Mjolnir (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Mjölnir (commonly written without diacritics as Mjolnir) and Stormbreaker, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, are sentient enchanted weapons of choice used by Thor, the Norse god of Thunder. Both are melee weapons and were created out of Uru metal forged with the heat of a dying star in the Dwarven kingdom of Nidavellir, with the assistance of the dwarf king and master weapon-maker Eitri. Mjolnir is a hammer, and was enchanted by Thor's father, Odin, so that only those the hammer deemed "worthy" are capable of wielding or even lifting it. Stormbreaker is an axe, and although it does not have such a worthiness enchantment, its power is such that a mere mortal attempting to wield it would be driven mad.

Mjolnir first appeared in the post-credits scene in ''Iron Man 2'' (2010), and has appeared thereafter in every film featuring Thor except for one, those being ''Thor'' (2011), '' The Avengers'' (2012), '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013), '' Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015), ''Doctor Strange'' (2016), '' Thor: Ragnarok'' (2017), '' Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018), '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), and '' Thor: Love and Thunder'' (2022). Stormbreaker first appears in '' Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018)—also the only MCU film in which Thor does not wield Mjolnir at all—and appears again in '' Avengers: Endgame'', and '' Thor: Love and Thunder''. Conversely, the post-credit scene in ''Iron Man 2'' and a scene from the second episode of the Disney+ TV series '' What If...?'' are the only MCU media in which Mjolnir appears while Thor does not.

Conceptual history

Mjolnir debuted in print in the Marvel Comics title ''Journey into Mystery'' #83 (Aug. 1962), being the means by which physician Donald Blake transformed into thunder god Thor Odinson (by striking it on the ground). The first use of the hammer's name was in the "Tales of Asgard" feature in ''Thor'' #135 (Dec. 1966) in a story by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The weapon's origin is eventually revealed in ''Thor'' Annual #11 (1983), with another version presented in ''Thor'' vol. 2, #80 (Aug. 2004).

Mjolnir's origin in the Marvel Comics continuity mirrors the original Norse legend. The hammer is created when Odin's adopted son Loki cuts off the hair of the goddess Sif as part of a cruel jest, and, when threatened with violence by Thor, promises to fetch replacement hair from the dwarf smiths. Loki commissions the hair from the Sons of Ivaldi, and the obliging dwarves create the hair and other gifts for the gods. Loki is convinced that no one can match their workmanship, and challenges a dwarf named Eitri to make finer treasures. After creating some other magical items, Eitri begins work on a hammer. Loki panics, fearing that he will lose the wager, and transforms himself into a moth to bother Eitri (in the original myth, Loki becomes a gadfly and stings Eitri's assistant). As a result, the hammer's handle is shorter in length than Eitri intended, meaning that it could only be wielded one-handed. Despite the error, the Norse gods consider Eitri to have forged the greater treasures, and Loki loses the bet.

In a 2002 documentary with Kevin Smith, Lee says his brother and co-creator Larry Lieber originally referred to Mjolnir as the "Uru Hammer". Writer Roy Thomas eventually changed the name of the hammer to the mythologically correct name of "Mjolnir" but maintained the Larry Lieber concept of it being composed of fictional metal "uru".

Film design

Visual Development Supervisor Charlie Wen was tasked with designing Thor's appearance for the films, and focused on mixing elements from the comic books with Norse mythology, "trying to maintain the Norse side of things" as much as possible. The first design element that Wen attempted was Mjolnir, for which Wen created a number of possible alternatives, incorporating designs including "the traditional Thor hammer with the short handle as well as the Ultimates versions", from which the one director Kenneth Branagh chose "was the most traditional one". In a 2018 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth revealed that he has kept a number of the prop hammers created for the film.

The concept artist tasked with designing the MCU version of Stormbreaker, Ryan Meinerding, decided to deviate substantially from the design of Stormbreaker used in the comics, feeling that "the original Stormbreaker looked a bit too much like the original Mjolnir". Consequently, Stormbreaker "more closely resembles the Mjolnir from the Ultimate Marvel run than the original Stormbreaker hammer bestowed upon Thor's rival turned ally Beta Ray Bill". Meinerding intentionally made Stormbreaker comparatively oversized and overpowered, to convey that the wielder of the weapon must also be someone incredibly powerful.

Powers and characteristics

Both weapons can be summoned by Thor, and will return to his hand after being thrown. Both weapons also enable Thor to fly, and to channel his power to summon lightning. Stormbreaker has the additional power to summon the Bifröst, allowing Thor to teleport anywhere in the Nine Realms. ''Screen Rant'' has identified Stormbreaker as the more powerful of the two, based on this ability, as well as it being a much larger and edged weapon. Both weapons also appear to have a degree of sentience, with Stormbreaker apparently being envious of Thor's affection for Mjolnir, a characteristic director Taika Waititi attributed to the handle being made from the arm of the adolescent Groot, and carrying over some of that character's moodiness at that age.

