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Poseidon

Poseidon The God of the Seas


Omega (God of War)

This article contains lore based on real-life sources of the Greek mythology as introduced from the God of War Greek era.


You have disrespected the Gods for the last time, Kratos!

–Poseidon before his fight with Kratos.

Poseidon (Greek: Ποσειδῶν) was the Olympian God of the Seas, Rivers, Water, Storms, Tempests, Winds, Hurricanes, Rain, Floods, Drought, Earthquakes and Horses. Son of the Titans Cronos and Rhea, Poseidon was most notoriously known as the powerful brother of Zeus and Hades as well as Demeter, Hera and Hestia. He was also the unfaithful husband of Amphitrite and the uncle of powerful deities such as Ares, Athena and Hephaestus. Last but not least, Poseidon had family bonds with legendary warriors such as Hercules, Theseus and Kratos himself, though the latter has long been unaware of this particular link.

His early life didn't exactly begin under the best auspices, as like his unfortunate siblings, Poseidon was victim of his father's madness and ended up swallowed by the Titan in a desperate attempt to prevent his demise at the hands of one of his children. But Poseidon wasn't the chosen one, and he would spend a long time prisoner of Cronos' stomach before Zeus came to free his siblings. Seeking retribution, Poseidon willingly took part of the rebellion against the Titans, playing a decisive role in what would became known as the First Titanomachy.

Poseidon made a name for himself at the height of the Great War where he notoriously helped his brother Hades subdue the gigantic Atlas, before taking on his father himself. In the wake of the uprising of the Olympians led by Zeus and following their decisive victory, Poseidon was deemed to become one of the most important and powerful deities of the Greek Pantheon, gaining full authority over the seas and the weather as a whole. His domain was so important that Poseidon's power was considered second only to Zeus, and at least equal, if not superior, of that of Hades.

Poseidon is introduced in God of War (2005) as a minor supporting character, personally requesting Kratos to deal with the Hydra that terrorized the Aegean Sea, and granting the Spartan a fraction of his powers. Unbeknownst to him, Poseidon as well as all his fellow gods would fell prey to the evils released by the opening of Pandora's Box. His anger would become manifest when Kratos started meddling in the affairs of Atlantis, one of Poseidon's sacred sanctuaries. Its destruction deeply infuriated the God of the Seas, who promised the Spartan that he would later pay for this sin towards him. As time passed, Poseidon became more and more suspicious of Zeus' behaviour, secretly doubting of the latter's ability to protect Olympus.

Poseidon would then briefly returns in God of War II as a secondary character, where he is notably seen facing the Titans long before the events of the series alongside his fellow gods. Following Kratos' meddling with time and summoned by Zeus after the latter's defeat at the hands of his son, the God of the Seas witnesses with horror the assault of the Titans and Kratos against Olympus itself, which drives him to put aside his grievances with his brothers.

The God of the Seas then becomes a major antagonist in God of War III, where he shows the incredible strength of his powers by single-handedly killing several Titans with the help of his Hippocampi, forcing Kratos himself to intervene and face his uncle. Blinded by anger and willing to protect Olympus at any price, Poseidon blamed his nephew for daring to challenge the Olympians and started battling both Kratos and Gaia at the same time. Although he proved to be more than a match for his opponents, Poseidon severely underestimated the Spartan's coordination with Gaia, who both managed to knock Poseidon out of his monstrous water form, effectively putting him out of commission.

A bloodthirsty Kratos then personally dealt with the weakened God of the Seas, beating him into an absolute pulp before brutally gouging his eyes out and breaking his neck, effectively killing him. Poseidon's demise proved to be a devastating blow not only for the Olympians - who lost one of their most powerful assets right at the start of the war - but also for the Mortals themselves, as his death unleashed a cataclysmic flooding that almost completely engulfed the Greek World, killing the overwhelming majority of its inhabitants in the process.

Greek Mythology

Poseidon, in ancient Greek religion, is the god of the sea (and of water generally), earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished from Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. The name Poseidon means either “husband of the earth” or “lord of the earth.” Traditionally, he was a son of Cronus (the youngest of the 12 Titans) and of Cronus’s sister and consort Rhea, a fertility goddess. Poseidon was a brother of Zeus, the sky god and chief deity of ancient Greece, and of Hades, god of the underworld. When the three brothers deposed their father, the kingdom of the sea fell by lot to Poseidon. His weapon and main symbol was the trident, perhaps once a fish spear. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Poseidon’s trident, like Zeus’s thunderbolt and Hades’ helmet, was fashioned by the three Cyclopes.

