One of the highlights of the recently opened PlayStation Showcase is the sequel to the highly-acclaimed God of War. Titled God of War: Ragnarok, it shows a brief trailer about the game whose central theme focuses on the demise of the Norse gods as well as a secret message.
The teaser itself has been pretty upfront in revealing the game’s theme. Stating the phrase, “Ragnarok is Coming,” followed by “2021”. The latter being a reference to the follow-up title’s release date, which is sometime next year. But it also hides a secret that only hardcore GOW fans would decode.
The obvious and the hidden
At the outset, the trailer corroborates on the sequel’s setting in the Norse mythology represented by the circle symbology. Originally taking the form of the Greek letter “omega,” which is symbolic of Ares, it sees a shift to a “circle,” bearing new meaning. The translation is that of the Norse omen symbolism, suggestive of Kratos’ continued presence in Asgard.
However, omen, in that case, also embodying a series of letters which, when translated, makes up the word “Ragnarok.” Each of these letters is a rune that represents a certain clan in Asgard. To some, this might already be obvious, even unsurprising.
Despite the presence of the runes and each respective letter and clan they represent, there’s something underneath it all that is indeed a marvel. As it appears, the majority of the runes in the symbol are actually in attribution to Freya.
Freya as major player
We have already seen first-hand the role of this deity in the first game—one which could be said as a surprising twist of allegiance and treachery. Things did not necessarily end well between the Queen of the Valkyries and the God Killer. It would, thus, make perfect sense to see the former getting major highlight in the sequel.
Whether or not Kratos would be a catalyst that will bring an end to the Norse gods remains to be seen. But if there’s anything deductible with the available information so far, it’s that Freya could be on the path for revenge against the God of War.
It also is not astray from the possibility that Freya herself could be the key to ending the presence of the Norse gods. Her overwhelming sense of retribution potentially fueling the events that will lead to the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Ragnarok—a cataclysmic event that will finally usher in the reign of mankind, true to the lore.
Image used courtesy of IGN/YouTube Screenshot