Since its debut in March 2005, theGod of Warfranchise has become renowned for its visceral action and brutal violence. The series follows the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, in Ancient Greece. The formidable warrior battles to avenge his family after Ares, the God of War, duped him into killing them. During his adventures, Kratos encountered many deities and mighty monsters, each standing in the way of his ultimate goal of slaying his former mentor. Finally, Kratos successfully kills Ares and is granted the title of God of War by his father, Zeus, only to be betrayed by him.
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Furious once more, Kratos sets off on a quest to eradicate the gods of Olympus, thereby changing his fate. The storyline, then, pits Kratos against some of the most iconic gods from mythology. These particular deities were some of the strongest the anti-hero has killed to date.
10Hermes (God of War 3)
In Greek mythology, Hermes is the messenger of the gods. In the God of War franchise, his role did not vary too far from that of his counterpart. Despite his renown in the Greek pantheon, he wasn’t much of a match for Kratos. This became very evident during the events ofGod of War 3.
The combat differed from other bosses in this encounter, in that it began with an extended chase scene before the player faced a mob of enemy NPCs. Hermes was then brutally torn apart during their final confrontation. Unlike many other gods, the iconic Hermes was more of a nuisance: he couldn’t really damage Kratos, only spiritedly taunting the Spartan for his failures.
9Helios (God of War 3)
The player had to save Helios during the events of God of War: Ascension, only to kill him in God of War 3. One would imagine that the god of the sun would be second only to the original trinity of the Greek pantheon, although it was difficult to gauge his exact power given the circumstances.
Kratos stumbled upon him as the sun god was knocked from his flaming chariot while battling the Titans. The battle is very similar to the Hermes encounter: a pesky mob of enemy creatures tried to protect Helios. The protagonist cleaved his way through them and decapitated his target.
8Persephone (God of War: Chains of Olympus)
Knowledge is one of the ultimate forms of power, and the goddess Persephone embodied this notion: her actions would have resulted in the end of all life. During the events of God of War: Chains of Olympus, Persephone orchestrated a scheme that would destroy the Earth in an attempt to gain her freedom.
The battle is cinematic and challenging like most God of War bosses, but it’s the lore aspect of this character that emphasizes her power. In the end, Kratos struck a killing blow with the Gauntlet of Zeus, but players could later see Persephone’s casket in the Underworld during God of War 3.
7Baldur (God of War)
Having settled his score with the Greek gods, Kratos found himself in the human realm of Midgard, where he met theJotunn giant Fayeand settled down. Some years after his son’s birth and Faye’s passing, a visitor came to their new home demanding information.
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During the narrative of God of War, the audience discovered that this was none other thanthe Norse godBaldur, son of Odin and Freya. The player battled Baldur multiple times, and his health bar regenerated to emphasize his invulnerability. While virtually unbeatable due to a curse placed on him by his mother, Baldur pursued the player throughout the events of the game until Kratos was forced to kill him after discovering his weakness.
6Heimdall (God of War: Ragnarok)
Being one of the most potent Aesir gods next to Thor and Baldur, Heimdall had heightened foresight, allowing him to remain unharmed in combat. Because of this, Kratos was forced to take a different route when approaching this god, but he overcame this obstacle after the dwarf Brok helps createthe weapon Draupnir. This mighty spear could stun Heimdall.
During the fight, the player had to avoid Heimdall at all costs, as they initially couldn’t strike him at all. Without Draupnir, Kratos was in serious trouble here. In the end, the protagonist was victorious again, but only after considerable resistance from Heimdall’s unique abilities.
5Ares (God of War)
Kratos was forced to slay his entire family during a village raid, owing to the machinations of the original God of War, Ares. He may not be on the same level of power as his father or uncles, but being the God of War during a period where warfare was so widespread makes one imagine the strength Ares could potentially wield.
When Kratos fought Ares, it took the power of Pandora’s box and the assistance of the other gods for them to fight on equal terms. Even then, Kratos could barely hold his own: Ares began toying with the Spartan’s mind with illusions of his family. Ares caused tremendous pain and suffering to Kratos, and was more than a worthy challenge.
4Thanatos (God of War: Ghost of Sparta)
The Olympian gods, with the exception of Ares, feared Thanatos' immense powers. In future God of War games, the player becomes accustomed to fighting with a secondary character that acts as support, but this concept existed in the franchise previously. When taking on Thanatos during the Ghost of Sparta storyline, the player battles him with the aid of Kratos’s brother Deimos.
The brothers tag team against the God of Death as the latter transforms into a dragon-like creature. Thanatos successfully kills Deimos. The final round of the bout ends with Kratos dispatching the god with his own newfound powers. Ultimately, Thanatos was successful in not only killing Deimos but almost overcoming Kratos. Few gods succeeded in putting up such a dramatic fight against him.
3Poseidon (God Of War 3)
The trinity of the gods that consisted of Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon comprised some of the most powerful beings in all creation. They all rule over one of the most fundamental aspects of life and death. Poseidon made for a fantastic first boss in God of War 3, as the player engaged him on the back of the Titan Gaea.
The God of the Seas attempted to kill Kratos through a flurry of devastating blows with his trident. After a prolonged struggle, the player tackled Poseidon out of his giant form and into a nearby structure. Kratos' foe, weakened, was then brutally beaten. The lore behind the God of the Seas made the vast power that Poseidon wielded evident, and his in-game abilities backed that up.
2Hades (God of War 3)
The lord of the underworld already despised the young Spartan for dodging death on numerous occasions. With the grisly end of his beloved wife, Persephone, this hatred only grew. This battle was interesting: Hades' fighting style was very similar to Kratos' initially, but it drastically changed as the lord of the underworld utilized various tricks.
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The player was eventually successful, and Kratos slayed Hades by using his weapons to rip out the latter’s soul. With Hades defeated, Kratos could traverse the river Styx unharmed. Hades' helm could be found here for use in bonus play, a fitting testament to one of the strongest gods Kratos ever defeated.
1Zeus (God of War 3)
In Greek mythology, Zeus is one of the most iconic and influential deities in his pantheon, so it should come as no surprise that the father of Kratos would take the number one spot on this list. The player first battled Zeus during the events of the second God of War, where Kratos fails to slay his father due to the intervention of Athena.
In God of War 3, it takes multiple waves to fight the lightning god, who can teleport and strike the player with his lightning bolts. At one point, the player even fights multiple illusions of Zeus at the heart of the Titan Gaea, before Kratos can finally plunge the blade of Olympus into his father. Kratos had to unleash everything in his arsenal, several times over, to best him.