As the god of earthquakes, Poseidon was also connected to dry land, and many of his oldest places of worship in Greece were inland, though these were sometimes centred on pools and streams or otherwise associated with water. In this aspect, he was known as enosichthon and ennosigaios (“earth-shaker”) and was worshipped as asphalios (“stabilizer”). As the god of horses, Poseidon is thought likely to have been introduced to Greece by the earliest Hellenes, who also introduced the first horses to the country about the 2nd century BCE. Poseidon himself fathered many horses, best known of which was the winged horse Pegasus by the Gorgon Medusa.

Poseidon came into conflict with a variety of figures in land disputes. Notable among these was a contest for sovereignty over Attica, which he lost to the goddess Athena. Despite losing, Poseidon was also worshipped there, particularly at Colonus (as hippios, “of horses”).

Poseidon’s offspring were myriad. He was the father of Pelias and Neleus by Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus, and thus became the divine ancestor of the royal families of Thessaly and Messenia. Many of his sons became rulers in other parts of the ancient Greek world. Otherwise he had many monstrous offspring, including giants and savage creatures, such as Orion, Antaeus, and Polyphemus. Progenitor of many, with several consorts, Poseidon also was married to the Oceanid Amphitrite, with whom he also had multiple offspring, including the sea creature Triton.

The chief festival in Poseidon’s honour was the Isthmia, the scene of famous athletic contests (including horse races), celebrated in alternate years near the Isthmus of Corinth. His character as a sea god eventually became his most prominent in art, and he was represented with the attributes of the trident, the dolphin, and the tuna. The Romans, ignoring his other aspects, identified him with Neptune as sea god.

In the God of War Series

The First Titanomachy

Poseidon attack

Poseidon in the Great War.

Like most of his siblings, Poseidon was swallowed by the Titan King Cronos. When he was released, he fought alongside his brothers Zeus and Hades in the Great War of the Gods and Titans. During a great battle between the Gods and the Titans, Poseidon aided his brother Hades to bring down the mighty Atlas. After Atlas saved his uncle Cronos from having his soul captured by Hades, Atlas was electrocuted by Poseidon's thunder, bringing him to his knees. Hades reacted swiftly and with his fiery chains he grasped onto Atlas. With Poseidon further electrocuting Atlas, Hades was able to capture the Titan's soul, making him stronger. Zeus then dealt the knockout blow once he finally created the Blade of Olympus, which allowed him to effectively banish the Titans was created and the Titans were banished to the Tartarus; the pit of torment, Poseidon was given dominion over all seas. He took Amphitrite as his wife and watched over the waters of Greece, being worshiped by sailors to grant safe passage in his waters.

Wager of the Gods

Poseidon comics

Poseidon briefly appeared as a contender in the Wager of the Gods, a contest in which they would each choose one mortal to represent them. The ultimate goal was to capture the healing elixir, Ambrosia. At first, Poseidon kept his champion a secret from the others until finally revealing the Theran warlord Herodius as his champion. Herodius entered said contest to save his people from a plague secretly created by Poseidon, but never returned, as Kratos and his Spartans killed both Herodius and his army. After the Spartans took Herodius' ship, Poseidon, enraged at Kratos for costing him the wager, unleashed his Hippocampi upon the ship. Although the Spartans survived, Poseidon created a massive whirlpool which dragged the Spartans closer and closer to the bottom of the sea. He then sent the Sea Snake to kill the mortals who dared to offense the Olympian, but the beast was killed by Kratos. The Spartans docked safely at their destination, infuriating Poseidon even further.

Aiding Kratos

Before you reach Athens, there is a task you must complete. This beast, this Hydra, it has terrorized my seas for far too long. Your skills are admirable, but you will need assistance. You will need the power of the Gods.

–Poseidon to Kratos.

Poseidon 1

For a period of time, the vicious beast known as the Hydra - summoned by Ares - terrorized the Aegean Sea, killing many sailors and causing havoc in Poseidon's domain. Although the God of the Seas could have effortlessly handled the situation himself, Zeus had expressely forbidden the Olympians from intervening directly against one another, which explains why Kratos (guided by Athena) was called upon. Arriving upon a mess of shipwrecks, the Ghost of Sparta battled the various heads of the Hydra. During this feat, he was met by a representation of Poseidon himself, who granted Kratos the gift of Poseidon's Rage. With this magical ability, the Spartan was able to cast a stream of lightning through his body into his enemies, destroying them or weakening them enough so that he may finish them off. This ability would also be of important use while battling against the Hydra King, the strongest and largest of the Hydra's heads. After destroying the beast, the nightmare the Hydra had caused for many sailors in the Aegean Sea came to an end. Poseidon was also given a section devoted to him in Pandora's Temple. In this section, Kratos obtained Poseidon's Trident, granting him the ability to breathe underwater and dive.

The Destruction of Atlantis

Poseidon ghost of sparta

Poseidon speaks to Kratos through a statue.

You have desecrated my kingdom! I will not forget this, Ghost of Sparta! You will answer for this afront!

–Poseidon's anger for Atlantis' destruction.

