If now we told you that Google is one of the best sources that exist to know what are the questions that torment the human being, would you believe us? If so, you may breathe easy because if we look back, we will see that in 2021 one of the questions that we went to consult the most famous search engine is about what was the name of Thor’s famous hammer. Do you know him? Are you able to pronounce it properly?
The story of the hammer
Since Thor appeared in 2011 as a leading character in his first solo film and as an essential part of that Marvel Cinematic Universe, another character came with him who has been taking center stage due to the many turns he has taken through the galaxy. . Indeed, we are referring to Mjölnir, the term with which everyone knows, even in Asgard, this heavenly weapon that allows heroes of absolute moral purity to wield it.
Because not everyone is worthy of taking it. And if not, remember that mythical scene from Avengers Age of Ultron in which the group of superheroes, sitting around a table and with a few extra drinks, they play to see who is able to wield it. Neither Captain America, nor Iron-Man, nor Hawkeye, nor Bruce Banner… no one can lift it except one, who was passing by and who attended to the name of Vision.
If we look at the history of Mjölnir we find that it is, historically, one of the most feared weapons in Norse mythology. So much so that, in the oldest writings, it is related that it was used to defeat all who had the courage to challenge the supremacy of the Æsir and, depending on the moment in which we consult those writings, we can see how it also adopts forms as disparate as those of an axe, a club and even a sledgehammer.
Although if we look at Marvel, things change: this weapon was forged with uru (an Asgardian metal) by imperative of Odin himself so that it could only be lifted by those of sound morals, character, and integrity. Although she throughout her history has been wielded by a good bunch of superheroes from the (now) Disney factory. And if not, remember the most striking case with Captain America in the final battle of avengers endgame.
Where does its popularity come from?
But surely the popularity of that search on the internet we have to go find it elsewhere. Specifically to the territory in which memes live and which was helped a lot by a certain Paul Rudd who, during a promotional video for Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018 he had no better idea than (given the impossibility of pronouncing the correct name) refer to Thor’s weapon in a very different way: “Jonathan”.
But Paul Rudd was not the only one since the director of thor ragnarokTaika Waititi, had already left his particular contribution to this debate about what the name of Thor’s hammer is by giving him the nickname “Jeff”, in a gesture that also came as a shock to the purist community of the UCM.
And you, what do you call Thor’s hammer? Do you also have a more colloquial name for him so you don’t have to say Mjölnir?
