Zeus (God of War)

"My Brothers. We were forged in victory. A victory that ended the Great War and brought forth the reign of Mt. Olympus. Born from the Depths of the Underworld. Rooted in the River of Souls, our Mountain emerged out of the Chaos. As it grew, so too did the might of the Olympians. We created a world of peace, a world of prosperity, a world that lives in the shadow and safety of My Mountain. A Mountain that has come to be the absolute measure of Strength and Power. Now, on this Day, that power is to be tested. The Mortal, Kratos, seeks to destroy all that I have wrought. Brothers, put aside the petty grievances that have splintered us for so long. We will unite. We will stand together. And I will wipe this plague! Olympus will prevail!"

- Zeus in the opening of God of War 3.

Zeus is the main antagonist in the God of War series of videogames. He started out as one of Kratos' allies so he could kill Ares, but after Kratos opened Pandora's Box, Zeus got scared of Kratos and decided to kill him, before Kratos could kill him. He became the true antagonist following the events of the original God of War storyline (Which were God of War II, and God of War III). He is the king of the Olympians and was originally a fair god by Olympian standards but grew to become one of Kratos' most powerful and merciless opponents as the series progressed. As revealed during the ending of God of War II, he is also Kratos' father.

Appearance
Zeus is a God of Olympus that resembles a tall, muscular old man. He has long white hair and beard, and white eyes. He wears a white toga and wields a golden arm band and a golden leg bands. In God of War 3, Zeus has golden rings on his hair and carries a golden fleece on his left arm.

Zeus' Past
According to Gaia, Zeus was the youngest son of Cronos, but Cronos was forewarned that his own children were going to turn against both him and the titans. So Cronos tried to prevent this by imprisoning all of his children in his stomach. When it was time for Zeus to be imprisoned, Zeus' mother; Rhea decided to trick her husband Cronos, by summoning an eagle. The eagle was tasked to carry baby Zeus to a place that Cronos couldn't see. She then used a rock to replace baby Zeus, and Cronos didn't expect a thing. Zeus was raised and cared for by his grandmother; Gaia, but as the years went by, Gaia told Zeus that Cronos had all his brothers and sisters inside his belly. Zeus was enraged and filled with hatred of the Titans, when he learned the truth. So when he was grown up, Zeus seeked to rescue his 6 Brothers and Sisters, which started the Great War.

The Great War
When Kratos encountered Atlas for the second time, Atlas told Kratos about Zeus and the creation of the Blade of Olympus during the Great War. According to Atlas, bloodlust consumed Zeus, making him determined to rule all. He, along with his brothers, Hades and Poseidon, and the other Gods of Olympus, were fighting all the Titans with little to no effort. Determined to end the Great War, Zeus created a weapon made from the Heavens and the Earth; the Blade of Olympus. He processed to use the Blade by wiping them out, or banishing the living Titans to the deepest pits of tartarus. Zeus decided to even worst to his father Cronos. He decided torture his father, Cronos more than the other Titans. Zeus punished Cronos by forcing him to wander the Desert of Lost Souls forever, with Pandors's temple chained onto his back. The harsh sands would one day rip the flesh from his bones.

Creating Pandora's Box
Shortly after the Great War ended, Zeus became concerned. After the Great War ended, Evil started to spread. He didn't want any of the evils througout the world to spread any further, so he commissioned his son Hephaestus to create a box to imprison all the evils. After the Box was finished he placed all the evils in side the box. Hephaestus recommended Zeus to place Pandora's Box on the temple on top of Cronos' back where it could be safe. He, along with his brothers also created a series of dangerous, tricky and deadly puzzles all over the Temple, thinking that no one could ever reach Pandora's Box.

Searching for the Marked Warrior
A thousand years after the Great War ended, Zeus had an affair with a female mortal named; Callisto. Together they ending up having two kids; Kratos and Deimos. But after they had their kids, Zeus told Callisto not to tell them who their real father was, left them, and returned as the king of Mount Olympus. While ruling Olympus, Hera told him to kill Kratos, or what she called another bastard child, but Zeus refused. Later on, Zeus was eventually warned by an Oracle. She warned him that someone was going to bring the destruction of Olympus. The only thing that the Oracle said was, that the destruction of Olympus wasn't going to be done by the hands of the Titans, but by the hands of revenge, by someone called the Marked Warrior. To prevent that from ever happening, Zeus went on a search for the Marked Warrior. When he saw one of own his sons, named Deimos had a large birthmark covering a majority of his body, he immediately thought that Deimos was the Marked Warrior, and decided to take action. He did this by sending both the God and Goddess of War; Ares and Athena to capture Deimos. After Deimos was kidnapped and taken to the Domain of Death, Zeus told Callisto not to tell their son Kratos where Deimos was and tell him that Deimos was dead.

