced by the hammer literally shook the whole battlefield. The World Serpent accidentally fell on the Alfheim Tower, destroying it in the process and thus, preventing more Elven reinforcements from pouring into Asgard. But it was not enough and Jörmungandr quickly resumed its fight with Thor.

Capture d’écran 2023-02-23 à 15.16

Thor about to deal the knock out blow to Jörmungandr, fulfilling the prophecy.

But in the meantime, the invading forces led by Kratos successfully reached the Tower of Asgard, where Hrimthur's Flaw was located. Unbeknownst to Thor, they were soon joined by Thrúd who - after some convincing - realized that she was helping the wrong side. Her defection allowed Atreus and Sindri to breach the Wall, which effectively opened the way to Odin's Hall. Shortly after, however, Thor was able to strike the World Serpent hard enough to splinter Yggdrasil, sending his enemy back in time. The God of Thunder then noticed that Kratos was standing next to his daughter. Incorrectly assuming that the Spartan was threatening Thrúd - who tried to call him off - Thor rushed at lightning speed to engage the Ghost of Sparta one last time in a duel to the death.

The God of Thunder's last stand[]

NO MORE fucking games. And this time... I am allowed to kill you.

–Thor about to battle Kratos.

Capture d’écran 2023-02-23 à 15.21

Thor is about to make his last stand against Kratos.

Punched by Kratos while they flew, the half-giant lost control of his movements and as a result, both landed painfully right in front of the Great Lodge, so much so that Thor even dropped Mjölnir. Still shaken by his hard-won duel with Jörmungandr and infuriated by Kratos' presence next to his last surviving child, the God of Thunder promised the Spartan that, this time, he would not survive this encounter. Having summoned Mjölnir back into his hand, Thor immediately engaged a reluctant Kratos, determined to end the Spartan like his father ordered him to do. But now, Kratos was wary of his powerful opponent and battle-hardened, which allowed him to effectively dodge the deadly hammer and Thor's punches. Starting to lose control, the latter then brutally grabbed the Spartan and tried to corner him against the wooden wall of Odin's Hall, only to be punched in the face multiple times with Mimir urging him not to let his family falling apart.

This remark triggered the God of Thunder who punched Kratos so hard that the latter was brutally thrown backwards. But the Spartan didn't let Thor recover and as he threw his blades against his opponent, they suddenly met with Mjölnir instead. Their chains were a perfect conduct for electricity and as a result, Kratos found himself severely electrocuted by Thor's powers, channeled through the hammer. The Ghost of Sparta then forcefully broke off the engagement, which caused Thor to briefly lose his control over Mjölnir (still tangled in Kratos' chains). As the God of Thunder pulled Kratos back to him, the latter managed to stab Thor right into the wound he received from the Leviathan Axe, causing him a pain so intense that in a roar of anger, he unleashed the real extent of his powers. Now covered in lightning, Thor summoned the elements from the apocalyptic sky and soon, the courtyard was engulfed with electricity, making Kratos' task much harder. To avoid more bloodshed, Mimir and Kratos tried to reason with the God of Thunder to stop the battle, only to be rejected by the angry and bloodthirsty Thor.

Thor was so blinded by anger that he did not realize that Kratos had learned from their previous encounter, and the Spartan now used every weapon of his arsenal to wear down the God of Thunder. As the fight went on and progressively turned against him, Thor berated Kratos for having brought death and destruction not only on Asgard, but on his family as well. As for Atreus, the God of Thunder promised that he would deal with him as soon as he was done with Kratos. This was not to be and ultimately, Thor is overpowered and thrown away to the peak of the Great Hall, Thor quickly prepares Mjölnir and launches himself against the Spartan, once again with both superweapons clashing and provoking and enormous shockwave, Kratos pushes Thor to maintain distance and prepares to hit him with the Leviathan Axe, Thor proves to be faster and hits Kratos with his hammer, Kratos and Thor start to change blows with their respective weapons while the Spartan tries to reason with him, only to be quickly rejected by Thor, who demands his best move to the Spartan and to end this. In the end the final blows makes Thor to lose Mjölnir, receiving the final blow from the Leviathan Axe, whose power - associated with the wisdom of its owner - overpowered Mjölnir and its evil purpose. The Spartan then managed to pin Thor on the ground with his knife, neutralizing the God of Thunder's powers and causing his lightning to disappear.

Change of Heart[]

Don't you know... what I've done?

"Yes. But what will you do now?

–Thor and Kratos

Thor Betrayed by Odin

Odin kills Thor

Utterly exhausted and defeated, Thor expected Kratos to finish him off, but to his surprise, Kratos made no move to do so. After he was told that his daughter became a friend to Atreus, Thor's hand is set free. The God of Thunder, confused that Kratos would spare his life, angrily reminded him of the atrocities he had committed, to which Kratos asked the God of Thunder what he would do now. Thor picked up Mjölnir, declaring that they can't change who they are: destroyers. Kratos quietly refuses and insists that they must change themselves for the future of their children, and through the Spartan's words, Thor finally stands down, agreeing with his words in order to be better.

Unfortunately, after watching this Odin appears, berating Thor for stopping and telling him that he is not supposed to think and he must kill who he tells him to kill. Coming to realize that Sif was right all along and that Odin never cared about him, Thor admits that he hadn't wanted to admit the truth to himself, dropped Mjölnir and openly stood up to his father. An enraged Odin immediately used Gungnir to impale Thor through the chest while claiming that he "didn't want this", killing the God of Thunder, just as Thrúd and Atreus arrived. In his dying moments, Thor looks at a horrified Thrúd one last time and reaches out to her before dissolving into nothingness.

Legacy[]

Immediately upon killing him, Odin tried to assign blame towards Kratos and Atreus, despite having clearly been the one to impale Thor. However Thrúd, finally able to witness the monster her grandfather truly was, spotted Mjölnir where it lay on the ground and attempted to dash to it, only for the All-Father, being closer, to reach it first and slam it into Thrúd, sending them both far away from the battleground. Atreus was disgusted with Odin for killing his own son and hurting his granddaughter, but the All-Father justified his actions by claiming he and Kratos turned Thor and everyone else against him, destroyed his home and kingdom and took his life's work away from him. After being defeated by Kratos, Atreus, and Freya, Atreus confronted him that his own choices brought those outcomes and he killed Thor by choice, not because he was turned against Odin. Atreus attempted to appeal to him one last time, but when Odin refused to seek redemption, Atreus sealed his soul within Laufey's marble (which was then unceremoniously destroyed by Sindri).

After Asgard's destruction, Atreus approached Thrúd and Sif, taking shelter in Midgard, and offers his condolences for Thor and expresses guilt that he couldn't save him, informing them that the God of Thunder did try redeeming himself but hopes they find comfort in knowing Odin is gone, with Sif agreeing that it was more than welcome. Sometime later, Thrúd finds Mjölnir on Alfheim and claims it for herself, professing her intention to make her father proud, before taking off into the air while shouting victoriously as Kratos, Freya and Mimir observe. Lúnda expressed her hopes for Thrúd despite the family she came from and believes Brok and Sindri would be proud knowing their creation finally ended up with somebody worthier than Thor. Lúnda also expressed gratitude towards Kratos for saving them and crediting him with killing Odin and Thor though Kratos sadly remarked that isn't what happened, hinting that even Kratos was saddened by Thor's death. Kratos with either Atreus or Freya (depending on which companion character is with Kratos at the time) also learned of Thor's battle with Faye in Vanaheim resulting in the destruction of a local valley.

Physical Description[]

God of War (2018)[]

ThorGodofWar2018

Thor in God of War (2018).

Thor's full appearance is revealed at the very end of the game, though the character model is totally inert. The most striking feature is his sheer size, which clearly emphasizes Thor's half-giant nature and makes him look particularly intimidating for the scene where he appears. Although it is difficult to appreciate his real size from the cinematic perspective, a closer look at the God of Thunder allows us to assume that Thor is at least 9'5" high (approximately 286 cm), towering well above the already tall Kratos and any other living character in game, including his son Magni.

His body stature itself is massive and particularly large and much like the rest of the Aesir, Thor is seen possessing blue eyes, red hair, and a thick beard which seems to be braided (as mentioned in The Lost Pages of Norse Myth: Episode 4). He wears a black hooded cloak fastened together with a yellow leather chord and armor, the latter of which consists of a decoratively embossed dark-colored chestguard and matching vambraces worn over a long-sleeved shirt. One of his most noticeable features is his legendary hammer Mjölnir, whose model introduced in God of War (2018) was already definitive and re-used in the sequel. A special holster allows Thor to effectively wield his weapon on his left flank, implying that the God of Thunder is left-handed.

