When it comes to providing a wide arsenal of powerful and unique weapons for players to wield, few come close to the God of War franchise. From the Blades of Chaos to the Nemean Cestus and Blade of Olympus, Kratos has been decked out with some seriously powerful gear, and 2018's God of War is no different. The most recent entry added the Leviathan Axe to Kratos' ever-expanding armory alongside his signature Blades of Chaos; however, some of the new additions to the series seem to echo items from his past.
Ever since Kratos abandoned Greek mythology and arrived in the Norse realm, he's struggled to distance himself from his past - a goal made even more complicated by the arrival of Baldr. In order to keep his son safe, Kratos had to embrace his past and done his best to use his skills for protection, not destruction. Kratos was once the god of war and his arsenal reflected that.
The most obvious example was the return of the Blades of Chaos, quite literally the physical embodiment of Kratos' past. Other examples are more subtle, such as his Guardian Shield being repurposed from the Sun Shield from Chains of Olympus and Mimir's head replacing the Head of Helios from God of War 3. With God of War: Ragnarok delayed but sure to maintain the tradition of giving Kratos new but slightly familiar weapons, here are some powerful God of War weapons and items that the sequel could repurpose.
Kratos acquires the Bow of Apollo after defeating Peirithous in God of War 3. The bow was infused with fire and had multiple firing modes which made it perfect for dispatching large groups of enemies. For GoW: Ragnarok, Atreus could receive a similar type of bow to more effectively aid Kratos in fighting off hordes of draugrs. This would also stay true to Norse mythology as Loki crafted a weapon called Lævatein, which is often translated to mean "arrow" or something akin to a ranged weapon.
After killing the Dark Rider in GoW 2, Kratos receives the Spear of Destiny, a powerful weapon with the ability to extend and retract itself. The Norse equivalent to this would be Odin's spear, Gungnir, which always finds its target and can extend its reach at will.
Throughout God of War, Odin's ravens were a constant presence, and it would only make sense that Ragnarok would at least provide a look at the All-Father, who no doubt would be brandishing his legendary spear.
If GoW: Ragnarok could only have one repurposed item, it should be the Oath Stone of Orkos. This is an item that Kratos receives in God of War: Ascension that allows its users to conjure illusionary clones to trick enemies and aid in combat. In the context of Ragnarok, this item could be repurposed as a rune that Atreus acquires, thus giving him one of Loki's signature abilities. With the possibility that Atreus could be a playable character, the ability to use this power could result in some incredible combat experiences.
The Blade of Olympus was a sword forged by Zeus with "strength to destroy all who oppose the Gods" and, as Kratos would find out, the Gods themselves. If GoW: Ragnarok intends to bring back a weapon of similar power, the team need look no further than Heimdall's sword, Hofund. Heimdall is the guardian of Asgard and the Bifrost, as well as the one destined to kill Loki during Ragnarok. Since Kratos and Atreus' use of the Bifrost was so chaotic, Heimdall is likely to show up as an adversary and Hofund is a weapon specifically forged to kill the most powerful of enemies.
While there's only speculation about when God of War: Ragnarok's gameplay will be revealed, and what the main story will be, it's safe to assume that the major conflict involves the Norse gods seeking revenge for the three gods Kratos and Atreus killed. To survive, the pair will need some of the strongest weapons they can get and thankfully, there's really no limit to what God of War: Ragnarok could repurpose to aid them in the journey ahead.
