How God Of War’s Loki Is Different From Marvel’s

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has turned Loki into one of the more popular characters in company’s portfolio, thanks both to the performance of actor Tom Hiddleston and the success of the movies he has starred in. Marvel’s Loki is not the only version of the character in pop culture, however, as the critically acclaimed God of Warvideo game series introduced its own form of the Norse god of trickery in 2018. Despite sharing a name, God of War‘s Loki and Marvel’s Loki differ greatly, though each manages to capture the character’s essence in unique ways.

Both the MCU and God of War Loki were inspired by the Norse trickster, and each remains true to the complex roots of the original legend – with some twists, of course. Perhaps the biggest differences between the two are their lineage and how their bloodline plays into their story. Marvel’s Loki is born to Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, and abandoned due to his status as a runt. He is saved by Odin and Frigga of Asgard and raised alongside their son, Thor. Loki and Thor grow up as brothers before eventually being torn apart by Loki’s plots to seize the throne for himself.

The God of War Loki’s lineage is quite different, with Laufey as his birth mother and the Greek demigod, Kratos, as his birth father. GOW’s Loki is known as Atreus throughout the duration of the game, and his true identity is only discovered at its conclusion. Unlike Marvel’s Loki, Atreus is significantly younger than God of War’s Thor, who is introduced as a villain and, at this point, holds no relation to his universe’s Loki. Atreus has also never met Odin, who is presented as more blatantly villainous than his Marvel counterpart.

Marvel’s Loki & God Of War’s Loki Have Different Destinies

While Marvel’s Loki is taken from his home and raised under false pretenses within Asgard’s golden halls, God of War‘s Atreus is raised lovingly in a hidden cabin by his birth mother and father. Atreus’ combat instruction originates from both Kratos and Laufey, though his magic is discovered naturally during the course of the game. Atreus’ skill in archery, combined with the runes tattooed on his skin, foreshadow his potential to become a powerful warrior, but his youth ensures he is not as big a threat as he could be. Meanwhile, Loki is taught magic by his mother and is instructed in the use of daggers, which he wields masterfully alongside his magical talents.

In Norse mythology, Loki is destined to bring about Ragnarök with the help of his children. His eldest son, the giant wolf Fenrir, will be freed from his prison when his pups, Hati and Skoll, devour the sun and moon. Fenrir will then devour Odin, while Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, will fight Thor. The MCU has not introduced any of Loki’s children, save for Hela, who has been rewritten as Loki’s adopted sister. Marvel’s Loki is not mentioned in the universe’s Ragnarök prophecy, either, and his destiny is instead to be a villain in order to lift up other heroes, as explained in the Disney+ Loki series. Atreus, on the other hand, will play an active role in Ragnarök, given the hints at the end of God of War, and is apparently destined to kill Kratos in order to unleash the end times upon the Norse pantheon. So far, he’s also challenged Kratos’ sense of morality, reflecting his father’s past recklessness and violence back on him.

Despite barely resembling one another in appearance and background, both Loki and Atreus fulfill their roles as gods of mischief quite effectively. By toying with the traditional morals of good and evil and occupying roles that toe the line between hero and villain, Loki and Atreus cement themselves as invaluable characters to the MCU and God of War.

About The Author

Natalie Lindner
(499 Articles Published)

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Natalie Lindner is a Game Features Writer for Screen Rant, creating content on the past, present, and future of games in the industry. Prior to this, she worked out of a writing consultancy in Rhode Island from 2018 to 2021, where she helped college students improve their writing abilities. Natalie has contributed her video game writing to several smaller websites and projects since 2018 and is eager to continue that journey with Screen Rant.

Working out of New Hampshire, Natalie spends the time she isn’t writing about games outside; hiking or biking. On those rainy days, she can be found striving for action on the latest FPS or perusing the latest comic books.

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