After Kratos receives visions of his mother's whereabouts in the temple of Atlantis, the Spartan warrior traversed to Atlantis to investigate. Attempting to stop the Ghost of Sparta, Poseidon had unleashed Scylla, Scylla's brood, and his personal army; his "children", the Tritons to put an end to the former's quest. This attempt failed as Kratos defeated Scylla and inadvertently freed the imprisoned Titaness of fire, Thera, which irreversibly shattered the foundations of Atlantis, causing it to sink into the ocean.

While Poseidon does not appear physically, the Ocean God would later attack Kratos with a massive whirlpool and other hazards as the Spartan tries to make his way back to the now sunken Atlantis. Later, he manifests himself through one of his shattered statues. Infuriated with Kratos for releasing Thera, and having her destroy Atlantis, his beloved city, he vows he will never forget Kratos' actions, promising he would one day answer for them.

The Second Titanomachy

You challenge me, mortal?! A God of Olympus?!

–Poseidon, standing before Kratos.

Kratos-vs-poseidon-god-of-war-3-8017

Poseidon in the The Second Great War.

Poseidon is among the Gods who are listening to Zeus, who declares that they must unite against the new threat of Kratos, formerly the God of War and now a rogue mortal. Once the walls of Olympus begin to tremble, Poseidon and the other Gods ready themselves to face the Titans who have been saved from their banishment in the Great War by Kratos using the Loom of Fate. At first, the God of the Seas does not intervene personally, letting Hades, Helios and Hermes engage the Titans first.

When it became clear that his intervention was necessary to fight off the threat, and after sharing looks with his brother Zeus, Poseidon dived off Mount Olympus, right into Epimetheus' chest. He knocked the Titan off the mountain, killing him almost instantly and dealing the first blow to Kratos' rebellion. Poseidon then dives into a large body of water at the base of the mountain, summoning a tendril from below that grabs Gaia's arm and begins pulling her. After Kratos defeats his minions, Poseidon then emerges within a watery construct in his image, projecting Hippocampi from his chariot. Poseidon sends his steeds to attack and restrain Gaia while he himself struggles with both Gaia and Kratos. With the Titan forcefully immobilized, the God of the Seas turned his attention towards the Spartan, berating him for daring to challenge the might of Olympus.

Death

Zeus should have kept you where you belong. No matter how many Gods fall, there will always be another to stand against you.

–Poseidon to Kratos.

Poseidon(beaten)

Kratos kills Poseidon.

After a vicious battle, Gaia punches his chest, sending Kratos on a collision course with Poseidon's human form, which Kratos rips out of the watery construct and onto a platform, not far off Olympus. There he closes in on the weakened Poseidon, who taunts Kratos by saying that Zeus should have kept him where he belonged and warns Kratos that no matter how many gods he killed, there would always be another to fight him and that the destruction of Olympus would destroy the entire world and means the death of everyone. Kratos is unfazed by this, and tells Poseidon to prepare for his death, proceeding to beat him uncontrollably; slamming his uncle's face repeatedly against a wall, and hitting him with his own head, before throwing him to a nearby wall. Poseidon then made a desperate attempt to escape and survive, but is unable to reach the edge and is grabbed by Kratos, who then proceeds to crush his eyes and finally break his neck, killing the sea god once and for all. This last struggle is seen through Poseidon's own perspective, emphasizing the extreme brutality of the scene.

Aftermath

As Poseidon's lifeless body falls into the Aegean Sea, a gigantic tsunami erupts out of the water at lightning speed and comes crashing down on the Greek cities and mortals alike, leaving virtually no chance of escape for the hundreds of thousands of people caught off guard. Things got even worse as the sea level quickly rises several hundred meters, engulfing entire mountains and leaving only the highest peaks of Greece untouched. The exact numbers of the mortals who perished in this cataclysm are unknown, but it certain that Poseidon's death has virtually wiped out the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants within the Greek World in just a few minutes.

In Poseidon's Chamber, Kratos finds a note Poseidon left where it is indicated he became interested in Pandora's power over Olympus and suspicious of Zeus' intentions, expressing fear his brother has changed for the worst.

The note reads:
A mere girl, somehow she is the key to the labyrinth. I brought this statue here, but so far have learned nothing. That mortal Daedalus, in his madness, has devised a way to shield secrets from even my far-reaching view. This does not bode well. I fear Zeus is no longer the brother I once knew - Poseidon

Another note indicates Poseidon's wrath and frustration towards Zeus, citing his brother's refusal to provide Olympus safe harbor from the storms that are brewing. What Poseidon means by that last comment is not clear, but it might allude to the apocalyptic future that Poseidon may have foreseen i.e. the destruction of Olympus. Even though Poseidon fought alongside his brother, he alone still had misgivings about Zeus.

