Odin and Thor

3:37 Odin and Thor are the Aesir gods Kratos faces in God of War Ragnarok: Odin, the All-Father, played by Richard Schiff (credited by IndieWire), and his son Thor, the god of thunder, played by Ryan Hurst (Variety). Thor first appears at the end of God of War (2018), and both die in Ragnarok's final battle. Odin also leads into God of War Laufey, due on PS5 on May 20, 2027: his obsession with what happens to gods when they die is the question Laufey's afterlife answers. In the clip, from Shirrako's recorded play of Ragnarok, Thor sits at Kratos's table and Odin walks in to join them.

This page reveals the ending of God of War Ragnarok.

Quick facts

Sources: IndieWire, Nov 18, 2022; Variety, Nov 11, 2022; Amazon, Feb 16, 2026.

Thor's arrival in God of War (2018)

In the 2018 game Kratos and Atreus kill Thor's two sons, and Mimir tells of the legend that Thor will one day strike the World Serpent so hard it is sent back in time. A hidden ending set years later shows a hooded figure with a hammer, electricity crackling around him, arriving at the family's home: Thor, whom Atreus had dreamed of (SVG).

Odin and Thor in God of War Ragnarok

6:34 Odin plays a long game. Atreus goes to him in secret, and Odin is warm to the boy and asks for his skill with languages to repair an ancient mask (Den of Geek). The Tyr who travels with Kratos turns out to be Odin in disguise; he fatally stabs Brok. In the final battle in Asgard, Kratos spares Thor, and Odin kills Thor himself. Odin dies, Atreus traps his soul in a marble, and Sindri destroys the marble to avenge Brok. The fights are on God of War Ragnarok Bosses and the ending on God of War Ragnarok Ending Explained. The clip is Zanar's recorded play of that battle: Thor kneels beaten before Kratos, then Odin turns on him.

Santa Monica Studio says Odin was haunted by the prophecy of his own death during Ragnarok and obsessively sought what lies beyond it (PlayStation Blog). That is the seed of Laufey: Game Director Ariel Lawrence says Odin "really was kind of taken by that question" of what happens to gods when they die (Game Informer). See The Everywhen.

How Thor was designed

1:38 Hurst says he was pitched with "They said, 'We want you to play Thor. How do you feel about goats?'" and named Tommy Lee Jones's sheriff in No Country for Old Men and the Hulk as inspirations. Art director Raf Grassetti told Variety the Aesir were made taller than Kratos, Thor's exposed belly was kept as "iconic to what he is", and Thor is left-handed where Kratos is right-handed. The clip, from Shirrako's recorded play, shows Thor's build and bare belly beside Kratos.

Actors and recognition

Hurst was nominated for Performer in a Supporting Role at the BAFTA Games Awards 2023, which Laya DeLeon Hayes won for Angrboda (BAFTA). Schiff's Odin was the subject of IndieWire's feature calling him the year's best villain. In Santa Monica Studio's 2025 "Pantheon Pummel" fan vote of 32 bosses, Thor and Odin reached the final four with Zeus and Cronos; Zeus won (Santa Monica Studio). On TV, Mandy Patinkin plays Odin and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Thor (Amazon); Hurst was cast as Kratos in the series in Jan 2026 and replaced after an injury (Variety). See God of War TV Series.

Frequently asked questions

Who voices Odin in God of War Ragnarok? Richard Schiff plays Odin in God of War Ragnarok, as credited by IndieWire's Nov 18, 2022 interview with him.

Who plays Thor in God of War Ragnarok? Ryan Hurst plays Thor in God of War Ragnarok, and was nominated for a BAFTA for the role. He was later cast as Kratos in Prime Video's series and then replaced after an on-set injury.

Does Kratos kill Thor in God of War Ragnarok? No. In God of War Ragnarok's final battle Kratos spares Thor, and Odin kills his own son.

What happens to Odin at the end of God of War Ragnarok? Odin dies in the battle for Asgard; Atreus traps his soul in a marble, and Sindri destroys it to avenge Brok.

Is Odin in God of War Laufey? Not as announced. God of War Laufey's premise comes from Odin's question of what happens to gods when they die, but Santa Monica Studio has not said Odin appears, as of Nov 4, 2026.

Sources

• Allfather Knows Best: How Veteran Character Richard Schiff Became the Year's Best Villain, in a Video Game, IndieWire (David Ehrlich), Nov 18, 2022
• How 'God of War Ragnarök's' Thor Was Inspired by The Hulk, Variety (George Yang), Nov 11, 2022
• We Finally Understand The Ending Of God Of War, SVG (Nathan Simmons), Aug 7, 2019
• God of War Ragnarok Ending Explained: What Happens to Kratos?, Den of Geek (Matthew Byrd), Nov 11, 2022
• First look at God of War Laufey, PlayStation Blog (Grace Orlady), Jun 2, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Stars Kratos' Wife Fighting Through The Afterlife Of The Gods, Game Informer (Marcus Stewart), Jun 2, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Delayed To May, Game Informer (Wesley LeBlanc), Nov 4, 2026
• Games Awards 2023, BAFTA
• 20 Years of God of War: Celebrating the Team, the Legacy, and the Community, Santa Monica Studio (Liz Barlow), May 14, 2025
• God of War Prime Video series: Cast, plot, release date, and more, Amazon (Tyler Greenawalt), Feb 16, 2026
• Dave Bautista Officially Set as Kratos in 'God of War' TV Series, Variety (Joe Otterson), Aug 20, 2026
• God of War Ragnarok - Kratos Vs. Thor Boss Fight (4K 60FPS), Shirrako, Nov 8, 2022 (video)
• God of War 5 Ragnarok - Final Boss Fight THOR and ODIN (PS5 4K 60FPS), Zanar, Nov 8, 2022 (video)