Kratos found himself in an interesting position during God of War, acting as a Greek god in a norse myth. In particular, he seems to be taking on the role of another god who for now is missing in action. Tyr, the Norse god of war, is notably missing throughout Kratos and Atreus' journey due to him being imprisoned and rumored to be killed. As fans await the inevitable God of War 2, many are wondering how Kratos and Tyr may clash should they come into contact with one another.
While Tyr is the god of war for Norse mythology, he couldn't be more of a polar opposite when compared to Kratos. Historically and canonically in God of War, Tyr's efforts as the warring god reflect a very different ideology compared to Kratos' godhood. Kratos, despite maturing a great deal between the events of God of War 3 and God of War 2018, his background is comprised of trauma and unbridled rage. Tyr, on the other hand, represents a much more methodical god of war, as another side of the same coin Kratos is on. How these two personalities clash in God of War 2 will matter a great deal for the overarching story of this norse legend.
Each God of War's Background
Fans of the God of War series are very familiar with Kratos' backstory, but Tyr's history is shrouded in quite a bit more mystery.
Playing the odd man out in a completely different mythology, Kratos represents maturation in the face of great trauma and a desire for revenge. Undergoing a great tragedy in the beginning of his story, Kratos' initial series of games is all about him seeking revenge for having his family murdered. Rage fueled Kratos for a long time, and over the course of the initial God of War trilogy, he systematically takes down the Greek gods that stood in his way. Upon the defeat of Zeus and many gods before him, many presumed Kratos took his own life at the end of God of War 3. As it turns out, that end credits scene proved Kratos lived and left Greece for the land of norse mythology. Kratos sought a peaceful life with his son Atreus and second wife Faye, before she passed away and thus the events of God of War 2018 began.
Though Kratos inherited the "God of War" title from Greek mythology, he wasn't the only god of warfare in Midgard. Tyr, an unseen entity throughout God of War 2018, was the norse god of war before Kratos entered the mythology. According to the in-game legend, Tyr's methodology as the god of war ironically was to unite all the races in Midgard and make peace. Unlike Odin, Thor, and his other godlike counterparts, Tyr very rarely acted in his own self-interest. This god of war sought knowledge and to understand the many nordic cultures surrounding him, treasuring many artifacts from around the world in his vault as a reminder of all he encountered. Functionally, Tyr saw war as a last resort option, and thus used his powers sparingly in favor of promoting harmony between all gods and men.
Comparing Ideologies
In many ways, Tyr represents what Kratos has become in God of War 2018, to some extent. Even though now the two gods of war would likely find common ground, it wasn't always this way. Tyr's legend represents admirable beginnings, as many stories tell of a war god obsessed with peace and unification of various different races together. Where Kratos' new demeanor was molded by the trauma of his past, Tyr was raised to be wise and avoid war as often as possible. Kratos never cared for peace, as he was driven solely by his selfish desires. Kratos in many cases served as a catalyst of war in his Greek homeworld, bringing death and destruction wherever he pleased in order to selfishly get back at the gods of Olympus who betrayed him.
It'd be interesting to see how the two gods of war may interact with one another, considering how nuanced an argument between them would be. Kratos has always used brash violence to get his own way, but Týr has proven throughout his history that peace trumps all war efforts. Kratos' personality transformation between God of War 3 and God of War 2018 resulted in a drastically more stoic version of himself. His maturity and atonement for his previous actions reflect a surprisingly conscientious Kratos, one who's capable of empathy and respect. Though Tyr and Kratos would likely land on the same end goal in God of War 2, it's their methodologies that would be the source of contention between them.
Different Methods, Same Goal
At this point, it'd be interesting to see how Tyr interacts with Kratos. Rumors in God of War's lore point to Tyr possibly being murdered rather than imprisoned by Odin, but that hasn't been confirmed. Considering Thor will in some way act as an antagonist to Kratos and Atreus, the two will likely need to consult with Tyr to determine the best way to defeat Thor. Problem is, it's in Tyr's nature to seek peace or negotiation in every possible situation.
Kratos and Atreus already set in motion the Fimbulwinter prior to the Ragnarok myth, thanks to the death of Baldur, so it's very possible war is unavoidable at this point. Tyr's reaction to that likely won't be applause, so that interaction may be quite tense. How Tyr can assist in aiding Kratos and Atreus, and potentially prevent Ragnarok, remains to be seen. Should the two gods of war come into contact with one another, players will see how these two will either coordinate or oppose one another in God of War 2.
God of War 2 is rumored to be in development.