Avengers: Endgame May Answer Whether Thanos Can Lift Thor’s Hammer
There’s been a surprising amount of speculation as to whether Thanos could lift Mjolnir, whether with the help of the Infinity Gauntlet or because the Mad Titan’s twisted, but ultimately noble, moral code makes him somehow worthy. However, the digital release this week of Avengers: Endgame may provide an answer.
Detail Of Cap Holding Thor’s Hammer In Endgame Final Battle
A Redditor pointed out an easy-to-miss detail from Endgame’s climactic battle. Wielding Thor’s enchanted hammer, brought back through time by the thunder god, Captain America lands plenty of blows on Thanos. He even uses the weapon to summon lightning repeatedly. There comes a moment, however, when the Mad Titan stops one of Cap’s swings and then smacks Mjolnir out of Steve Rogers’ hand. That, of course, leads to Thanos nearly killing the determined Avenger.
To stop Cap’s swing, Thanos doesn’t directly grab the hammer, though. He instead grips Steve’s wrist. That led fans to wonder whether Thanos knew he wasn’t worthy of lifting Mjolnir. So rather than go for the hammer, he went for its wielder. Sure, Thanos lifts Stormbreaker, but the axe doesn’t have Odin’s enchantment on it, so theoretically, anyone healthy enough could lift it.
Thanos’ Knowledge About The Hammer
The follow-up question, then, is how Thanos would know about Mjolnir’s enchantment? This version of the Mad Titan, from 2014, never had any previous encounter with Thor. Perhaps Loki told him about it when Thanos recruited him before the events of 2012’s The Avengers. Or maybe Thanos didn’t know at all, and he was operating with a more uncomplicated combat tactic. It’s not uncommon for fighters to aim for their opponent’s hands or wrists to make them drop their weapons or to stop their strikes.
Possibility Of Thanos Lifting Mjolnir
To many, the answer to the overarching question is blindingly obvious: No, Thanos could not lift Mjolnir. He’s a homicidal maniac who snuffs out half of all life in the universe because he thinks it’s his destiny to do so. Thanos is vile and self-obsessed, with the unwavering conviction and power to back up his evil deeds. He might not see his actions as such, but they are evil. If anything, this little snippet from Endgame further proves that point. If Thanos knew about the hammer’s enchantment, and he actively avoided grabbing it, then he knew he was unworthy.
That’s a big maybe, however. Mjolnir’s enchantment judges its potential wielder on its own; how the wielder views himself or herself doesn’t exactly matter. Regardless of how much Thanos tries to justify his actions, by Mjolnir’s account, he’s still probably unworthy. It stands to reason Thanos would not be joining the shortlist of candidates to wield that hammer.
Watch the trailer for Avengers: Endgame here:
