Hela, the Goddess of Death, is one of the most powerful supervillains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). She showed just how powerful she was when she destroyed Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.
But how was she able to perform this feat? Would she be able to destroy Thor’s ax, Stormbreaker, if given the opportunity?
Hela may have been able to destroy Mjolnir because of her great power, her familiarity with the weapon, or because Odin’s recent death could have removed the hammer’s enchantment. It is unclear whether she could destroy Stormbreaker in the same way.
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Why Can Hela Destroy Mjolnir?
Thor: Ragnarok introduces Hela in dramatic fashion: when Thor throws Mjolnir at her, she grabs, crushes, and shatters it with her hand.
This is an incredible display of power, but fans continue to wonder how she pulled it off. What is the explanation? Why could Hela destroy Mjolnir?
The movie doesn’t offer a direct explanation, though it implies Hela overpowered the hammer. This is one of several possible explanations.
There is no doubt Hela was incredibly strong–one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. Even Odin confessed that he was unable to stop her, which implies that she at least equaled him in power.
If Hela was as strong as Odin, or even stronger, it’s possible his enchantment on Mjolnir did not affect Hela. She could have controlled the weapon regardless of whether or not she was worthy.
Some fans suggest that she was worthy–that she believed Odin wronged her when he banished her to Hel, and that she was doing the right thing by returning to claim her place as the rightful ruler of Asgard.
If the hammer deemed her worthy, she would have been able to hold it and lift it as easily as Thor did.
Remember, though, it was the hammer’s enchantment that decided whether a person was worthy to wield it. Odin enchanted the hammer, and he died moments before Hela destroyed it.
One fan theory suggests that, when Odin died, his magic died with him. This meant the enchantment would have been removed from the hammer and anyone, including Hela, could hold it.
Another theory points to the fact that Mjolnir once belonged to Hela. She wielded it in battle when she fought alongside Odin in his quest to conquer the Nine Realms.
She owned the hammer longer than Thor, and her battle experience gave her time to learn all of its secrets.
If anyone figured out a way to destroy the hammer, it would have been Hela. So, it’s possible she could destroy it because it previously belonged to her.
Why Does Hela Destroy Mjolnir?
Regardless of Hela’s methods for destroying Mjolnir, another question remains: why did she destroy it?
The likeliest explanation is, she did it to make a point to Thor and Loki.
When Hela confronted her younger brothers moments after their father’s death, her goal was to return to Asgard and take the throne.
Meanwhile, Thor and Loki were determined to keep her from reaching Asgard, whatever the cost.
In the ensuing struggle, Thor hurled the hammer at Hela, who caught and held it in midair as Thor struggled to draw it back to him.
“It’s not possible,” Thor said.
Hela replied, “Darling, you have no idea what’s possible.” Then she tightened her grip on the hammer until it shattered.
She did this to demonstrate her power–to show Thor and Loki that they could not match her strength. In this way, she made her claim for the throne–showing them both that the right to rule was hers due to her greater power.
How is Hela Worthy of Mjolnir?
As mentioned above, many fans speculate that, because Hela could hold and destroy Mjolnir, she was worthy to wield it.
And yet, she was an evil, power-hungry character. How could such a being be worthy of Mjolnir?
We also discussed above that there are many ways she could have wielded the hammer without being worthy.
But if she was, in fact, worthy, this was likely because she believed she was doing the right thing.
Twisted as that may sound, the root motive behind her actions could have been pure. Perhaps she believed it was not only her right but her duty to rule Asgard.
If this was the case, her values could have aligned closer to Odin’s than anyone realized. After all, she once fought by his side, and together, they conquered the Nine Realms.
Again, though, there are other ways she could have destroyed the hammer without being worthy to wield it, and many of these explanations make more sense.
For example, it is easier to believe that, rather than being worthy, she was more powerful than Odin’s enchantment on the hammer.
Can Hela Destroy Stormbreaker?
Thor created Stormbreaker after Hela was destroyed in Ragnarok. The Uru-forged ax replaced Mjolnir and in many ways seemed to be even more powerful.
With this in mind, many fans wondered if Hela could have destroyed Stormbreaker the way she destroyed Mjolnir.
Fan opinions are divided on this question.
Some point out that, since Stormbreaker was made to defeat an Infinity Gauntlet-wearing Thanos, Hela probably wouldn’t have stood a chance against it.
Others note that she did not have a history of wielding Stormbreaker, so she would not have been as familiar with the weapon as she was with Mjolnir. Thus, she would not have had the power to destroy it.
Still others suggest that her sheer strength and power are enough to overcome any weapon, even the mighty Stormbreaker.
Since Stormbreaker was forged after Hela’s death, we will never have a definitive answer to this question unless the Goddess of Death finds a way to come back from the dead.
Conclusion
There are several explanations for why Hela could destroy Mjolnir. She may have overpowered its enchantment, or the enchantment may have ceased when Odin died. The hammer could have deemed her worthy, though this seems unlikely.
She may have been able to destroy it because the weapon previously belonged to her, so she knew it better than Thor.
Stormbreaker was a more powerful weapon than Mjolnir, and Hela was not familiar with it, so it’s unlikely she could have affected it. However, she was an extremely powerful character–there is a possibility her great strength would have enabled her to destroy it.
Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.