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Mjolnir (comics)

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File:Thor-494.jpg
Mjolnir held aloft on the cover of Thor vol. 1, #494. Art by Mike Deodato Jr..

Mjolnir (IPA pronunciation: [mɪjolnər]) is a fictional weapon from the Marvel Universe (specifically the Earth-616 universe). Mjolnir resembles a large hammer and is the favoured weapon of the Thunder God and superhero Thor. Mjolnir translated into English means "That Which Smashes".

Composition

Forged by Dwarven blacksmiths, Mjolnir is composed of the fictional Asgardian metal Uru, and has a strange stone-like appearance. On the side of the hammer is the inscription: "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

Fictional history

There are two versions of the origin of Mjolnir.

According to Norse myth, Loki the trickster cuts off the hair of the goddess Sif as part of a cruel jest. Threatened with grave physical harm by Thor, Loki escapes his fate by promising to fetch replacement hair from the dwarf smiths. Loki commissions the hair from the sons of Ivaldi and the obliging dwarves also make a magic ship and spear as gifts for the gods. Loki is convinced that no one can match their workmanship, and challenges a dwarf named Eitri to make finer treasures. Eitri first makes a golden ring; then a golden boar and finally begins work on a hammer. Loki begins to panic at the sight of the treasures, and fearful that he would lose the wager, transforms himself into a mayfly and stings Eitri's assistant on the brow as he is working the bellows for the forge. The assistant stops for a moment to wipe away the blood, and the bellows fall flat - the end result being that the hammer is shorter in the handle than Eitri had originally intended.

Despite this, the Norse gods consider Eitri to have forged the greater treasures, and in retaliation the sons of Ivaldi sew Loki's lips shut. Odin uses the hammer - called Mjolnir by Eitri - and eventually passes the hammer to his son Thor, who must first prove he is worthy to wield the weapon.[1]

Another more recent version claims Odin orders the dwarven blacksmiths Eitri, Brok, and Buri to forge Mjolnir, using the core of a star and an enchanted forge. The forging of the hammer is apparently so intense it destroys the star and nearly Earth itself (possibly causing the extinction of Earth's dinosaurs, although this has not been proven). When Thor and Loki were still infants, Odin used the hammer in battle to slay Loki's father, Laufey.[2]

Mjolnir's enchantments

  • No living being can lift the hammer from the ground unless he or she is worthy. Provisions to that enchantment require that there can be but one worthy wielder of the hammer at a given time, and the current wielder must be bested in fair combat by a worthy contestant in order for that contestant to win it (see Other Wielders below).
  • Causes the hammer to return to the exact spot from which it is thrown after striking its target. The hammer will also return to Thor's hand when summoned.
  • Enables its wielder to summon the elements of storm (wind, rain, thunder, and lightning) by stamping its handle twice on the ground (note that Thor as the God of Thunder is capable of this act without Mjolnir).
  • Enables the hammer to open interdimensional portals, allowing its wielder to travel to other dimensions, such as from Earth to Asgard. The hammer can also be used to create portals to travel great distances in the same dimension.
  • Enables Thor to transform into the guise of a mortal, physician Donald Blake, by stamping the hammer's head to the ground once. A provision of this enchantment requires that the hammer can not be out of Thor' s hand for more than one minute without his spontaneous reversion to his mortal self. When Thor transforms into Blake, his hammer takes the appearance of a wooden walking stick. When disguised, the hammer's enchantments limiting those who could lift it are not in effect. This enchantment was later transferred to Stormbreaker, the hammer of Beta Ray Bill.[3] Note that when Thor adopted the mortal persona of Jake Olson the stick was removed and Thor simply stamped his fist into the ground to effect a change.[4]
  • The hammer had one enchantment that has been rescinded. Mjolnir could be swung in such a way as to generate chronal displacement inertia enabling its wielder to travel through time. This property, separate from the hammer's dimension-spanning ability, was removed by Immortus, whose mastery over time exceeds that of the Asgardians.

Note: These enchantments are reliant on the will of Odin. When Odin "died" during a confrontation with the Celestials, Mjolnir's ability to return was suspended.[5]

Other Wielders

File:Thor-338.jpg
Thor and Beta Ray Bill fight for Mjolnir in Thor vol. 1, #338. Art By Walter Simonson

Mainstream Marvel Universe continuity:

  • Odin
  • Buri (sometimes known as Tiawaz) [8]
  • Red Norvell with the aid of magical gauntlets [9]


Alternate Realities (all non-canon):

  • Dargo Ktor (Future Thor) [13]
  • Captain America [20]

Uses

Mjolnir can be used both offensively and defensively. Thor often uses the hammer as a physical weapon, with almost nothing being capable of withstanding a hammer blow or throw. A rare exception is primary adamantium. [22] Exceptionally durable opponents such as the Silver Surfer[23] or Superman[24] can also recover from a hammer blow fairly quickly. Other offensive capabilities include creating vortices; emitting mystical blasts of energy; controlling electro-magnetism; molecular manipulation and generating the awesome Geo-Blast; Anti-Force and God Blast.

