16

I was just watching Ultimate Avengers and apparently, Hulk got really angry and just decided to pick up Thor's hammer... Twice. Now we do know that people other than Thor can wield it as long as they deemed worthy, but I highly doubt that was the case here. So is it canon that Mjölnir has been lifted before just by the Hulk's or any other character's brute strength?

Improve this question
3
  • 2
    In the Ultimate Avengers universe, it's unclear whether the hammer still has the same enchantments on it as in the main comic/film universe.
    – Valorum
    Jan 17, 2015 at 10:13
  • I read somewhere that some comic had someone used a Infinity Gem to lift Mjölnir, and succeeded! Barely. I couldn't find the issue. (Web-searching just brought up Avengers 2.) If someone can confirm, we would have to change the answer to yes.
    – CTMacUser
    Sep 30, 2016 at 11:59
  • 1
    It might look as if Hulk was lifting the hammer if it stayed in place while he pushed the ground away.
    – Gaultheria
    May 15, 2018 at 22:18

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
26

No. Canon Earth-616's Mjolnir cannot be moved by brute strength as long as Odin's "worthiness" enchantment functions. It has never been lifted by anyone sentient who was not worthy. It has resisted most versions of the Hulk (exception below), Hyperion, even DC Comics physically strongest hero, Superman (during designated crossovers).

In the Marvel Handbook Entry on Mjolnir:

"Thanks to a special enchantment which was placed upon the hammer by Odin (who happens to be Thor's father and the Omnipotent ruler of the Norse Gods)...No living being can lift Mjolnir unless he (or she) is someone who Odin himself, would deem worthy of possessing the hammer! A lot of pretty powerful people, some of the strongest in the Universe, have tried to raise it...but they all failed!"

enter image description here

A POSSIBLE EXCEPTION

  • In what may be considered an alternate future, the Hulk meets his future evil persona, the Maestro. Combining Banner's intellect and the most powerful version of the Hulk ever seen up to that time, the Maestro appears to have killed all of Earth's metahumans including the Mighty Thor and has Thor's hammer in a display case.

enter image description here

  • Since Thor is dead, it is presumed he managed to place the hammer there himself. The actual disposition of the worthiness enchantment is unknown but presumed to have been working up to the death of Thor. This IMPLIES the Maestro moved it AFTER Thor was dead.

enter image description here

The Maestro by George Perez from The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1, published by Marvel, December 1992.

LOOPHOLE IN LIFTING MJOLNIR

  • The operative word is "living" being. Thor's hammer has been moved by sentient non-living machines like the Mad Thinker's Awesome Android aka "Awesome Andy". Other notable sentient machines who have lifted Mjolnir include Gabriel Air-walker, herald of Galactus and The Tomorrow Man's Robot miner.

enter image description here

Created by the Mad Thinker utilizing stolen materials from Dr. Reed Richards, Awesome Andy began his life as a weapon to be used against super-humans. Andy was one of the Thinker's first attempts at creating synthetic superhuman servants. Andy is a cross between a robot and more "true" androids as he contains various mechanical parts.

Andy came into existence a shortly after the Thinker infiltrated the Baxter Building for the first time, a hodge podge of data based on Richard's notes on DNA. By splicing the molecular DNA of an ape with Richard's own patented "unstable molecules", the end result being a 15 foot partially organic body into which the Thinker inserted a powerful micro-computer brain coupled with a solar charged power source. The Thinker did not, however, give the android a means of vocalization.

It is Andy's unique design, comprised of unstable molecular tissue and skin, that allows him to imitate certain properties and abilities of the beings he establishes physical or sensory contact with. Andy can imitate anything from the Thing's rocky skin, the wings of a bird, the properties of Thor's hammer or a cello prodigy's musical abilities just by being in close proximity.

In addition to this ability Andy can produce 180 mph winds from his "mouth", form his fists into large granite blocks and by some unknown means expand his size by up to 10%. Andy's weakness is a series of nerve ganglia located under his left armpit, which, when struck, will shut him down.

  • It was the Awesome Android's ability to emulate superpowers which allowed him to lift and hold Mjolnir. He emulated Thor's worthiness and broke free of the Mad Thinker's control becoming "worthy" and renouncing his controller's evil machinations.

