Summary
God of War Ragnarok: Valhallasees Kratos battle elements of his past to find his place in the future as a god of hope. Kratos faces many trials and hardships across this journey, especially ones that cut as deep as his bloody vengeance across the Greek pantheon all those centuries ago. Yet, there is one challenge inGod of War Ragnarok: Valhallathat adds aphysical hardship atop the mental torment, that being Tyr, the Norse god of war.
Tyr willchallenge Kratos time and again, but each time Kratos succeeds against Tyr, the Norse god of war will reveal yet another weapon in his arsenal, another treasured weapon from his travels to other pantheons. All of Tyr’s weapons have meaning and origin, whether that’s their place of creation or the god that it was taken from, proving just how deepGod of War Ragnarok: Valhallatakes the series’ lore.
4Shield & Spear
Norse Weapon
The shield and spear are perhaps the most iconic use of weaponry since before even the Roman Empire. Cultures from all over have their own shield, and the spear is certainly effective for thrusting and stabbing from afar, safe from other confrontations. Whilst most might think that Tyr’s shield and spear come from Kratos’ homeland of Greece, its design is that of Norse creation, and that can be seen across the many statues and depictions of Tyr with a sword and shield in his homeland.
Spears were a common Viking weapon, and sinceTyr is the god of war and the god of law and justice, it makes sense that he would wield a weapon capable of accusing and attacking, whilst also using a shield, which can be used as defense and passiveness. Even the crest on Tyr’s shield is noted for being a recognizable symbol to depict the Norse god of war, proving that he didn’t take this from Greek culture, orfrom Kratos’ Spartan past.
3Macuahuitl
Mesoamerican Weapon
The second weapon unleashed by Tyr is a big one, and it’s a Macuahuitl. This large club was used by Mesoamerican civilizations, which included the Aztecs, Toltecs, Maya, Olmec, and Zapotec. Steeped with culture and religion, the fact that Tyr traveled these lands to acquire such a weapon, either as a trophy or a gift, just proves that the Norse god of war truly has been all over the world, and perhaps even beyond it beforehis imprisonment at the hands of Odin. The weapon itself means “hand wood”, and the blades ribbed on the side are of obsidian, featuring a sharp design that will certainly hurt.
It could be theorized that Tyr claimed this weapon fromBuluc Chabtan, the Mayan god of war, who is often featured with a Macuahuitl. This darker deity is one that perhaps fought Tyr, or even granted him respect. Either way, if Kratos were to ever face Buluc Chabtan, it would be a legendary moment shared between two gods of war from different religions and cultures.
2Khopesh
Egyptian Weapon
One of Tyr’s surprising weapons is when he unleashes the dual blades of the Khopesh. These sickle-shaped swords were developed in Ancient Egypt, and they were used to trap opponents’ arms or pull their shields out of the way. The Khopesh is a common symbol found among Egyptian royalty, in both terms of pharaohs and gods. Most interestingly, Tyr referred to the Khopesh as a “cherished weapon”.
Anubis, the Egyptian god of death is often depicted wielding a Khopesh, so perhaps Tyr had dealings with this iconic god during his travels. It begs the question of what Tyr’s relationship is like with the Egyptian pantheon, andif Kratos will ever meet themhimself in a future installment ofGod of War.
1Katana (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi)
Japanese Weapon
The final weapon that Tyr wieldsagainst Kratosis from a land far from his own. Tyr proudly unsheathes a katana, proving that in his travels he went to Japan, and explored the pantheon available there. The blade crafted in Japan is considered an art, and Tyr wields it with respect and two hands. What’s even more interesting about this blade, is that it could be God of War’s first hint toward the next pantheon to explore, as this is no ordinary katana, and it has a proud curve that resonates well with Tyr’s god-like power, providing the metal with a golden glow.
There is the potential that this is no regular katana, and it is in fact the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, which is regarded as a legendary blade in Japan, and rich in folklore. The story of the sword has seen it granted many titles, like the “Grass-Cutting Sword”, and was found after the god Susanoo defeated the Yamata no Orochi, an eight-headed serpent of Koshi, which had the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi katana in the fourth tail of the beast.