Appearances

Initial appearance

Mjolnir is first seen in the MCU in a post-credits scene in the 2010 film, ''Iron Man 2'', in which S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson reports on the hammer being found at the center of an impact crater in the New Mexican desert. Locals try to move it, even using a rope tied to a pickup truck, without success.

Its appearance there is explained in ''Thor''. The hammer is first seen in Odin's vault, along with other powerful artifacts. An adult Thor preparing to inherit the throne of Asgard wields Mjolnir in battle against Frost Giants on Jotunheim. After Thor re-ignites an ancient war between Asgard and the Frost Giants, Odin banishes him to Earth, stripping his son of his superhuman abilities and enchanting Mjolnir so that only those worthy are capable of lifting it. Odin also sends Mjolnir to Earth, where a crowd of humans gather in an effort to lift the hammer, attracting the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. Thor eventually finds Mjolnir but is himself unable to lift it until he later proves his worthiness by sacrificing his life against the Destroyer. The hammer appears to instantly heal his injuries when he holds it and he uses it to defeat the Destroyer. He battles his adopted brother Loki with it, countering Gungnir, Odin's staff which Loki had stolen. Thor ultimately uses the hammer to destroy the Bifröst Bridge.

In '' The Avengers'', Thor uses the hammer in combat throughout. He battles Tony Stark in his Iron Man armor, and Stark's arc reactor is able to absorb the lightning conjured by Mjolnir to increase his armor's power. It clashes with Steve Rogers' vibranium shield, creating a massive shockwave that knocks both parties down. Thor also battles The Hulk (who fails to lift it during the confrontation), Loki, and Chitauri soldiers. During the Battle of New York, he uses the hammer to bottleneck the massive portal above New York City, combining its lightning with the Chrysler Building as an amplifier to destroy numerous Chitauri reinforcements and their Leviathans. In '' Thor: The Dark World'', Thor uses the hammer throughout to battle the Dark Elf Malekith and his minions. In '' Avengers: Age of Ultron'', Thor uses the hammer in battle against Hydra soldiers, hitting it against Rogers' shield to create massive shockwaves capable of destroying tanks. When Thor challenges the other Avengers to lift Mjolnir at a party, all fail save for Rogers, who appears to move it slightly, shocking Thor. After tracking Ultron to Africa, the team is initially overwhelmed by the villian and his allies, the Maximoff twins; however, when Pietro Maximoff tries to grab Mjolnir while moving at super speed, the attempt instead knocks Pietro out of the fight. When Stark and Banner create the Vision, the Avengers are mistrustful of the synthezoid until he casually lifts Mjolnir, after which Thor is confident in the android. Later, the Vision is shown capable of using the hammer during a fight. Stark and Rogers later jest that Vision is not truly "worthy" as he is an artificial intelligence, comparing him to an elevator that would continue to work if Mjolnir were placed inside.

Mjolnir also appears in a June 2014 poster advertising the upcoming film, ''Ant-Man'', with the protagonist in his miniaturized form standing on the hammer, though it does not appear in the film itself.

Destruction of Mjolnir and forging of Stormbreaker

In '' Thor: Ragnarok'', Thor uses the hammer to defeat the fire demon Surtur and his minions. When Odin dies, Thor's sister Hela escapes from her prison. Thor throws Mjolnir at her but she catches and destroys it. Thor's exploration of Hela's origins reveals to him that Mjolnir was originally her weapon. In a vision, Odin tells Thor that the hammer is also a means to control his power and that it alone does not make him the "God of Thunder". In '' Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018), Thor travels to Nidavellir with Guardians of the Galaxy members Rocket and Groot to ask the dwarf king Eitri for a replacement weapon. Eitri has a design called Stormbreaker prepared, an axe meant to be the most powerful in the Asgardian king's arsenal, with powers similar to Mjolnir and capable of summoning the Bifröst Bridge. Thor helps Eitri restart the damaged forge to heat the ore, and nearly dies while trying to create it, but before its completion. Eitri declares that Thor "needs the axe" to survive, so Groot hastily brings together the two pieces that make the head of Stormbreaker and cuts off his own arm to serve as a handle; Thor is then healed by the completed Stormbreaker. Stormbreaker is capable of conjuring massive lightning attacks, allows Thor to fly, and serves as a two-handed offensive weapon capable of withstanding attacks from the Infinity Gauntlet with all six Infinity Stones.

Thor then uses it to defeat the Outriders in Wakanda, and to attack Thanos, overcoming a counterattack by the Infinity Gauntlet and seriously wounding Thanos with a blow to the chest. Nevertheless, Thanos is able to use the gauntlet to snap away half of all life, and then teleport away.

Using Stormbreaker and recovering alternative timeline Mjolnir

In ''Avengers: Endgame'', some weeks after the snap, Thor uses the axe to decapitate Thanos on the Garden. However, at this point the Infinity Stones have been destroyed by Thanos, preventing the snap from being undone.

