As players progress through God of War, Kratos and Atreus can hear stories from Mimir, the former advisor to Odin and a currently disembodied head that travels with them. Aside from Kratos and Atreus, Mimir is a character with significant dialogue. His constant presence at Kratos’ and Atreus’ sides, paired with his commentary, provides players with more information on the Norse gods and their lands. Mimir has dozens of stories that he tells, but some are more entertaining (and informative) than others.
God of War follows Kratos and his son, Atreus, as they journey to the highest peak in the realms to scatter their wife’s (and mother’s) ashes. Pursued by Baldur, Odin’s son and an invulnerable warrior, Kratos begins to unravel his family’s place in Norse mythology. Players use the Leviathan Axe and Chaos Blades to cut their way through undead enemies and legendary monsters while battling destiny and the inevitable bloody conclusion against Baldur. God of War’s sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, features many Norse characters, including Mimir and his stories.
God of War has always focused on mythology, first exploring the Greek pantheon and expanding into the Norse pantheon. While it’s clear God of War is adjusting various Norse myths to accommodate the intervention of Kratos and Atreus’ secret identity as Loki, Mimir is the most trustworthy source of canon within the game. Different mythological tales from Norse culture keep authenticity alive without interfering with Kratos and Atreus’ stories. Mimir has nearly an hour of available myths and story-like dialogue, with each tale further developing the story.
God Of War’s Tale Of Magni & Modi
Magni and Modi are two recurring bosses in God of War. As sons of Thor, both gods enjoy an exceptional level of privilege among the Aesir. The brothers first appear taunting Mimir alongside Baldur, their uncle, while the former advisor is still trapped in a tree. Magni and Modi represent the inherent biases of the Aesir and Asgard, as shown through Mimir’s story. When God of War’s Magni and Modi were young, Asgard’s court coerced a giant named Hrungnir to become drunk for their amusement. When Thor entered, he became enraged at the Jotunn’s disrespectful behavior and killed him, only to be trapped under his enormous body. Magni and Modi lifted the corpse off their father, but Magni received all the credit due to his blonde hair, a coveted trait in Norse culture. This incident sparked a fierce rivalry between the brothers, leading to each competing for their father’s approval and adoration. Though the siblings are much stronger together, their story explains why they perish against Kratos and Atreus in God of War.
God Of War’s Story Of Jormungandr’s Origin
Jormungandr is one of the best God of War side characters in the Nine Realms currently introduced, and the largest, with the snake’s body appearing in the background of Midgard’s map. In traditional mythology, Jormungandr is known as the Midgard serpent and one of Loki’s children. Odin cast him from Asgard to try and prevent Ragnarok, but the monster grew so large that he encircled the planet and could bite his own tail if he desired. God of War references Jormungandr’s origins through Mimir’s story about the serpent, stating that the serpent’s battle with Thor sends him spiraling through time. Jormungandr also says that Atreus seems familiar, furthering the pair’s likelihood of being related. Another piece of evidence appears at the depiction of Kratos’ death in God of War, where Atreus’ scream gives birth to Jormungandr.
God Of War’s Tragic Tale Of Laufey
Though Laufey never properly appears in God of War, her death and personal impact on Kratos and Atreus set the game’s events in action. In many ways, Laufey’s journey mirrors Kratos’ and represents the endless battle against destiny and greedy gods. Though Kratos and Atreus only become aware of her true identity after her death, Mimir provides enough stories of her legacy to give Kratos and Atreus a truthful image of their lost family member. Laufey maintained a mysterious presence in Asgard’s rumor mill, both for her selfless actions and constant interference in Odin’s plans proved the Aesir could be defeated. The timeline of Laufey’s heroics is mostly unknown, but it’s likely Thor’s hunt for Jotunns across the Nine Realms forced Laufey to change her name and go into hiding.
God Of War’s Tale Of Freya
After Mimir’s reanimation in God of War, Freya promptly spits in his face, forcing the bodiless head reveals the reasons behind Freya’s circumstances. The Aesir and Vanir are two species of gods who warred for eons, with each side suffering drastic losses. Mimir brokered a marriage between Odin and Freya to secure peace between the Aesir and Vanir. Unfortunately, God of War’s Odin is a spiteful, cruel King without mercy for those he deems lesser.
While Freya and Odin enjoyed a somewhat loving marriage, their relationship fell apart once Odin corrupted Freya’s magic and took advantage of her secrets. Though her intentions for the wedding were pure and motivated by the desperation to protect her people, Freya ended her relationship with Odin and attempted to leave. He cursed her never to return home or bring harm to another living creature, thereby removing her warrior spirit. Mimir’s stories with Freya efficiently explain her relationship with the major Aesir gods, Mimir, and her isolation. These stories also foreshadow Freya’s role in God of War: Ragnarok and her descent into grief-stricken madness.
God Of War’s Prophecy Of Odin
Though he never appears in God of War, Odin is the most powerful Aesir god and one of the evilest figures in the game’s universe. Unfortunately, his powers of prophecy turned him paranoid and deadly. Mimir reveals that Odin had always been obsessed with divination and avoiding his inevitable demise. The King of Asgard gathered fortune-tellers, soothsayers, and magic wielders, learning as much as he could before murdering his mentors. Those who presented a threat to himself and the Aesir suffered systematic manipulation and destruction, all in an attempt for Odin to avoid his oncoming demise. Mimir’s imprisonment resulted from Odin’s paranoia and refusal to admit his wrongdoings, leading to the Nine Realms collapsing in on themselves. In many ways, Odin represents a darker version of Kratos, who allowed fear to overcome his sense of honor. Many of Odin’s actions directly led to God of War: Ragnarok’s upcoming story and his likely demise.
Not only does Mimir make exploration in God of War less tedious, but his stories often foreshadow events happening in God of War (and possibly God of War: Ragnarok). His real presence in the sequel suggests this function may return in the coming sequel, meaning players could be in for another series of foreshadowing tales and prophecies. It’s unknown how accurate Mimir’s predictions and stories are, but given the head’s inclination to assist Kratos and Atreus suggests players shouldn’t disregard his stories.
God of War is available now on PlayStation and PC, and God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022.
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