Callisto

“	Punish me for my shortcomings, and grant my son redemption.	”
–Callisto.

Template:Infobox gods Callisto was the Spartan mother of Kratos and Deimos, and was also one of Zeus' many lovers. She was kept within the city of Atlantis, until Kratos' arrival at the city.

History

After giving birth to Kratos in a small village, they were forced to leave it with Kratos still at an early age. Seeking a new life, they went to Sparta where Kratos then lived out the rest of his childhood and grew up. When the gods Athena and Ares went to capture the marked warrior they arrived in the village and mistook Deimos because of the boy's unusual birthmarks. Ares quickly grabbed Deimos, so Kratos jumped to attack The God of War in a desperate act to save his younger brother. Ares smacked him away and then attempted to kill the boy with his blade, only to be stopped by Athena. After the gods left, Callisto went to go find her sons, only to find an injured and unconscious Kratos. Callisto quickly took him back home. After he awoke she told him that Deimos was gone.

So far, this village has only been mentioned in A Secret Revealed, one of the unlockable videos in God of War.

Shown in the non-canon scene A Secret Revealed, unlockable after completing God of War, Kratos went to visit her on the intention of finally finding out who his father really was. When she was about to tell him the truth, she changed into a monster that Kratos had to kill and thus, murdering his mother. Just before she died, she revealed the name of his father, Zeus.

In the God of War Series

Ghost of Sparta

“	How I have missed you, Kratos.	”
–Callisto, after seeing her son.

Callisto Beast Form — Callisto's monster form

As Kratos traversed Atlantis he came to the Temple of Poseidon, erected by the people of Atlantis in honor of their god. Once Kratos entered the temple, he succumbed to a vision of him and his brother training with a spear and shield, as their mother reminded them their "battle" was done, and they followed her back into their home. When awakening from the vision, Kratos comes across his mother lying on a bed, weakened and frail. At first he thought it was a trick by the gods, but she assured him that it was her. After closely examining her he realizes that it is indeed his mother to which he is shocked. She said that his father had brought her there. Confused, Kratos asks "My father ?" Callisto then said that they didn't have much time and his brother doesn't have much time. She tells Kratos that Deimos lives and is trapped in torment at Death's Domain and it would be perilious journey to get there.

Angered at this revealation, Kratos asks why she did not tell him this only for her to which she apologizes as Kratos' father forbidden her. Kratos, enraged, asks her who his father is. As she was about to reveal the name of Kratos' father, she transformed into a hideous beast whom kratos was forced to fight. After having defeated his mother in battle, Kratos then takes her into his arms as she uses her dying moments to thank him for setting her free, and encouraging him to pursue Deimos in Sparta and she slowly dies. When she takes her last breath kratos proclaims "Mother ! " while holding his dead mother in his arms and asks himself "What have I done ?!" as his mother's body slowly disintergrates leaving kratos enraged at the Gods for taking another member of his family and more determined to save his brother.

In the post-credits, her body is shown to have been restored and being carried to unknown location. Her body is placed in a grave next to Deimos by the Grave Digger who silently kneels and states "Now only one remains" as he buries Callisto next to her late son.

God of War II

As of God of War II, Kratos' Mother is never seen or heard of again until the final installment in the series. Zeus always knew Kratos was his son, and likely the son who would continue the cycle Cronos started. Before dying from a mortal wound accidentally inflicted by Kratos himself, Athena told Kratos that Zeus was his father. With this in mind, he intends to fulfill the prophecy and continue his quest to destroy Zeus once and for all. Upon his ascent of Olympus on Gaia's back, he even exclaims, "Your son has returned!"

God of War III

In God of War III, Kratos, who previously fell into the Underworld after Gaia's betrayal, was making his way back out, when he found a note scrawled by one of the tortured souls.

“	He was my responsibility. It was my burden to raise him, teach him right from wrong. All who get too near him suffer or die. His wife, his child, his brother, and now me. I failed him; as a mother, as a human being. His sins are mine to bear. Punish me for my shortcomings, and grant my son redemption.	”
–The letter left behind.

This letter was most likely written by Callisto, since it involves many of Kratos' horrible actions.

Trivia

The name "Callisto" likely comes from the name of a nymph of Artemis in actual Greek myth. In this myth, Callisto was a lover of Zeus transformed into a bear by Hera. In her bear form, she saw her son, who was a hunter, in a forest. As she ran to his direction to try to hug him, he prepared to kill her with his spear to defend himself. Before this could happen, Zeus transformed both in a constellation, thus saving them. The name of Kratos mother is a reference to this nymph, as she was also a lover of Zeus who was turned into a monster and almost killed her son. Kratos himself can be considered a "hunter" who just wanted to defend himself.
Callisto is voiced by Deanna Hurstold, while her younger form is voiced by Jennifer Hale.
From the words in the note it is clear she blames herself entirely for Kratos' choice to take a path of destruction, rather than Kratos himself.
Callisto transforms into a monster in a similar way as Calibos from the 1981 Clash of the Titans film.
Even after dying by her own son's hands, she still loves and cares about him, and wishes for all the blame to be placed upon her, and Kratos to be given redemption.
Since the hidden Secret Revealed scene was non-canonical and Callisto was unable to say Zeus' name before becoming a beast, it was eventually Athena who told Kratos Zeus was his father.
After her death, her body dissipated into the air, but the post-credits scene showed her body being placed into a grave by the Grave Digger. This can be a mistake by the producers or maybe Zeus brought her corpse back because he still loved her in some way.
When you are wearing the God Armor, you can continuously attack Callisto when she is on the ground before finishing her to receive more Red Orbs.
This was uninentional, but it's rather fitting his mother's name is Callisto. Callisto was the name of the self-proclaimed "warrior queen" in the television series Xena Warrior Princess. This Callisto was known for her brutal tactics in her army's raids and her sadistic personality.
Since Callisto was implied to be in the Underworld in God of War 3 it is possible she was able to escape due to Hades' death or she could of chosen to stay because of her desire to suffer for her son's sake.