Multiplayer

Join me, mortal, and receive the power to aid your injured brothers.

Poseidon is one of the four mentors of God of War: Ascension's Multiplayer. His statue is the fourth one in the Rotunda of Olympus.

Overview

The God of the Seas mainly focuses on defense and teamwork rather on attack power. Warriors aligned to Poseidon have the best resistance to damage in the game, however, they're also the weakest damage dealers, which makes Poseidon the polar opposite to Ares in Multiplayer. This makes the alignment mostly undesirable for many players. He also grants his servants powers over ice and the ability to heal their injured allies.

A warrior of Poseidon can resist very serious blows that most players would normally not be able to, but must learn to deal with the lack of physical power, which can make battles last much longer. Teamwork is the ultimate key to becoming a great warrior of the seas.

Support

Resilient to damage.

Water Magic

Decrease mobility and freeze opponents.

Poseidon Items

Increase defense and increase team ability.

Poseidon Weapons

Can decrease enemies mobility with ice and heal nearby allies in certain special attacks.

Poseidon Armors

Focus on physical and elemental resistances rather than in damage.

Gameplay

Poseidon appears as the first major boss in God of War III. As Kratos is fully powered for this fight the difficulty is also adjusted, so one should not be overconfident in facing Poseidon as he is capable of dishing a large amount of damage and nearly all his attacks are unblockable. Posing thus the first real challenge of the game.

Phase One

Poseidon will appear with his Hippocampi attached into Gaia. In this phase he has mostly two attacks. One where he signals his Hippocampi to slam their claws into Gaia. The camera will project the Hippocampus that will attack and which side of the area will be hit. Poseidon will also summon forward lightning, which will be highlited by an illuminated area. The lightning can hit vertically or horizontally. Both attacks are unblockable. To proceed to the next phase, Kratos must attack the Hippocampi claws in order to separate them from Gaia. As soon as that happens Gaia will prompt Kratos to jump to her hand, as Gaia will then slam Poseidon into a wall where phase two begins.

Phase Two

Poseidon now has largely two kinds of attacks in this phase, those that involve his arm and those that involve his Trident. Poseidon will either punch the ground in front of him or swing his arm back, to sweep Kratos way. Both of these attacks can be blocked. Poseidon will at times hold his Trident and stab the ground with it, electrifying the ground around. To make matters worse, the electrification has a suctioning property that will suck in Kratos which will trap him for continuous damage. There are two variants of this attack; If Poseidon holds the Trident with both hands he will stab the area right in front of him for several seconds. If Poseidon holds the Trident with only one arm, he will stab further into the back of the are and do so twice, although these will be shorter. Both Trident attacks cannot be blocked. Kratos must get close to damage Poseidon. Once enough damage has been dealt a Quick Time Event will be prompted and Kratos must climb a section to the right in order to successfully play the sequence. Phase Three will begin soon afterwards.

Phase Three

Phase Three is fundamentally the same as phase one, except more difficult. The only notable difference is that Poseidon lets down more lightning now covering more segments in sequence, forcing the player to be on alert to evade the blasts. Neither blocking nor jumping will work as the lightning falls from above, so it can only be evaded by rolling. Once the Hippocampi claws have been detached, Kratos will be prompted to grapple and finish the sequence to liberate Gaia from the beasts. Once that's done Gaia will punch Poseidon allowing Kratos to drag him out of his armored form. What continues now is a simple QTE, which ends with Poseidon's death and the battle will end.

Strategy

Poseidon's attacks while not hard to avoid, can be somewhat tricky and can deal large damage, incredibly so in higher difficulties. The key is to be on alert at all times, especially regarding his lightning blasts and Trident stabs. The Hippocampi claw attack will be the best blessing for the player as it gives them ample time to evade and hit the other set of claws. Do not go into extensive combos so as to not get caught by the lightning discharges, which is especially true on the third phase with more lightning to worry about. Using Divine Retribution can prove effective to deal damage while avoiding the lightning in a cheap way to kill two birds with one stone.

For Phase Two, being close to Poseidon is surprisingly the better strategy. Poseidon's arm attacks can be blocked easily and let the player continue attacking Poseidon. His one-armed stab attack can also be avoided by sticking close to Poseidon, but the player must continuously move towards him so that they are not suctioned by the lightning. The dual hand stab is best avoided by rolling away as it lasts too long for Divine Retribution to fully negate the attack. There is a bit of a safe spot in the wall climb area, but Kratos will also be sufficiently far to be unable to hurt Poseidon. It is possible with some luck to hit Poseidon while on the wall, whereas Poseidon cannot touch Kratos, however, this is a very inefficient method.

