The Kratos seen in 2018's God of War and 2022's God of War: Ragnarok is a man who concerns himself with the safety of others more than his own desires, and a small detail from his first proper meeting with Odin that went unseen by most players highlights this change. In the earlier games, Kratos was a shown to be a character primarily driven by revenge and his own interests, only showing small glimpses of his softer side to the likes of Athena and Pandora. As the saying goes, though, "with age comes wisdom," and Kratos regularly shows he has grown to be wiser and more careful to ensure Atreus does not suffer the fate his daughter Calliope did.
God of War: Ragnarok is the sequel to 2018's God of War, picking up three years after killing Baldur, reaching Jotunheim, and the onset of Fimbulwinter. Kratos and Atreus set out on a new journey, with the hope of potentially averting Ragnarok and saving the Nine Realms from the prophesied apocalyptic war. Standing in their way, though, are Odin and Thor, who are also looking for a way to ensure Asgard survives Ragnarok, even at the cost of the other realms.
Santa Monica didn't wait to drop players straight into conflict with Odin and Thor, as the two arrive at Kratos' home shortly after their latest run-in with Freya. It is this scene where Reddit user Rainbozuka noticed a small detail which appeared to go unnoticed by most other players as Odin attempts to reach and agreement with Kratos and Atreus to keep them from getting involved with Ragnarok. The clip shows that as Odin puts his hand on Atreus' shoulder, Kratos is quick to reach for his Leviathan Axe to defend his son, if necessary, from the ruler of Asgard and King of the Aesir.
Most players could argue Kratos' reaction is understandable since anything they have been told about Odin, up to this point in the narrative, highlights how dangerous, cruel, and manipulative he can be. Mimir is a living example of this, having been imprisoned in a tree on one of Midgard's highest peaks and kept alive to be tortured endlessly by Odin when Kratos and Atreus first meet him. Freya, Brok, Sindri, Tyr, and even his own family speak about how they or people they care about suffered at the hands of the Aesir King.
It is small details like this which show why players have come to adore the latest entries in the God of War series and how the depiction of Kratos has evolved over time. He went from a character driven by hatred and revenge to one who seems ashamed of the monster he was, going so far as to risk the relationship with his son to keep his secret at the beginning of 2018's game. Should the series continue with Kratos as its focal point, it would not be surprising to see more moments like this take place for players to discover.
God of War: Ragnarok is currently available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.