While he seems to have a cold-blooded and serious expression very similar to Kratos himself in the past, it is worth pointing out that Thor's character model was only created as a placeholder for the ending cinematic, which means that he was not meant to move or speak. This is further emphasized by the fact that his external appearance appears to be much less detailed than the other characters in game, as beneath his hood, a closer look reveals a bald head and a striking lack of details, highlighting the fact that not much attention has been paid for his model on a whole. Interestingly, it shares pretty much the same facial features as Magni's, which implies that the character model of Magni has been used to some extend in order to create Thor's. According to Mimir, Thor also has several pieces of the stone giant Hrungnir embedded in his skull.

God of War Ragnarök[]

ThorGoWR

Thor in God of War: Ragnarök.

Thor's definitive appearance is very much different from the model previously used in God of War (2018). The God of Thunder appears to be smaller, standing at 7'8" high (238 cm), which is still much taller than Kratos but slightly smaller than Týr. No official explanation has been given about this change, but it is likely that the developers intended to display the mighty God of Thunder in a more realistic way - Thor wouldn't have been able to walk through Kratos' door if he had kept his original proportions, for example. He is also introduced with a black-hooded cloak and a hood in the same style as in the previous game, although it appears to be much shorter. Interestingly, his cloak looks like the one Kratos himself wears before he loses it after being ambushed by Freya. Nevertheless, Thor will stop wearing it as soon as he engages his duel with the Spartan.

Like with his original model, Thor is burly and thick waisted; but his enormous belly has been emphasized and kept virtually naked, unarmored to make it appear more protruding. The final result is that Thor looks obese but, nevertheless, still muscular - which is generally how he is depicted in the Norse mythology. All in all, his clumsy appearance is very deceptive as the God of Thunder is able to move surprisingly fast thanks to his powers, catching his opponents off-guard. Due to his lack of protection on his belly, Thor will permanently wear a huge wound inflicted by the Leviathan Axe.

Very much like the other Aesir, the God of Thunder sports a variety of Norse tattoos on his body, although their meaning remains uncertain. His face also underwent significant change: while his previous model was bald, Thor now has more pronounced and long red hairs (held by an elastic at the back), while his beard appears to be shorter, fuller and has two braids. His blue eyes are of the same shade as Odin's, a characteristic shared by the other Aesir as well. Like Kratos, Thor notably bears a scar over his right eye. Although unconfirmed, this scar could be the result of Hrungnir's corpse falling on him immediately after his murder at the hands of the God of Thunder. After his first fight with Kratos, Thor gains another, very-pronounced scar on the left side of his gut, having been gouged deep by the Leviathan Axe.

Another difference with the previous model lies in the clothes themselves: this time, green-bottle pants and strips replace the uniformly dark outfit he previously wore. As a protection, Thor does wear multiple plated pauldrons and bracers on his arms, all decorated with sumptuous Asgardian knotworks. The Dwarves from Svartalfheim also equipped Thor with a richly detailed leather armor around his waist, effectively protecting his upper legs and hips. As for his hands, they are so big that Thor can easily fit Kratos' head in them, as demonstrated when he effortlessly grabs the Spartan in-game. His stubby fingers are adorned with a pair of burnished gold rings crafted in Asgard and gifted to him by Odin himself after Thor successfully carried out the genocide of the Giants, and destroyed Týr's Temple in Asgard. Another notable feature is the hand forged iron pendant on his chest, very popular among Celtic warriors in particular. Thor was renowned for caring about his pets Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, and this is why they are featured with beautiful golden patterns over his pauldrons and even on his extra-long belt, obviously made to anticipate his ever-expanding gut.

Like in the prequel, the God of Thunder is left-handed and as such, he is equipped on his left flank with a holster specially crafted by Brok and Sindri, which allows him to wield Mjölnir as if it was a handgun. The hammer's model is the same as the one used in God of War (2018), but the textures are much more detailed. Last but not least, his pair of tanned leather boots from Gradungr provide Thor additional protection while being extremely durable.

Personality[]

WE don't change. We... are destroyers.

–Thor to Kratos

Thor was widely feared and hated throughout the Nine Realms for his cruelty, violent temper, brutality, and sadism. He was utterly ruthless, showing no mercy to his enemies, and his bloodlust was noted by Mimir to be the only thing greater than Odin's own paranoia, and many consider him the worst of the Aesir gods. Despite being half-giant himself, Thor took a sadistic pleasure in torturing and killing any giant he could find, as he believes them to be nothing but a “blight” to the realms. This shows that Thor has strong prejudice against his own half-kind, even though his mother Fjörgyn is a giantess. Despite being seen as a monster throughout the Nine Realms, Thor was, however, in truth, a tragic individual, as he was raised by Odin just to be his greatest combat asset and was emotionally abused and warped into becoming unquestionably loyal and disciplined. Thor knew fully well what he has done is far from being right and suffered from guilt for what he has done, yet he saw no chance to change his ways and become better. Thor was finally able to achieve this, albeit briefly, during Ragnarök, after Kratos insisted that they must be better for their children. His hesitation and redemption would ultimately cost him his life as when he finally stood up towards his father, Odin killed him for his defiance.

Thor's infamous reputation was somewhat similar to Ares - who was considered the worst among the Olympian Gods, and Kratos - who was feared throughout Greece and had a lust for blood. What makes Thor different from Ares, however, is that he seems to possess a sense of honour, as he dislikes cowardice. When Modi fled after Magni, his favourite son, died; Thor was greatly enraged, and subsequently beat his surviving son for fleeing from Kratos and deemed Modi a coward. He also somewhat cares for his worshipers, as when one of his faithful followers died, he made time to visit the family, although even then he still could be enraged easily, especially while drunk, and ended up taking advantage of his higher status. The biggest contrast between Thor and Ares is that where Ares was treacherous and desired to usurp Zeus to claim the throne of Olympus for himself, Thor simply didn't possess the will or the courage to simply stand up to his father.

His overall intelligence could be called into question, as many a time has Thor been made a fool of himself or had made stupid, reckless mistakes (quite comparable to his sons, in fact). Kratos called Thor a fool when hearing not even Mjölnir in hand will break the ice made by Thamur's dying breath to reach the magical chisel. Mimir called Thor for the destruction upon the Jötnar as a sweaty bawbag, fat dobber, thunder lummox and the biggest butchering bastard in the Nine Realms. Brok considered Thor the big idiot, and Atreus also called him an idiot when hearing about how the God of Thunder got crushed by Hrungnir's body. Most of all, Thor had his legendary hammer stolen by the giant Thrym, when he was carelessly sleeping. However, Thor is clever enough to know his limit and not try to challenge Starkaðr alone, knowing very well that he might die if done so. It seems this is due to Odin instilling his son the idea that he was born and lived to fight, not to think.

In addition, Thor was extremely arrogant, typical for an Aesir, as he would go to great lengths to cement his reputation amongst the Nine Realms and be respected, as well as feared. An example being the destruction of the village when Thor battled Thamur, Thor claimed credit for the giant's death and the village's destruction, despite the fact that Thor was merely lucky in both actions. To aid his reputation as one of the most hated and feared Gods of the Nine Realms, Thor's overall demeanour seems to revolve around him being cruel and sadistic simply for the sake of it. An example of this could be seen when Thor needlessly murdered Hrungnir even though the Stone giant was merely amusing the Aesir and was a threat to no one.

Thor's only outward expressions seem to be of rage and smug arrogance due to his abilities. An example of this is seen when Thor was the only God not amused by Hrungnir's foolish performance in Asgard, preferring to outright murder the Jotunn, seeing as how the simpleton had nothing to offer him other than his death. Thor's cruel nature can come out even when he is trying to be friendly towards others or when he gets drunk. After a wayward spirit's father had passed away, his mother built a statue of Thor to watch over his grave. Appearing to the family, Thor offered his condolences for their loss. Although they were overjoyed at first with the God's presence, he took advantage of their hospitality and quickly became drunk. Distraught, the mother asked him to leave to which Thor responded by brutally murdering her in a drunken rage before leaving the son behind, who, in his hatred, continued to curse the God of Thunder, even after his death.

Thor was a widely-known alcoholic; he would often go to a pub/bar or anywhere and drink as much mead as he wanted, sometimes in victory and sometimes to drown away his sorrows, which would earn the disapproval of his family. Odin, however, would use Thor's love of drink as a means to keep him under his control and lower his son's self-esteem. Thor's alcoholism was both a well-known fact and a constant source of ridicule towards him from across the nine realms, including his own daughter, Thrud, who as deeply ashamed of it. Mimir stated that Thor became known for sharing drinks with "strange company". Thor also enjoyed getting involved in or watching a fight, as when he unknowingly started a pub brawl with several Einherjar, which caused them to think that Atreus was responsible, this resulted in total chaos in the Black Thunder pub in which Thor also joins in, as well as watching the fight go on while he drinks.

