Guardian Shield
the gift of Faye carried through the Norse realms
The Guardian Shield was a retractable round shield worn on Kratos's gauntlet through the Norse era. A gift from his wife Faye, it served him to parry, block, and turn aside attacks until Thor's hammer shattered it.
The Guardian Shield was a retractable round shield mounted upon the gauntlet of Kratos, carried through his years in the Nine Realms. A gift from his wife Faye, it served him to parry, block, and turn aside the attacks of his enemies, and could be used in concert with the Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos, and his own fists. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
A gift from Faye#
The Guardian Shield was given to Kratos by his wife Faye on the anniversary of the night they first met. He wore it folded upon his left gauntlet, able to extend it into a round shield at will. Through his travels across the Nine Realms it was his chief means of defense, used to parry and block the blows of his enemies, to absorb projectiles and redirect them back at those who loosed them, and to strike offensively in combination with the Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos, and his bare hands. (God of War (2018); God of War Ragnarök)
The shield and the Golden Fleece#
The Guardian Shield took the place of the Golden Fleece, the relic Kratos had worn long before during his war on the gods of Greece and which had been destroyed by Zeus. Like the Fleece, the shield could deflect projectiles back at their source and let Kratos counterattack after a well-timed parry. It was the lesser of the two in one respect: where the Fleece had been able to absorb attacks of every kind, physical, ranged, and magical alike, the Guardian Shield could only redirect certain attacks before Kratos's defense was breached. (God of War II; God of War III; God of War (2018))
Shattered and restored#
In the war that came with the approach of Ragnarok, the Guardian Shield met its match. During a fight with Thor, the shield was struck by the hammer Mjolnir and shattered, rendered inoperable. The smiths Brok and Sindri took it to be repaired, and in the meantime Kratos took up other shields to defend himself. When the work was complete, Sindri returned the Guardian Shield to him before he set out to seek the Nornir. The shield sits beside the axe and the blades in the list of every weapon Kratos has used. (God of War Ragnarök)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Guardian Shield in God of War?
- The Guardian Shield was a retractable round shield mounted on Kratos's left gauntlet during the Norse era. A gift from his wife Faye, it let him parry, block, and turn aside attacks and could be used with the Leviathan Axe, the Blades of Chaos, and his own fists.
- Who gave Kratos the Guardian Shield?
- The Guardian Shield was given to Kratos by his wife Faye on the anniversary of the night they first met. He wore it folded upon his left gauntlet and could extend it into a round shield at will.
- How does the Guardian Shield compare to the Golden Fleece?
- The Guardian Shield took the place of the Golden Fleece that Kratos had worn during his war on the gods of Greece. Both could deflect projectiles and allow a counterattack after a parry, but where the Fleece could absorb attacks of every kind, the Guardian Shield could only redirect certain attacks before Kratos's defense was breached.
- What happened to the Guardian Shield?
- During a fight with Thor in the war that came with the approach of Ragnarok, the shield was struck by the hammer Mjolnir and shattered, rendered inoperable. The smiths Brok and Sindri took it to be repaired, and Sindri returned it to Kratos before he set out to seek the Nornir.
Gallery
Images via God of War Wiki
Sources
- GameGod of War II, Santa Monica Studio, 2007
- GameGod of War III, Santa Monica Studio, 2010
- GameGod of War (2018), Santa Monica Studio, 2018
- GameGod of War Ragnarök, Santa Monica Studio, 2022
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Blades of Chaos: chained to Kratos' arms
The Blades of Chaos were forged in the Underworld for Ares, who seared their chains onto Kratos' forearms. They burn with the fire of Tartarus.
Leviathan Axe: the frost axe made to answer Mjolnir
Brok and Sindri forged the Leviathan Axe to answer Mjolnir, the hammer they had made for Thor. Laufey carried it first and left it to Kratos. It returns to his hand from any distance, but its frost cannot harm the dead of Helheim.
Mjolnir: forged by Brok and Sindri for Thor
Brok and Sindri forged Mjolnir, then forged the Leviathan Axe to rival it after Thor used the hammer to slaughter the giants. Thrud claimed it after Thor died.
God of War Weapons List: the Name of Every Weapon Kratos Has Used
Kratos has carried two dozen weapons across two lifetimes, from a Spartan spear to a spear built from a ring that copies itself. This list runs through them in the order he got them, Greek era first, then Norse.
Brok: the Huldra brother Odin murdered
Brok forged Mjolnir and the Leviathan Axe with his brother Sindri. Killed once and revived with an incomplete soul, he was stabbed by Odin disguised as Tyr.
Faye: Laufey the Just, mother of Atreus
Faye was the Jotunn Laufey, wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus. Her foresight showed her own death, so she planned the route her ashes would take.
Mentioned in2 entries
God of War Weapons List: the Name of Every Weapon Kratos Has Used
Kratos has carried two dozen weapons across two lifetimes, from a Spartan spear to a spear built from a ring that copies itself. This list runs through them in the order he got them, Greek era first, then Norse.
Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece was a powerful golden armlet that had once belonged to the Argonaut Jason. Worn by Kratos, it could turn aside and reflect any attack, from a Gorgon's stone stare to a blow from the Blade of Olympus itself.
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