God of War Sons of Sparta bringing back a character feels like a big deal.

At its February 2026 State of Play, Sony highlighted several major games coming for PS5 in the coming months, then announced: God of War: Sons of Sparta It was released and later shadow dropped. The side-scrolling action game, whose development was kept private until release, became the predecessor to the first game. god of warIt follows Kratos and his brother Deimos as they undergo a brutal Spartan training regime known as agoge.

In the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, the Spartian class represented ultimate status, respect, and social capital. In fact, the only way for an adult to participate in Spartan democracy and obtain full citizenship was to join Spartia. All other members of Spartan society were either Periokoi, whose citizenship was limited to a single city, or Helots, a subjugated working class violently oppressed by the warrior elite of the Spartans. But becoming one of these true Spartans was more than just being born into the right family or having political connections. Prospective Spartans were enrolled in the agoge at the age of seven and remained there until adulthood. Cut off from their families and forbidden to marry, the boys of Agoge were forced to undergo a variety of difficult trials that focused on survival, athletic skills, and military strategy. The process was cruel and violent even by the standards of the time, and reportedly resulted in the deaths of the young boys involved. Needless to say, Kratos and Deimos are having the experience of a lifetime. God of War: Sons of Sparta.

The reunion of Deimos and Kratos in God of War: Sons of Sparta takes on legendary significance.

Who is Deimos, and where have we seen him before?

Deimos is a few years younger than Kratos and was born with unusual red spots that resemble snakes around his body. This was more than just a curiosity about genetics and biology. He was considered The Marked One, a figure long prophesied to destroy the Olympians. As a result, Ares and Athena launched an attack on the villages of Kratos and Deimos and captured Deimos after young Kratos attempted to stop them but failed. Heartbroken and enraged by his brother's arrest, Kratos swore first revenge on Olympus and tattooed himself with the Mark of Deimos in memory of his brother.

Years later, Kratos found Deimos in the Realm of the Dead, ruled by Thanatos, the incarnation of Death. Deimos grew up there, and was regularly tortured by Thanatos, who supposedly planned to destroy the ruling class of Olympus. Deimos was initially furious at his older brother, whom he felt had abandoned him, but the two eventually joined forces against Thanatos and eventually defeated him. However, Deimos died in the process, further strengthening Kratos' resolve to seek revenge on Olympus.

Like Kratos, Deimos is actually a character from real-life Greek mythology. god of war The game has little in common with his minor roles in classic works.

It's bittersweet to see Deimos in God of War: Sons of Sparta.

Despite growing into an aggressive and hateful man due to years of torture and trauma, Deimos was once much kinder than his older brother Kratos. This is the version of Deimos we see. sons of spartaIt's much more lovely. In fact, it's clear that Deimos has a lot of love for Kratos and vice versa. sons of sparta That makes it even more unfortunate.

But at the same time, it's refreshing and satisfying to see Kratos with his first family before the death and destruction that came to dominate his life. Seeing these brothers battle their fair share of threats in the Spartan Agoge has great narrative value because it gives us a better picture of what kind of childhoods men like Kratos and Deimos have had. But more than anything, there's a non-zero chance that Deimos' inclusion in this spinoff prequel will actually set the stage for something bigger.

Deimos may appear again in a future God of War game.

god of war The setting and style may have changed significantly in 2018, but that doesn't mean Kratos' Greek life has been forgotten. On the contrary, the man's bloody and tragic backstory informs almost every aspect of his Norse adventures, from his reluctance to engage in further Holy Wars to his disgust with Norse gods like Odin to his anxiety about Atreus' future. On many occasions, Kratos confronts his difficult past head-on, whether through visions of Athena or ancient Greek apparitions. Valhalla DLC.

But Deimos has received only cursory mention in modern times. god of war Same game as when Kratos mentioned him Ragnarok While trying to broker peace between Freya and her brother. However, Deimos is a much more important figure in Kratos' life than someone like Athena, so it would make sense for him to play a larger role going forward. Now for modern audiences as well as old-school audiences. god of war Fans are getting to know him better. sons of spartaHe's preparing for some kind of comeback in the future god of war game. Whether this return is literal (death is not always the end). god of warIt remains to be seen whether it's a world of (or a more mystical or psychological world), but either way it'll definitely be worth it.