God of War Ragnarok – The Star of the Show is Undoubtedly Sindri

God of War: Ragnarok is finally out after so much hype and anticipation from fans across the globe, and it seems fair to say that it is everything that we expected from this highly-desired sequel. A combat system that adds new tools and skills to Kratos’ already bursting moveset and abilities, a well-written story that manages to be both character-driven and plot-driven simultaneously, and a jaw-dropping visual spectacle is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the improvements that God of War: Ragnarok brings over its predecessor.

But the most pleasant surprise when it comes to the game’s cast of characters has to be Sindri, who really changes and evolves as a person through the course of the narrative. And with this feature, we will be discussing his character arc throughout the events of God of War: Ragnarok, how he differs from other characters, and why he is an underrated star in the game.

Please note that we will be discussing major plot points and certain end-game activities for God of War: Ragnarok’s story, which will be rife with spoilers – so proceed at your caution. With that out of the way, let’s begin.

Players first meet Brok and Sindri during the opening hours of the first God of War, and at first glance – they seem like ordinary blacksmiths caricatures who are just there for comical relief in a game that has too many serious characters. Brok is a foul-mouthed dwarf with little in the name of emotional ability, and his brother Sindri is a considerate blacksmith who loves hygiene and sanctity to an unhealthy degree – and the two brothers seem to have some history between them which has them separated from each other.

As the game progresses, Atreus tries his best to reunite the two brothers by lecturing them about the importance of family and how exercising the virtue of forgiveness in family matters is the best course of action. And after a fair bit of persuasion to both the brothers, the two finally unite and join forces to aid Kratos and Atreus in their journey to reach the highest peak of Jotunheim – which leads to the first game’s conclusion, and the subsequent arrival of Fimbulwinter.

This is the Sindri we are greeted to at the start of Ragnarok, an adept blacksmith who has now resolved all feuds with his brother and has developed a special bonding with Atreus who also finds an adventurous buddy in the form of a lovable dwarf. The two share their secrets with each other, and Sindri also helps Atreus in trying to ask Freya to join forces against Odin – all of which isn’t known to Kratos and the others.

It is during this section that it is revealed that Brok had actually died before, and because Sindri couldn’t live without him – he decided to bring him back to life at all costs. So he went over to the Lake of Souls in Alfheim, and stole Brok’s soul and gave him a second shot at life. The catch here is that, because of this – Brok has been ostracized from the Drawven community and others of his race refuse to interact with him.

Of course, Sindri keeps this hidden from Brok – but he comes to know that he actually died when Ran refuses to communicate with him when they go underwater to forge the Draupnir Spear. You see, mermaids can only communicate through souls, and because Brok doesn’t have one – Ran fails to register his presence at all. It’s also likely that Brok’s bluish skin color is because of Sindri’s selfish pursuit to bring him back from death and not because of working with hazardous metals bare-handed, but that fan theory can’t be outright confirmed – so take that with a pinch of salt.

This starts to drive a wedge between the two brothers once again, but that remains very subtle since Sindri doesn’t know that Brok has realized the truth and Brok never mentions his findings to his brother either. Just as things start to normalize once again, Brok realizes that there is something wrong with Tyr and his immediate resolve to take up arms once again. Just as he closes in on the suspicious Tyr, he is revealed to be Odin in disguise who promptly kills him once again and flees over to Asgard.

This drives Sindri into a frenzy, and he doesn’t recruit the Svartalfheim dwarves into battle of Ragnarok, quite possibly as a means to show his anger towards Kratos – though he says that he doesn’t want to spill any more Dwarven blood for this war. But then, he arrives on the battlefield alone and brings down Asgard’s impenetrable wall by exploiting its only fault all by himself before departing from the battlefield.

Once Odin has been dealt with and he has proven himself to be corrupted beyond rhyme or reason, Atreus traps him into a Giant stone. But then Sindri appears out of thin air, and smashes that soul instantly in a thirst for revenge, and disappears once again.

Just as the story comes to a close, we see how Sindri has gone through a radical shift in his personality. What was once a trustworthy friend with a caring nature and a penchant for forgiveness has been blinded by revenge, and that change can also be seen in how his appearance changes after the death of Brok. His hair seems messier and disheveled than before, and it also looks like he hasn’t gone to sleep in a while. He is angry, upset, and sad, all at the same time.

He accuses Atreus of only taking from him and it was never about Atreus giving him back. According to Sindri, it was a one-sided relationship and Atreus was insistent on helping Tyr which ultimately led to Brok’s demise. Of course, that’s what happens when a beloved gets taken away from someone – and that’s the harsh reality of war that Kratos and Atreus wanted to avoid in the first place.

We get to see Sindri one last time during Brok’s funeral in Svartalfheim, which is the true ending of the game. As the dwarves and Kratos come over to attend his Viking funeral near the shore of the lake, Kratos extends a hand of friendship towards Sindri – which he promptly refuses and disappears into thin air once again.

In conclusion, what makes Sindri’s character such a memorable one is how distinct it is when compared to the rest of the cast. God of War: Ragnarok is a story that’s as much about trying to change one’s decisions as it is about the virtue of forgiveness, and everyone from Kratos to Freya to even Thor learn to be better versions of themselves throughout the events of this narrative – despite how different their scenarios may be or how irreparable their losses might seem.

But to be blinded by something as self-destructive as revenge and destroy all sense of rationale isn’t what most would have expected out of a character like Sindri, and the storytellers over at Sony Santa Monica have once again successfully toyed with our expectations at the most unlikely of times.

Sindri may have been a changed man after what happened to Brok, but deep down – he is still the lovable dwarf that would do anything and everything for his friends, and his showing up to Ragnarok all alone is a testament to that fact. Either way, it seems that Sindri’s story is far from over – and hopefully, some post-launch content or a future sequel may provide closure to his story arc in a way that’s fitting for what he has endured.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.