The God of War series is known for the portrayal of the classic mythological stories integrated into the game’s storyline. After bringing Olympus to the ground, our beloved Ghost of Sparta heads over to Midgard to live a peaceful life. But trouble seems to follow him everywhere as seen in the GoW(2018). The latest title God of War Ragnarok continues Kratos and Atreus’ adventures through the realms of Norse Mythos. But what are these realms? In this article, we will go over all the nine realms and explain their significance in God of War Ragnarok.
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All the Nine Realms Explained in God of War Ragnarok
In the previous iteration of this game, we got to explore two of these nine realms while briefly visiting four more realms. Before getting into the details, here are all the nine realms in Norse mythology.
- Midgard
- Helheim
- Jotunheim
- Alfheim
- Vanaheim
- Asgard
- Niflheim
- Muspelheim
- Svartalfheim
These realms are on the branch or roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree, located at the center.
Midgard
This is the realm where Kratos’s journey begins in God of War (2018). This realm is located in the middle of all nine realms. It is where the humans reside and the closest thing to Earth in Norse Mythos. In the center of Midgard, you will find the Lake of Nine upon which Tyr’s Temple is located. Although it is the home of humans, most of them are dead or in the hiding because of the Hel-Walkers, Draugr, and other monsters roaming the land.
Helheim
Helheim, also known as Hel, is the land of the dead in Norse mythology. Cold winds and illusions of fear await those who have not died an honorable death. This realm is also inhabited by the Hel-walkers. They torment the dead for the fun of it. All the people who die an ordinary death due to old age, sickness, disease, suicide, or murder, end up in this realm.
Jotunheim
Jotunheim is the home of the giants and the final realm Kratos and Atreus visited in God of War (2018). It was also the home of Atreus’ mother and Kratos’ wife, Faye, who was a giant herself. This realm is the place where Groa the knowledge keeper, foresaw Ragnarok. Fearing that the giants will start Ragnarok, Odin ordered Thor to massacre all the giants and destroyed all the entrances to this realm. However, Kratos and Atreus reach here and find out about Atreus’ identity as Loki, the avenger of Jotnar.
Alfheim
This realm seems peaceful with its beautiful forests and calm waters. But as Kratos travels through this realm, he witnesses a group of Dark Elves killing a Light Elf. It is later revealed that this realm is plagued with a never-ending war between the Light Elves and the Dark Elves. According to Mimir, the war has been going on for so long that the elves don’t know who they are without it. The realm is the home to the Light of Alfheim, for which the Elves are fighting. The appearance of Alfheim changes according to who controls the Light.
Vanaheim
This realm was inaccessible to Kratos in the previous iteration of this game. However, in GoW Ragnarok, Kratos visits this realm with Freya. This realm is the home to the Vanir Gods, the rivals of the Aesir Gods. These gods are known for their use of magic which was sought by Odin. This led to a cruel war between the Vanir and the Aesir gods, which was stopped by the marriage between Odin and Freya. After gaining Freya’s trust, Odin learned her magic and then banished her to Midgard. This realm is mysterious and bizarre. Only Vanir Gods can grant permission to enter this realm.
Asgard
This realm is the home of the Aesir Gods like Thor, Heimdall, and the Allfather Odin himself. It is also inhabited by the greatest warriors who die a glorious death in battle. They are housed in the legendary Halls of Valhalla, where they await Odin to call them for a final battle on Ragnarok. Being the home of Gods, this realm is heavily fortified by Odin. Only the Aesir Gods can travel to and from this realm. However, it is prophesied that this realm will fall along with its Gods on the day of Ragnarok by Surtr the Fire Giant.
Niflheim
This is a small yet lethal realm among all the nine realms. This realm was home to Ivaldi who was regarded as a great inventor and a craftsman. With his inventions, he challenged the Gods, which angered Odin. He cursed the wild mists of Niflheim, making them toxic, to drain the life out of anyone who steps into them. Along with its toxic mist, the realm is also home to the Dangerous Dwarven maze plagued with strong monsters.
Muspelheim
The fire giant Surtr, who is prophesied to bring Asgard to the ground, resides in this realm. This is a land of primordial fire with huge volcanoes and lava rivers. According to legends, this realm is the source of fire itself. On the day of Ragnarok, Surtr is said to wake and lead the charge against the Aesir. This realm also acts as a training ground where the greatest warriors test their skills against the monsters here.
Svartalfheim
This realm is the ancestral home to Dwarves, who are known for their inventions. Because of their service to the Aesir Gods, Odin restricted entry to this realm to anyone except the Dwarves including the Aesir themselves. Because of this, the realm is thriving with machines, structures, and statues. The infamous Mjölnir is one of the creations of these genius Dwarves.
These are the nine realms you will be exploring in God of War Ragnarok. Access to them was limited in the previous installment but in this game, you can explore them completely even after finishing the game. We hope you like this guide where we explained all the nine realms in GoW Ragnarok. We have more interesting articles in our God of War Wiki Guide so check it out soon.