Why Captain America Was Able To Lift Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir In Avengers: Endgame

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In the world of superheroes, not everyone can handle Mjolnir. Normally, it’s Thor who lays claim to this legendary hammer, employing its unique unliftability feature to restrain foes and assert his worthiness among the Avengers. But in “Avengers: Endgame,” even Steve Rogers, the embodiment of Captain America, demonstrated that he was worthy of wielding the Asgardian artifact. During the epic showdown of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s grandest film, he utilized Mjolnir to pummel Thanos for an impressive 30 seconds – a moment so impactful that it moved Chris Evans himself to tears.

As a gamer, I’ve been pondering over why Cap can wield Mjolnir in the Marvel movies. The Russo brothers, the masterminds behind the scenes, have straight up explained it.

Joe Russo (through Collider) expressed that the idea can be traced back to Ultron [the movie]. Fans of Marvel, when Captain America tested the hammer and was deemed worthy, likely experienced a deep sense of excitement and anticipation about the possibility of him lifting it someday. If we were to incorporate dramatic circumstances surrounding his use of the hammer, followed by a brief victory over Thanos, we believed we could provide a humorous moment for the audience.

In “Age of Ultron,” Anthony Russo explained that Captain America was aware he could lift the hammer, but due to his honor, camaraderie, and respect for Thor’s ego, he chose not to reveal this ability. This realization came to him when he attempted to pick up the hammer in that movie.

Why is it a big deal to wield Mjolnir?

In my gaming world, the guidelines for wielding the most extraordinary war hammer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe were established right from Thor’s initial movie. When I, as the God of Thunder, defied my father Odin’s orders and ignited a conflict on Jotunheim, he banished me to the unremarkable planet Earth. Yet, even in exile, he sent my hammer along with me, following his declaration: “Whoever grasps this hammer, if they prove themselves worthy, shall commandeer the might of Thor.

In the storyline of that film, this situation makes the goals at hand very apparent: If Thor manages to reclaim his worthiness, he will once again possess his hammer. Magic! That’s exactly what transpires. But the “whosoever” aspect implies that while Thor establishes the criteria for the power, he isn’t the only one who can utilize the weapon. Instead, anyone deemed “worthy” can handle it. The intriguing part is determining how one demonstrates their worthiness.

In issue #15 of Donny Cates, Michele Bandini, and Alessandro Vitti’s 2021 Marvel Comics series “Thor,” we uncover part of an answer. Here, Thor serves as Asgard’s King and explains that Mjolnir isn’t exclusively for someone deemed worthy. It’s intended for a warrior, and Thor is losing grip over the weapon because he’s no longer the embodiment of Asgard’s spearhead. Essentially, Steve Rogers fits this description as a valiant soldier, embodying honor and preparedness to lead and lay down his life for others. Repeatedly, he demonstrates that he belongs in the category of worthy combatants.

Cap and Mjolnir in Avengers: Age of Ultron

It’s crucial to grasp Mjolnir’s “worthiness” condition and its connection to a warrior’s role. The Russos point out that a pivotal scene establishing emotional tension for Captain America’s hammer-lifting moment in “Avengers: Endgame” is actually rooted in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” In this film, various Avengers attempt and fail to lift Thor’s hammer, discovering that none are, in fact, worthy. Yet, when it comes to Captain America’s turn, the hammer exhibits a subtle movement, hinting at his potential worthiness.

If nobody had noticed, it might have been chalked up as a cinematic mistake; however, Thor spotted it. The God of Thunder displayed both worry and curiosity on his face until Captain America finally desisted, much to Thor’s relief. This instance ignited an intense and prolonged discussion among fans about whether Captain America was able to lift the hammer or not, with some believing he might have struggled due to being in a difficult emotional state at that moment.

Through the directors’ insights, we can now conclusively resolve the debate. It turns out that Roger had the capacity to wield the hammer from the beginning, and the narrative wasn’t merely an entertaining puzzle to decipher. Instead, it was intentionally designed that way.

In Anthony Russo’s words, the idea for the scene emerged during a casual gathering with the writers, as they discussed a proposal from Kevin Feige. As the leader of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Feige suggested revisiting and completing the storyline involving Thor’s hammer from “Age of Ultron.” This deliberate connection is what led to Thor exclaiming “I knew it!” when Captain America finally lifted the hallowed hammer in “Endgame,” a moment that was reminiscent of their conversation in Stark’s penthouse apartment.

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2025-05-04 14:30