Mjolnir in popular culture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mjolnir, the Hammer of Thor from Norse mythology, is frequently referred to in works of popular culture. This is a list of notable literature, video games, and other creations that use the mythology of Mjolnir or, at minimum, the name.
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[edit] Depictions in modern popular culture
[edit] Comics
- Marvel Comics' version of Thor wielded a hammer named Mjolnir.
- Neil Gaiman's DC Comics fantasy series The Sandman featured an appearance by Thor, which occasioned two sexually-toned jokes about Thor's hammer. The first involves Thor trying to impress Bast, an Egyptian goddess, telling her "Do you want to play with my hammer? It's called Mjollnir. If I rub it, it gets bigger." The other involves Bast telling another character about last seeing Thor in a drunken stupor, singing to himself a song beginning with the words, "My hammer has a huge hard handle." It is worth noting here that in the illustrations of Thor, Mjolnir is extremely tiny.
[edit] Film
- The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions have a hovercraft named Mjolnir, although it is referred to colloquially as The Hammer.
[edit] Music
- A German black metal band named Mjölnir.
- Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" makes reference loosely with the line 'Hammer of the gods'
- Finnish band Amorphis depicts Mjolnir on their album covers: "Tales From The Thousand Lakes" and "Far From The Sun"
- Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth pays tribute with their album, and its title track "The Crusher".
[edit] Sports
- In eXtreme Croquet, a Darwinian step in the development of a wedge-faced mallet for lofting croquet balls over in-course obstacles was named Mjolnir.
[edit] Television
- In the science fiction series Stargate SG-1, the alien Asgard upon whom the Earthly legends were originally based developed a weapon system called Thor's Hammer to protect certain primitive human worlds from the Goa'uld. (This was in the episode: "Thor's Hammer")
- In the science fiction series First Wave, Mjolnir is a Gua device capable of opening portals in space-time. It was sent to Earth thousands of years ago in preparation for invasion. In ancient times, it was used by Norse settlers to travel as far as western Canada, and was incorporated into their mythology. After being found by archaeologists, it is sought by the Gua and Cade Foster as a weapon.
- In the science fiction series The X-Files, Thor's hammer is the code name of a scientist capable of building weapons of mass destruction who was aboard the Queen Anne in the episode "Triangle" where Fox Mulder was transported back to 1939.
- In an episode of Nip/Tuck, Ariel (Brittany Snow) wears a Mjolnir icon earring with a swastika on the upper section, which she gives Matt (John Hensley) to wear after piercing his ear.
- On Dave the Barbarian, Dave's enchanted sword Lula has an enchanted hammer for a sister called "Molly", which was short for Mjollnir. Thor (sans beard) is also present and is really ticked when Molly is missing.
- In the made-for-tv Movie, The Incredible Hulk Returns, based on the 1970s television series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, an archaeologist named Dr. Blake finds a hammer which can summon Thor.
- In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Anya's ex-boyfriend Olaf possesses a godly hammer which is sufficient to harm Glorificus the Hell-god.
[edit] Video games
- NetHack has an artifact war-hammer named Mjollnir (a less common spelling, see Mjolnir Main article).
- Darkstone, a Diablo-style game, has a weapon named Mjolnir.
- Several games by Bungie Software feature MJOLNIR battle armor.
- In the Volition game FreeSpace 2, Mjolnir is a long range stationary beam cannon, used to guard locations such as Space Stations or Jump points. Its firepower far outranks other gun platforms.
- In the Breath of Fire III game, Mjolnir (spelled Myollinir) is the most powerful thunder-elemental magic spell.
- In the Quake expansion pack "Scourge of Armagon", Mjolnir is reproduced somewhat faithfully as a hammer which fires lightning bolts at nearby enemies when it is struck against the ground.
- In the Final Fantasy XI MMORPG, Mjollnir is the strongest weapon that a White Mage can wield.
- In Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, Mjollnir is an artifact, which gives you +3 strength.
- In the Ambrosia Software game Escape Velocity Nova, Mjolnir is used as the name of a solar system. The description of the space station in that system refers to a "Cyborg Soldier". Part of the development team worked on a mod for Marathon and inserted the reference as homage.
- In the GunBound online game, a large satellite that shoots out beams of lightning as players battle down below is called Thor's Hammer.
- In the Ragnarok Online MMORPG, Mjolnir is a high level, legendary hammer, which gives +15 Strength and +40 Dexterity as well as a higher attack speed than other hammers, that only players of levels 95 to 99 and certain classes are able to wield (with 99 being the highest level). Also, Mt. Mjolnir is the name of the northern mountain pass to Al de Baran.
- In the adventure game God of Thunder, which features Thor as a playable character with Mjolnir.
- The roguelike Ancient Domains of Mystery includes a "Hammer of the Gods" that returns to its owner when thrown, presumably Mjolnir.
- In Tales of Symphonia, a unison attack named Mjollnir results from the fusion of a spell from the Lightning line and a technique from the Pow Hammer line. The game also includes a massive cannon known as "Thor's Hammer."
- In Microsoft Age Of Mythology, Thor uses Mjolnir to stop Kronos from being freed in Niflheim.
- In Nintendo Fire Emblem.
- In the MMORPG game Eve online the EMP torpedo is called the Mjolnir torpedo.
- In the MMORPG game RuneScape, are three "Mjolnirs" from the quest Making History, devoted to the game's three major gods. Unlike the mythical Mjolnirs, which is a hammer, the Runescape versions look like large spears, and act like staffs.
- In Konami's Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for the Nintendo DS, Mjollnjr is the most powerful hammer-type weapon.
- In Atari's Act of War, Mjolnir is a super-heavy Howitzer fielded by Task Force Talon as its tactical weapon.
- In Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, Mjolnir is a powerful staff.
- In Super X Studios' Far Gate, the Mjolnir is Admiral Kristoff's flagship destroyer.
- In Dark Age of Camelot the Midgard class Thane, has a AOE spell line that comands the power of Mjolnir, also known as the Big Blue Hammer Spell.
- In Outpost 2 a weapon that Eden posesses is called Thor's Hammer. It shoots a lightning bolt at its target.
- In Dota Allstars an item is called Mjollnir. It has a chance on attack to cast chain lightning.
[edit] Wargames
- In Classic BattleTech, a ship class of the Lyran Alliance (Battlecruiser) is also named Mjolnir.