Five years later, Thor has become a depressed overweight alcoholic, and uses Stormbreaker as a bottle opener. After Stark solves the problem of controlled time travel, Thor visits Asgard in an alternate 2013 timeline during the " Time Heist" to retrieve the Aether, and undo the Blip. While there, Thor manages to summon a past version of Mjolnir, proving his continued worthiness. He brings Mjolnir with him to the main timeline and uses it in combination with Stormbreaker during the ultimate fight against an alternate Thanos. Thor uses the weapons to generate lightning to supercharge Stark's Iron Man armor during their fight, and at one point tosses Mjolnir in the air and hits it with Stormbreaker to propel it towards Thanos. Alternate Thanos gains hold of Stormbreaker and overwhelms and nearly kills Thor by pushing it into his chest, but Rogers proves able to wield Mjolnir, using it to save Thor's life, who is pleased to confirm his suspicions about Rogers' worthiness. Rogers then battles Thanos with Mjolnir, combining the hammer with his shield for offensive and defensive combination attacks. Rogers is also able to conjure lightning. During the final battle with alternate Thanos and his entire army, Rogers uses Mjolnir as he leads the Avengers and their allies into battle against Thanos and the Children of Thanos, while Thor uses Stormbreaker. After Thanos is defeated, Rogers takes Mjolnir, along with the Infinity Stones, to return them to the times and places from which they were initially taken.

Restoration of the broken Mjolnir

In January 2022, it was reported that promotional artwork for the forthcoming fourth Thor movie, '' Thor: Love and Thunder'', showed that the destroyed version of Mjolnir had been remade (albeit with visible cracks), and was now being wielded by a worthy Jane Foster. In the film, a flashback reveals that years earlier, Thor unknowingly enchanted Mjolnir to protect Foster. When Foster is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she researches the possibility that Mjolnir gives its wielder enhanced strength and stamina. She travels to New Asgard in search of the remnants of Mjolnir, which reassembles itself in Jane's presence and proclaims her worthy, surprising Thor when he meets her again as the new wielder of the hammer. Foster, thereby having the power of Thor, uses the alias of Mighty Thor and wields the reconstructed version of the hammer in battle against Gorr the God Butcher and his forces, and against soldiers of Zeus while visiting Omnipotence City. The reconstructed hammer, when launched from its wielder, can separate into its fragments to hit multiple targets at once before reassembling. In one comedic moment, Thor tries to summon Mjolnir, but Stormbreaker enters the room, with Thor reacting as if Stormbreaker were jealous.

Thor, Foster, and Valkyrie pursue Gorr to the Shadow Realm, where Foster sees ancient drawings that depict Thor's battle-axe Stormbreaker as a way to summon the Bifrost to enter the realm of a godlike celestial called Eternity, who can grant Gorr's wish to destroy all gods. Foster deduces the trap laid out by Gorr and throws away Stormbreaker to prevent Gorr from accessing it, but Gorr overpowers the group and threatens to kill Foster, forcing Thor to summon Stormbreaker back. Gorr successfully steals Stormbreaker and injures Valkyrie before a weakened Foster collapses. Foster learns that use of Mjolnir is actually exacerbating her cancer by draining her life force. In the final confrontation with Gorr, she nevertheless uses Mjolnir to destroy the Necrosword, at the cost of her own life. Gorr succeeds in using Stormbreaker to reach Eternity, but Thor persuades Gorr to use his wish to revive his lost daughter, Love. Thor once again takes possession of Mjolnir following Foster's death. In the end, Thor adopts Love, who has been restored from death by Eternity, and Thor gives Love Stormbreaker while reclaiming use of the restored Mjölnir and wielding it for himself.

Alternate versions

A broken, alternate version of Mjolnir owned by Throg appears in the fifth episode of ''Loki'' in the Void. In the same episode, the Loki variant described as Boastful Loki "wields a hammer that looks an awful lot Mjolnir".

Another alternate version of Mjolnir appears in the second episode of '' What If...?'' as part of the Collector's collection on Knowhere. In the third episode, the hammer appears in the desert as it had in the film, ''Thor'', but Thor is fatally wounded by an arrow from Clint Barton while trying to retrieve it. Still another version appears in the seventh episode, which Thor uses to fight against Captain Marvel. For unexplained reasons, Thor remains the only one able to lift the hammer in this universe despite Odin never being shown enchanting it with the "worthy" spell. Thor later uses the hammer to battle a multiverse-threatening version of Ultron.

The MCU TV series '' Hawkeye'' features a fictional in-universe performance of '' Rogers: The Musical'', a Broadway musical featuring an actor playing Thor wielding a prop Mjolnir.

References

{{Thor (Marvel Comics)

Thor (film series)
Marvel Cinematic Universe features
Marvel Comics weapons
Sentient objects in fiction
Fictional elements introduced in 2010