2018’s God of War accomplished the impossible by reshaping a classic, highly revered franchise into something simultaneously unrecognizable, yet faithful to the series’ spirit. One substantial improvement it brought to Kratos’ saga was a rich narrative focused on the relationship between him and his son.
Because of its popularity, fans have taken to endearingly using its imagery in memes. We found the ten funniest ones on the web for our reader’s entertainment. Some joke about elements of the game, and others use Kratos as a punchline. Here’s hoping the next game garners just as much love to launch another million memes.
10 Boysenberry, Get It!!??
Much of God of War’s unintentional humor comes from Kratos’ continued use of the word “boy” when calling out to Atreus. Ever the pragmatist, the one syllable shout gets the point across and is quicker than shouting his son’s full name. If Kratos existed in real life, people probably wouldn’t be cracking the same quips. They should still be careful with their tongue; there’s no telling if the myths of old are based in some sort of truth, and that goes for gods created for a video game.
9 If Kratos Sucked
Nobody wants a dad like Kratos. He’s well-intentioned, but the God of War comes off as cruel and unforgiving is his attempts to teach Atreus survival techniques. But Atreus has to ask himself: would he rather be with a boring, typical father?
Learning how to hunt and fend for one’s self in the wild is far more exciting and useful than hearing dad jokes, learning how to play Golf, and being introduced to old movies. To be fair, at the least the last one turns up some great pieces of art every once in a while. In addition, a boring father probably wouldn’t put their son’s life in danger so many times.
8 Headaches
These headache charts are good for a rough self-diagnoses, or for a doctor to get a more accurate picture of what is causing the head pains. Migraines, Stress, and hypertension are all terrible, but when it’s boy that’s triggering this specific pattern, the dad is in for some trouble.
Most of the others go away with time and pain medication, but boy only subsides after fighting hordes of monsters and traveling with a decapitated head. Even then, symptoms return for the sequel. On a more relatable note, children in real life are known to produce headaches for their parents.
7 Kratos The Wise
Kratos has come a long way from the rage-filled, obnoxious Spartan from the prior games. He is still hot-blooded, but he is trying his best to control his rage and has also gained a few IQ points. If he had taught a child a similar lesson during his days in ancient Greece, it would have involved slaughtering a nameless NPC. These days, he does it through a well-spoken statement, avoiding the profanity associated with the phrase.
6 God Of PC
The constant upgrades afforded to PC players may make it superior to consoles, but it cannot run God of War, or at least that’s what Sony has led people to believe. The above photo is obvious proof to the contrary.
Someone could money down saying people could not be able to tell the difference in a side by side comparison, and they would lose all of it. The PC version even doubles down on the RPG mechanics. On the downside, it also requires a monthly fee.
5 Lost Boy
Children have a tendency to run off and get lost. When this happens, the parent will typically make an announcement, asking for the child to meet them at a location. Kratos and Atreus have such a strong connection, he doesn’t need to lay out a long list of instructions.
Instead, he simply yells out what is slowly becoming his catchphrase, and the the young man will make his way towards his dad. Judging by his tone, one may think the kid is in for a whooping, but that’s just the way Kratos talks. To the god’s credit, the game never implies that he inflicts corporal punishment upon Atreus.
4 Always A Classic
Like how God of War took something classic and revitalized it, so does this meme take a tried and true format and make it fresh. His family’s lives are taken directly by his hand, yet he swears vengeance against Ares. It was the former god of war who tricked Kratos, but the character could have seen through the mirage if he wasn’t so blindly following orders and clouded with rage. Kratos gets the last laugh in the end, however, having ended an entire mythology.
3 Doors
The conflicting logic between games and their stories is an endless well of humor. What is the justification for Kratos being able to slaughter gods while not having the strength to burst down doors with ease? Really, most of the level design could be circumvented by him just plowing through walls. Maybe he has an unspoken respect for architecture preventing him from ruining these magnificently crafted structures, or perhaps it is self-imposed limitations made to consistently challenge himself.
2 South Park
Thank the gods the World Serpent is a friendly monster. Otherwise, Kratos and Atreus’ journey would have come to a halt once they reached the lake. As it stands now, all the beast wanted was about tree fiddy. If Kratos doesn’t cough up some money for him, the World Serpent could resort to dressing up as a girl scout, a disguise that would undoubtedly fool anyone. While this is a joke, perhaps it is a direct translation of the serpent’s speech; neither the player nor Kratos understands its language.
1 Serious Contest
While Kratos would realistically win in an honest fight to the death, it is difficult to say who would reign victorious in a seriousness contest. While Altair has the most of his humanity, he lived during an era where everybody was miserable, so he has just as much a chance of winning as the other two. Geralt would do fine unless thoughts of Yennefer or Triss popped into his head. Kratos is serious even when he is with family. It’s hard to imagine how the courtship between him and his late wife went down. We’re sure there’s something inside of him for someone to love.
Next: 10 Secret Side Quests Everyone Missed In God of War PS4
