Best Characters in God of War's Greek Mythology Games

Kratos obviously receives the number one spot as he not only is the main protagonist, he is also the character that changes the most throughout the story. He sold his soul and services as a warrior to the God of War Ares in exchange for Ares defeating his enemies, a decision that would haunt him forever, especially after Ares tricked Kratos into murdering his own family, with their ashes cursed onto his skin as punishment. Since then he would have nightmares of this terrible night and would seek revenge on Ares, killing him and taking his place as the God of War, only to be betrayed by Zeus in God of War II. In the following game, God of War III, Kratos would exact his revenge on Olympus, wiping out the Greek pantheon. After the final boss battle against Zeus, Athena confronted Kratos and demanded that he return the power of hope; the contents of Pandora's Box. In a selfless act, Kratos refused, stated his need for vengeance was gone and impaled himself with the Blade of Olympus, which dispersed the power across the world for mankind's use.

Zeus is the main antagonist of the Greek era of the God of War series. He was the youngest child of the Titan King, Cronos and he ascended to become the King of Olympus and the God of the Sky, Thunder, Lightning, and the Heavens. Zeus is the father of several gods and mortals, including Kratos. He is the single most powerful god among his pantheon, and initially acts as an ally to Kratos in order to defeat Ares. Though he is singularly the most powerful being in the land, Zeus is beset by a paranoia and fear that constantly plagues him, which would later be revealed to have been caused by the opening of Pandora's box.

Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera. He is extremely cruel and destructive, even being called the most hated god on Mount Olympus. He is the main antagonist of the first God of War game, as well as the perpetrator behind the events of God of War: Ascension, meaning he was also responsible for setting the events of the series into motion by tricking Kratos into killing his family and turning him into the Ghost of Sparta, which eventually fulfilled the prophecy of the Marked Warrior who would destroy Olympus and end the reign of the Olympian Gods. At the start of the series, Ares is the original God of War until Kratos kills him and takes his place in the first game. He is later revealed to be Kratos' half-brother in God of War II, as a son of Zeus.

Athena was the Olympian Goddess of Wisdom and War, and serves as the overall deuteragonist-turned-final antagonist of the Greek Era of God of War Series, who mostly appeared as an ally of Kratos. In most of the
God of War games, Athena was the least selfish and most noble goddess. In the early games, she would help Kratos on his goals to save fellow Olympian god Helios, and stop her brother Ares. Before the events of the series, Athena saved Kratos' life from Ares' wrath, as they were sent to capture the marked warrior that would bring the end of the Greek pantheon. She dies in God of War II by sacrificing herself, putting herself between Kratos and Zeus and dying in a selfless act which brought her to a higher plain of existence.

Hades is the Olympian God of the Underworld, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, and husband of Persephone. He is first seen in God of War III in the opening of the game where he jumps off from the top of Mount Olympus to fight the Titans. Later in the game, Hades is defeated by Kratos, who after a fierce duel, tore off the god's helmet before killing him by absorbing his soul with his own weapons. Hades had many reasons to hate Kratos up to this point as not only had Kratos killed his niece Athena and his brother Poseidon, but he also killed his wife Persephone.

Poseidon is the Greek god of the seas and the brother of Zeus and Hades. He is first seen at the beginning of God of War III in which he serves as the first boss of the game. He is defeated by Kratos with the help of the titan Gaia and meets a bloody end, being beaten to death by Kratos. Poseidon has good reasons to dislike Kratos as the Spartan warrior caused the destruction of his beloved city of Atlantis.

Cronos was the leader and last of the mighty Titans who were born to Gaia and Ouranos. He fathered the first of the Olympians with his wife Rhea (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia). Cronos was prophesized to be overthrown by his own children in the future. To prevent this from coming true, when his wife, Rhea, bore his children, he swallowed them whole, one by one, imprisoning them within his belly. Rhea could not bear another loss, so when the sixth child was born, this child being Zeus, Rhea called upon an eagle to take the baby far away from the watchful eyes of Cronos. In the baby's place, Rhea wrapped
a stone in cloth and offered it to Cronos, who foolishly believed it to be the baby and swallowed it whole. Years later, Zeus would defeat Cronos and free his brothers and sisters. A war then followed. Cronos' punishment by Zeus after the war was to forever carry Pandora's Temple on his back in chains. Kratos first encounters Cronos in God of War I when he is tasked by the gods to retrieve Pandora's Box in order to defeat Ares. The second and last time is when Kratos travelled to the pits of Tartarus and killed Cronos to retrieve the previously mentioned rock Cronos had swallowed instead of Zeus so that Hephaestus could use it to forge a new weapon for Kratos.

Gaia is the Primordial Goddess of the Earth, mother of the Titans and the grandmother/great-grandmother of the Olympian Gods. She is the narrator of the series, the deuteragonist of God of War II, and the secondary antagonist of God of War III. Following Zeus betraying Kratos and his subsequent fall into the Underworld in God of War II, Gaia revealed herself to Kratos and has decided to help him destroy Zeus, feeling it was time the Titans had their revenge. She then heals his wounds and tells him with her help, she would guide to the
Sisters of Fate to aid him in his quest. She then appears in physical form in God of War III after Kratos travelled back through time to the time of the first great war between the Olympians and the Titans, bringing Gaia and all other Titans to attack Mount Olympus. After helping Kratos defeat Poseidon, both of them reach the top of Mount Olympus from which their are thrown off of by Zeus. Gaia then betrays Kratos and lets him fall to his death to save herself from falling. After surviving his fall into the Underworld and gaining more power, Kratos kills Gaia during his fight with Zeus.

Hercules was the son of Zeus and half-brother to Kratos. He first appears in God of War III leading soldiers in the fight against the Titans and Kratos. Later in the game, Kratos encounters Hera in the arena who has Hercules fight as her champion against Kratos. There, Hercules reveals how he believes Zeus considers Kratos his favorite, as Kratos was the one assigned to kill Ares and who was crowned the God of War while he was sent on labors. After trying and failing to reason with his half brother, Kratos brutally beats Hercules to death with the latter's own weapon, the Nemean Cestus, staving his head in and smashing the arena floor open.