Aiding Kratos
After Kratos committed so many sins against the Gods, one of them being killing his wife and daughter, he asked the Gods of Olympus for help. Zeus made a deal with Kratos that if he did whatever task the Gods told him to do, they would forgive him of his sin. Kratos accepted Zeus' deal, but he also asked Zeus that he did whatever the Gods told him to do, they would wipe out his memory. For 10 years of Kratos' life, Kratos did whatever Zeus and the Gods of Olympus wanted him to do.

Put into a Deep Sleep
When Helios was kidnapped, Morpheus decided to take the advantage. He did this by putting all the mortals, and the Gods of Olympus, including Zeus into a deep sleep. When Kratos found out it was Persephone that was responsible for kidnapping Helios, Kratos fought and killed her. After Helios was rescued, Morpheus retreated, and the Gods awaken from their slumber. It's possible that when Zeus woke up, he punished Morpheus for his crimes against the Gods of Olympus.

Zeus' Deninal
Dispite saving the world from Persephone and punishing Atlas even further, Zeus denied Kratos reuniting with his daughter, which further Kratos' hatred for the Gods.

God of War
While Kratos was on a mission to kill Ares, he comes across Zeus in a translucent form. Zeus offered Kratos a magic ability called; Zeus' Fury, which granted Kratos to throw lightning at his enemies.

The Grave Digger
While Kratos was roaming around Athens he comes across a Grave Digger that seems to know about Kratos' goals. The Grave Digger kept on calling Kratos his son, and that he was digging Kratos' Grave. After Kratos was killed by Ares, apparently the Grave that the Grave Digger was digging was a portal from the underworld to Athens. When Kratos was about to ask him who he was, the Grave Digger dissappeared.

Opening Pandora's Box
When Kratos obtained the power of Pandora's Box in the original God Of War he opened the box in order to gain the power necessary to slay Ares and avenge his family. But when Kratos opened Pandora's box, Kratos thought all the powers in Pandora's Box would surge into him to slay a God, instead, he accidentily unleashes all the evils the Box had hidden within it, these evils swept across the land and infected the gods of Olympus, including Zeus - turning many of them insane, and corrupted by a current evil.

Zeus, as the king of the gods, was arguably corrupted the most by this event and became infected with the evil of Fear as he saw how Kratos had slain Ares (and possibly witnessing Persephone, Ceryx and Thanatos being slain by Kratos) and feared that the Ghost of Sparta could do the same to him. Zeus became convinced that Kratos would slay him just as Zeus had once slain his own father (Cronos): Zeus' paranoia grew into hatred for his mortal son and he devised a plan to kill him and thus ensure that his reign as king of Olympus could never be challenged.

After Kratos opened Pandora's Box, Zeus also found out that his son Hepaestus lied to him and that placing Pandora's Box on the back of Cronos would be a safe place. So Zeus brutalily beat his son up and told him to give the key to Pandora's Box. What little did Zeus known is that the key acquired life as a young girl name Pandora. Zeus took Pandora Away from Hephaestus and banished him into the realm of Hades.

Warning Kratos
After Kratos destroyed Atlantis, and caused it to sink to the bottom of the ocean, he comes across the Grave Digger, again and looks a little beaten up (Probably due to the effects of Pandora's Box). He told Kratos that the Gods of Olympus aren't going to be happy once they found out that he sank Atlantis. He also warned Kratos to stop searching for the other one because it would end with nothing but despair, but Kratos refused to listen and pressed onward.

Buring Deimos and Callisto
After his brother Deimos was killed and Kratos killed Thanatos, the Grave Digger reappeared again, and actually dug up a spot for Deimos' grave. After the credits The Grave Digger had Kratos' mother in his hands and placed her in the second hole for her grave. The Grave Digger also proclaimed "Only one remains," which probably meant that he realized that Kratos was the Marked Warrior that the Oracle warned about, and not Deimos.