Despite his dark side, Thor has proven to deeply care and trust his family and was, like his wife Sif, strongly protective of his daughter Thrúd, ever since Magni and Modi were killed at the hands of Kratos and Atreus. Despite all that Odin put him through, Thor was blindly loyal to Odin for most of his life and desperately sought to earn his father's approval. He was close with Baldur, comforting him in his depression over being unable to feel and trusting him with his life, despite the latter's insanity and disgust towards the former's bloodlust. Magni points out that he and Modi have to trust Baldur because their father believes in him, despite Modi proclaiming that their uncle had not been sane for a while. Thor was also known for being furious at Magni's death, tragically lashing out and beating Modi almost to death. When Kratos reminded Thor of his beating of Modi, this angered the God of Thunder, as he only took this as an insult. This shows that Thor had strongly refused to accept the fact that it is his own fault for having mistreated Modi into becoming fearful of his own father's wrath, which ultimately led him to his death.

However, despite Thor's abusiveness towards Modi for his cowardice, he was shown to still care about him as he was enraged at Atreus for his death and even attempted to avenge both him and Magni. His parenting of Thrud had changed dramatically from that of his sons to a gentler, more encouraging one. Despite his loyalty towards his father, Thor would secretly go against Odin's orders just to try and get his revenge on Kratos and Atreus for his sons' deaths, hinting that deep down, he had begun to question his father's way of valuing strength above all. Despite his hatred of Kratos, Thor was revealed to be aware and in awe over the Spartan's reputation of being both a Godslayer and a Destroyer of Worlds, and would even go as far as to try to force Kratos into unleashing his former self/inner beast.

Relationships[]

Odin[]

Sif was right about you. I just didn't wanna see it.

–Thor standing up to Odin.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-06 à 21.45

Thor's father, Odin, manipulated him his entire life

Thor's relationship with Odin was one of abuse based on lies and fear, which led to the complete submission of the God of Thunder. In Odin's eyes, Thor was to become the figurehead of the Aesir family and inspire fear and respect wherever he went. In fact, the most powerful son of Odin underwent a harsh and cruel education, bordering on torture. Thor was raised in fear of Odin and quickly learned to serve his father's will, which would prove determinant on Thor's very personality. Constantly snubbed and although he never let it show, the God of Thunder progressively lost a lot of self-confidence and began to drown his thoughts into alcohol more and more often, to the point of being considered a notorious alcoholic even by his peers. Of course, Odin had foreseen this and used it to tighten his grip on Thor, while encouraging him to unleash his wrath on his enemies.

Thus very quickly, Thor was in charge of accomplishing the most gruesome tasks - more particularly the genocide of the Jötnar. Armed with the legendary Mjölnir, Thor quickly became a feared figure, but despite all his power, he was never able to openly oppose Odin. The latter knew this and was careful to maintain an absolute hold on his son, so much so that Thor became totally dependent on his father's will. This sad reality became obvious when Odin and Thor showed up at Kratos' cabin in Midgard. The God of Thunder was the first to arrive, and his intimidating presence was immediately eclipsed by the All-Father's arrival. Odin then led the conversation while Thor remained silent, even when the All-Father mocked Magni and Modi's death. Rubbing salt in the wound, Odin lamented about the fact that Thor "wasn't fun anymore", which means that he preferred when his son was a drunkard, another example of the low regard he has for his son.

Thor's relationship with his father suddenly became more strained than ever when the latter invited Loki to Asgard. Odin knew perfectly what Atreus did to Modi, but he did not care as long as the boy was useful to him. The same could not be said for Thor, who was forced to accept the fact that the young man who murdered Modi now slept in the latter's former room. Adding insult to injury, Thor was to serve as Loki's bodyguard when the two of them teamed up in their missions for the All-Father. The God of Thunder did ask his father to explain himself, but the latter merely berated him and clearly stated that he wouldn't be smart enough to understand his motives. He then advised Thor to go smash something and start drinking again, which the latter did. As mentioned before, the point here is that Odin used alcohol as a means to control Thor more easily, despite the latter's efforts to stop out of consideration for his family.

The God of Thunder seemingly felt he was in competition with Loki to gain Odin's favors, a fact that the King of the Aesir was aware of. When Thor and Loki finally completed the mask of creation in Niflheim, the God of Thunder instinctively walked towards his father as soon as the latter showed up, seeking his praise for the success of their mission. Instead, Odin deliberately ignored him and congratulated Loki even after the young god credited Thor with teaching him a few things, much to Thor's fury. After Kratos triggered Ragnarök, Odin asked Thor to finish the Spartan off for good, but the God of Thunder ultimately failed and when he dared to stand up to Odin for the first time, he was met by Gungnir, which mortally wounded him. Thor could have done something way before Ragnarök, but he never really understood what he truly was in his father's eyes: a pawn. Another explanation to his passive behavior is that he was secretly afraid to engage his father in a duel, which sounds plausible considering Odin's incredible power. Despite the increasing pressure from Sif, Thor remained loyal to Odin nearly up to the very end and instead of facing his father, he preferred to unleash his frustration on Loki. His submission to the All-Father was so complete that he never really had the will to face his father and when he finally did, this proved to be too little, far too late.

Fjörgyn[]

Thor's own mother was the Giantess Fjörgyn - one of Odin's great loves. Once Fjörgyn was gone, lonely ages passed for Odin...

–Mimir about Fjörgyn.

The exact nature of Thor's relationship with his mother remains a mystery to this date, as she never appears in the series, nor is she ever mentioned by Thor himself. By the time of the series, Fjörgyn has long been deceased and all we know about her is that Odin truly loved her, while her death left him deeply saddened. If the All-Father himself was capable of love for Fjörgyn, one can wonder why it wouldn't be the same in the case of Thor, considering the latter's inner nature? Nevertheless, Thor's feelings towards his mother remain uncertain. On one hand, Thor seemed to value his family above all. But on the other hand, Fjörgyn was a Jötunn and Thor knew it. However, it seems that Thor's rampage against the Jötnar intervened way after his mother's death. Based on this, we can assume that Thor - then not yet full of hatred towards the Giants - did love his mother, though he would end up denying his maternal legacy.

Týr[]

Sorry about your statue Týr... you preachy old stif!

–Thor about Týr's statue.

Tyr Imprisoned

Thor and Týr, got along once, before falling out

Although Thor and Týr are never seen interacting with each other throughout the series, it is not difficult to guess the nature of their relationship. At first, it would seem that the two gods would get along quite well. Both were half-Giants and half-Aesir God, but they ultimately chose a very different path that led to the complete breakdown of their relationship. The point here is that Týr has dedicated a good part of his life for the preservation of everything Thor deeply hated, particularly when the God of War worked hard to ensure the safety of the Jötnar. Týr desperately tried to unite the Nine Realms and did not care about the race and where the people came from. On the other hand, Thor sought to destroy his Týr's legacy, as demonstrated when Odin ordered him to break Týr's Temple in Asgard, a task that the God of Thunder accomplished with great satisfaction.

To reward his son, the All-Father offered him a magnificent ring. The two gods also had a very different personality, particularly when it came to their relationship with Odin: where Týr did not hesitate to stand up to the All-Father - which cost him dearly in the end - Thor proved to lack the necessary will to do so, and he may have resented him for this. One could even assume that Týr was somehow better than Thor, and the latter likely knew it. Ultimately, Týr was the antithesis of Thor, as he became the symbol of what the Aesir could be if they acted for the greater good, where Thor was the symbol of the Aesir’s cruelty and oppression. Another example of Thor's poor esteem towards his fellow Aesir is when he battles Kratos on Týr's Temple bridge above the frozen lake, commenting ironically about the destruction of the statue dedicated to the former God of War.

Heimdall[]

Take one more step and you're not gonna like how this ends.