Defensively Mjolnir can also be used to block attacks, absorb and redirect energy and by being spun in an arc repel all attacks, be they physical or energy-based.

Thor also uses Mjolnir as a means of transportation by hurling the hammer and gripping the thong on the shaft, being pulled along by the force created. Once airborne, Thor can change direction, speed and altitude.

There are also several rarely used abilities:

  • Mjolnir can detect illusions - Thor once commanded the hammer to strike the meta-physical villain Mephisto, who was hiding amongst false images of himself.[25]
  • A former religious relic, Mjolnir is lethal to undead. Thor once threw Mjolnir at a vampire, with contact causing the vampire to burst into flame and then crumble to dust.[26]
  • Mjolnir can project images, as Thor shows a glimpse of Asgard to a curious Iron Man.[27]

Limitations

Although an incredibly powerful weapon, Mjolnir is not invulnerable. It has been damaged several times over the years:

  • Thor shatters Mjolnir after channelling an incredible amount of energy at the Celestial Exitar.[29]
  • Mjolnir is shattered when it collides with the uru weapons of Loki's Storm Giant followers, resulting in an atomic-scale explosion.[31]

Other Versions

During the Celestial Saga it was revealed that another version of Mjolnir had survived a previous incarnation of Asgard and the eventual Ragnarok. It was apparently thrown to Midgard (Earth) by Thor's sons - Modi and Magni - and landed in the Rhine river where it was transformed into the magical Rhinegold.[32] It is not known whether this story is canon.

In the alternate universe of the Ultimates, the Ultimate Thor uses a version of Mjolnir resembling a war club rather than a hammer.[33]

Imitations

Several imitations of Mjolnir have existed. The most well-known are the two created by Odin himself: Stormbreaker for Beta Ray Bill,[34] and the mace Thunderstrike for Eric Masterson. Loki has been responsible for the creation of several imitations - a version of Mjolnir is presented to the mutant X-Man Storm in an attempt to control her,[35] while another version is given to the adventurer Deadpool to spite Thor.[36] Loki later allows Surtur to use the forge Mjolnir was created from to craft copies during Ragnarok.[37] Tony Stark and Reed Richards also create a technological imitation Mjolnir for use by the clone Thor during the events of the Civil War.[38]

References

  1. ^ Thor Annual vol. 1, #11
  2. ^ Thor vol. 1, #80
  3. ^ Thor vol. 1, #340
  4. ^ Thor vol. 2, #1
  5. ^ Thor vol. 1, #300
  6. ^ Thor vol. 1, #390
  7. ^ Thor vol. 1, #337
  8. ^ Thor vol. 1, #355
  9. ^ Thor vol.1, #276
  10. ^ Thor vol.1, #433
  11. ^ Avengers/JLA #4 (2003)
  12. ^ She-Hulk vol. 2, #14
  13. ^ Thor vol. 1, #384
  14. ^ Thor vol. 2, #75
  15. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1, #43
  16. ^ What If vol. 1 #39. - What if Thor battled Conan the Barbarian?
  17. ^ What If vol. 1 #47. - What if Loki had found the hammer of Thor?
  18. ^ What If vol. 2 #66. - What if Rogue possessed the power of Thor?
  19. ^ What If vol. 2 #114. -What if the Secret Wars: 25 years later.
  20. ^ What If vol. 5. - What if Age of Apocalypse: What if both Xavier and Magneto were killed by Legion?
  21. ^ Marvel vs. DC #3 (1996)
  22. ^ Avengers vol. 1, #68. Thor throws Mjolnir at the adamantium robot Ultron with no effect
  23. ^ Silver Surfer vol 1, #4
  24. ^ JLA/Avengers #1 - 2
  25. ^ Thor vol. 1, #310
  26. ^ Thor vol. 1, #332
  27. ^ Earth's Mightiest Heroes #1 - 6 (2005)
  28. ^ Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #119
  29. ^ Thor vol. 1, #388
  30. ^ Thor vol. 2, #11
  31. ^ Thor vol. 2, #80
  32. ^ Thor vol. 1, #287-300
  33. ^ Ultimates vol. 1, #4
  34. ^ Thor vol. 1, #339
  35. ^ X-Men Anuual #9(1985)
  36. ^ Deadpool vol. 1, #37
  37. ^ Thor vol. 2, #80
  38. ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007)
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