Head of Helios: the Severed Lantern Kratos Carried in God of War III
The Head of Helios is the sun god's own head, torn off by Kratos in God of War III and carried as a lantern. It lights dark places, uncovers hidden paths and chests, and blinds anything it shines on, Cronos included.
The Head of Helios is the severed head of Helios, the god of the sun, which Kratos tears from his body in God of War III and carries as a light. Still glowing after death, it works as a lantern in the dark, reveals hidden doors and chests, and blinds enemies caught in its beam. It is one of the series' grimmest items and one of its most useful. (God of War III)
How Kratos got the Head of Helios#
Helios rode into the war on his Sun Chariot, raining fire on Gaia and the Titan Perses as the Titans climbed Olympus. Kratos hit the chariot with a ballista and sent the sun god crashing into Perses, who crushed him and threw him deep into the city. (God of War III)
Kratos tracked him down, cutting through the Olympian guards who came to shield him. Helios, too hurt to stand, begged for his life and reminded Kratos that Kratos had once saved him from the Titan Atlas. Kratos demanded the way to the Flame of Olympus. Helios told him he'd never reach it and would die trying, then turned the sun's light on him to blind him. Kratos pushed through the glare, grabbed Helios by the head and tore it off, one of the most brutal kills in the series. (God of War III)
Killing the sun god had a cost. Clouds closed over the sky, and darkness, rain and storms spread across Greece. (God of War III)
What the Head of Helios does#
The head still shines after death, and Kratos holds it up like a lamp. Its beam lights rooms too dark to cross. It also shows what's hidden: secret doors, walls and chests that can't be seen otherwise. One route through Olympus, the Path of Eos, named for Helios's sister, opens only to the head's light. (God of War III)
Pointed at enemies, the head blinds them and does a little damage. A quick tap fires a short flash that blinds some of the foes around Kratos. Holding the button charges a bigger burst that stuns and hurts everything nearby and lights them up, so there's no need to keep the beam on them while the fight goes on. (God of War III)
The light also strips away tricks. The Siren Seductresses, who can turn nearly invisible, show up plainly in the head's beam. And Helios doesn't go quietly: when Kratos uses the head, the sun god can still be heard groaning and screaming in pain. (God of War III)
Like Kratos's other items, the head can be upgraded with red orbs. It has just one upgrade, which adds damage and cuts the charge time. (God of War III)
Using the head against Cronos#
The head matters most in the fight with Cronos, the Titan king, who is so big that Kratos has to fight him while climbing over his body. When Cronos tries to crush him between his fingers, Kratos flashes Helios's light into the Titan's eyes to blind him and slips free. (God of War III)
What happened to the Head of Helios?#
The head didn't last to the end of the war. Near the close of God of War III, after their final fight, Zeus attacked Kratos one last time as a spirit, an astral form, in the ruins of Mount Olympus. Most of Kratos's gear was left behind after that, and the Head of Helios went with it. The Boots of Hermes were one of the few things he still had. (God of War III)
For the full list of what Kratos has wielded across both eras, see every weapon Kratos has used, and for where Helios's death sits in the wider story, the God of War timeline. (God of War III)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Head of Helios in God of War?
- It is the severed head of Helios, the sun god, which Kratos rips off in God of War III. He holds it up like a lantern to light dark areas, reveal secrets and blind enemies.
- How do you get the Head of Helios in God of War III?
- It comes from the Helios boss fight. After Kratos brings down the sun god's chariot and beats his guards, he finds Helios wounded and pulls his head off, and the head becomes his new item.
- What does the Head of Helios do?
- Its beam lights up dark rooms and shows hidden doors and chests. A quick flash blinds nearby enemies, and a charged burst stuns everything around Kratos and lights up the area.
- What happened to the Head of Helios?
- Kratos lost it near the end of God of War III. After Zeus's spirit attacked him following their final fight, most of his gear was left behind, the head included.
Sources
- 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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