–Thor threatening Heimdall.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-07 à 21.02

The mutual dislike between Thor and Heimdall

Thor's relationship with Heimdall was execrable for a number of reasons, even though this wasn't something purely personal. From their personality to their fighting skills, pretty much everything opposed the two gods - their only thing they had in common was to seek Odin's favors, which also inevitably put them in competition with each other. Even though he himself rejected his Giant heritage and had a particular hatred for them, Thor seemingly didn't share Heimdall's harsh views about the racial purity of the Aesir. Thor's disdain for Heimdall was such that he did not hesitate to protect Loki - despite the fact that the latter murdered his son Modi - when the Bearer of Gjallarhorn attempted to finish Atreus off upon his arrival in Asgard (even though he did so on Odin's orders). However, when Heimdall dared to challenge Thor's authority, the latter was seized with a murderous desire and calmly asked him to look into his eyes, knowing that the God of Foresight could see things others could not. What Heimdall saw in Thor's eyes remains unknown, but it was enough to deter him from attacking Loki and bow before his half-brother, whom he described as "a sick man". Thor was infamous across the Nine Realms for his cruelty, and he likely wanted Heimdall to remember who was the head of the family. Fortunately for him, Thor seemingly never knew that Heimdall was bullying Thrúd and copiously insulted him on his back.

Not only that, one can assume that the God of Thunder also despised Heimdall's skills when it came to fighting. Thor always favored brute force and was able to recognize it when he was facing a worthy opponent such as Kratos, while never overestimating his own capabilities nor underestimating his enemies. Because of this, he likely knew that Heimdall was someone who talked too much and considered himself to be above all the others. This detestable behaviour likely ruined Heimdall's credit for good in the eyes of Thor, and one can safely assume that the God of Thunder certainly didn't mourn him when the Herald of Ragnarök met his end at the hands of Kratos. When Odin asked Loki who could have possibly done this, the latter immediately suggested that Thor could have somehow learned about how Heimdall treated Thrúd, and acted accordingly. This proved to be untrue, but it nevertheless showed that at least in Asgard, Thor entertained a notoriously poor relationship with Heimdall.

Baldur[]

THIS is the foreign god that bested Baldur?!

–Thor to Kratos.

Not much is known about the nature of Thor's relationship with his brother, since the two of them are never seen interacting with each other. However, there are clues that allow us to affirm that Thor and Baldur seemed to get along more or less well, especially compared to the others Aesir. The first hint is when Baldur - then known as the Stranger - confronts Kratos his cabin; an absolutely brutal fight during which he mentions Thor's bloodlust several times, without explicitly naming his half-brother. Although Baldur emphasizes his "difference" with his Thor, the fact that he compares himself to the God of Thunder suggests that he holds some degree of esteem for the Thor and acknowledges the latter's importance. Then shortly after his defeat at the hands of Kratos, Magni and Modi are summoned to help their uncle hunt down the Spartan and his son. Magni notably points out to Modi that their father trusts Baldur, which is also why they are in Midgard to follow their uncle's orders.

When Thor finally confronts Kratos in Midgard, his first words are dedicated to Baldur - even before his own sons. The God of Thunder, willing to see the monster inside Kratos, expresses his incredulity and frustration at the thought that his half-brother was overpowered by the Spartan. It is likely that Thor acknowledged and respected Baldur's skills despite the latter's insanity and the fact that he brought the fight to Kratos first. Much later in Asgard, as Odin started working with Atreus and Thor being relegated in the role of a mere bodyguard, the God of Thunder bitterly mentioned Baldur - a memory of the time both he and Odin used to team up, suggesting that the God of Thunder also expressed some degree of jealousy towards his half-brother, hinting the fact that both of them sought to gain the All-Father's favors. Nevertheless, both Thor and Baldur were more alike than one might think. Both served their father as enforcers, manipulated to do Odin's bidding. Both directly came at Kratos' cabin to confront the Spartan and both gave him a run for his money, using brute force to try and overpower the Spartan. Interestingly, Kratos even compared Thor and Baldur after his fight with the God of Thunder, and while he pointed out the difference between the two of them, the fact that the two Aesir are mentioned together is a testament of the bond that unites them.

Sif[]

No, I'd rather us be a team! I'd like you to back me up for once.

–Sif arguing with Thor.

Sif and Thor

Thor's wife, Sif, tried to open his eyes to Odin's manipulations

Thor's relationship with his wife is rather complex, and typical of the vagaries of life faced by most parents. Thor met and wed this beautiful goddess long ago, with whom he would have two children, Modi and Thrúd. At first the two of them were very alike, as both spent a lot of time drinking and feasting, acting like two immature teenagers instead of being two reasonable parents. This debauchery certainly didn't help them educate their children in a proper way, and they would both neglect their parent duties until the death of Magni and Modi at the hands of Kratos and Atreus, shortly before Fimbulwinter. This loss would change their relationship for good, and expose deep differences between them, especially in terms of personality. While Sif began to question more openly her husband's loyalty to the All-Father, Thor proved unable to back his wife up for a lot of unfortunate reasons. As powerful and feared as he was, the God of Thunder simply didn't have the will nor the courage to support his wife as he should. Things became much more heated at home when Odin invited Loki to sleep in Modi's former room, an unacceptable insult for both Sif and Thor.

As Thor was forced to team up with Atreus, the couple started arguing more and more often, particularly about their surviving child. For instance, his wife did not like the idea that he was training Thrúd behind her back, since she feared that Odin would soon set her on a path leading to her death. The reality is that Thor found himself into an impossible situation. On one hand, he could not openly disobey his father's orders, but on the other hand, he didn't want to sacrifice his love for his wife and Thrúd either. When Sif confronted Thor in Niflheim, she warned him once more about her fear to lose Thrúd at the hands of Kratos, for the sake of the All-Father's twisted plans. Thor listened to her but said nothing, because he knew he was not ready to do what he should do. Instead - and even though this wasn't Sif's intention at all - Thor turned his rage against Loki, who he blamed for turning his family against him. Sif seemingly lost faith in her husband following this incident, when it became obvious to her that Thor would remain fealty to Odin despite her warnings. Because of this and unbeknownst to Thor, Sif planned to turn Thrúd against her grandfather as demonstrated during Ragnarök. By doing so, she hoped that Thor would finally listen to his heart and get rid of Odin's influence upon him. The God of Thunder, however, would only understand this too late and pay his change of heart with his life, leaving Sif and Thrúd mourning his death.

Thrúd[]

Ah... Thrúdie... I know you're disappointed.

–Thor to his daughter.

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Thor swore to "be better" for his daughter, Thrúd

Thor's relationship with his daughter is exclusive, as Thrúd is among the very few Thor truly loves. Younger sister of Modi, Thrúd - or rather Thrúdie, as Thor called her affectionately - expressed very early her dearest wish: becoming one of Odin's Valkyries. The God of Thunder then felt obliged in training his daughter in Asgard, teaching her how to stand up to most powerful and dangerous opponents - such as her own brother, and gift her a new, uniquely designed sword in furtherance of this training. But Thrúd also displayed an uncharacteristic open mind and brightness, which was truly atypical among the Aesir. Her independent character and her physical appearance - close to her dad - made her the pride of Thor's bloodline. But not everything was perfect and the God of Thunder was prompt to drunken rages at home, which affected his relationship with his daughter, who could not support this. Thor would go as far as promising Thrúd that he would stop drinking, something that - coming from him - was a huge step forward. The death of his sons Magni and Modi took a heavy toll on Thor, and this would affect his already complex family relationships. His wife, Sif, tried hard to convince him that he should finally stand up to Odin to try and keep their family together and protect Thrúd from the All-Father's twisted plans.

Thor came close to a breaking point when Odin invited Loki in Asgard, and adding the insult to injury, let him sleep in Modi's bed. Worst of all was to see Thrúd befriend the murderer of his son, and following yet another humiliation from his father, Thor started drinking again on his own. When Thrúd found him in the Mead Hall, the God of Thunder could barely stand on his legs and expressed his dismay in public, convinced that he was basically good at nothing. His own daughter was then forced to get him out of there, but Thor's pride could not let him apologize for what happened. Instead, he sat miserably on the floor, unable to look at Thrúd out of shame. Thor knew he was setting the wrong example, but he nevertheless loved his daughter as much as she did. When came Ragnarök, Thor was a broken man, still trapped in guilt for what happened to his sons, and shame for his terrible parenting towards his surviving child. Upon witnessing Kratos next to Thrúd, the God of Thunder was fuelled with rage and immediately rushed towards the Spartan, persuaded that his daughter was in danger. Torn apart between his pointless desire to please Odin and his need to protect what was left of his family, Thor lashed out at Kratos, blaming the latter for all that happened to him and his family. The God of Thunder would not live long enough to see his daughter any longer. Taking inspiration from Kratos' words, as he finally stood up to the All-Father, he would find himself killed by an enraged Odin right in front of a horrified Thrúd. His last look would be to his daughter as he reached out towards her, and Thor quickly faded away.

Magni & Modi[]

Thor blamed me... ME... for what you did to Magni. My own father called me a coward...

–Modi to Kratos and Atreus.

