God of War Ragnarok and The Last of Us: Understanding the Depths of Thor and Joel’s Characters.
When it comes to video game characters, conflicted or flawed protagonists are often easier to empathize with. Their actions may be considered immoral, but understanding their perspective and the reasons behind their decisions can create a shared understanding with players. This is especially true in games like God of War Ragnarok and The Last of Us, where the characters of Thor and Joel challenge players’ expectations and surprise them with their nuanced and complicated personalities.
Both Thor and Joel are characters who are defeated father figures in their own right, but they also have key differences that make them unique. Thor, known for his prominent name in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for the past decade, is portrayed as an antagonist in God of War Ragnarok, which is a refreshing change of pace narratively. On the other hand, Joel from The Last of Us is a character that fans would defend passionately, despite his divisive choices.
Thor and Joel share similarities in that they are both incapable of sharing their feelings and have hardened exteriors to protect themselves from emotional vulnerability. However, they are also fathers who are desperately in need of redemption after leading violent lives. Most of their problems are solved through violence, and their behaviors frequently mirror their fears and struggles.
In God of War Ragnarok, Thor is left crippled under the weight of his father, Odin, and feels inferior in the eyes of his wife and daughter. Like Joel, Thor is perceived as an antagonist based on his actions and the perspectives of the protagonists players are aligned with throughout the game. Spending time with Thor’s son, Atreus in Asgard reveals a different side of Thor that is not seen by the other characters. Similarly, if Abby in The Last of Us Part 2 had known the reasons behind Joel’s actions, his death may have been avoided. Unfortunately, both Thor and Joel die before they are able to fully redeem themselves or explain their choices to those around them.
While the timing of Thor and Joel’s deaths may be a subject of debate among fans, it is evident that Joel was always a marked man in a hostile world where revenge and retribution are top priorities for everyone. Both Thor and Joel exhibit a penchant for rage, but Thor seems to enjoy killing far more than Joel. When Thor challenges Kratos, the protagonist of God of War Ragnarok, it is more of a contest rather than a fight for survival or to defend someone he loves. Thor uses killing as a way to vent his internalized anger, whereas Joel’s motivations are more complex.
In The Last of Us Part 2, Joel no longer seeks redemption for his actions by the time he tears Ellie from the hospital. He is content with his choices and would do it
