God of War Laufey will place the late giant‑warrior Faye at the centre of its narrative, launching the story directly after her funeral and thrusting her into the after‑life realm known as Everywhen.
Identity of Laufey in Santa Monica’s saga
Within the franchise, the name Laufey belongs to Kratos and Atreus’ mother, who is more commonly addressed as Faye. Though referred to affectionately as Faye at home, her true Jötunn designation is Laufey, a title that reflects her stature among the giants of Jötunheim.
She is presented as the second spouse of Kratos and the biological mother of Atreus, a fact that later reveals the son’s hidden identity as Loki. The games never depict Laufey directly; instead, her influence permeates the events that drive the Norse storyline.
Origins in Norse mythology
Classical Norse sources name Laufey (sometimes Nál) as the mother of Loki and partner of the giant‑god Fárbauti, with Loki’s patronymic “Laufeyjarson” meaning “Laufey’s son.” Santa Monica Studios repurposes this lineage, assigning her a giant‑warrior background while diverging from the original myth by making her Kratos’ spouse.
Impact on the game’s plot
Laufey earned the epithet “the Just” for defending the weak and opposing Odin’s tyranny, a reputation echoed in Mimir’s commentary. She is credited with commissioning the Leviathan Axe, which the dwarf brothers Brok and Sindri forged expressly for her.
Before the events of God of War (2018), she pre‑arranged the pilgrimage that Kratos and Atreus would later undertake: she marked the trees surrounding their home, outlined a cremation pyre, and scattered clues that direct the pair toward Jötunheim, the site of her giant heritage.
Unraveling the cause of her death
By the opening of God of War (2018), Laufey’s body is already gone, yet flashbacks in Ragnarok reveal her awareness of an imminent end. Dialogue suggests she embraced a natural or foretold passing, deliberately planning her cremation and the subsequent quest for her ashes.
Her final instruction—to scatter the remains atop the highest peak in every realm—serves as a narrative engine that propels the protagonists toward the revelations of Atreus’ true nature and the murals that foretell future events.
What the upcoming title promises
The newly revealed trailer shows Laufey awakening inside Everywhen, a liminal after‑life where deities and mythic entities converge. The gameplay premise revolves around her struggle to secure a path home while confronting forces that threaten the safeguard she built for Kratos and Atreus.
By positioning Laufey at the forefront, the sequel aims to expand on her pre‑death machinations, explore the consequences of her “Just” legacy, and deepen the connection between the mortal and giant realms.
With Laufey’s perspective finally taking centre stage, the next chapter of the series promises to reinterpret the Norse tapestry through the eyes of the giant whose foresight shaped the entire saga.
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