Bonus
In the Temple of Zeus, after Kratos unlocks all the objects, a secret room opens. When Kratos enters the secret room, he comes across the Grave Digger's shovel. When he picks it up, the Grave Digger becomes unlockable and can be used in the Combat Arena, but when you play as the Grave Digger, he shape-shifts into his true form; Zeus. Zeus fights with the Blade of Olympus and the Guantlet of Zeus.

Tricking Kratos
In the opening of God of War II Zeus sets the Colossus of Rhodes to battle Kratos. He did this by draining most of Kratos' Godly Powers and giving Kratos' Godly powers into the Colossus of Rhodes. He also managed to trick Kratos by stating that if he drained the rest of his godly powers into the Blade of Olympus, Kratos would become unstoppable. After Kratos drained his Godly Powers into the blade, and killed the Colossus of Rhodes, he ultimately is crushed by the hand of The Colossus nearly killing him.

Killing Kratos
"Submit!"

- Zeus

"I would rather die!"

- Kratos proclaiming to Zeus

"Even now, as you draw your last breath, you continue to defy me!? Everything you have ever know, will now suffer, because of you sacrilege. You will never be the ruler of Olympus. The cycle ends here."

- Zeus while killing Kratos

Weakened and nearly dead, Kratos attempted to reach the Blade of Olympus so he could regain his Godly Powers. When Kratos was close enough to reach the Blade, Zeus intercepted and took the blade for himself. Zeus told Kratos that he did this because Kratos' hand had enough blood from a god on his hands, and Zeus didn't want to suffer the same fate. He also told Kratos that he must bow down before the King of Olympus and he would spare his life. But Kratos refuses, by proclaiming that the Gods of Olympus are weak, pathetic and foolish, and tried to fight Zeus for the Blade of Olympus. Shortly after, Kratos was easily defeated and was brutally impaled by Zeus with the Blade Of Olympus. During this scene Zeus shows his corruption as he accuses Kratos of plotting against him and mercilessly murders hundreds of Spartans out of apparent malice, he then casts Kratos into the pits of Hades.

However Kratos was not to die so easily, for the Titans decided to intervene and use him in their own quest for vengeance against Zeus and the gods - sending him on a quest to undo the actions of Zeus. When Kratos was revived by the titans, they sent him to the Sisters of Fate, so he could turn back time to the point when Zeus betrayed and killed him.

Destroying Sparta
While Kratos was trying to reach the temple of the Fates, Kratos encountered the Last Spartan. It turns out that Zeus wasn't finished with making Kratos suffer. After Kratos accidentily fatalily injuried the Last Spartan, he told Kratos that Sparta was destroyed by Zeus. He told Kratos that Zeus appeared under the cloak of darkness and wiped out nearly everyone in Sparta in a matter of seconds.

Fighting Kratos
After Kratos killed the Sisters of Fate, Kratos turned back time and prevented Zeus from killing him. Kratos manage to take back the Blade of Olympus and fought the God of Lightning. Zeus grew 50 feet and summoned some sirens. After killing some of the sirens, their screeches harmed Zeus. When Kratos stunned Zeus, he stabbed Zeus with the Blade of Olympus, shrinking Zeus down to his normal size. He constantly tries to take the Blade of Olympus away from Kratos and use it against him. However, Kratos takes the Blade back and attempted to stab Zeus with it's full power, twice. When Zeus grew to 50 feet, he attempted to electricute Kratos to death. Kratos shouted out that he surrendered and that he wanted to be released from this torment, but Zeus proclaimed that even though he would kill Kratos, his torment would not end. But it turns out that Kratos tricked Zeus, so he can lower his guard and try to kill Zeus with the final blow.

Zeus Retreated
But while Kratos was stabbing Zeus, Athena appeared and attacked Kratos. Due to this distraction Zeus retreated and warned Kratos that started a war, a war that he couldn't win. To try kill off Zeus, Kratos tried to stab Zeus with the Blade of Olympus. Just when he was about to kill Zeus, Athena intercepted and was stabbed with the Blade, killing her instead. Before Athena died, she told Kratos that the reason that Zeus tried to kill Kratos was because of fear, a fear that drove Zeus to kill his own son, just like Cronos tried to kill Zeus.

Meeting of the Gods
By the end of God Of War II, all of Zeus' were healed and he called for a meeting with all the Gods of Olympus. He asked Hades, Poseidon, Helios, and Hermes to help him kill the mortal Kratos. While this was going on, both Kratos, and his Titan allies had already began an assault on Olympus to take down the mad god.