Thor named his two sons to embody - according to him - his own features: Magni (which literally meant: "Great"), whom he conceived with his first wife Járnsaxa, was his eldest son and the one Thor regarded as the closest of him, both physically and mentally. Then there was Modi (literally: "Courage") would be issued from Thor's relationship with Sif. We know for certain that the God of Thunder raised his children in a violent environment, teaching them how to fight like a true Aesir and that by combining their strength, they would be prove to be a formidable force. Thor was cruel and sadistic, which inevitably left an indelible mark on his son's very personality. He also knew that they were in competition with each other to gain his favors, something he used to his advantage by systematically favoring Magni, as demonstrated when - much to Modi's dismay - he gave all the credits to Magni after the two of them united their forces to lift the body of the Giant Hrungnir who laid upon Thor.

The fact is that the God of Thunder wasn't an idiot and he quickly noticed Modi's weaknesses, most notably his cowardice when facing a challenge, and his jealousy towards his half-brother. Soon, the Aesir themselves held Modi in low esteem - his sister loathed him - which proved to be a personal embarrassment for Thor, himself the head of the family. When he learned about the death of Magni at the hands of Kratos, Thor was at first in utter shock. How could such a thing be possible? Weren't his sons suppose to survive Ragnarök and inherit Mjölnir? Then, he suddenly unleashed his fury upon Modi, beating him into an absolute pulp for his cowardice. Not only did Modi leave his brother behind, he also severely damaged the prestige and honor of the family, something Thor could not tolerate. His son's failures as well as their premature death showed him that they were neither great, nor brave: ultimately, their failure was on him. Not only that, their demise also had consequences on a more personal level, as Sif began questioning Thor's loyalty to Odin. Even though Thor seemingly never showed any sign of affliction in public, the death of his two sons did take its toll upon him. The God of Thunder was once more about to fall back into his old ways, and the fact that his own father kept berating him certainly didn't make things better for Thor. In spite of all his flaws and mistakes, Thor did indeed love his sons, and secretly blamed himself for what happened to them.

Mimir[]

He's lost weight.

–Thor mocking Mimir.

It is almost certain that Thor saw in Mimir a variant of his own father, particularly at the time the Smartest Man Alive became Odin's closest advisor. The God of Thunder never held the big "thinkers" in high esteem, and certainly despised Mimir's cleverness as much as the latter considered Thor to be a big idiot. Nevertheless, the eldest son of Odin has long been forced to tolerate Mimir's presence alongside the All-Father until he fell out irrevocably with Odin. Thor would meet Mimir once again three years after the latter's liberation at the hands of Kratos, and upon seeing the Smartest Man Alive reduced to a living head, immediately mocked his physical state. Thor simply no longer held the slightest esteem towards his father's former employee, and the feeling was mutual.

Frigg[]

The true nature of Thor's relationship with Frigg is uncertain, and the two of them are never seen interacting with each other throughout the series. Nevertheless, they did meet frequently at the time Frigg was the wife of Odin and so, still living in Asgard. Thor likely held some degree of respect towards the Vanir goddess, as Odin himself showered her with gifts. However, pretty much everything opposed the two gods, from their temperament to their inner nature. Where Frigg was a peaceful person who heavily relied on Vanir magic, Thor on the other hand was a bloodthirsty god who loved to fight and kill as many Giants as he could find. When the two of them infiltrated Jötunheim in order to recover Mjölnir (which has been stolen by a Jötunn named Thrym), the God of Thunder didn't waste time before unleashing his fury, brutally murdering many Giants in the process - much to Freya's horror. When the Vanir goddess promptly used her magic to interrupt Thor's rampage by bringing them back to Asgard, the latter grew extremely frustrated and started viewing Frigg with deep disdain.

Kratos[]

You think you can come here, become a daddy, get a clean slate? That ain't how it works. You're a DESTROYER, like ME.

–Thor to Kratos.

Capture d’écran 2022-12-17 à 18.48

Thor's interest in fellow "destroyer" Kratos

Thor's relationship with Kratos may be one of the most important aspects of the series throughout the Norse Era, and likely the one who truly inflamed the passions among the fans community. At first, Thor likely never paid attention to Kratos after the latter settled in Midgard, partly because a magical protection has been put in place for years by Faye all around their cabin. However, things started to change when Thor lost his sons Magni and Modi at the hands of the Spartan and his son. Together with Odin, the God of Thunder started learning about the infamous Ghost of Sparta and his past in Greece, as well as his role in the demise of the Greek Pantheon. So, the rumors were true! Far from being afraid of this god-killer, Thor would have the opportunity to finally meet the God of War at the end of Fimbulwinter. One can assume that his feelings towards the Spartan were mixed, shared between the pain of having lost two of his children, a deep anger that was about to explode and above all, curiosity. What Kratos did in the past was far above anything Thor ever accomplished, and the latter seemingly expressed some degree of respect towards the Spartan - he even faced down the Valkyrie Queen and bested Baldur twice, despite the latter's invulnerability - despite the sins he has committed against the God of Thunder.

Nevertheless, Thor's conceptions about family and honor meant that Kratos now had a blood debt he had to pay. By the time the mighty God of Thunder finally showed up at Kratos' door three years after the death of his sons, he was a shadow of his past-self, still struck in pain by the death of his sons. To the surprise of the protagonists, he merely requested to talk with the Spartan, even offering mead to ease the tension between the two of them. Thor forcefully held back his thirst for revenge, and after Kratos let him enter his home, he put Mjölnir on the table in front of him as a sign of peace, driving the Spartan to do the same with the Leviathan Axe.

This scene was highly symbolic, and as the two mighty gods faced each other, it was clear that Thor simply didn't come to just talk. When the Spartan rebuffed Odin's offer of peace, Thor gladly obliged as soon as he received his father's permission to deal with Kratos, the moment that everybody has been waiting for. The God of Thunder quickly noticed that his rival was seemingly holding back his true strength, and as the fight went on and became more brutal, Thor managed to overpower Kratos by putting him out of commission with his legendary hammer. Far from being satisfied, the frustrated God of Thunder knew that Kratos wasn't showing his true self, and he promptly "revived" him by using Mjölnir as a defibrillator. This was nonetheless an impressive feat, as Thor proved to be one of the very few to effectively defeat and "beat" Kratos in a fair fight throughout the entire series (the others being Charon and Zeus).

The truth is that Thor saw a kindred spirit in Kratos, and genuinely considered the latter as his match, a worthy opponent: this fact alone showed the great deal of consideration and respect he nevertheless expressed towards the murderer of his favorite son. When the God of Thunder mentioned Atreus, he received from Kratos one of the most powerful punches in the face he ever experienced, leaving him satisfied and reassured that at least his sons did not fall to an unworthy opponent. Letting Kratos be, he would not meet the Ghost of Sparta again before Ragnarök, though he would be in a completely different mood this day. With Asgard on the verge of destruction and his own family in danger, Thor was this time determined to finish Kratos off for good, and the two of them battled each other one last time in front of Odin's Hall. Blinded by rage and fairly exhausted after his fight against the mighty Jörmungandr, Thor lashed out at Kratos and blamed him as well as Atreus for what they had brought to his home. He would ultimately be overwhelmed by his wiser rival, who decided to spare him, much to Thor's dismay. His particular relationship with Kratos would prove determinant at this stage, as the Spartan managed to make him listen to reason, for the sake of their children. In a cruel twist of fate, Thor would meet a brutal end at the hands of his own father a few moments after he finally chose to be better.

Loki[]

Listen, Modi had some problems but he was my son. And the only reason you aren't MUSH right now is because of that broken piece of wood.

–Thor threatening Loki

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Thor rejects Loki's attempts at kinship

A taste of vengeance. Deep inside him, Thor expresses at the very least a cold fury towards the murderer of Modi, even though he did not love the latter the same way he did with Thrúd or Magni. The God of Thunder meets Loki for the first time at the end of Fimbulwinter, three years after the death of his sons, as he suddenly shows up at Kratos' cabin. Although the two of them do not really interact, Thor forcefully holds back - knowing that Odin was on his way - and try to show himself as measured as possible, even offering mead to Atreus - although Kratos didn't allow his son to drink. Much to his dismay, the All-Father had plans for the young man and he even invited him to Asgard in the hope that they could work together. Odin didn't want any harm to be done to Loki, and Thor intervened on his behalf just as Heimdall was about to finish off the boy. Moments later, Thor is summoned by his father in order to accompany - and, adding the insult to injury, to protect Loki as the two of them were sent on a special mission in Muspelheim in order to recover the missing parts of the Mask of Creation.

