One Highly-debatable Scene in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ May Have Predicted a Heart-pounding Endgame Sequence Years Before It Made Fans Go Crazy in Theatres
- Captain America’s brief attempt with Mjolnir in 'Age of Ultron' hints at worthiness.
- Anthony Russo explained Cap’s humility led him to pretend not to lift Mjolnir.
- Joss Whedon supported this, noting Cap didn’t want to offend Thor’s ego.
Marvel fans might be aware of the fact that Mjolnir, can only be lifted by someone who’s ‘worthy,’ thanks to a magical rule set by Thor’s dad, Odin. It’s pretty amazing to see that Captain America, who is known for his pure heart, is finally recognized as worthy of wielding a god’s weapon.
In Avengers: Endgame, Captain America lifting Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, was a huge moment that had everyone cheering. But was this surprising moment completely out of the blue, or were there clues planted years earlier in Avengers: Age of Ultron?
Captain America Always Had the Worthiness for Mjolnir but Hid It for Friendship
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, after a night of drinking, the Avengers try—and fail—to lift Mjolnir while Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor watches and laughs. Everyone fails miserably, except for Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers, aka, Captain America.
The hammer moves slightly when Cap tries to lift it. Thor is surprised but keeps his cool. Fast forward to Endgame, and Cap is wielding Mjolnir with ease, taking on Thanos like a pro. It’s a moment that will be talked about for years to come.
So, why didn’t he wield it that time? Did Cap hide his power, or was he just not quite there yet? Anthony Russo, director of both Civil War and Endgame, addressed this on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in 2019:
In our heads he was able to wield it, and he didn’t know that until that moment in Ultron when he tried to pick it up. But Cap’s sense of character and his sense of humility, sort of out of deference to Thor’s ego, you know Cap in that moment realizing he can move the hammer decides not to.
It’s similar to what Joss Whedon, the director of Age of Ultron, has to say. He stated that Cap was able to lift it completely, but didn’t because he didn’t want to hurt Thor’s feelings. The 60-year-old said (via Den of Geek), “Being worthy but pretending not to so as not to hurt his buddy’s feelings” definitely sounds like something Steve Rogers would do.
The Writer of Age of Ultron Has a Different Take on it
Christopher Markus tweeted during an Avengers: Endgame watchalong and Q&A for ComicBook, “I’d say he’s not completely worthy yet. He still has the secret of Tony’s parents’ death to resolve.”
I'd say he's not completely worthy yet. He still has the secret of Tony's parents' death to resolve. -CM #AvengersAssemble #QuarantineWatchParty https://t.co/xbUI6nbo1f
— ComicBook.com (@ComicBook) April 28, 2020
That secret became a big issue during Tony and Steve’s clash in Captain America: Civil War. It turns out Bucky Barnes, while being controlled and brainwashed, was the one who killed Howard and Maria Stark. But it looks like Whedon’s answer is the tiebreaker between Russo and Markus’ contrasting views.
Watch Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Endgame on Disney+!