REF: Character - Awesome Android (Comicbookrealm.com)

IN ULTIMATE AVENGERS

In the event depicted in the Ultimates Universe known as Earth-1610

  • In the Ultimates Universe Thor's hammer isn'the quite the same as Mjolnir in the canon Earth-616 universe. The first version of the weapon was a silver hammer-axe combination and was technological in origin.

  • Later, even when Thor wielded the true hammer Mjolnir, the Earth #1610 version did not have an enchantment making it unable to be used by the unworthy. It was stolen and used several times by various villains, Magneto, Gregory Stark and by Captain America.

See Also: How does Hulk lift Mjolnir in Ultimate Avengers movie?

See Also: Can Magneto Lift Thor's Hammer?

Improve this answer
7
  • So, Awesome Android is basically the Marvel version of Amazo. Huh. Also, I wonder if Galactus would be able to pick up Mjolnir?
    – Omegacron
    Mar 12, 2015 at 14:45
  • It's also possible that Maestro somehow built a display case around Mjolnir and then just moved the whole case; I'm pretty sure we've seen people indirectly move Mjolnir, most notably, anyone who's pushed/pulled/lifted/thrown Thor while he held it.
    – KutuluMike
    Mar 12, 2015 at 20:16
  • Can Jarvis lift it? Iron Man can't lift it due to being controlled by Tony Stark, and thus it's effectively Tony trying to lift it. However, Jarvis is essentially an animatronic suit, if it was programmed to act on its own with a human host inside (basicly Tony would be just enjoying the ride while Jarvis controlled the suit), could it be lifted by "Iron Man"?
    – Oak
    May 25, 2015 at 22:13
  • Could I pick it up if I used a forklift? What if it was on one side of a seesaw and I pushed down on the other side - would the end that Mjolnir is on go up? If I tie a rope to Mjolnir, throw the other end of the rope over a tree branch, and pull on that end, will Mjolnir raise off the ground? Since the Helicarrier carried Mjolnir while Thor wasn't holding it, obviously mechanical devices can lift it. At what point does a method of lifting Mjolnir become too close to me lifting it myself, as opposed to lifting it with some sort of mechanical device?
    – Wad Cheber
    Jun 10, 2015 at 4:45
  • 2
    @Thaddeus Howze The Maestro tried and failed to lift Mjolnir during his second fight with the Hulk in Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #2.
    – LogicDictates
    Jul 1, 2020 at 17:18
10

No, brute strength is insufficient.

In the JLA/Avengers Crossover event, Superman was able to wield Mjolnir in his fight against Krona. Once the fight is completed, he attempts to lift the hammer and finds that he is unable to do so. Since Superman is one of the strongest comic-book characters, it's reasonable to assume that strength alone is not enough.

On those occasions when Hulk has lifted Mjolnir, it's invariably because it's a dream-sequence/trick/not-really-Hulk/not-really-Mjolnir/different-universe/stop-hitting-yourself/Zero-G kind of deal.

enter image description here

enter image description here

Improve this answer
2
  • 3
    I didn't know they did a Superman/ He-Man crossover...
    – KutuluMike
    Mar 12, 2015 at 20:17
  • @KutuluMike yes there was a superman he-man crossover in 1982 when DC was doing the original minicomics for the toys. Then later Marvel did some. DC did another crossover in 2013.
    – lucasbachmann
    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:03
0

I'm pretty sure that the Vision has lifted Mjolnir, and I have always wondered if this was because he was worthy, or if it was possibly because he used his mechanical strength and overwhelmed the enchantment in some fashion...

He was certainly sentient at the time so it would seem to imply so. It could have simply been that he is not a living being however.

Improve this answer
2
  • I'm not sure how this answers the question, which is about whether Mjolnir can be lifted by brute strength. This looks more like a comment regarding the section on "Awesome Andy" in Thaddeus' answer.
    – F1Krazy
    May 15, 2018 at 10:49
  • @F1Krazy Thx for the pointer about the question. I've added a teeny bit to my answer that clarifies my musings about the Vision lifting Mjolnir. I've seen a post in the past that suggests having a cameo of Stan Lee in a role as a Janitor lifting it off a coffee table and dusting underneath. I think that'd be extremely cool. Sadly - pretty unlikely to happen now - Thor's new Axe/ Hammer doesn't have Odin's enchantment. So I can imagine Marvel using that as some plotline's in the MCU somewhere down the line...
    – kiltannen
    May 16, 2018 at 22:58

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.