This proved to be a painful humiliation for the proud God of Thunder, now forced to cooperate with the killer of his son. Nevertheless, Thor warned Loki that he never forgot what he did to his son, and he sought to take what he called his "blood payment" from Loki, like he did with Kratos. This was the first warning. Not long after, Thor cornered Loki and made his second warning, stating that the only reason he was still breathing was because the All-Father was protecting him. Having been rebuffed by Odin at the end of the mission, Thor fell back into his old ways and started drinking on his own, unbeknownst to his family. The fury that boiled within him for so long would finally erupt in Niflheim, after Sif expressed her fear that they would eventually lose their last child for Odin's own problems.

This was too much for Thor, who immediately turned on Atreus, blaming him once more for the death of his sons and for being responsible for the destruction of his family. Worst of all was the fact that However, his attempt to kill the boy was unsuccessful as the later escaped in extremis. Later, as Ragnarök brought destruction to Asgard, Thor promised Kratos that he would personally deal with his son as soon as he was done with him, blaming Loki for having made him believe things could finally change - expressing at this occasion his secret, yet unreachable wish of a better life without Odin. All in all, Thor's relationship with Atreus was a tragic one, as the young man always hoped to get forgiveness while seeing something good in Thor.

Jörmungandr[]

Odin had that statue made in honour of Thor. Seeing as the World Serpent absolutely abhors the fat dobber, he was probably sick of looking at it.

–Mimir about Thor's statue.

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Thor and Jörmungandr were arch enemies

The creature that would become Thor's archenemy suddenly appeared on the Lake of Nine one day, and one can presume that the snake already had a pretty good size since Jörmungandr immediately drove the attention of Thor himself, who only saw in him yet another Jötunn to add to his hunting board. The exact details of their legendary battle remain unknown to date, but according to Freya, it was so violent that it was felt across all the Nine Realms. The God of Thunder had never met such formidable opponent before, and even equipped with the mighty Mjölnir he proved unable to effectively kill Jörmungandr. With the latter unable to triumph too, the duel ended in a stalemate and Thor was forced to return to Odin empty-handed. Since this day, Thor grew to hate what became the World Serpent as the two of them have been destined to kill each other come Ragnarök.

And so it was: when the younger version of Jörmungandr showed up in Asgard, the God of Thunder immediately considered him as the main threat, and rushed towards the World Serpent to engage battle once and for all. The duel wasn't exactly easy, and Thor would need some time to effectively deal his first blow, so powerful that the sound it produced was felt across the battlefield. But Jörmungandr wasn't going down that easily, and by the time Thor managed to struck him so hard that the snake was sent back in time, the Walls of Asgard had already been breached, forcing an enraged Thor to engage Kratos almost immediately. The God of Thunder definitely considered Jörmungandr as a worthy opponent and more importantly, the biggest Giant he ever faced. This was a matter of personal honor for the mighty God of Thunder, and he used his hatred as well as his formidable strength to effectively overpower the serpent, as it has been prophesied.

Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr[]

Hey, Thor requested those damned goats-favorite pets who had long since expired.

Sindri about Mjölnir's pommel.

In Norse Mythology, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr are two goats who pull the chariot of the God of Thunder. While they are never seen in the series nor directly mentioned by any character in game, there is a note about them in Lúnda's Workshop Notes remarking that Thor personally requested that Mjölnir's pommel be engraved after a depiction of his two goats. Sindri also mentions them as Thor's favorite pets. Considering that Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr were long gone by the time Brok and Sindri forged Mjölnir, it is heavily implied that Thor genuinely cared about them. This is further emphasized by the fact that the symbol of a goat is featured on Thor's very outfit.

Laufey[]

This feels familiar.

–Thor upon creating the frozen lightning bolt

Thor had heard of the legend of Laufey the Just and how she thwarted Aesir's plans of cruelty upon the Nine Realms. This prompted Thor to search for her for a time but never did until one fateful day in Vanaheim when he was looking for a Vanir military outpost in a valley to destroy during the Long War. Arriving at a mead hall with an unknown drinking companion, Thor became drunk and started swinging his hammer wildly throughout the town. Then Faye stepped up to bar his way with the Leviathan Axe, wanting revenge on Thor for the genocide he committed on her people. Even though Thor was drunk and sloppy with his hammer and in the fight of his life against a hateful Faye, he managed to hold himself off against the last guardian, destroying the valley and the people who lived there in the process. Their duel ended with a frozen lightning bolt created from the clash of Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe.

Many years later, when Thor fought Kratos in Midgard, that same frozen lightning bolt appeared from the clash of Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe, causing Thor to briefly remember the battle as familiar, to Kratos' confusion, but shook it off later.

Járnsaxa[]

It is unknown how their relationship was, and Thor never once mentioned her. According to Sindri, their relationship is a "sordid story". Given the fact that Thor favors Magni, the son he sired with Járnsaxa, above all of his children, it can be assumed that their relationship is a decent one, albeit Sindri's description. Furthermore, Thor's favoritism towards Magni for being blonder than his other children indicates his preference towards his eldest son's mother.

Powers & Abilities[]

The full force of his attack is as heavy as any I have felt. The Hammer, Mjölnir, only compounds his power... each blow echoes with the death and destruction they have wrought together.

Kratos' thoughts after his first battle against Thor

As the firstborn son of Odin and the God of Strength, Thor is the strongest god in the Norse Pantheon[2], only surpassed by his father in terms of overall power. His power is great enough for having slaughtered almost all the Giants living outside of Jötunheim, whilst being recognized and feared by most alongside his brutality. Mimir himself stated that he does not know whether Kratos can kill Thor, with the God of Thunder later proving to be a very close match and powerful opponent for the Ghost of Sparta in both of their fights.

Powers[]

  • Superhuman Strength: As the God of Strength and half-giant, Thor is the strongest of all the Norse Gods, surpassing Týr, Heimdall, Baldur, Magni, Modi, Freya, Gná and even Odin himself in terms of brute force and physical strength. His strength is so great that he was able to single-handedly slaughter the Jötnar to near extinction. Jörmungandr is one of the few Jötnar strong enough to contend with Thor's strength; Their first battle was felt across all the Nine Realms and ended in a stalemate, and their next fight at Ragnarök violently shook Yggdrasil, with Thor's final strike splintering the World Tree and causing the World Serpent to be sent backward through time before his own birth, a feat which even Kratos deemed as madness. Additionally, prior to sending the World Serpent back through time, Thor could be seen simultaneously fighting against both Jörmungandr and Ragnarök. Only Starkaðr, the strongest of the Jötnar, proved too much for Thor to defeat or even fight alone, requiring the aid from the combined armies of Asgard, Vanaheim and Midgard to shower him with arrows in order to subdue him. Thor's immense strength even proved to be on par with that of Kratos; Thor evenly held back Kratos' shield from striking him when they were both using two hands at once before quickly pushing him back when he tried to summon his axe, and evenly locked Mjölnir with the Leviathan Axe as they fought over the air. He could casually lift and throw Kratos over his head with a single hand, create shockwaves by clapping his hands or punching the ground, and easily send enemies, even Kratos himself, flying several feet away with punches and kicks. He is also able to easily jump high into the air while simultaneously carrying Atreus without any issue. With Mjölnir, Thor was able to hit Kratos with sufficient force to send him flying high into the air and a great distance away, shatter the Guardian Shield with only a few blows and temporarily kill the Ghost of Sparta with a single strike to the head, though Thor wanted to see Kratos fight as his best and thus revived him almost immediately after. After their first battle, Kratos noted in the Codex that the full force of Thor's strength was as heavy as any blow he had ever felt, with Mjölnir compounding the power of his blows and Kratos being glad that the battle didn't reach a conclusion. In their second fight, Thor was allowed to kill Kratos and went all-out against the Ghost of Sparta, hurling him into The Great Lodge and catching a punch from him before knocking him backwards. He also temporarily restrained Kratos and attempted to strangle him to death, with Kratos showing visible struggle in breaking his right hand free to attack Thor with the Draupnir Spear. The God of Thunder ultimately matched the God of War blow for blow when they used Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe respectively, though Kratos managed to eventually knock the hammer out of Thor's hand before slashing and slamming him to the ground with the axe.
  • Nigh-Invulnerability: As the strongest of the Norse Gods, Thor possesses tremendous superhuman durability, which must have helped him in his massacre of the Jötnar, as he would have to easily withstand their attacks with little to no damage. During his fights with Kratos, Thor was able to easily shrug off powerful blows from the Ghost of Sparta with little blood and no significant injuries, showing incredible resistance to blunt trauma. He was even capable of withstanding a headbutt and punch to the face from Kratos when he was utterly bloodlusted and enraged, with Thor only losing a tooth and simply laughing it off, being impressed by the God of War's true strength. After being slashed by the Leviathan Axe on the abdomen, Thor got stabbed in the same spot by both the Blades of Chaos and Draupnir Spear later on during their second battle, but he was shown to be more angered rather than harmed. However, he still can be incapacitated, such as when the colossal body of Hrungnir fell on him, he was unable to remove the corpse himself until his sons removed it for him, and during his final clash with Kratos, when the Spartan stabbed his hand with his knife. After his final fight with Kratos, Odin was also able to impale and kill him, albeit Thor was exhausted, wounded, and hesitant to continue his fight with the God of War.
  • Superhuman Speed and Reflexes: Despite his massive size and overweight body, Thor can fight and move at extremely fast speeds, as well as possesses stupendous reflexes, being able to evenly match Kratos in direct combat, repeatedly catch him off-guard to physically manhandle him and easily avoid his attacks.
  • Superhuman Agility: Thor has extraordinary agility, capable of easily jumping great heights and distance and landing without any problems. Despite his massive figure, Thor's agility can allow him to appear and disappear so unreasonably fast he even startled Odin when he came to his father's call.
  • Superhuman Stamina: As the strongest of the Norse Gods, Thor possesses a tremendous amount of superhuman stamina. He fought continuously throughout Ragnarök, fending off large numbers of the Nine Realms' armies and reinforcements, battling Jörmungandr and fighting Kratos immediately after sending the Serpent back to the past. During his fights with Kratos, Thor could fight on par with the Ghost of Sparta for long periods of time, even when he sustained severe injuries, only showing exhaustion at the very end of their final fight.
  • Tempestakinesis: As the God of Thunder, Thor has the ability to summon harsh lightning storms at whim. He displayed this power when he caused a giant storm at Kratos' home, immediately waking both Kratos and Atreus up.
  • Electrokinesis: Thor has absolute control over electricity and lightning, with it being an innate power inherited by his sons and daughter, although Thor's electrokinetic powers far surpass theirs. During his attack on Kratos and Atreus, Thor was capable of causing bolts of lightning to constantly rain down on their house by simply willing it. He was able to imbue Mjölnir with lightning to throw it and cast waves of electricity. He can even rain down bolts of lightning that left behind fields of lightning for some time just by striking the ground with his hammer. While fighting the World Serpent and Surtr, Thor generated powerful lightning strikes and disoriented Jörmungandr before delivering the blow that splintered Yggdrasil and sent him through time.
    • Electric Armor: Thor has the ability to infuse electricity into his own body. When he does this, his body appears to be cloaked by lightning and his eyes glow blue. In this state, not only are his already potent physical abilities amplified, but it also allows him to send out large shockwaves of blue lightning from his body and seemingly amplifies the power of his lightning strikes, which now leave behind fields of lightning when they previously did not.
  • Immortality: As with all Gods, Thor is immortal and cannot die. Only opponents that wield similar strength and power to himself would be capable of harming and even killing him.
  • Flight: Thor can levitate and fly through the air at extreme speeds using his lightning powers.

