Dark Rider

The Dark Rider or Warrior of Destiny was the leader of the Griffin Riders, who protected the Island of Creation.

Appearance

Unlike most Griffin Riders, he had darker-colored skin and golden armor, and rode a dark-blue/violet Griffin with a rather large rust-colored head who, as opposed to the brown-colored average Griffin, had spikes running down its back. He also wielded a powerful magic weapon, the Spear of Destiny.

History

He was killed in a duel, high above the Island of Creation, in a battle with Kratos, riding his Pegasus. After The Dark Griffin slammed Pegasus out of the sky with its tail, Kratos was able to hook onto the Griffin with his blades and climb on. He fought the Dark Rider and used the Spear of Destiny, his own weapon, against himself, stabbing both him and his Griffin with it and ripping off The Dark Griffin's wing, causing it to plummet to its death, with the spear lodged in its flank.

The Dark Griffin was later found in the Lowlands, as Kratos recovered the Spear of Destiny from its corpse. The Riders' corpse fell on some part of the Island of Creation and wasn't found again in the game.

The Dark Rider's death would have been undone by Kratos using The Fates power to change his destiny. Why was he not present in Olympus during God of War III is unknown. However, out of all the characters whose deaths were reversed at the end of God of War II The Dark Rider has probably the highest chance of having survived the destruction of the Greek world, due to his inherent flight skills.

God of War II Novel

In the novelization the Dark Rider is revealed to be a direct servant of the Sisters of Fate, known as the Warrior of Destiny. Lahkesis, after seeing into a possible future with her powers is worried about Kratos, who had defied her by arriving in Typhon's Lair without injury. The Goddess summons one of her High Priests and orders him to summon the Warrior of Destiny - and to give him the Spear of Destiny, an extremely powerful weapon, reserved only for the most dire emergencies. The Dark Rider took off and observed Kratos on his approaches to Typhon's mauntain, finally intercepting him and causing his nearly exhausted Pegasus to seek rest on the ground.

Kratos saw the Dark Rider from afar after escaping from Typhon's mauntain, recognizing him as a distant purple-green speck observing his earlier battle with the Griffins and Ravens. The Ghost of Sparta saw this as avoiding a fight and asked himself how fearsome a warrior could be who hides from combat. As if hearing his thoughts, Gaia's voice boomed around the Spartan, warning him of the power of this warrior and the extraordinary weapon he wields, promising a quick return to the Underworld should Kratos underestimate this foe.

As the aerial battle began, the Rider's Griffin got deeply injured not long after the start of the fight, leaving the already faster and more agile Pegasus with the advantage. The Warrior of Destiny was cautious of using the unfamiliar Spear of Destiny, saving it for the right moment instead of risking to lose such a potent weapon with a careless thrust. Kratos later noted that the Rider was holding the Spear "gingerly", as if he feared to use it.

The Rider used his gleaming battle axe against Kratos wielding his Blades of Athena, fighting skillfully despite many slashes managing to pierce his armor. After inflicting a seemingly fatal wound to the chest, Kratos pressed his advantage, however the Warrior of Destiny proved to be surprisingly strong and was able to push back and trip the Spartan on his back. Telling the Slayer of Ares that it is time to die, he finally drew the Spear of Destiny which nearly killed Kratos who was briefly dazzled and confused by its electric energy, flowing from the tip down to the Warrior's arm. However, Kratos was able to unbalance the Rider with a powerful kick on the Griffin's back, allowing him to regain his footing and defeat the Dark Rider in a final struggle to the death, where he was killed by the Spear of Destiny and fell down into Poseidon's dephts. His death was a heavy blow to the forces in service of the Fates and guarding the Island of Creation. Even more so the loss of the Spear of Destiny and its later retrieval by Kratos.

Lahkesis, at that time together with her Sisters in their Loom Chamber did not understand how the Warrior had lost to Kratos, considering how she has intertwined both his and Kratos' threads of fate, decreeing that only the Warrior's thread shall continue. The Goddess wondered whether one of her Sisters somehow meddled and interfered with her plans regarding Kratos, which up to this point was only her official concern. Atropos let her know that she is aware of the Warrior's recent death in battle and that she had studied his Life-Thread, which showed how he was afraid to properly use the Spear of Destiny against Kratos.

Trivia

• The Dark Rider appeared to be the General and leader of all of the other Griffin Riders, and could have been one of the Fates' most powerful warriors.
  • The Dark Rider may be in fact the famed Greek hero, Bellerophon, changed to resemble his subordinates, as he uses a spear and rides a mythological being (in Bellerophon's case, he rides the Pegasus), also a reason why he was chosen to be the General of the riders.
    • Depending on the version, Bellerophon is also the son of Poseidon, which would explain why he is guarding the entrance to the Island of Creation just like Theseus, who is also Poseidon's son.
    • However, with the Dark Rider being a Satyr in the game, its quite unlikely that he is Bellorophon.
• In the novelization of God of War II, the Dark Rider is referred to as the Warrior of Destiny.

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