The Marvel Universe and MCU both have their own sets of magical hammers, but only one Stormbreaker can stand as the mightiest Asgardian weapon.
Thor has long been one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe, and few other heroes have ever been so iconic that they could make the jump from one universe to another and even to the silver screen. Along the way, the God of Thunder has carried several mystic hammers in the forms of Mjolnir and Stormbreaker. As incredible as these weapons are, not every version of them is made equally. The Ultimate Marvel version of Stormbreaker was both the most powerful and utterly useless weapon that the Mighty Thor has ever wielded.
Stormbreaker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Unlike its origin in the comics, the Stormbreaker of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was created not for Beta Ray Bill, but rather for Thor when he was in need of a weapon capable of killing Thanos. After seeking out the dwarves of Nidavellir, Thor was able to convince Eitri to forge Stormbringer for him, and its power was evident during the battle with the Mad Titan during Avengers: Infinity War when it was used to impale Thanos through the chest. Unfortunately, this didn’t bring the villain to his end, and the Avengers would find themselves facing off with Thanos once again during Avengers: Endgame.
Where Did Stormbreaker Go After Avengers: Endgame?
At the final battle for the fate of the universe during Avengers: Endgame, Thor wielded both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker until leaving the former hammer for Steve Rogers. Thor was still able to hold his own against the combined forces of the Outriders, Chitauri and Black Order with just Stormbreaker at his side. The hammer gave Thor enhanced lightning and the ability to heal his wounds, allowing the God of Thunder to easily overpower his foes before going on to join the other heroes in celebration of their victory. When the dust had finally settled, Thor decided to join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy and brought Stormbreaker into space with him.
Thor’s Ultimate Mjolnir Was Marvel’s Weakest Hammer – Until Secret Wars
The Marvel Universe and MCU both have powerful incarnations of Thor’s mightiest weapons, but the Ultimate Universe’s versions of these have gone through some disappointing transformations of their own. The Ultimate Mjolnir in particular has seen itself recreated multiple times, leaving it looking much like the Stormbreaker that fans know and love. After the Ultimate Thor was reborn as a mortal following Ragnarok, the version of the weapon he wielded was a technological marvel created by the European Defense Initiative, leaving Thor wielding a far weaker hammer than he had grown accustomed to, even after it was greatly upgraded by Tony Stark. Following 2015’s Secret Wars #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic, the true Ultimate Mjolnir appeared in Asgard in the primary Marvel Universe, planted firmly in the ground by way of its worthiness enchantment. Not only did this cause a scramble between multiple Asgardians and celestial beings, but when it finally found its rightful owner, it sent them into one of the most lethal rages that the Marvel Universe has ever seen.
How War Thor Returned Stormbreaker to Marvel
Shortly after being appointed to the Council of Worlds, the Asgardian Volstagg was left searching for any possible way to end the war between the Ten Realms that he had watched cause so much death and pain throughout realities. As the Ultimate Thor had died defending the Multiverse, and his hammer was left unclaimed, Volstagg took it upon himself to retrieve the weapon. Upon lifting it in 2017’s Might Thor #20 by Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman and Valerio Schiti, Volstagg arose as the War Thor. In retribution for the attack on a refugee camp of Light Elves, Volstagg took the fight directly to Muspelheim. As reasonable a reaction as this was, Volstagg was narrowly kept from committing a genocide of his own by Jane Foster, who herself had recently become the God of Thunder. The two fought unrelentingly until Jane realized that it was her old friend behind the helm and was able to talk him down from his campaign of bloodshed.
Marvel vs MCU – Which Stormbreaker is the Mightiest?
As incredible as both versions of the weapon are, there is a clear winner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Stormbreaker when the two are stacked up against one another. This could be due to the fact that the Stormbreaker of Marvel Comics has been broken more than once, on top of having a convoluted and confusing history attached to it. Though every version of the hammer shares the same or similar abilities, from commanding lightning to teleporting people and even places, the MCU Stormbreaker has never wavered. It’s very possible that it might not have quite the same sheer power as the hammer of the comics, but the predictability and reliability associated with it far outweigh any potential strength advantages that its counterpart may have. Then again, any magic hammer in the right hands is probably just as good as any other.
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