Abilities[]

  • Master Combatant: Thor is regarded as the mightiest warrior in Asgard. As such, he is an extremely skilled fighter with hundreds of years worth of training and experience. He single-handedly killed countless Giants on Midgard and many other powerful beings. Thor's martial prowess is so great, that Mimir was uncertain that Kratos can even defeat him in battle. His fighting style skillfully combines hand-to-hand combat with his usage of Mjölnir. Thor's fighting prowess proved to be a near-indomitable opponent for Kratos, being the only person that was able to fight Kratos to a stalemate in their first fight and only narrowly losing to him in their second fight. Thus, Thor has proven himself to not only be one of the very few who have managed to defeat the Ghost of Sparta in a fair fight, but the only one to pressure him more that any other opponent he had faced.
    • Hand-to-Hand Combatant Mastery: Despite having one of the most powerful weapons in the Nine Realms, Thor is also an exceptionally proficient martial artist, masterfully mixing his unarmed combat with his skill in using Mjölnir. In hand-to-hand combat, Thor is extremely skilled with performing powerful, swift and precise punches and kicks that are capable of sending the Spartan meters away with relative ease and disorienting his senses for a few seconds, he is also a proficient wrestler and grappler as well, being able to lift, throw and hold Kratos with little to no difficulty. Thanks to all of this, combined with his massive size, he was capable of gaining the upper hand against Kratos on many occasions in both the first and second battle, with the Spartan having struggles to dealing against his brutal physical prowess. In the first round of their fight, Thor's unarmed fighting skills alone proved enough to put Kratos with his shield on the ropes and even fought him using his axe for some time before deciding to use his hammer. In the second battle, due to no longer playing games with Kratos and being allowed to kill him, Thor gave everything that he got against the Ghost of Sparta, cloaking himself with electricity and fighting faster, deadlier and sometimes more unpredictable, forcing Kratos to fight smarter and more tactical to defeat the God of Thunder, proving himself to be one of the greatest hand-to-hand combatants that Kratos has ever faced in his entire life.
    • Hammer Mastery: Thor is incredibly skilled in using his hammer Mjölnir, having used the weapon in battle for centuries and caused mass genocides on the Giants with devastating ease. During his fights with Kratos, Thor was able to evenly match his usage of the Leviathan Axe with his hammer and deliver repeated blows on him, even managing to destroy the Guardian Shield in their first battle. Thor is also capable of imbuing electricity onto his hammer to deal more powerful blows and deadly ranged attacks. Furthermore, Thor can pull himself toward Mjölnir with lightning speed, making it almost look like he can teleport, using it to pass through terrain or quickly close the gap between him and his opponent. These traits makes his hammer proficiency incredibly formidable and brutal, a trait worthy of the God of Thunder himself.

Weapons[]

  • Mjölnir: Forged by Brok and Sindri, this special one-handed hammer is Thor's weapon of choice when killing giants and other foes. When thrown, Mjölnir always hits its target and returns to Thor's hand. It is also described as a "super-weapon" by Mimir and as such is one of the most powerful weapons in all of the Nine Realms. The only weapons capable of opposing its immense power are Gungnir, the Leviathan Axe, Surtr's Sword, and the Blades of Chaos.

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Gallery[]

Panoramas[]

Concept Art[]

3D Model[]

Cosplay Guide[]

Trivia[]

