Revenant

Revenants are enemies that appear as dangerous foes in God of War (2018). 

Quick Answers

What is the origin of the term 'Revenant' used in God of War?

In God of War, 'Revenant' is derived from the French term 'revenant', signifying 'returning'. It denotes beings thought to return from death to haunt the living, a concept found in Celtic and Norse myths. Revenants in the game series are portrayed as shroud-clad adversaries.

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How do Revenants in God of War relate to Western European folklore?

In the God of War series, Revenants are depicted as reanimated corpses, echoing their origins from Western European folklore where they are often equated with ghosts. The term 'Revenant', derived from the French word for 'returning', is commonly used across various cultures, including Celtic and Norse mythology, to describe the undead.

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What cultures influence the portrayal of Revenants in God of War?

The portrayal of Revenants in God of War draws from multiple cultures. The term 'Revenant' is French for 'returning' and is part of Celtic and Norse myths. Additionally, elements from Persian, Arab, Irish, and Scandinavian folklore are incorporated into their depiction.

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Are Revenants in God of War considered ghosts or reanimated corpses?

In the God of War series, Revenants are depicted as both ghosts and reanimated corpses. They are entities believed to return from the dead and haunt the living, aligning with the folklore usage of 'revenant' as a synonym for 'ghost'. Their appearance as shroud-covered figures further underscores their status as reanimated corpses.

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What role do Revenants play as enemies in God of War?

In the God of War series, Revenants serve as formidable adversaries. These reanimated corpses, believed to be resurrected to haunt the living, appear in God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. They possess diverse powers such as poison and summoning. In God of War II, Revenants are encountered in the Spiked Wall trap and near the Phoenix Chamber, where they seem to guard the Sisters of Fate.

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Mythology

Revenants are reanimated corpses that are believed to have been brought back from the dead and haunt the living. The word Revenant comes from the French word revenant, the "returning". They are part of myths from different cultures such as Celtic and Norse Mythology.

The term "revenant" has been used interchangeably with "ghosts" by folklorists, while some maintain that Revenants derived from Western European folklore and many assert that revenant is a generic term for the undead

In the God of War Series

They appear as shroud-covered, emaciated female humans armed with a staff. They wear animal skulls and have hunchbacks that resemble rib-like spikes. They have elemental powers like poison, frost, or fire. They are shown to be levitating and can teleport to avoid attacks.

Revenants are Witches who traded pieces of their soul to become more powerful in seiðr magic, eventually they lose every part of their humanity and become revenants.

They can perform both close and ranged attacks. Their close ranged attacks are swinging their staves in quick succession. However, their range attacks are more dangerous since they can launch homing attacks that can quickly inflict status ailments. Both attacks can be easily blocked with a shield.

They are virtually invulnerable to damage when Kratos attacks with the Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos, and Spartan Rage due to their incredible speed and agility. Commanding Atreus to attack them can slow them down or stun them. If they are stunned, Kratos can perform a stun grab, allowing him to make quick work of the revenants. The easiest way to kill a revenant is to have Atreus shoot them repeatedly with arrows until they are stunned/killed.

One of the Revenants, Gullveig, appears as a boss for one of the spirit favors.

Another one of the Revenants is the Raven Keeper who served Odin by creating the Eyes of Odin from the souls of many children that had been sacrificed by their own parents.

Powers and Abilities

Poison Revenant

There are three types of Revenants in the game, it is unknown if there are more types, but each one has magical abilities in common and others that are their own, such as:

Seiðr Magic: The Revenants are witches inundated by seiðr magic that made them inhuman by selling their souls to be more powerful with it, they are able to cast poison spells with their staffs as if they were lightning bolts under the earth.

Teleportation: Revenants are quite fast and can teleport with a mist of magical poison, making it very difficult for Kratos to take them down with his axe.

Poison Breath: Revenants release poison breath from their mouths which is highly corrosive.

Summoning Revenant

are Revenants who are capable of:

Summon Nightmare: These revenants magically summon nightmares from their magic bags which can distract Kratos and Atreus.

Hel's Revenant

Ice Magic: These Hel Revenants are more dangerous as they have the power to use Hel's ice magic, giving them the ability to launch powerful bolts of ice from the ground and create icy spikes that freeze and reduce life.

Ice Breath: These Revenants can exhale an icy wind which if not careful ends up quickly freezing Kratos.

Types of Revenant

• Revenant
• Hel Revenant
• Summoning Revenant

Gallery

Credits: @IrishtheViking

Kratos pummels and kills a Revenant.

Close-up look of a Revenant's face.

The basket on the back of a Revenant's back.

Video

Trivia

• Revenants are equivalent to Sirens and Wraiths, as they are dangerous spectres and also teleport over small distances to invulnerable damage.
• The Revenant's design is likely a reference to Huld, a female being that practices seiðr magic. Huld is often thought to be the same in origin as a Huldra, which have hollow backs, hence the exposed rib cages on their backs seen on the in-game models. Another possibility is that the open back is a reference to the Blood Eagle method of execution rumored to have existed in Norse culture.