Kratos

Kratos, the "Ghost of Sparta", is a video game character from Sony Santa Monica's God of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology and Norse mythology. Kratos first appeared in the 2005 video game God of War, which led to the development of six additional games featuring the character as the protagonist; another installment is in development, which will be the first to be based on Norse mythology. Kratos also appears as the protagonist of the God of War comic series and novels. The character was voiced by Terrence C. Carsonfrom 2005 to 2013, with Christopher Judge taking over the role in the upcoming God of War. Antony Del Rio voiced the character as a child in God of War: Ghost of Sparta.

Throughout the Greek era of the series, Kratos embarks on several adventures in attempts to avert disaster or to change his fate. He was usually portrayed as being oblivious to all else, often engaging in morally ambiguous activities and performing acts of extreme violence. A Spartan warrior, he became the "Ghost of Sparta" after accidentally killing his family on behalf of Ares' trickery. He became the God of War after killing Ares, and was eventually revealed to be a demigodand the son of Zeus, who betrayed Kratos. Vengeance was a central theme of the Greek era, and each installment provided additional information about Kratos' origins and his relationships with his family and the Olympian gods. In the Norse era of the series, Kratos takes a turn for the good and finds himself controlling his rage, and learning how to truly be a father to his son, Atreus, while combating the monsters and gods of the Norse realm.

The God of War franchise is a flagship title for the PlayStation brand and Kratos is one of its most popular characters. The character has been well received by critics and has become a video game icon, a relative newcomer among more established franchise characters, such as Mario, Link, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Lara Croft. The character is now associated with other products and has had various cameos in PlayStation games outside of the God of War series.