Who is Tyr in God of War Ragnarok?
God of War Ragnarok is set to feature plenty of iconic characters from Norse mythology, and Tyr might just be one of the most important. But who is Tyr and what role will he play in GOW Ragnarok?
God of War Ragnarok is easily one of 2022’s biggest upcoming releases, and fans can’t wait to see how Sony Santa Monica continues the story of Kratos and Atreus. The first game saw the Spartan switch to a Norse setting and introduced us to key figures such as Freya and The World Serpent.
Trailers have already hinted that the sequel will see the duo clash with some even bigger names from Norse myth, such as Thor and Fenrir. One of the key gods confirmed in the first extended trailer, however, is Tyr, who was heavily mentioned in the 2018 game but never seen.
So, who exactly is Tyr, and what does he tell us about where God of War Ragnarok is heading? We’ve broken it all down right here.
Who is Tyr in Norse mythology?
Put simply, Tyr is the Norse god of war, essentially the equivalent of the role Kratos played in the first three GOW games. However, he is more concerned with the formalities of war and brokering treaties than just pure violence.
He is traditionally depicted as one of Odin’s many sons and Thor’s half-brother. Tyr is said to be one of the bravest of all the gods and is well-liked and respected by those in the Nine Realms.
One of the most well-known tales of Tyr sees him lose one of his hands to Fenrir, the giant wolf and son of Loki, who has also been shown in a God of War Ragnarok trailer.
Who is Tyr in God of War?
In God of War (2018), we learn that Tyr is the Norse God of War, as well as the builder of the large temple in Lake of the Nine. This allowed him to travel easily between the realms as he tried to ensure peace across all nine.
When Kratos and Atreus find their way into his vault, they discover that Tyr had traveled into different cultures in order to understand new perspectives, believing this is the only way to achieve peace. He had visited China as well as Greece, as Kratos finds a vase of wine from his homeland.
We also know that he played a major role in trying to end the war between the Aesir (Asgard) and Jotnar (Giants of Jotunheim). The Giants trusted Tyr, but he was ultimately betrayed by Odin who tried to destroy the Jotun.
Tyr then helped Faye, Kratos’ wife, hide the gate to Jotunheim so that Odin couldn’t return while keeping a secret entrance for himself. After rightly thinking that he was conspiring with the Giants, and feeling that he was a threat to his power, Odin then imprisoned Tyr and tricked the Nine Realms into thinking he was dead.
After the events of the first game trigger Fimbulwinter, Kratos and Atreus are expected to seek out Tyr as they look to prevent Ragnarok from coming true. He is seen to have both of his hands intact, so there’s a good chance that we’ll see this particular legendary event play out during the story.
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Given Tyr’s complicated history with Odin, who will serve as one of the antagonists of God of War Ragnarok, don’t be surprised to see the two gods of war team up to take down the Allfather.
Of course, we’ll have to wait until we get our hands on God of War Ragnarok to see exactly how Tyr ties into Kratos and Atreus’s story.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the complete cast of voice actors set to feature in God of War Ragnarok.
Image credits: Santa Monica Studios