Leviathan Axe
the frost weapon of the Ghost of Sparta
The Leviathan Axe was a frost-imbued axe forged by the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri to oppose the power of Mjolnir. Granted to Laufey and passed to Kratos before her death, it became his primary weapon throughout the Norse era and the counter to Thor's hammer.
The Leviathan Axe was the principal weapon carried by Kratos through his years in the Nine Realms. Forged by the dwarven smiths Brok and Sindri, it was made to oppose the power of Mjolnir, the hammer the same brothers had crafted for Thor. The axe was granted to Laufey, the last guardian of the giants in Midgard, who passed it to her husband Kratos before her death. Where Kratos had once carried the Blades of Chaos as instruments of slaughter, the Leviathan Axe marked the weapon of a man who fought to defend rather than to destroy.
Forging and origin#
The axe was made by the Huldra Brothers, Sindri and Brok, the same smiths who had forged Thor's hammer Mjolnir. After watching the devastation Thor brought upon the giants with their hammer, the brothers felt responsible and set out to create a weapon capable of opposing that power. Inspired by the immense size of Jormungandr, the World Serpent, Brok suggested they name the weapon Leviathan. According to Sindri, the weapon was infused with the echoing screams of roughly twenty frost trolls. It was made for Laufey, who carried it before passing it to her husband Kratos prior to her death.
The blade carried several inscribed runes that granted it different powers, chief among them command over ice and the ability to be recalled to the wielder's hand from any distance, an echo of how Thor's hammer returned to him.
Frost and limits#
The Leviathan Axe drew its strength from frost magic, and its strikes carried cold rather than fire. This made it a deadly weapon across the living realms, but it had a clear weakness. Its power could not harm the dead, and the Hel-walkers of Helheim proved nearly invulnerable to its blows. For that reason Kratos was forced to take up the Blades of Chaos once more when his path led him into the land of the dead, since their flame could burn where the axe's cold could not.
Through the Norse realms#
Kratos used the axe constantly during his journey to spread the ashes of his wife Faye and in preparing himself for Ragnarok. As he traveled, he encountered Brok and Sindri, who restored and strengthened the weapon, improving its magic and its cutting power. Brought a Frozen Flame, the axe could be further enhanced, its blade growing larger and gaining ornate gold detailing along the head and handle.
The axe saw its most notable use against Thor. In their clashes Kratos relied on it to counter the offensive force of Mjolnir, the two weapons matched against one another as their wielders were. The collisions between the frost of the axe and the lightning of the hammer marked the rivalry between a redeemed Kratos and a Thor who killed for pleasure.
Fimbulwinter and restoration#
By the time Ragnarok drew near, the long, magic-weakening Fimbulwinter had caused the Leviathan Axe, along with the Blades of Chaos, to revert to its original, plainer form. As before, Brok and Sindri, and later the smith Lunda, were able to restore it with the use of Frozen Flames. The fully restored axe differed from its earlier appearance: in place of the runes along the blade's edge an ornate pattern appeared, and a gold design resembling Jormungandr wound up the handle, its head pointing toward the top. Lunda regarded the axe as the Huldra Brothers' greatest work.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Leviathan Axe?
- The Leviathan Axe was a frost-imbued axe and the principal weapon Kratos carried through his years in the Nine Realms. It was forged by the dwarven smiths Brok and Sindri to oppose the power of Mjolnir, the hammer the same brothers had crafted for Thor.
- Who forged the Leviathan Axe and why?
- The Huldra Brothers, Sindri and Brok, forged the axe after watching the devastation Thor brought upon the giants with Mjolnir, feeling responsible and setting out to create a weapon capable of opposing that power. Brok suggested the name Leviathan, inspired by the immense size of the World Serpent Jormungandr.
- How did Kratos get the Leviathan Axe?
- The axe was made for Laufey, the last guardian of the giants in Midgard, who carried it before passing it to her husband Kratos prior to her death. He then carried it across the realms while spreading Faye's ashes and preparing for Ragnarok.
- What is the Leviathan Axe's weakness?
- The axe drew its strength from frost magic, but its power could not harm the dead, and the Hel-walkers of Helheim proved nearly invulnerable to its blows. For that reason Kratos was forced to take up the Blades of Chaos again when his path led him into the land of the dead, since their flame could burn where the axe's cold could not.
- What happened to the Leviathan Axe during Fimbulwinter?
- By the time Ragnarok drew near, the long, magic-weakening Fimbulwinter had caused the axe, along with the Blades of Chaos, to revert to its original, plainer form. Brok and Sindri, and later the smith Lunda, restored it with the use of Frozen Flames, with Lunda regarding the axe as the Huldra Brothers' greatest work.