Personality

Prior to being infected by the evils of Pandora's Box, Poseidon was apparently a benevolent God, who cared greatly for many mortals and worshippers alike. He would often grant safe passage to many sailors and was protective of his own domain. In spite of his benevolent nature, he, much like his brother, cheated on Amphitrite by having many flings, with Princess being the only one known so far. After being infected probably with "Anger", he notably became much more angrier and weary as he gave multiple death threats to Kratos (who he aided in stopping the Hydra King prior to being infected) when the latter destroyed his city, warned him about challenging the Gods when confronting him and reasonably but angrily tried talking him out of destroying Olympus as it would mean the death of the entire world. Despite this, Poseidon notably showed greater resilience to the evils unlike his brethren, evidenced by his note indicating how he apologized to his Princess for making her the subject of his rage (though he did not free her) and disapproved of Zeus' cruelty towards Pandora as a result of "Fear" and expressed his fear that his brother changed for the worst.

Relationships

Cronos

While Cronos and Poseidon are never seen interacting with each other, it is certain that the God of the Seas feels nothing but hatred towards a father who swallowed him along with his siblings even though they were newborns. Poseidon indeed spent a good amount of time in Cronos' stomach, and he willingly joined his brother Zeus as soon as the latter freed him and the others. It is highly likely that in the eyes of Poseidon, Cronos was - rightfully - a mortal enemy of the Gods, and this is why he fiercely battled his father and the other Titans during the First Titanomachy. Not only that, Poseidon was notorious for being a true defender of the Olympian cause, and his loyalty to Zeus was such that he would do anything to protect Mount Olympus from any threat, especially the Titans. Following the victory of the Gods over their powerful enemies, it is almost certain that Poseidon fully approved the special treatment reserved for Cronos, who was condemned to wander the Desert of Lost Souls for the rest of his life.

Rhea

It is unsure whether Poseidon ever met his mother, and the two of them are never seen interacting with each other throughout the series. While Rhea did manage to save Zeus from being swallowed by Cronos, she could not prevent Poseidon from enduring this torment, condemning him for a long time before he would regain his freedom at the hands of Zeus. Because of this, his feelings towards his mother are very uncertain.

Zeus

Poseidon's relationship with Zeus is more complex than it seems. The King of Olympus saved his brother at the time he was still in Cronos' stomach, and it is safe to assume that since this day, Poseidon dedicated his life to the Olympian cause, so important to Zeus. The two of them notably fought together during the First Titanomachy, and by combining their powers along with those of the other gods, they ultimately prevailed. In recognition of his efforts, Poseidon was notably granted complete control over the seas and the weather as a whole. The God of the Seas then became a hard-line defender of the Olympians, and was famous for his complete loyalty to Zeus. Nevertheless, and due to the sheer amount of power they both possessed and their independence, their interests inevitably clashed when it came to mortal affairs. Poseidon wasn't particularly renowned for his patience, and he likely stood up to his brother more than once when this was necessary.

Something changed between them after Pandora's Box was opened for the first time by Kratos, and the evils contained within unleashed upon the Olympians. It wasn't long before Poseidon noticed a change in Zeus' behaviour, and it was clear that the King of the Gods wasn't sharing everything with his brothers. Poseidon came to mistrust Zeus' intentions to a certain extent, and he investigated in secret to find out by himself what Zeus wasn't telling him. However, his fealty to Olympus never allowed him to openly question Zeus' power. By the time of the Second Titanomachy, Poseidon was willing to sacrifice his own life in order to protect Olympus and Zeus himself - even though the feeling wasn't mutual. The God of the Seas ultimately paid the heavy price of his position, and met a brutal end at the hands of Kratos.

Hades

Since the God of the Seas and the God of the Underworld are never seen interacting with each other directly, the true extent of Poseidon's relationship with his older brother is uncertain, but there are hints that the two of them have at the very least a mutual respect, despite some differences. The two gods are notably seen working together against the Titans during the First Titanomachy, with Poseidon playing a decisive role in aiding Hades’ victory over the gigantic Atlas. But the best example is maybe when Hades blames Kratos for having murdered Poseidon during the Second Titanomachy (rightfully considering this as a sin the Spartan has committed against him), making this something personal. In the light of all these elements, one can assume that considering Poseidon's nature and his die hard loyalty to the Olympians, he did care for Hades.

Amphitrite

The nature of Poseidon's relationship with Amphitrite remains unknown, since the latter never appears in the series, nor is she mentioned by her husband. Their couple, however, is yet another proof of the many debilitating flaws that characterize the Olympians: unfaithfulness and inbreeding. Much like his brother Zeus and despite all his qualities, Poseidon obviously cheated on his wife and had many lovers as well as numerous illegitimate children such as Theseus, Pegasus or even Polyphemus. In God of War III, it is shown that the God of the Seas enslaved a mortal and forcefully kept her in his personal quarters on Olympus. His infidelity means that he likely didn't care much for Amphitrite.

Ares

While Poseidon is never seen interacting with this nephew throughout the series, we can safely assume that very much like the Olympians as a whole, the God of the Seas simply didn't get along with Ares for numerous reasons. The first was the warlike and violent temper of Ares that brought turmoil to Olympus itself, not to mention his tactics of mass destruction upon Greece. Then there was this monstrous Hydra summoned by the God of War on the Aegean Sea that meddled in Poseidon's own domain, forcing the God of the Seas to let Kratos handle the situation: following this incident, Poseidon is directly confronted by his nephew on the Egyptian shore of the Mediterranean Sea, next to the Lighthouse of Pharos. More importantly, Poseidon could not tolerate Ares' plotting against Zeus and his constant threats towards his fellow Olympians. Since the rules set by Zeus prevented the gods from fighting each other directly, Poseidon was left with no other choice but to help Kratos in his quest to find Pandora's Box, thus playing an indirect role in Ares' demise.

Athena

Although the extent of Poseidon's relationship with Athena is unknown, the latter was very well regarded among her fellow Olympians, and it is safe to assume that Poseidon held her in high esteem as well. Both he and Athena dedicated their godly lifespan in protecting Olympus, and their loyalty to Zeus was unyielding. Poseidon also worked behind the scenes with his niece to ensure the fall of Ares, and if the God of the Seas likely appreciated Athena's wisdom, his thoughts about making Kratos a god remain uncertain. Athena also did all she could to protect the Spartan from the wrath of Olympus, which certainly discontented Poseidon. Interestingly, Poseidon is the only god who did not even mention Athena when he faced Kratos, where his brothers Zeus and Hades both openly blamed Kratos for her death.

Kratos

Poseidon's relationship with his nephew is somewhat a tragic one. Everything wasn't going badly between the two of them at first: Kratos was regarded as an impressive warrior, enough for Poseidon to personally ask him to free the Aegean Sea from the Hydra. He notably offered the Spartan a fraction of his divine powers, and seemingly held the Spartan in high esteem when the latter served the Olympians for ten years. But due to his pride and his hot temperament, Poseidon also held a personal grudge against Kratos since the latter was indirectly responsible of the destruction of Atlantis, one of Poseidon's sacred sanctuaries. The God of the Seas notably unleashed a series of calamities upon the Spartan and his men, showing that he was willing to kill the Ghost of Sparta.

Things became heated between the two gods after Kratos occupied Ares' seat in Olympus. The God of the Seas, like his peers, was growing irritated by the warlike behaviour of Kratos and his disdain towards the Olympians as a whole. Poseidon certainly saw in the Spartan a reincarnation of Ares, due to his destructive ways and his plotting against Olympus. It is presumed that he welcomed Zeus' decision to get rid of the Spartan when the latter attacked the city of Rhodes. By the time the Second Titanomachy broke out, Poseidon was on the front line against the Titans, taking them on one after the others with little effort. This forced Kratos to personally confront the mighty God of the Seas, who blamed the Spartan for his rebellion and his hatred of the gods. Poseidon's fealty to Zeus meant that he was a prime target of the fallen God of War, and although he was confident in his own powers to successfully deal with both Kratos and Gaia at the same time. Unfortunately, Poseidon was blinded by anger as much as the Spartan, and this would prove to be his downfall.

Powers & Abilities

Powers

All of Olympus unites against you!

–Poseidon.

Poseidon was one of the most powerful of the Olympian gods, second only to Zeus, and surpassing Hades. It is notable that Poseidon could have single-handedly bested the Titans in God of War III, having downed at least two of them and making short work of Gaia, had Kratos not intervened. It should be noted that his power seems to be in direct proportion to the amount of water nearby. During the Second Titanomachy, Poseidon was strong because he had access to the sea, but once Kratos separated him from it, he was more vulnerable. This would explain why Poseidon resorts to using lightning instead of water during the first Titanomachy.

  • Atmokinesis: As the God of the sea, Poseidon possesses the power to manipulate as he pleases; water, storms, and lightning, and he is also shown to create strong waves as well as violent storms to bring the rage of the ocean upon those who anger him. Atmokinesis breaks down into several abilities:
  • Hydrokinesis: Poseidon can manipulate and control water, ranging from tidal waves and whirlpools to a watery construct in his image, which he notably used with formidable efficiency during the Second Titanomachy. Since water does not retain a shape, it is clear that Poseidon's control over water is not only total but also precise, in retaining the size and shape of his Titan form.
    • Eco-Hydrokinesis: Poseidon has complete control over the element of water. He can control all the water within the limits of the Greek World.
    • Water Breathing: Poseidon can breathe underwater as long as he wishes, as his godly status makes him immune to respiratory problems.
    • Cryokinesis: Poseidon can manipulate and control ice, since it is made of water.
  • Electrokinesis: Poseidon can generate and manipulate electricity. He used this power to help Hades in defeating Atlas. In God of War, he bestowed Kratos with a small portion of his electrokinetic power. In God of War III, he uses his trident to shoot bolts of electricity at Kratos and Gaia.
    • Hydro-Electrokinesis: Due to his control over the seas and its storms, this accounts for Poseidon's electricity-based abilities.
  • Immortality: As a god, he is immortal and can live forever. Like his brothers and the other Olympians, Poseidon doesn't age and is not affected by time. As such, only extremely powerful beings such as the Titans or the Gods can threaten him, and only divine weapons such as the Blade of Olympus, Zeus' Lightning or the Claws of Hades can possibly harm and kill him.
  • Flight: Like the other Olympians, Poseidon was able to propel or accelerate himself through the air with great speed and force, a feat that allowed him to go through Epimetheus' chest at lightning speed, killing the Titan almost instantly.
  • Object Possession: At one point, Poseidon possesses a statue of himself to express his anger toward Kratos for destroying Atlantis.
  • Power Bestowal: Poseidon can grant a fraction of his powers to his followers, as shown when he gave Kratos the power of Poseidon's Rage. He also gave the Redeemed Warrior great resilience, allowing them to sustain massive amounts of damage before death. Another example is the power to use the waters of the deeps to aid them in battle by creating Walls of Water, and even creating Sea Storms right in the midst of battle without being near a source of water: with such elements, they are able to heal themselves and their allies. Poseidon also grants his followers the use of Cryokinesis, allowing them to create large spires of ice and even freezing opponents to crush them. However, it is worth pointing out that Poseidon can take these powers back as he pleases, and give them to others he deems worthy.
  • Shapeshifting: He could reform himself into a massive, elemental form resembling a Titan. This form, in his own image, was entirely water-based, with rocks forming details on his chest and head. In this form he is at his most powerful, with all of his powers and strength greatly augmented. Even though this measure still pales in comparison with the Titans in terms of size, it is powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with them, as demonstrated at the beginning of the Second Titanomachy.
  • Regeneration: Poseidon can regenerate himself at will. In God of War III, when you chop off one of several Hippocampi hands (sting/tentacles) and do not do further damage to it, it will regenerate again.
  • Teleportation: As the ruler of Atlantis, Poseidon can teleport to anywhere via sea and water as he pleases.
  • Astral Projection: Like his fellow Olympians, Poseidon is able to project an image of himself to communicate with Kratos, and can notably use statues to talk through them, making him virtually omniscient.
  • Plague Creation: Poseidon was able to create a plague to infect the village of Thera to encourage Herodius to search for the Ambrosia.
  • Superhuman Strength: His Titanic form also primed his already great strength, allowing him to pound Gaia and Kratos with great force.
  • Superhuman Durability: Poseidon can withstand great attacks before submitting to defeat, and due to his Warriors possessing great durability as well, he should be far more durable than Ares. In fact, his durability was likely only matched (or surpassed) by his brothers Hades and Zeus.
  • Superhuman Stamina: Poseidon's energy and vigor in combat are far greater than that of mortal men, enough to fight the Titans. It notably took the combined force of Gaia and Kratos to take down Poseidon, though this remains an astonishing feat considering he was the second most powerful and durable Olympian.
  • Superhuman Agility: Poseidon has a higher jumping capacity than mortals. It is unknown if his agility was on par with that of Hermes.
  • Invincibility: When in the waters of the deep, Poseidon is invincible and all of his attributes are multiplied greatly. However the farther away he is from the sea, the less of his "true" power he can exhibit. This was the case with his battle with Kratos, as they were several miles away from the sea at the battle.
  • Hippocampi Control: In elemental form, below his waist a large jet of water coming from a rock formation was maintained, with Hippocampi protruding out of it, which Poseidon used actively in his battle with Gaia and Kratos. He could also control them even without his elemental form, but the creatures themselves are smaller, one even managing to wrap around his forearm; this is seen when the gods looked down from Mount Olympus to the climbing Titans below. He can even use the Hippocampi as makeshift arms to battle Kratos and Gaia.

Weapons

  • Poseidon's Trident: Trident was Poseidon's signature weapon and one of his primary symbols. The trident was a gift from the Cyclopes after Zeus freed them from Tartarus. The God of the Seas notably used his divine weapon during the Second Titanomachy to exercise direct control over his Hippocampi and even attack the Titans themselves. However, this weapon was summoned from his aquatic powers and vanished as soon as Poseidon lost control over his water form.