God of War III
''"Petulant Child! I will tolerate your insolence no more!"

- Zeus ''

In God Of War III Zeus' madness intensified. He set his full wrath of Olympus down on Kratos by sending all the Gods, and some of the Demigods, of Olympus. He does this by sending many of the gods to their deaths, including Poseidon, Hades, Helios, Hermes, Hercules, and possibly Hera.

Attack on Olympus
At the very beginning Zeus convinced the Gods of Olympus to help him kill the fallen mortal Kratos. While that was going one, Kratos and his Titans allies were ascending MT. Olympus. Zeus ordered his son Hercules to send the undead army of Olympus to attack the Titans. Zeus also watched the other Gods of Olympus fighting the Titans. While Kratos was fighting Poseidon, Zeus somehow managed to acquire the left Golden Fleece and decided to use the Fleece, so he could kill Kratos. After the death of Poseidon, Kratos and Gaia managed to reach the top of Mount Olympus. Just when Kratos was about fight Zeus, Zeus proclaimed that he couldn't tolerate Kratos' insolence any longer, so he struck down both Gaia and Kratos with a huge bolt of lightning, nearly killing Gaia as well as causing Kratos to fall into the underworld.

While Kratos tried to reach Zeus, Zeus eventually found out that Kratos was after Pandora's Box again, Zeus tried to stop him by hindering Kratos' progress, and threating to kill Pandora.

Battle 1
Ultimately Zeus would wage battle with Kratos four times. The first time is when Kratos and Zeus was right near Pandora's box. After Kratos emerged victorous, Kratos witnessed Pandora attempting to scarificed herself, so Kratos can use Pandora's Box. Zeus tried to convince Kratos not to let her into the flame, and even called his life useless and pathetic. But Kratos decided sacrifice Pandora's life so he can kill Zeus. After Kratos opened the Box, the box was empty. Before Kratos could fight Zeus, Zeus retreated toward the Battle Arena. When Kratos caught up with Zeus, Zeus was watching the whole world in utter chaos, and proclaiming that he has a lot to do after he kills his own son.

Battle 2 and 3
"Such chaos.... I will have much to do after I kill you."

- Zeus

"Your pawn has failed you Gaia. Perhaps you should've choosen the Other One."

- Zeus

The second time is at the peak of Mount Olympus, while Gaia is climbing the top of Olympus. The fight was interrupted when Gaia attempted to kill both Kratos and Zeus. But before she attempted to do so, Zeus told her that her pawn has failed and that she should've choosen the other one. As Gaia was about to crush the battle arena, both Zeus and Kratos jumped into the hole on Gaia's chest. The third time is inside Gaia, right near her heart. While Kratos and Zeus were trying to kill each other, Zeus absorb some energy out of Gaia's Heart, which granted him the ability to multiply up to 10 clones of himself. Zeus attempted to steal, the Blade of Olympus away from Kratos and attempted to use the Blade to kill Kratos. But Kratos managed to out-strength Zeus, and stabbed both him and Gaia's Heart, killing Gaia and presumibly Zeus.

Final Battle
It seemed that Kratos finally killed Zeus after he killed Gaia, but the fourth and final time is when an astral projection of Zeus emerged out of him, destroyed most of Kratos' weapons, and tried to strangle and used fear to kill Kratos. After Kratos completed his inner-psyche, he managed to break free from Zeus' Graspe, and used to Blades of Exile to cut Zeus' astal projection to pieces. After Kratos defeats Zeus' Astral Projection, Zeus was temporarily revived, but unfortunately Kratos beats Zeus to death with his own bare hands. Just before Kratos beat up Zeus to death, a dark vapor spewed out of his mouth. After Zeus was finally killed a giant white light shot up into the heavens, plunging the world into utter chaos. However with his passing, Kratos was able to finally make the sacrifice required to give humanity the one weapon even the gods could not rival: that of Hope..

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
Zeus sensed trouble on both Mount Olympus, and the mortal world. He also senses powerful warriors gathering throughout the universe together in a fight, Kratos included. He knew that they were all gathered by a self-proclaimed god that claimed to the very creation of all. Zeus forbidden the gods from interfering, and that Zeus left to deal with this threat on his own. As he left he proclaimed that he would put a stop to the madness, and defeat anyone who stand in his way.

