What happens at the end of God of War Ragnarok? Kratos and Atreus’ latest adventure is full of twists and turns, but how does it end? Here’s the true ending of God of War Ragnarok explained, including the secret ending.
God of War Ragnarok is possibly 2022’s most anticipated title, thanks in no small part to the ending of the last game leaving the possibilities endless for Kratos and Atreus’ next adventure.
If you’ve finished the game, or simply want to know how it all ends, then this guide is for you. If you haven’t and don’t want to know about the events of God of War Ragnarok’s secret ending, we cannot stress this enough — turn back now, this is your final SPOILER WARNING.
This is the true ending of God of War Ragnarok explained.
What happened in God of War 2018?
The first game in this new rebooted version of God of War saw Kratos and Atreus scattering the ashes of Atreus’ mother, Faye, from the tallest peak in the land as per her dying wish.
Along their journey, they meet Freya, a Witch of the Woods and Goddess, and clash with Baldur. It is later revealed Baldur is Freya’s son, but in trying to stop him from killing his mother, Kratos kills Baldur and Freya swears vengeance.
Eventually reaching the peak, they find a mural from Faye which reveals she has foretold the entirety of their journey: Baldur was hunting Faye, a Giant, unaware that she was dead, and the mural shows that Kratos will, eventually, die while being cradled by Atreus.
It’s also revealed Atreus is half Giant, a quarter mortal, and a quarter God, and he is referred to as Loki by the Giants.
Baldur’s death will bring on a three-year Fimbulwinter, which will then lead to Ragnarok as prophecized — the end of days. Returning home, Atreus has a vision of Thor confronting the pair at the end of Fimbulwinter.
What happens in God of War: Ragnarok? Plot explained
At the start of God of War Ragnarok, Fimbulwinter rages on while Kratos and Atreus are holed up in a small camp, training for the seemingly inevitable war to come while avoiding Freya’s constant attempts to kill them. Atreus’ pet wolf, Fenrir, dies and he unknowingly casts a spell that keeps the wolf’s soul inside his knife.
Thor, as in Atreus’ vision, does come to visit alongside Odin. The latter offers a truce as long as no more blood is spilled, but Kratos declines. Thor and Kratos fight, while Odin offers Atreus the chance to join him in Asgard, the realm of the Aesir gods.
Realizing their home is no longer safe, Kratos and Atreus move to live with Brok and Sindri, the affable dwarves of the first game. Here they plot to tackle Odin and his army, despite Kratos’ insistence that his God-slaying days are behind him. However new prophecies from the Giants, hidden from Odin, suggest he will indeed kill gods again while also hinting Atreus will be the Champion of Ragnarok.
What follows is a rescue mission, with the duo (and talking head Mimir) breaking the former God of War, Tyr, out of prison only to find he’s become a pacifist.
After visiting a mythical region called Ironwood in a dream, Atreus meets Angrbodha. She helps reveal more about giant culture to him, and reveals there are still more of their kind, but they are hiding in marbles strewn across the realms. She also shows a mural she painted portraying Atreus as the Champion of Ragnarok but with Kratos dead in his arms. During an encounter with a snake whose soul has been removed, Atreus uses a spell to put the soul of a giant inside. Revealing Fenrir’s soul is still within his knife, Angrbodha tells Atreus to promise to keep Ironwood a secret, but Kratos fears his son has gone to Asgard instead.
The two clash, leading Atreus to run away, where Odin recruits the young Loki to help him assemble and decipher an artifact leading to unlimited knowledge — a mask with unknown markings. During this split Atreus meets Thrud, Thor’s daughter, and strikes up a friendship while also drawing the ire of Heimdall, Odin’s watchman. The two accidentally release Garm, a soulless, giant wolf who can tear through realms.
While this is happening, Kratos travels to Vanaheim to help Freya’s brother, Freyr, fight back against the Aesir, but finds him hopelessly outnumbered. Nevertheless, Kratos and Mimir assist in the resistance, further helping strengthen their previously strained relationship with Freya.
