The moment we learn a beloved character’s name can be pivotal, sometimes even jarring. Remember the collective gasp when “Baby Yoda” was officially named Grogu? Now, brace yourselves for another potential fandom quirk: it turns out, God of War’s formidable Kratos might just be… John.
Yes, you read that correctly. For many fans, the idea of calling the Spartan warrior “John” feels a little off, a bit too ordinary for a god slayer. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the name John, a solid, classic choice. But in the realm of mythology and epic battles, names like Odin, Thor, and Loki carry a certain weight, a distinctiveness that “John” seems to lack. Even with the rising popularity of these mythological names thanks to franchises like the MCU, they still possess an unusual flair compared to everyday monikers.
The “John Kratos” phenomenon began innocently enough as a lighthearted joke on Twitter, sparked by Keza MacDonald, the gaming editor at The Guardian. However, as is typical in today’s internet culture, the jest quickly took on a life of its own. This playful online banter eventually led to PlayStation seemingly canonizing “John” as Kratos’s first name. If that revelation feels surprising, consider this: the World Serpent, a colossal figure of Norse mythology, is supposedly named Colin. Colin! The name evokes a rather mundane image, far removed from the epic scale of the creature.
Unsurprisingly, God of War enthusiasts have wholeheartedly embraced the humorous concept of John Kratos. Tales abound online, reimagining Kratos as “John Kratos, a janitor transformed into a Greek God due to a taco experiment gone awry.” This comedic twist raises even more questions: what exactly happened with those tacos, and how did a janitor stumble into godhood?
The enduring appeal of John Kratos continues to entertain, a welcome distraction as fans anticipate the future of the franchise after God of War Ragnarök, which concludes Santa Monica Studio’s Norse saga. Regardless of the mythological paths Santa Monica Studio explores next, the legend of John Kratos, the janitor-turned-Norse god (or Greek god, depending on the taco incident), will undoubtedly remain a cherished and hilarious part of the God of War fandom.