  • Thor is the fourth character to successfully kill Kratos after Charon, Ares and Zeus.
    • Notably, Thor, along with Zeus and Charon, are the only ones who have defeated Kratos in a fair battle. Zeus in the God of War II ending was able to subdue Kratos until he pulled out a trick; Zeus also one-shots Kratos in God of War III, and Kratos falls to his death, another time when Zeus wields fear against Kratos he chokes him to death.[3] Charon kills Kratos fair and square in Chains of Olympus. Thor kills Kratos fair and square by striking him on the head with Mjolnir. Ares killed Kratos by unfair means; he killed him by hurling a pillar from kilometres away, which Kratos had no idea about.
      • Though it can be argued that whilst he managed to kill him in an open fight, the fight itself was set at Kratos' disadvantage; Thor started violence suddenly after a civil discussion and denied him access to his paraphernalia; including the Blades, which the Aesir himself lamented the absence of during the fight. Thor also notes that Kratos was holding back throughout the fight.
    • Ironically, he was the only one to resuscitate him seconds later, and was also the only one Kratos chose to spare in their following confrontation.
  • During his cameo appearance in the secret ending of God of War (2018), Thor features a design very different than the one used in God of War Ragnarök. This design features a less detailed beard and more elaborate outfit that covers his still-visibly barrel-chested physique. As Thor's screentime in God of War is very limited, this design was used as a placeholder, only being used for the statue destroyed by Jörmungandr and the teaser featured at the end of the game.
    • This is further emphasized by the fact that Thor isn't credited in God of War (2018), which proves that he officially doesn't appear in game since nobody plays Thor in the Cast.
    • If one uses the Photo Mode during the endgame cinematic when Thor appears, a closer look at his model shows that beneath his hood, the God of Thunder is bald. This is yet another proof that the developers never intended Thor to play any role in this game.
    • Thor's character model in God of War (2018) strangely looks like Magni's. It is very possible they merely used Magni's model and quickly made some adjustments by adding him a beard, a new hair color and a new outfit. This would make sense since it is highly unlikely that the developers would have bothered to create a new model for a character that only appears 10 seconds at the very end of the game.
    • Thor's model in God of War (2018) is much taller than his definitive model used in God of War: Ragnarök.
    • In God of War: Ragnarök, Atreus asks Mimir why the statue looked different to Thor's actual appearance. Mimir states that the first version of the statue looked closer to reality. Unfortunately for the sculptor, Thor was less than impressed by this and presumably killed him. In any case, the next sculptor opted on being more complimentary.
  • His Greek equivalent (in terms of abilities) is Zeus. However, in terms of ruling Zeus' equivalent was Odin. Thor's bloodthirsty nature also makes him like Ares, even though they are not counterparts. His reputation as the most vicious of his pantheon would make him a counterpart of sorts to Kratos during his time as the Ghost of Sparta.
  • It is rather strange that Thor waited three long years before to personally intervene for avenging the death of his sons. When Thor finally engaged Kratos in battle, he admitted himself that he has been "waiting" for this. No official explanation has been given so far, but Odin could be the main reason as he possibly urged Thor to wait for the right moment before to strike.
  • Thor's relationship with Odin is strangely reminiscent of that of Darth Vader with Emperor Palpatine. Both have been abused, tortured and psychologically broken by the man they served. More importantly, both are the figurehead of their faction: Thor heads the Aesir while Darth Vader does the same with the Galactic Empire, with Odin and Palpatine pulling up the strings from behind. Thor and Darth Vader are also very similar when it comes to their fighting style, as both heavily rely on Mjölnir (in the case of Thor) and a lightsaber (in the case of Vader) instead of magic or the Force, which are primarily used by Odin and Palpatine respectively. The comparison doesn't stop here, as both Thor and Darth Vader reject their own identity, with Thor denying his Giant nature and Darth Vader loathing his Jedi self as Anakin Skywalker. Ultimately, they both turn on their master and die at the hands of the man they served for so long (However Vader succeeds in killing Palpatine before dying at least making sure the latter stays dead). Last but not least, both Thor and Darth Vader had something to fight for: their love for their children, and their desire to finally redeem themselves.
  • In Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, Thor is referred to as Vulcan (whose Greek counterpart is the God Hephaestus). Vulcan and Hephaestus, like Thor, were Gods associated with thunder: Hephaestus (or Vulcan) was said to use his hammer to craft Zeus' (or Jupiter's) thunderbolts. As with Hephaestus, Thor is described in Norse mythology as a benefactor to mankind, bringing gifts to men, a protector of artisans and freemen. Finally, As with Thor, Vulcan and Hephaestus were Gods associated with snakes, fertility, and healing.
  • Thor is much like Zeus as they both beat their own sons to a bloody pulp, Zeus beat down Hephaestus for lying to him about Pandora's Box being safe on the back of Cronos, while Thor beat his son Modi under the assumption he left his better-received brother Magni behind to die to Kratos.
    • Thor and Zeus in the series were both seen as monsters, Zeus imprisoned the Titans because of Cronos, while Thor killed and murdered giants due to his bloodlust and Odin ordering him to.
    • Another similarity was that they both had more than one lover in their lives, whom they fathered Demigod children with, though Thor only ever had two outside of his marriage with Sif, whereas Zeus had several lovers.
  • Laufey, Atreus' mother, considered Thor to be the worst of the Aesir. It is understandable for her to think that way, as Thor was considered the most dangerous enemy toward the Giants and Faye herself was a giantess.
    • According to Mimir, Thor wished to fight Faye as she was rumored to be a great Jotünn warrior who foiled many of the Aesir's plans, but Faye effectively eluded him for her whole life, which angered him greatly. However, Mimir was partly wrong since it is revealed that Faye did fight Thor in Vanaheim, battling each other in a remote place called The Crater, and the clash of Mjölnir against the Leviathan Axe was so powerful that a lightning bolt blasted the arena and was frozen. Their duel ended in a stalemate as Thor was too drunk to get the upper hand upon the powerful Jötunn. The frozen lightning bolt still remains in Vanaheim, as a reminder of what happened there long ago.
      • Years later, the very same thing happened in Fimbulwinter, during the brutal duel on the frozen Lake of Nine between the God of Thunder and the Ghost of Sparta, as a lightning bolt blasted and was frozen at the very spot where Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe clashed once more. Upon witnessing the frozen lightning, Thor directly hints at his old duel against Laufey, though Kratos was unaware of this.
  • After Thor is wounded by Kratos during their first fight in Midgard, he will keep a huge wound caused by the Leviathan Axe until the very end. There are several possible explanations for this: the first is that, three years before, the axe has been imbued with Eitr poison by Jörmungandr when Kratos and Atreus first met the World Serpent, which might have prevented the God of Thunder from healing after he is wounded. Another explanation is the mental state of Thor himself, at this point broken by the loss of his sons and neglecting himself too much to ever bother try and heal his wound. The third (unlikely) explanation is that the God of Thunder simply keeps his wound as a memory of his fight with Kratos.
    • Interestingly, a conversation between two women mentions that Forseti was investigating the kitchen because it "got into his head" that someone was planning to poison Thor. It is still unclear as to whether the Eitr did indeed poison Thor, at least to a significant degree, since he showed no visible signs of being affected by it and the two women also laughed at the idea of poisoning Thor, comparing it to "destroying a mountain with a soup spoon".
  • Mimir says that during his fight with the World Serpent during Ragnarök, their battle will be so brutal, that the Yggdrasil will splinter, sending the World Serpent back in time before his birth.
  • Both he and Atreus have Jötnar mothers and are part Gods.
    • Atreus has a wooden figure of Thor.
  • According to The Lost Pages of Norse Myth: Episode 6; Thor's rampage across Midgard against the Jötnar went on for thirty years.
    • This is contradicted by Mimir according to him Thor's rampage against the Jotnar in Midgard lasted for 60 years. This is later explained in Lore & Legends as Thor having committed two genocides, before and after the meeting with the Giant-Kings.
  • When telling Kratos of what he knows of Magni and Modi, Sindri mentions both brothers are of different mothers and it was a "sordid story".
  • In mythology, Thor was shown to have an association with goats, as shown by his goat-drawn chariot. In the game, this is seemingly reflected with Mjölnir as its hilt is designed with goat heads. In "The Lost Pages of Norse Myth" cinematic, the Mjölnir symbol is designed with goats. Finally, the "Grip of Tanngiost" (which was made in honour of Thor) has a goat head design.
  • The soundtrack during the epilogue of God of War (2018) refer to Thor as Banamaður Þórr (Slayer/Killer/Murderer Thor), referring to his role during Odin's genocidal campaign against the Jötnar.
  • According to God of War: Lore and Legends, Mimir is unsure about whether or not Kratos can beat Thor.
  • Strangely, Thor appears to be left-handed.
  • Thor is the second God in the series who has shown to be a drunk, the first being Hera.
  • Thor would often snap his fingers as a gesture to cause Mjölnir to return to him, although this was not necessary.
    • When intoxicated, Thor proved to be unable to properly handle Mjölnir's ability to return to him, with the weapon hitting him in the head rather than returning to his hand.
  • After Thor and Kratos created a frozen lightning bolt, as a result of clashing their weapons together, the former would state that it looked familiar. This shows that Thor has little memory of his fight with Laufey, due to being drunk at the time, which caused that memory to become blurred.
  • Curiously, of all the Gods seen in the franchise's Norse Era, Thor is the only one seen vanishing, in the sense that not even his body was left behind. This didn't happen to Magni, one of Thor's sons, or Modi (though his body was thrown from a cliff), and on Ragnarök, Heimdall's corpse remained where it was murdered by Kratos, and lastly, Odin got his soul extracted from his body, and put on a marble, his body remaining lifeless, although it was destroyed by Ragnarök. The reason was, Thor’s internal lightning consumed him when he died.[4]
  • In the source Mythology, Thor would die after taking 9 steps in the aftermath of his fight against the World Serpent; while this did not happen in the game in literal sense, if players watch the scene after Kratos beat Thor and convinced him to forsake their conflict, he took what most likely would be 9 steps before Odin finally killed him: 3 steps to face the screen's left, then 2 steps going to the screen's left, then 1 step to turn momentarily towards Odin, then 2 more steps to the screen's left, and then one final step to go to the screen's right and finally facing his father.
    • This pattern could be symbolic to the fact that Thor had been going to the same single-minded direction of her father's favor for most of his life, with moments of doubt against him and temporary pause from his lesser self, but only in his final seconds did he openly defy his father.
  • Thor's ring was gifted to him by Odin after the destruction of Týr’s Temple
    • Thor's other ring was also a gift from Odin, this time after the slaying of the Giants was done.
  • In Norse mythology, Thor possibly has another daughter with Sif besides Thrúd, named Lorride. But this character is only mentioned once in passing in the sources, and it may be an alternative name for Thor himself as there is no actual, legitimate evidence in the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda and so on, that she is their child, or a child at all.

References[]

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