Arguably the most important aspect of its identity, and undoubtedly one of the series' greatest strengths,God of Warfully embraces mythology at every turn. The originalGod of Warsaga showed its deep reverence for Greek mythology time and time again, using the complex tapestry of interweaving godly relationships as the backdrop of much of its action and story.
God of War’s Norse sagawas no different, this time using the ancient war between the Aesir and Vanir as the groundwork for its central narrative, world, and character dynamics. There are some big rumors thatGod of Warmight finally be taking fans to Ancient Egypt, and if that turns out to be true, there’s one element of the mythology that should take center stage.
An Egyptian God of War Should Focus on The Ennead
According to some interpretations of theAncient Egyptian creation myth, the world came into being when the god Atum emerged from the primordial waters known as Nun. Atum then produced two offspring, Shu and Tefnut, the former being the personification of air and wind and the latter being the personification of water.
Though technically siblings, Shu and Tefnut were believed to have then mated, producing Geb and Nut. Geb was the god of the earth while Nut was the goddess of the sky and stars. These two siblings then reproduced, this time resulting in the creation of four gods:Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys, the gods/goddesses of resurrection, medicine, violence, and death, respectively. Coupled together, Osiris and Isis represent order and peace, while Set and Nephthys represent chaos and destruction.
This group ofnine original Egyptian godsis referred to as the Ennead. It’s important to note, however, that this was just one interpretation of the creation myth in Ancient Egyptian society. While the citizens of the city of Heliopolis believed in the Ennead, other groups in Egypt believed in a slightly different hierarchy of the gods. That being said, the Ennead would still act as the perfect starting block for the nextGod of War’s story.
The Ennead has popped up in a few different pieces of entertainment over the years. One well-known example is inJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, where Dio sends his Egypt 9 Glory Gods to take down the Joestar entourage.
How The Next God of War Could Use The Ennead
An incestuous group of incredibly powerful primordial gods, the Ennead sound like the perfect antagonists forGod of War’s next saga. Atum could take on the Zeus/Odin role from pastGod of Wargames, the mysterious, omnipotent god pulling the strings at the top and sending his children to fight his battles. And Set would be a natural pick for a Thor-like rival for Kratos, with his inherently violent nature making him an unhinged threat.
Osiris and Isis' capture or death could be the inciting incident of the saga, with their sudden disappearance plunging the world into chaos. In his potential new role as a protector of realms, Kratos could be summoned to assist the lesser Egyptian gods with their predicament, thrusting the former God of War into yet another epic deity-slaying adventure.
