Santa Monica Studios' God of War Ragnarok pits Kratos against some incredibly dangerous enemies. Odin and Heimdall, both integral parts of Norse mythology, present a very real threat to Kratos and his son, Atreus. In terms of sheer physicality though, neither can hold a candle to Thor, who is depicted in God of War's universe as a huge monster of a man. Kratos isn't exactly small himself, especially when compared to standard humans, but when he stands toe to toe with Thor it becomes apparent that there is a significant difference in their respective heights. To be exact, Kratos stands at 1.93m, or six-foot-four inches, while Thor is 2.25m or a whopping seven-foot-four inches.
For the most part, God of War Ragnarok's depiction of Thor managed to draw praise from fans and critics. Having the famous God of Thunder more closely resemble his Marvel Cinematic Universe counterpart, played by Chris Hemsworth, would've been a safer bet for Santa Monica Studios, especially considering the MCU's astronomical success has helped the character's rise to stardom over the last decade. To its credit though, the developer went in a completely different direction with its version of Thor, portraying him as an angry, bitter individual, and this paid dividends.
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God of War Ragnarök's Thor is An Imposing Specimen
From the moment Kratos first encounters Thor, his height immediately becomes apparent as one of his most dominant characteristics. During the subsequent fight between the two gods, Thor proves himself more than a match for his counterpart, and swings the legendary hammer, Mjolnir, with ease. With a speed that belies his huge frame, Thor is able to match Kratos blow for blow in a brutal fight that nearly ends with Kratos' demise. Kratos is accustomed to fighting much larger enemies than himself, with some of the gods he conquered in previous games being literal giants, but rarely if ever before has an opponent so closely matched his own strength and speed.
Thor's unquenchable thirst for battle constantly drives him to seek his next challenge. Long before Kratos' arrival, at the behest of his father Odin, he single-handedly slaughtered most of the giants in Midgard, earning a reputation as the strongest god in all of God of War's Nine Realms in the process. He even fought Kratos' wife Laufey, herself a fierce warrior, with the two causing the destruction of an entire valley during the battle, narrowly avoiding killing each other in the process.
During Atreus' playable sections, gamers are able to experience having Thor as an ally, as he reluctantly accompanies Kratos' son on a mission at his father's command. Atreus' segments in God of War Ragnarok can sometimes lack the same punch as his father's, largely due to the younger fighter's inexperience and limited abilities, so fighting alongside the God of Thunder is a particularly refreshing change of pace that spices things up considerably. Seeing Thor destroy everything in his path firsthand really helps players to understand the sheer magnitude of the man, making his impressive height even more apparent.
When Kratos finally defeats Thor during the game's climax, he shows the god mercy, convincing him to join in the fight against his father, Odin. The prospect of Kratos fighting alongside the God of Thunder in an epic battle is a tantalizing one for fans, but unfortunately, this never materializes, as Odin strikes his son down before he even has the chance to switch sides. Despite this, Thor leaves an unmistakable mark on God of War Ragnarok and sets a literal high bar for Kratos' future opponents, whoever they may be.
God of War Ragnarök is available now on PS4 and PS5.
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