Gallery
Images via God of War Wiki
Sources
- WikiLeviathan Axe — God of War Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Related entries
Blades of Chaos
The Blades of Chaos were a pair of fire-imbued chained blades forged in the Underworld for Ares and bound to the arms of Kratos. They became the signature weapons of his Greek era and the symbol of the bloodshed that earned him the name Ghost of Sparta, returning years later in the Norse realms.
Mjolnir
Mjolnir was the legendary hammer of Thor, forged by the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri. Infamous for the death it brought upon the Jotnar, it was among the most powerful weapons in the Nine Realms, rivaled only by the Leviathan Axe made to oppose it.
Brok
Brok was a dwarven blacksmith of the Nine Realms who, with his brother Sindri, forged both Thor's hammer Mjolnir and the Leviathan Axe. Crude, loyal, and unmatched at his craft, he aided Kratos and Atreus across their journeys until Odin took his life.
Faye
Laufey, known to her family by the alias Faye, was a Jotunn warrior of Midgard, the second wife of Kratos and the mother of Atreus. Renowned across the realms as Laufey the Just, she used her gift of foresight to set in motion the journey her husband and son would take after her death.
Fimbulwinter
Fimbulwinter was the great three-year winter that fell upon the Norse realms after the death of Baldur, foretold as the herald of Ragnarok. Its blizzards froze Midgard, weakened ancient magic across the realms, and lifted the curse that had bound Freya.
Helheim
Helheim was the realm of the dishonorable dead, a land of unyielding cold where no fire of the Nine Realms could burn. Ruled by the eagle Hraesvelgr, it was the destination of those who died of age, disease, or mishap, and a place even Odin feared.
Mentioned in14 entries
Blades of Chaos
The Blades of Chaos were a pair of fire-imbued chained blades forged in the Underworld for Ares and bound to the arms of Kratos. They became the signature weapons of his Greek era and the symbol of the bloodshed that earned him the name Ghost of Sparta, returning years later in the Norse realms.
Brok
Brok was a dwarven blacksmith of the Nine Realms who, with his brother Sindri, forged both Thor's hammer Mjolnir and the Leviathan Axe. Crude, loyal, and unmatched at his craft, he aided Kratos and Atreus across their journeys until Odin took his life.
Draupnir Spear
The Draupnir Spear was a wind-imbued spear forged for Kratos from the enchanted ring Draupnir, created by the Lady of the Forge and sanctified with a drop of his blood. Built to be the undoing of Heimdall, it could endlessly duplicate itself and command the wind.
Dwarves
The Dwarves were a race of short humanoids native to Svartalfheim, renowned across the Nine Realms as peerless smiths, builders, and alchemists. Their craft was sought by mortals and gods alike, though their service to Odin came at a bitter cost.
Faye
Laufey, known to her family by the alias Faye, was a Jotunn warrior of Midgard, the second wife of Kratos and the mother of Atreus. Renowned across the realms as Laufey the Just, she used her gift of foresight to set in motion the journey her husband and son would take after her death.
Guardian Shield
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.
Gungnir
Gungnir, the Spear of Heaven, was the signature weapon of Odin, forged by the master smith Ivaldi. It slew the primordial giant Ymir to ensure Odin's rise as the All-Father, and was the weapon with which Odin once stabbed himself in his quest for knowledge.
Ingrid
Ingrid was a sentient sword forged by the Vanir god Freyr, imbued with its own will and said to be impossible to steal. Lost to Odin, lent to Atreus, and reclaimed by Freyr at Ragnarok, the blade fought on its own in the hand of its rightful bearer.
Jormungandr
Jormungandr was the World Serpent, a Jötunn so vast he encircled all of Midgard within the Lake of Nine. Sworn enemy of Thor and fated to clash with him at Ragnarök, he aided Kratos and Atreus and was revealed to be a giant reborn from a serpent and cast backward through time.
Jörmungandr: the World Serpent
Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, was a colossal Jotunn serpent who grew so vast that he encircled all of Midgard. Awoken from the Lake of Nine by Kratos and Atreus, he became their ally, and was destined to fight Thor at Ragnarok.
Midgard
Midgard was the realm of mortals, shaped by Odin from the body of the giant Ymir and set between Asgard and Helheim. It was the home Kratos chose after leaving Greece, the land where Atreus was born, and the realm where the great winter of Fimbulwinter fell.
Mjolnir
Mjolnir was the legendary hammer of Thor, forged by the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri. Infamous for the death it brought upon the Jotnar, it was among the most powerful weapons in the Nine Realms, rivaled only by the Leviathan Axe made to oppose it.
+ 2 more
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.