Blade of the Gods
the sword-bridge that slew Ares
The Blade of the Gods was a colossal sword forged by the gods, set into the ground outside Athens as a footbridge to a great statue of Athena. Grown to the size of a god, Kratos wrenched it free and used it to kill Ares, claiming the mantle of God of War for himself.
The Blade of the Gods was a colossal sword forged by the gods, set into the ground outside Athens where it served as a footbridge between the Suicide Bluffs and a great statue of Athena in the harbor. Though it was only ever a bridge in ordinary times, it became one of the most consequential weapons in the saga when Kratos, grown to the size of a god, tore it free and used it to slay Ares. (God of War (2005))
A bridge outside Athens#
The Blade of the Gods was built of metal in the shape of an enormous sword, planted just outside the city of Athens. It connected a giant statue of Athena with the cliffs known as the Suicide Bluffs, and for ordinary purposes it served only as a footbridge. Kratos first crossed it on his way to the Sewers of Athens during his hunt for Ares. The blade appeared dented and weary, as if worn down by age. (God of War (2005))
The game never explains why the gods forged so vast a weapon or what it was meant for. All it shows is that the blade was made by the gods and that it was enough to kill one. (God of War (2005))
The death of Ares#
The blade found its true purpose in Kratos' final confrontation with Ares. By the power of Pandora's Box Kratos had been enlarged to the gigantic stature of a god, and in the course of the battle his Blades of Chaos were forcefully torn from his body. Stripped of his weapons, Kratos seized the sword-bridge from the ground and wielded it against the God of War. With it he turned the fight, and at the decisive moment he drove the blade home and killed Ares, claiming the mantle of God of War for himself. (God of War (2005))
The plot of Atropos#
The blade became central to a later scheme against Kratos. When Atropos, one of the Sisters of Fate, brought Kratos back in time to the very battle in which he had killed Ares, she attempted to destroy the blade so that his past self could not use it. Had she succeeded, Kratos would have died in Ares' place, and the Kratos who fought her would have been erased from existence. He defeated Atropos before she could destroy the weapon, and her plot failed. In the years that followed, the blade was seen only in memory, glimpsed in flashback and standing among the shifting visions of Kratos' troubled mind. (God of War II; God of War III)
Frequently asked questions
- What was the Blade of the Gods?
- The Blade of the Gods was a weapon forged by the gods and hidden in Athens, where it stood as an enormous metal sword serving as a footbridge between the Suicide Bluffs and a giant statue of Athena in the city's harbor.
- How did Kratos use the Blade of the Gods?
- During his final battle with Ares, Kratos had been enlarged to the gigantic size of a god by the power of Pandora's Box, and his Blades of Chaos had been torn from his body. Wielding the sword-bridge as a weapon, he fought back against the God of War and at the last moment used it to kill Ares, making himself the new God of War.
- Did the Sisters of Fate try to destroy the Blade of the Gods?
- Yes. When Atropos brought Kratos back in time to his battle with Ares, she tried to destroy the blade so his past self could not use it, which would have left Kratos to die in Ares' place and erased him from existence. Kratos defeated Atropos before she could destroy it, and her plot failed.
Sources
- GameGod of War (2005), Santa Monica Studio, 2005
- GameGod of War II, Santa Monica Studio, 2007
- GameGod of War III, Santa Monica Studio, 2010
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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Mentioned in15 entries
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Ares tricked Kratos into slaughtering his own wife and daughter to bind him as a weapon. Kratos killed him at Athens and took his place as God of War.
Atropos
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