Steve Rogers (Captain America) was one of the most likable Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) characters in the Infinity Saga.
His integrity and values matched those of Odin, father of the Thunder God, Thor. Because of his values, Cap was able to lift Mjolnir in Avengers: Endgame. But since the hammer was destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok, you may wonder how Captain America got Mjolnir.
In Endgame, the Avengers figured out how to time travel. This allowed Thor to return to Asgard in 2013 with Rocket Raccoon to retrieve the Reality Stone. While in 2013 Asgard, Thor also found he was still worthy of summoning Mjolnir, allowing him to bring it to 2023.
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How Was Mjolnir Destroyed?
In Thor: Ragnarok, we met Thor and Loki’s sister, Hela. During the film, Hela destroyed Thor’s trademark weapon, Mjolnir. This occurred when Thor met his sister.
During the meeting, she demanded he and Loki kneel, claiming she was their queen.
Thor refused and threw Mjolnir. Hela caught and destroyed it by seemingly doing nothing. Therefore, we never knew exactly how she destroyed Mjolnir, so we can only point to three prevailing theories.
As arguably the most powerful villain Thor faced when Marvel released the film, Hela’s strength may have been too great. Thor couldn’t match his sister, and by extension, neither could Mjolnir.
It’s also possible Hela understood just how powerful Mjolnir was. It was once her weapon, one she used while helping her father, Odin, conquer the Nine Realms.
While Odin banished Hela and took the weapon from her, she still knew how it worked. This tells us she probably knew how to destroy it.
Finally, we know Hela was worthy of wielding the warhammer. So the final theory is that if she was worthy enough to wield it, she was also worthy enough to destroy it.
Regardless of how Hela did this, it wasn’t the last time we saw Mjolnir in the Infinity Saga. Later, Captain America came across the relic.
How Did Captain America Get Mjolnir?
During Avengers: Endgame, Thor battled Thanos and the Mad Titan got the upper hand. Just when it looked like Thanos was going to defeat the God of Thunder, Mjolnir flew not into Thor’s hand, but into Captain America’s, and the First Avenger used it to ward off Thanos.
Captain America’s ability to wield Mjolnir was a fulfillment of what occurred earlier in the saga, when he was able to nudge it in Age of Ultron. During the flick, Cap realized he could move but not lift Mjolnir. Or at least he acted as though he couldn’t lift it.
There are a few theories surrounding why Cap was suddenly able to wield the hammer in Endgame.
One is that he was worthy in Age of Ultron, but didn’t lift it at that time to protect Thor’s ego. Another is that he wasn’t fully worthy of lifting Mjolnir until he confessed to Tony Stark that Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) killed Stark’s parents.
How Could Captain America Get Mjolnir if Hela Destroyed It?
In Endgame, Cap was worthy enough to wield Mjolnir, but Hela had previously destroyed it in Thor: Ragnarok. This is one of those plot elements that is easy to miss if your attention deviates for only a few minutes in Endgame.
When the Avengers traveled back in time to retrieve the Infinity Stones, Thor returned to 2013, four years before Hela destroyed it. He and Rocket ended up in Asgard, where Rocket retrieved the Reality Stone from Jane Foster.
Before leaving Asgard, Thor stuck out his hand and Mjolnir returned to him. This allowed Thor to take the hammer back to 2023. Fast-forward to the climactic battle scene in Endgame, where Thor brought both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker.
This put the Mjolnir in close proximity to Cap, allowing him to summon it to keep Thanos from defeating Thor. And, ironically enough, instead of Thor’s ego being dampened, the God of Thunder smiled and said, “I knew it.”
Thor’s remark implied that he knew Cap was able to move Mjolnir during Age of Ultron.
What Happened to Mjolnir After Endgame?
Now that we closed one potential plot hole, let’s look at another that had fans asking questions. Following Endgame’s climax, Cap returned the Infinity Stones to their original locations, and he took Mjolnir along for the ride.
One reason he possibly took Mjolnir with him is because of the probable threats he could have faced when embarking on the mission. For example, he would return the Soul Stone to Red Skull, his nemesis from The First Avenger.
Whether Cap needed to wield Mjolnir a little longer to ward off threats is something we don’t know. But, when returning the Reality Stone to 2013 Asgard, he probably also returned Mjolnir.
When you think about it, this action makes a ton of sense. Had Cap not returned Mjolnir to 2013, Thor never would have succeeded in stifling Malekith in Thor: The Dark World. He also never would have had it during Age of Ultron.
Other Characters Who Lifted Mjolnir
Thor, Hela, and Cap weren’t the only characters in the MCU to wield Mjolnir. Few characters pulled off the feat, but they deserve recognition since wielding Mjolnir is such a rare occurrence.
Jane Foster (Mighty Thor) wielded the relic in Thor: Love and Thunder. Since Cap returned Mjolnir, Hela still destroyed it in Thor: Ragnarok. However, the hammer repaired itself when Jane visited New Asgard, choosing her to wield it.
Vision shocked everyone when he picked it up in Age of Ultron. The newly-born superhero later used Mjolnir during the battle against Ultron in Sokovia when the A.I. villain battled Thor. This would be the only time Vision used Mjolnir in the Infinity Saga.
In Thor, Odin also lifted the hammer, and he was the one who enchanted Mjolnir to allow only worthy users to wield it. Initially, this enchantment was a punishment for Thor, who constantly abused Mjolnir’s powers.
The God of Thunder wouldn’t wield it again until he stopped falling short of Odin’s values. He wouldn’t have to wait long, however, as Mjolnir deemed Thor worthy toward the end of the flick.
Conclusion
While it seemed confusing at first, time travel allowed Thor to bring Mjolnir into 2023. Since he took it from 2013 Asgard, Hela had not yet had the chance to destroy it.
Ultimately, Captain America wielded it when Thanos was about to defeat Thor in Endgame’s climactic battle scene.
Following Endgame’s climax, Cap returned the Infinity Stones to their initial locations, and he most likely returned Mjolnir to 2013 Asgard.
Thor, Cap, and Hela weren’t the only ones able to lift Mjolnir. Mighty Thor, Odin, and Vision also wielded the relic at varying moments in the MCU timeline.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in Star Wars Canon, Legends, and MCU. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.