In mythology, Fenrir is the child of Loki and Angrboda and is destined to swallow Odin, ending the reign of the All-Father and ushering in a new era for the survivors in the nine realms. His entire story, from him being chained up by Odin out of fear to his eventual breaking free and the destruction it causes, is completely changed up in God of War Ragnarok. In the game, Fenrir is one of the wolves that Kratos and Atreus tamed to help them get around Midgard, however his ultimate presence in the story grows much larger than this. Despite this, his involvement in Ragnarok itself is lackluster.
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Fenrir in God of War Ragnarok
Fenrir is introduced in the early moments of the game, however he dies in Atreus’ arms, giving in to a sickness he had. Fortunately, Atreus unknowingly used a Giant spell to trap Fenrir’s soul within his dagger, saving Fenrir’s life as long as he transfers his soul to another body. During their mission to stop Garm’s rampage through Helheim, Atreus figures out that he can seal Fenrir’s soul into the large wolf, effectively turning Garm into Fenrir.
After Fenrir returns to Midgard, he is not seen until the end of the battle against Odin where he rescues Kratos and his allies as Ragnarok begins the destruction of Asgard, thus fulfilling the Giant’s prophecy. Atreus entrusts Fenrir to Angrboda since she is more equipped to handle a large wolf and says goodbye to his friend as he goes to see his father at the end of the game. This is the extent of Fenrir’s involvement in the game, and while not having him kill Odin was understandable, he still could have played a much larger role.
How Fenrir’s Role Could Have Been Improved
In Norse mythology, Fenrir is a vital figure, from his being chained up out of fear of his power to his eventual death after he swallowed Odin and killed him. Fenrir breaking free from his chains also causes massive destruction around Midgard, preparing it for its eventual rebirth. His small role in God of War Ragnarok’s story, his small role seems to diminish the impact he has in mythology, and there are certain places where Fenrir’s presence could have been valuable.
Firstly, Fenrir should have helped in the final fight against Odin, stripping down Odin’s powers as Kratos and the others continue to deal damage. With Fenrir gaining the ability to tear holes between the realms, he could have also helped Atreus and the others breach Asgard and begin the final battle. Fenrir’s story concludes when Loki sees him one last time as he walks up to say his goodbyes to his father, and with the Norse saga of God of War supposedly being finished, it is unclear if the wolf will appear again.
While Fenrir’s limited impact on the story is in part due to the fact that Santa Monica had to incorporate Kratos into the mix, and that Odin had to be the final boss, it would have still been great to see Fenrir after the end of the story as Kratos and Freya begin to fix the damage incurred by Ragnarok. However, even with Fenrir’s depleted presence, God of War Ragnarok perfectly ties up every loose end and gives fans an exciting and emotional story that exceeded most people’s expectations.
God of War Ragnarok is available now for PS4 and PS5.
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