The Boar Easter Egg You Probably Missed While Playing God Of War
Kratos made his much anticipated return 2018's God of War. With his son Atreus by his side, the Greek god killer embarked upon a new adventure that centered around Norse mythology. Kratos' latest journey came to a close after he honored his second wife's request by spreading her ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms. During that important mission, both father and son clashed with all manner of mythical beasts and Gods within a vast Norse realm.
There's so much to see and do within God of War. As you're taking in all the awe inspiring sights around you and furiously battling it out with trolls & Valkyries, you might end up missing a clever easter egg or two.
There's a good amount of cool moments within the game that are clear nods to TV shows, Atreus' true self, and mythological Norse lore. One of God of War's earliest moments gives players a warm father-son moment that's meant to show their tense yet budding relationship. The boar at the center of their brief hunting mission is quite divine in its own right. In fact, its real name is revealed during an intriguing cutscene.
A boar that Kratos and Atreus encounters early on during their adventure is way more important than one might think
In the middle of Kratos and Atreus' hunting lesson, Atreus ends up striking down a boar that happens to be sporting unique markings on its body.
Kratos and Atreus eventually run off to follow the boar, but they soon get split up. Once Kratos finally finds his son, he notices that Atreus is being accompanied by a woman. We come to find out that she is known as the Witch of the Woods, who notes that the boar is a friend of hers and the last of its kind in all the realms.
In order to make up for attacking the boar, Kratos carries it back to the Witch's home for a healing session. While Atreus leaves the home to find some ingredients for the Witch, she reveals what she knows about Kratos. A secret conversation leads to a reveal about the boar's identity: it's actually Hildisvini, a shapeshifter from another realm.
Hildisvini is actually referred to as a "battle-boar" that was created by the dwarfs Dainn and Nabbi. In mythology, the boar belongs to the goddess Freya, the true identity of the Witch that Kratos interacts with.