Appearances

Gallery

Concept Art

Trivia

  • Coincidentally, Poseidon's voice actor in the first game, Fred Tartasciore, also voiced Poseidon in the Nintendo 3DS game, Kid Icarus Uprising. Tartasciore also voices the character of Magnus in said game.
  • His character for God of War III was the most complex for the developers; it took them about 6 to 12 months to fully design his monstrous form.
  • Poseidon is the first God seen in God of War and the first boss battle in God of War III.
  • From a chronological point of view, Poseidon is the third Olympian to be killed by Kratos after Ares and Athena.
  • In God of War: Ascension, Poseidon's gigantic one-eyed son Polyphemus appears as a Titan and the boss of the desert multiplayer map.
  • It is interesting to note that Poseidon was investigating the recent decisions of Zeus for the manufacture of the Labyrinth, and its mysterious prisoner. He took to view that recently, Zeus was not the brother he knew before, as Zeus was infected with Fear. Unlike his brothers, Poseidon showed more resilience to the evils of Pandora's Box, and although corrupted as well, it was not to the extent of his brothers.
  • Mythology describes Poseidon as hot-tempered and impulsive, prompt to many disputes with both his fellow gods and mortals alike.
  • Poseidon appears much older in God of War than in God of War III. His beard, for example, is whiter and bushier than in God of War III. Like Poseidon, many Gods looked different in God of War than they did in following games because, at that time, possible sequels were not yet certain.
    • It may also be because Poseidon, like the other gods, could change his appearance.
    • If this is this case though, Poseidon's true form is unclear. It seems likely that his older appearance is his true form, but as a god, he wishes to appear youthful.
  • Poseidon's chambers adorn statues on the wall that look like Poseidon did in God of War.
  • During his fight with Kratos, Poseidon mentions "Atlantis will be avenged!", referencing the events of God of War: Ghost of Sparta.
    • It's strange that during his fight with Kratos, Poseidon didn't mention the death of his own son, Theseus as he did mention the destruction of Atlantis. It is likely due to the fact that Kratos returned in time and defeated Zeus, creating a timeline where he did not have to travel through the Island of Creation and avoiding his battle with Theseus. Some other events that happened during such travel, like the battle against Alrik, proved in his tortured note scrambled in Underworld makes the second option the most likely.
  • Poseidon's chariot is pulled by the Hippocampi, creatures with the bodies of horses and the tails of fish. This may seem strange as horses are not aquatic creatures, but Poseidon when challenged to create a beautiful land animal in Greek mythology, Poseidon created these horses and became his signature creatures. In ancient Greek mythology, his chariot was pulled by the Hippocampi as well.
  • By comparison, it is very clear that the designs for Poseidon's monstrous watery form were based heavily off the older artwork made for the Titan Oceanus, who was considered for (but cut from) God of War II. It is said by the developers in a God of War III bonus video that Oceanus' concept was partially used in designing Poseidon.
  • Poseidon was seemingly infected with the evil Anger after Kratos opened Pandora's Box.
  • After being weakened, the glowing tattoos on Poseidon's body become very faint and slowly glimmer. This suggests the tattoos somehow represent his vital signs.
  • As a powerful god and having the power to control the seas, Poseidon could have killed the Hydra with ease. However, Athena could have planned to leave this task to Kratos, so that he could acquire the Poseidon's Rage ability, empowering Kratos and helping him to defeat Ares in an easier way.
    • The God of War novel reveals that Athena indeed convinced Poseidon that the Hydra was sent by Ares. Since Zeus had forbidden the Gods from warring with one another directly, Poseidon's intervention would breach this rule, so he resorts to giving Kratos the power to destroy the Hydra instead.
  • Interestingly, Poseidon seems to be the least known of the gods making up the "triumvirate" who dominates the Greek Pantheon in the series. Kratos had indeed to deal more often with Zeus and even Hades, and things were also more personal between the Spartan and the two gods previously mentioned.
  • Poseidon appears briefly in Bit of War when the time of the gods comes to an end and Olympus makes a desperate attempt to regain power.
  • In the Chamber of the Flame in God of War III, there are pictures of Poseidon with tentacles in the background; they could either belong to the Kraken or Scylla, if the tentacles do belong to one of the said monsters then it is highly likely that Poseidon was the one who sent them to attack Kratos in previous installments of the series, which was proven for Scylla as she was the Guardian of Atlantis.
  • In God of War III, Poseidon is one of three boss characters in the game where Kratos does not gain any additional abilities or weapons upon the latter's death. The other two is Poseidon's father Cronos and his brother Zeus.
  • At first, it was unknown exactly how Poseidon's death and the subsequent rising of the oceans affected other realms outside of Greece.
  • It was later revealed that the cataclysms unleashed on Greece following the death of the Olympians only affected the Greek World as a whole. As such, the cataclismic flooding that followed Poseidon's death never affected the other realms.
  • Though not mentioned by name, Poseidon was alluded to by Kratos to Mimir when the former spoke of the Hippocamps and how Kratos battled them upon Gaia.

Sources

Video

God_of_War_3_-_Poseidon_Battle_HD

God of War 3 - Poseidon Battle HD

Kratos vs. Poseidon

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