The showdown between the God of War and the God of Thunder has been years in the making, but who stands tall at the end of Ragnarok’s highly anticipated battle? Here’s how things play out when Kratos and Thor finally lock horns.
Through the events of the 2018 reboot, we knew it was only a matter of time until Thor came knocking. Given what happened to his sons Magni and Modi, the larger-than-life god was out for vengeance. This much was confirmed in the post-credits scene that set the PlayStation community ablaze all those years ago.
While trailers and marketing in the lead-up to Ragnarok’s launch only continued to hype up a fight between the gods, what exactly happens when Kratos and Thor get to throwing haymakers?
With the sequel now in the wild, here’s a full rundown on how the epic fight plays out in God of War Ragnarok.
SPOILER WARNING
From this point on we’ll be entering spoiler territory and discussing many of the biggest surprises throughout God of War Ragnarok. We highly recommend you experience the story for yourself before reading any further, as many twists and turns are best discovered in your own playthrough. But if you’re still here, continue down the page at your own risk.
Kratos vs Thor: Who wins round 1?
It doesn’t take long for Kratos and Thor to start trading blows in God of War Ragnarok. Odin and Thor visit Midgard at the very beginning of the sequel and following a brief attempt at brokering peace, push soon comes to shove. Odin gives Thor a silent nod of approval to handle things his way, only asking he not “take all day” to execute Kratos.
In this opening battle, the two send each other hurtling all across Midgard’s now snow-covered forests and frozen lake in the midst of Fimbulwinter. Before long, Kratos is down for the count. Thor gets the better of the situation and comes just moments from dealing a killing blow, though opts to play with his food instead. Rather than finishing the job, having knocked Kratos unconscious, Thor instead uses a blast of lightning from Mjölnir to revive the God of War and issue some more punishment.
After a few minutes of chaotic ragdolling, Kratos lands a significant blow, dislodging a few teeth from Thor’s mead-tinged mouth. It’s here where the first scrap comes to an end as Thor retreats of his own volition.
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“Be seeing ya,” he mutters before flying back to Asgard, seemingly respectful of the challenge Kratos put forward in their fight.
So at the end of round one, there’s no clear winner. The first fight between Thor and Kratos in God of War Ragnarok can be labeled a stalemate. While the god of thunder had victory within reach, he selfishly sought more punishment, leading to a swing in momentum as Kratos dealt the final blow before all was called off.
Kratos vs Thor: A rematch to end all rematches
We don’t see the rematch between Kratos and Thor until the very end of Ragnarok. Their second fight ensues in the midst of all-out war in Asgard, with Kratos looking to subvert fate and forge his own path ahead.
In this final battle, things play out a little differently from the first encounter. Although Thor technically has the homecourt advantage, it’s Kratos that swiftly gains the upper hand. A few minutes of blood-soaked combat later and the mighty god of thunder is left kneeling as Kratos stands tall.
Opposite to their first fight, this time it’s Kratos who decides against delivering a killing blow. Despite having every opportunity to take Thor out once and for all, the once rage-consumed Ghost of Sparta has turned a new leaf. He instead spares Thor and seeks a mutually beneficial relationship in which, together, they take down Odin.
While he had good intentions, this partnership is short-lived. Odin betrays his own blood, murdering Thor before shifting his sights to Kratos.
Technically, that makes Kratos the ultimate winner in Ragnarok’s hotly anticipated showdown, but it certainly came at a cost. Syf lost her partner, Thrud lost her father, and the realms lost a potentially benevolent god had Thor fully committed to a new beginning following this battle.