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Kratos Aurion is one of my all-time favorite characters in Tales of Symphonia. In fact, I like him so much, that I put him in second place in my ranking of all the possible party members.

(By the way, there’s a spoiler alert in effect from here on out, because I’m about to discuss crucial plot points to the story.)

He is, by far, one of the most useful members in your party. He can heal, cast spells, and swing a sword (or dagger, I guess) with the best of them. All these things make it all the more devastating when you reach the Tower of Salvation and he betrays your team.

I know I’m not the only one out there who frantically wondered how to get Kratos back. For that reason, I’m going to discuss how – or even if – it’s possible to win him back over.

Introduction to Kratos Aurion

Kratos Aurion

Let’s start with a brief profile of Kratos Aurion and why you should absolutely use him in your party.

Kratos Aurion is a self-proclaimed “mercenary” you meet at the beginning of the game when Colette receives the oracle to begin the Journey of Regeneration. Like the cool guy he is, he saves your party from a group of people attacking the temple.

Seriously, the first time you meet him, there’s an over-the-top guitar riff playing in the background as he shields Lloyd from an attack. You know right from the start that he’s supposed to be the strong, silent type.

Although his personality can be a teensy bit too cliché, he is a huge asset to your party. He’s one of the most flexible characters in the game in combat.

He can cast First Aid, which is absolutely crucial at the beginning of the game. Like Genis, he can also cast decent offensive spells. On top of that, he can be a robust close-range attacker, just like Lloyd.

Is it Possible to Stop Him from Leaving?

Kratos Aurion with Wings

When you finally reach the end of the Journey of Regeneration and go to the Tower of Salvation, Kratos turns on you. He reveals himself to have been a member of Cruxis all along, and that everything – the Journey, Martel, the Chosen’s duty – is all a lie.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent his departure. This is a scripted event that will always happen no matter what choices you make.

How Do You Get Kratos Back?

If you’re a Kratos fan, there is good news: you can get him back in your party. Technically, there are two instances in which you can bring him back.

The first one is temporary. Later on in the game, as you go on a mission to confront Forcystus, one of the Desian Grand Cardinals, you can briefly team up with Kratos again. As soon as you leave the human ranch, though, Kratos promptly leaves your party once more.

Towards the very end of the game – and I really do mean the very end – you’ll get another opportunity to bring Kratos back. There will be a scene where your party rests overnight in the snowy city of Flanoir before going to face Mithos once and for all.

Lloyd, alone in his hotel room, will get a series of people knocking on his door. Each one will be other party members you’ve built up the highest relationship with, and they’ll one by one ask if you’ll go outside with them.

Say no to every single one. Once you’ve gone through all of them, Lloyd will hear a voice outside his window calling his name. You’ll have no choice now but to go outside, and guess who’s out there: Kratos.

Lloyd will have an emotional conversation with Kratos outside. This will set into motion the chain of events that will soon add Kratos back to your party for the duration of the game.

A word of caution, though: choosing Kratos automatically means Zelos will turn on you and you’ll be forced to kill him at the Tower of Salvation. After the one time I chose Kratos, I never had the heart to fight Zelos again, so I’ve never repeated that choice.

Wrap Up

There you have it: a quick guide on how to get Kratos Aurion back in your party. Sadly, you’ll have to go for the majority of the game without him, but it is possible to bring him back permanently near the end.

Even more sadly, this does mean you’ll have to sacrifice Zelos. You cannot have both them in your party at the same time for the rest of the game. It’s up to you whether or not that sacrifice is worth it.

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