Confronting Isaac Clarke
As Zeus defeated those he encountered one by one, he was mildly disappointed by the predender's handiwork, even calling a mortal's child's plaything. Shortly after, Zeus encountered Isaac Clarke. Zeus immedentily thought that he was the one responsible for the creation of this strange world. But Isaac told him that he just got in this world too. Angered that Isaac pointed his gun at Zeus, Zeus told Isaac to explain himself before he make him kneel. Isaac couldn't explain and claimed that he saw strange things. However, Zeus told Isaac that having him kneel wasn't a request, and proceeded to strike Isaac with a lightning bolt. But Isaac managed to freeze the lightning. Watching what Isaac can do, Zeus told Isacc that he would pay with his life for his insolence. Zeus and Isaac fought each other, but Zeus ended up defeating Isaac.

Confronting Polygon Man and Aquiring his Power
Shortly after dfeating Isaac Clarke, Zeus encountered the Self-Proclaimed God; Polygon Man. Zeus fought Polygon Man use Zeus defeated him. With the defeat of Polygon Man, Zeus aquired his power. Shortly after Zeus returned to Mt. Olympus. Zeus restored order on Earth when there was only chaos. But in order to do so he had to put the unruly mortals back into there place, and their "god" was stripped from his pretense. However Zeus knew that the threat of Kratos was real, and it mustbe dealt with. Proclaiming that the Gods pocess great power, and that if Kratos could destroy Olympus with ease, he'd be making a big mistaken

Personality
In God of War 2, Zeus seemed to be a sophisticated and calm, but when Gaia told Zeus' story that when she was taking care of Zeus, anger and rage consumed him toward the Titans. And as the 3rd game progressed, Zeus started to become an arrogant, ruthless and careless monster determinded to kill Kratos before he becomes too powerful, and Olympus falls. Fear drove him to become more and more ruthless, because of this, he destroyed Sparta, Severly injured and imprisoned Hephaestus, abused Pandora simply because she wasn't an actual living being, imprisoned and killed the Titans, tortured Prometheus toward the end of time and a bunch of other cruel, unforgivable deeds. After Kratos was killed by Zeus, Zeus decided to destroy Sparta and cause more misery towards Kratos, even in "death". Zeus also seemed to be a bit cowardly. In God of War 3, instead of fighting Kratos himself, he sent his own brothers, Hades, and Poseidon, and other Gods of Olympus such as Hermes, Helios, and Hercules to do his dirty work and watched them die.

Powers and Skills
Zeus is known as the God of Lightning so he can generate lightning, as well as create a spear made out of lightning. He has super human strength, and can grow up to be as 50 feet. He can multiply, regenerate most of his wounds, fly, teleport, and shape-shift into a White Eagle. In God of War 2, Zues also has the ability to summon three Sirens. Zeus is also skilled with the Blade of Olympius. During the end of God of War 3, Zeus' spirit came out as a dark version of himself which appears to have the ability to induce fear, and drain the health out of Kratos. And like all Gods of Olympus, Zeus is immortal, so he can't be killed by age or diseases.

Trivia

 * Zeus is voice by Paul Eiding in God of War, Fred Tatasciore in God of War: Ghost of Sparta, and Corey Burton in both God of War 2 and God of War 3.
 * Zeus is technically the youngest of the Gods of Olympus, but his physical appearance makes him look like he's the oldest.
 * It's been confirmed that the Grave Digger that Kratos encounters in the original God of War, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta is really Zeus in disguise.
 * The Evil that infected Zeus after Pandora's Box was opened is Fear.
 * Zeus made an appearance in every God of War games, except for God of War: Chains of Olympus, There were only statues of himself that appeared, and he was only mentioned several times.
 * Zeus was placed 49th on IGN's Top 100 Video Game Villains
 * While Kratos fight Zeus in God of War III, the main theme music is Brothers of Blood.
 * Zeus is set to appear as a DLC in the video game; Playstation All-Stars Battle Royal on March 19th, and his rival is going to be Isaac Clarke.

Videos
thumb|left|300px|Zeus kills Kratos (God of War 2)thumb|300px|right|Zeus' Pastthumb|left|300px|Zeus during the great warthumb|right|300px|Kratos vs. Zeus (God of War 2, final battle)thumb|left|300px|Zeus opening God of War 3thumb|right|300px|Kratos vs Zeus (God of War 3, 1st boss battle) thumb|left|300px|Kratos vs. Zeus (God of War 3, 2nd boss battle)thumb|right|300px|Kratos vs Zeus (God of War 3, Final battle, with part of the 2nd battle)