While this question is common among MCU fans, it is not easily answered.
When taking the comics into consideration, things become even more confusing and most of the time, the “who is worthy” debate comes down to flimsy fan theories.
In this article, we will discuss those who lifted the infamous hammer in the MCU movies and why they were deemed worthy, as well as others who were able to lift Mjolnir in the comics and why.
Let’s jump right into it and try to lay this debate to rest.
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Those Who Could Lift Mjolnir (in the Movies)
If we look solely at the movies, we are to believe that anyone can wield Thor’s hammer as long as they meet the conditions of Odin’s enchantment.
The spell Odin places on Mjolnir states, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”
Right away the confusion begins. Fans argue that this could either mean worthy according to Odin or worthy according to Mjolnir itself, as it is a sentient being.
Let’s take a look at the six characters that have been able to lift Mjolnir in the cinematic universe. Hopefully this will give us a better idea of Odin’s original definition of “worthy.”
Thor
The obvious place to begin is with the owner of the tremendous Mjolnir, Thor.
Any true Marvel fan is aware of the struggles the God of Thunder has had with his famous weapon, losing the ability to lift it in both the movies and the comics.
While Thor has grown as a character over the course of the movies, he has obviously walked the line of what Odin deemed to be “worthy,” but ultimately the grand Mjolnir belongs to and is associated the most with Thor.
Thor stands for truth, justice, and peace and prefers to resolve conflict in a non-violent manner, remaining honorable no matter the situation. These are most likely some of the traits that allow Thor to lift Mjolnir.
The Mighty Thor
Jane Foster, although dealing with her own medical issues at the time, was able to wield Mjolnir as “The Mighty Thor.”
Thor was doing some soul searching after the destruction of his beloved hammer at the hands of his sister, Hela.
In Thor: Love and Thunder, Jane proves that she is worthy when she brandishes Mjolnir as well as her new “Mighty Thor” attire.
Traits that Jane displays which make her worthy to carry the mighty hammer are bravery, compassion, intelligence, and a strong desire to help others.
Odin
The reason Odin is able to lift Mjolnir seems pretty self-explanatory. Odin is the Allfather, the king of Asgard, the conqueror of the Nine Realms.
He was the person that placed the enchantment on Mjolnir so not just anyone could use it. Although better displayed in the comics, we must keep in mind that Odin was stronger than both Thor and Loki.
Odin was not only extremely powerful, but also extremely wise. As the ruler of Asgard, it is clear to see why he was not only able to wield Mjolnir, but also place an enchantment on it which would determine who could wield it.
Captain America
The Captain is seen using Thor’s hammer in Avengers: Endgame, where he uses it to battle Thanos.
Cap’s first attempt at lifting Mjolnir came during a scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where all the Avengers took turns trying to lift the bulky weapon.
Captain America was able to shift the hammer in place, to the surprise of Thor, but ultimately didn’t lift the hammer. Marvel Studios confirmed that Rogers could have lifted Mjolnir at this point if he wanted to, but didn’t out of respect for Thor.
The traits that he possessed which allowed him to brandish Mjolnir were plentiful. He showed the willingness to sacrifice himself on numerous occasions, as well as excellent leadership qualities.
He was a role model to many heroes and children alike, and extremely brave and merciful.
In many regards, Captain America had a pure heart and was always looking to do what was right, thus he fit all the qualifications to satisfy both Odin and Mjolnir.
Hela
This is the point in the article where the mechanics of how Mjolnir works begin to get confusing, sending MCU fans into numerous heated debates online.
Hela, Thor’s sister, is the Goddess of Death. She is incredibly powerful, second only to Odin in his prime. She also happened to be the original owner of Mjolnir.
We are introduced to Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, only moments after Odin’s death. Odin warned Loki and Thor of Hela’s “limitless” power before passing on and breaking the enchantment which kept Hela imprisoned.
After a quick introduction, Hela demanded that Thor and Loki kneel before her, to which Thor disagreed, promptly throwing his hammer directly at his sister.
This is the moment which vastly divides Marvel fans. Some argue that Hela is holding Mjolnir, while others claim that she is merely stopping it from progressing forward.
Hela then proceeds to crush the famous hammer with one hand, leaving it in pieces on the ground in front of her.
Whether Mjolnir thought that Hela was worthy or not, one fact remains true: Hela is extremely powerful. It could be argued that Hela was able to hold/stop Thor’s hammer as she was more powerful than both Mjolnir and the enchantment Odin cast upon it.
This is backed up by the fact that she was able to destroy it quite easily. No matter the reason, Hela was a character that was able to hold Mjolnir in her hand under her own freewill.
Vision
Another troubling addition to the list is Vision. In Thor: Age of Ultron, we witness Vision effortlessly lift the hammer of the thunder god and hand it to him. This leaves everyone in the room speechless, as none of the Avengers had been able to achieve this feat thus far.
There are also a few theories as to why Vision was able to lift Mjolnir while all the other heroes couldn’t.
One such theory suggests that Vision could lift the hammer because he wasn’t a human but a synthezoid created by Ultron.
Thus, he didn’t have to be worthy to lift it, as Mjolnir viewed him as a machine and he merely had to be strong enough to lift the 42-lb weapon.
Another theory proposes that since Vision was technically created shortly before lifting the hammer, he was still pure of heart, not yet having the opportunity to make undesirable decisions or even truly develop his personality traits.
Even though Vision was able to lift Mjolnir, many fans are still convinced that he wasn’t worthy.
Those Who Could Lift Mjolnir (in the Comics)
When we ask the question, “how does Mjolnir decide who is worthy?” but include all Marvel comics (including some DC comics), this list drastically inflates and the definition of “worthy” becomes even more unclear.
In the Marvel comics over the years, numerous heroes have been able to wield the mighty hammer. Some of those who successfully hoisted Mjolnir were:
- Beta Ray Bill
- Eric Masterson
- Loki
- The Destroyer
- Black Panther
- Eddie Brock
- Conan
- Doctor Doom
These are just a few names on the long list of those able to wield Thor’s favorite weapon. Some were able to do this due to worthiness, some used special forces, and others were able to lift it thanks to a ruse concocted by Odin.
So, when trying to define Mjolnir’s view of who is worthy and who isn’t, the comics only serve to add to the confusion.
What Makes Someone Worthy of Wielding Mjolnir?
When reviewing Odin’s enchantment, Thor’s struggles, and all those who have been able to wield Mjolnir in the MCU, there are a few characteristics which the hammer definitely deems more important than others.
To be able to lift and use the mighty hammer of Thor, one must be courageous and selfless, willing to sacrifice themselves if need be. They must have genuine intentions and fight for all that is good and true.
As Thor put it, to wield his hammer one must be worthy by having “a pure heart and a noble mind.”
What do you think makes someone worthy to lift Mjolnir? Let us know in the comments below.
Jon Huber is a creative writer & editor who has been freelancing since 2020. From worldbuilding to scriptwriting, he does a little bit of everything in the industry. His true passion is writing in the Fantasy genre. Since he began writing for a living he has also spent a large amount of time writing/editing articles in numerous genres including sci-fi, tech, sports, and recreation.