Mjolnir (comics)

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For other uses, see Mjolnir (disambiguation).
Mjolnir held aloft on the cover of Thor vol. 1, #494. Art by Mike Deodato Jr.
Mjolnir held aloft on the cover of Thor vol. 1, #494. Art by Mike Deodato Jr.

Mjolnir (pronounced /mɨˈjoʊlnər/) is a weapon from the fictional Marvel Universe. This version of Mjolnir resembles a large short-handle hammer and is the favored weapon of Thor, the superhero and Thunder God. The hammer first appeared, along with the Thunder God, in Journey into Mystery vol. 1, #83 (August 1962).

Contents

[edit] Fictional history

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." [1]

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.[2]

Another 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. [3]

[edit] Mjolnir's enchantments

  • No living being can lift the hammer from the ground unless he or she is deemed worthy by Odin. However, the hammer can be lifted by machines, androids, or robots.
  • By throwing the hammer and then holding on its leather thong, Thor can voluntarily be towed by his weapon into the air and thus fly. Furthermore, he's also able to control his velocity and direction in that position by unrevealed means.
  • The hammer returns to the exact spot from which it is thrown after striking its target. The hammer will also return to Thor's hand when summoned.
  • Its wielder may summon the elements of storm (lightning, wind, and rain) by stamping its handle twice on the ground.[4] It can also be used to manipulate the weather on an almost global scale, as Thor once did at Spider-Man's request to spread a chemical agent around the world to counteract another set of chemicals released by Doctor Octopus that risked destroying the ozone layer.[5]
  • Mjolnir is able 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 within the same dimension. [6]
  • The hammer 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 physical contact of Thor for more than one minute without his spontaneous reversion to his mortal self. Fortunately, the hammer is small enough to carry in Thor's belt, and thus in physical contact with his body, when he wants both his hands free. 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. [7] 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.[8]
  • Previously, Mjolnir could be swung in such a way as to generate chronal displacement inertia enabling its wielder to travel through time. [9] This property, separate from the hammer's dimension-spanning ability, was removed by Immortus, with Thor's consent. [10] Thor, however, has since been shown to be able to stop time with Mjolnir. [11]

[edit] Other wielders

Mainstream Marvel Universe continuity:

Alternate realities"

Marvel/DC crossovers: Mjolnir has been wielded twice by DC Universe heroes in crossovers:

[edit] 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. It has been described as impacting with sufficient force to "destroy mountains" [27] and has proven capable of shattering the armor of a Celestial [28] A rare exception is primary adamantium, as Thor throws Mjolnir at the adamantium robot Ultron with no effect. [29]

Other offensive capabilities include creating vortices; emitting mystical blasts of energy; controlling electromagnetism; molecular manipulation and generating the Geo-Blast, [30] Anti-Force, [31] and God Blast. [32]

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.[33]

There are also other 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.[34]
  • 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.[35]
  • Mjolnir can project images, as Thor shows a glimpse of Asgard to a curious Iron Man.[36]
  • Mjolnir can drain or restore the life force from an opponent. Thor uses this ability on the supervillain the Presence, who is forced to surrender before being reduced to a lifeless husk. [37] [38] Thor uses Mjolnir to restore the life of the second Union Jack and also endow the hero with electric generating powers. [39]
  • Mjolnir is used as a power source to augment the abilities of an Atlantean warship. [40]

[edit] Limitations

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

  • Molecule Man shattered the atomic bonds between the hammer's molecules, vaporizing it.
  • Thor shattered Mjolnir after channeling an incredible amount of energy at the Celestial Exitar.[42]
  • Perrikus cut the hammer in half with a magical scythe.[43]
  • Mjolnir was shattered when it collided with the uru weapons of Loki's Storm Giant followers, resulting in an atomic-scale explosion.[44]

[edit] 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.[45] It is not known whether this story is canon.
  • In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Mjolnir is a hybrid of hammer and axe, but later changes in appearance to resemble the mainstream version.

[edit] Imitations

Several imitations of Mjolnir have existed. The most well-known are the two created by Odin himself: Stormbreaker for Beta Ray Bill, [46] and the mace Thunderstrike for Eric Masterson. [47] 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, [48] while another version is given to the adventurer Deadpool to spite Thor. [49] Loki later allows Surtur to use the forge Mjolnir was created from to craft copies during Ragnarok. [50] Tony Stark and Reed Richards also create a technological imitation Mjolnir for use by the clone Thor during the events of the Civil War.[51]

[edit] References

  1. ^ First seen in Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #83
  2. ^ Thor Annual vol. 1, #11
  3. ^ Thor vol. 1, #80
  4. ^ The first three enchantments can be seen in Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #83
  5. ^ Amazing Spider-Man #339
  6. ^ Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #88
  7. ^ Thor vol. 1, #340
  8. ^ Thor vol. 2, #1
  9. ^ First seen in Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #86
  10. ^ Thor vol. 1, #282
  11. ^ Avengers vol. 1, #300
  12. ^ She-Hulk vol. 2, #14
  13. ^ Thor vol. 1, #337
  14. ^ Thor vol. 1, #355
  15. ^ Thor vol. 1, #390
  16. ^ Thor vol.1, #433
  17. ^ What If vol. 5
  18. ^ What If vol. 1 #39
  19. ^ What If vol. 2 #114
  20. ^ Thor vol. 1, #384
  21. ^ What If vol. 1 #47
  22. ^ Thor vol. 2, #75
  23. ^ What If vol. 2 #66
  24. ^ Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1, #43
  25. ^ Marvel vs. DC #2-#3 (1996)
  26. ^ JLA/Avengers #4 (2004)
  27. ^ Thor vol. 1, #312
  28. ^ Thor vol. , #387
  29. ^ Avengers #68 (Sep. 1969)
  30. ^ An energy wave that taps a planet's gravitational force. See Thor vol. 1, #161
  31. ^ Energy created to counter-act another force. See Thor vol. 2, #25
  32. ^ A massive blast that taps into Thor's life force. See Thor vol. 2, #12
  33. ^ First seen in Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #83
  34. ^ Thor vol. 1, #310
  35. ^ Thor vol. 1, #332
  36. ^ Earth's Mightiest Heroes #1 - 6 (2005)
  37. ^ Avengers vol. 3, #44
  38. ^ Thor #381
  39. ^ Invaders vol. 1 #33
  40. ^ JLA/Avengers #4 (2004)
  41. ^ Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #119
  42. ^ Thor vol. 1, #388
  43. ^ Thor vol. 2, #11
  44. ^ Thor vol. 2, #80
  45. ^ Thor vol. 1, #287-300
  46. ^ Thor vol. 1, #339
  47. ^ Thor vol. 1, #459
  48. ^ X-Men Annual #9(1985)
  49. ^ Deadpool vol. 1, #37
  50. ^ Thor vol. 2, #80
  51. ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007)
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