Looking to avoid prophecy, Kratos heads to visit the Norns, a trio of secretive beings that control the destiny of gods and men. They suggest the prophecy is based on the predictability of human nature, but they do reveal that Heimdall will kill Atreus.
Kratos works with Brok to assemble a new weapon capable of fighting Heimdall, the Draupnir Spear. During the process, it is revealed that Brok had previously died, but Sindri has revived him for fear of being alone and that his soul is still missing all of the pieces needed to be whole or have an afterlife.
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After upsetting Odin by releasing Garm, Atreus returns home to Kratos and the pair defeat the giant wolf only for it to return again and again. Realizing it cannot be killed because it doesn’t have a soul, Atreus uses a spell to put Fenrir’s soul in Garm’s body. This lets Garm take on Fenrir’s properties, making him obedient to Atreus.
Kratos and Atreus head to Vanaheim, where they work to free Freyr from Asgardian captivity. Here Kratos encounters Heimdall, and following a battle attempts to reason with him. After assuring Kratos he will try to kill Atreus, Kratos is forced to kill Heimdall and take Gjallarhorn, an instrument that can be heard throughout the realms.
Atreus convinces his father to let him secure the mask from Odin, and Kratos begrudgingly agrees. Atreus works alongside Thor to retrieve the final mask piece before Thor attempts to kill him. Atreus escapes with the mask, and the group begins to prepare for their final fight against Odin before it is revealed Tyr, who was rescued at the start of the game, has been Odin in disguise. He stabs Brok, killing the dwarf, who explains to Sindri he forgives him for not telling him about his prior resurrection.
Kratos and Atreus seek out Surtr, the last remaining Fire Giant, who can transform into a huge monster to bring about Ragnarok by destroying Asgard if he combines with the fire of Kratos’ Blades of Chaos. Meanwhile, Kratos’ allies seek out the armies of the other realms to assist.
God of War: Ragnarok ending explained
All of the above leads to a final assault on Asgard, as the armies from every realm march on Odin’s domain alongside the now-Giant Fenrir, the World Serpent, and plenty more. Thrud, initially feeling betrayed by Atreus, is reassured by her mother Sif that Odin is the greater evil.
Atreus, Thrud, and Kratos battle through Odin’s forces, with a distraught Sindri breaking down the wall surrounding Asgard. Kratos battles Thor, before telling him that the two must be better for the sake of their children.
Thor finally realizes Odin has been mistreating him in his quest for power, and refuses to fight Kratos, prompting Odin to kill Thor and injure Thrud.
Kratos, Atreus, and Freya finally battle Odin, with Atreus smashing the mask before defeating Odin and putting his soul into one of the marbles. A still distraught Sindri, however, takes the marble and smashes it.
As the dust settles, Angrbodha reveals another mural from Faye, showing she herself had destroyed a mural so Kratos and Atreus could forge their own destiny.
With Atreus determined to seek out more giants with Angrbodha, Kratos unveils a second mural of him as the champion of Ragnarok, suggesting it is his destiny to constantly be used to fight wars. He, Freya, and Mimir head back into the nine realms to clean up Odin’s mess in the God of War Ragnarok true ending.
Is there a secret ending? God of War Ragnarok true ending explained
Believe it or not, there is a small post-game wrap-up that acts as a sort of similar ending.
Once Atreus and Angrbodha have left, head to any realm and visit Lunda at one of Brok and Sindri’s workshops (any of them will do).
She’ll suggest Kratos heads to Raeb’s tavern in Svartalfheim (that’s the Dwarven realm), and from here a new side quest (or favor) will begin called A Viking Funeral.
Follow the waypoint and you’ll be able to witness a touching moment where Kratos, Mimir, Freya and the dwarves pay their respects. Sindri, though, is notably absent.
Head to Sverd Sands, where Kratos can place Brok’s body onto a boat to be sent out onto the water. Naturally, Sindri does make an appearance to mourn his brother’s death, before he and Kratos nudge the boat from the shore. Freya fires her arrow to cremate Brok, before Sindri teleports away.
It’s actually possible to find the real Tyr while exploring the realms, and he expresses that he recognizes Kratos from somewhere. He’ll actually appear in various realms as Kratos and Freya explore, too!