10 Things You Learn Replaying God of War (2018)
9. No Boys or Heads In Ragnarok
If you remember anything about the God of War reboot, it's probably Kratos' meme-inspiringly awkward relationship with his son. Kratos' decision to repeatedly refer to his son as "Boy!", rather than his given name, ensured the monosyllabic utterance became the 2018 equivalent of taking an arrow to the knee. Indeed, "Boy!" became so ingrained in the gaming ecosphere that a call-back to it at that year's Game Awards resulted in one of the biggest pops of the night
What often gets forgotten, however, is the equally dismissive appellation Kratos bestows upon his other traveling companion. Mimir, the decapitated-yet-living chap being held aloft by Kratos in the above photo, is never once referred to by his actual name in the reboot. Instead, Kratos exclusively refers to Mimir as "Head" - a sobriquet as cruel as it is accurate.
After playing Ragnarok, it's startling to go back and remember how brusque the paint-daubed warrior used to be with his traveling partners. Throughout the sequel, Kratos never once refers to Atreus and Mimir as "Boy" or "Head", instead just calling them by their names. The simple act does wonders in showing how far Kratos has grown as a character, and how his relationship with the pair has deepened between games.
If only the developers had maintained this "show don't tell" attitude towards other aspects of God of War's story...