Who Is Laufey in God of War? Faye Fully Explained

Laufey — known to her family simply as Faye — is one of the most fascinating characters in the God of War universe, despite spending most of the franchise as a deceased plot device. God of War Laufey finally gives her the spotlight she deserves.

Here’s everything you need to know about who she is, where she came from, and why her story matters.

The Basics: Who Is Faye?

Faye is Kratos’ second wife and the mother of Atreus. She appears only in memories and environmental storytelling in God of War (2018), having died before the events of that game. Yet her influence shapes everything that happens across both God of War and Ragnarök.

Her full name is Laufey the Just — a title earned through her role as protector of the Jötnar (Giants) of Norse mythology.

Her True Identity: A Jötunn in Hiding

The biggest revelation of God of War (2018) is that Faye was not the mortal woman she appeared to be. She was in fact a Jötunn — a Giant from Jötunheim — who chose to live among mortals in Midgard, concealing her true nature from almost everyone, including Kratos himself for most of their relationship.

Her reasons for hiding were practical and protective. The Aesir gods — particularly Odin — were systematically hunting and eliminating the Jötnar. By living as a mortal and keeping her identity secret, Faye was both protecting herself and protecting the future she had foreseen.

The Prophecy She Already Knew

What makes Faye extraordinary is that she already knew how things would unfold. The Jötnar possessed the ability to perceive fate, and Faye used this to plan the entire journey that Kratos and Atreus undertake in God of War (2018) — including her own death.

She chose Kratos specifically. She foresaw that their son would play a critical role in Ragnarök. She left carvings and runes throughout the world not as decorations, but as a guide — a roadmap she laid out years in advance.

The mark of Jötunheim she carved above their doorway was not a family symbol. It was a directive.

Her Relationship With Kratos

Faye and Kratos met when she discovered him wielding her Leviathan Axe — a weapon she herself had crafted and imbued with frost magic. Rather than fighting, they formed a bond, eventually marrying and settling in a remote part of Midgard.

Their relationship humanized Kratos in ways that nothing in the Greek era had. He loved her deeply. Her death forced him to confront not just grief, but the question of how to raise their son alone — a mission she had entrusted entirely to him.

Her Battle with Thor

One of the most tantalizing pieces of Faye’s history is her battle with Thor in Vanaheim. Witnesses described a valley torn apart — Thor wielding Mjölnir against a raging Faye with the Leviathan Axe. The fact that Faye survived this encounter speaks to her extraordinary power as a Jötunn warrior.

She was not simply a gentle guardian. She was a fierce fighter who chose peace when possible, but was fully capable of war when necessary.

Laufey in God of War Laufey: The New Chapter

In the upcoming game, Faye awakens in the Everywhen — the afterlife of the gods — immediately after her funeral. This contradicts the fate she had planned, suggesting that something has gone deeply wrong.

The plans she put in place to protect her family are now at risk. To save Kratos and Atreus, she must fight through a realm populated by gods from every mythology across human history — armed with a magical sword she claims from two unlikely companions.

What “Laufey the Just” Means

The title “the Just” was not given lightly. Among the Jötnar, Laufey was known as a protector of the innocent and a keeper of balance. She mediated disputes, protected the weak, and served as one of the last guardians of her people when the Aesir began their campaign of extermination.

Her sense of justice is expected to be a major theme in God of War Laufey — contrasted against the chaotic, self-serving gods she’ll encounter in the Everywhen.

Laufey vs. Faye: The Name Question

Why does the game use “Laufey” in its title when the character was always called Faye?

“Faye” was her mortal alias — the name she chose when living among humans to avoid detection. “Laufey” is her true Jötunn name, the name she carried in Jötunheim, the name connected to her identity, her power, and her legacy.

Using “Laufey” in the game’s title signals that this story is about her true self — not the hidden version she lived as in Midgard, but the full Jötunn warrior she actually is.

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For more on Laufey’s mythology connections, see our Norse Mythology vs God of War comparison.