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This article contains lore based on real-life sources from Norse mythology as introduced from the God of War Norse era.

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“	The full force of his attack is as heavy as any I have felt. The Hammer, Mjölnir, only compounds his power... each blow echoes with the death and destruction they have wrought together.	”
―Kratos' thoughts after his first battle against Thor

“	The Aesir's greatest murder weapon, the bane of Giant-kind...	”
―Mimir describing Mjölnir's reputation.

Mjölnir is the legendary hammer wielded by Thor, the Aesir God of Thunder. Forged by the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri, this super-weapon quickly became infamous within Thor's hands for the death and devastation it brought upon the Nine Realms, particularly among the Jötnar.

Although it cannot be used in game, the hammer briefly appears in the secret ending of God of War (2018) and returns as Thor's signature weapon in God of War Ragnarök, until his daughter Thrúd inherited it following the death of its owner.

Norse Mythology

Mjölnir (from Old Norse Mjǫllnir) is the hammer of Thor, the Aesir God associated with thunder. Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome and powerful weapons in existence, capable of even leveling mountains. In its account of Norse mythology, the Prose Edda relates how the hammer's characteristically short handle was due to a mistake during its manufacture. The mistake was caused by Loki, under the guise of a fly, biting Brokkr on the eyelid during the hammers creation, which caused the dwarf to briefly stop working the bellows of the forge in order to wipe the blood out of his eye, which caused the hammer to not come out perfect and therefore wouldn't be as good as the other gifts he commissioned for the Aesir from the Sons of Ivaldi. Loki did this in an effort to win the wager he made with Brokkr and Sindri that stated they could take his head if their gifts were deemed better than Sons of Ivaldi's by the other Gods, but if they weren't they would leave with nothing. Along with the hammer, Thor was also given Megingjörð, a power belt that increases his already prodigious strength and Járngreipr, a pair of gauntlets that allows him to handle Mjölnir's power.

In the Poetic Edda, Mjölnir is mentioned in the eddic poems Vafþrúðnismál, Hymiskviða, Lokasenna, and Þrymskviða. In a stanza from Vafþrúðnismál, the wise jötunn Vafþrúðnir tells the disguised god Odin that after the events of Ragnarök, Móði and Magni, sons of Thor, will wield Mjölnir.

In Lokasenna, in which the deity Loki and other gods trade insults (see flyting). In the poem, the gods threaten Loki with Mjölnir as part of a refrain repeated in all four stanzas in which he speaks. The hammer is a focal point of the eddic poem Þrymskviða. In the poem, Thor wakes one day to find that his hammer is missing. Furious, the god pulls his beard, shakes his head, and searches for the absent weapon. Thor consults with Loki, informing him that only he knows that his hammer is missing. Thor and Loki go to the goddess Freyja, and Loki asks her if he might use her feather garment. Freyja readily agrees, Loki puts on the cloak, and flies to Jötunheimr. There he finds the jötunn Þrymr sitting on a burial mound and caring for his animals. The two speak, and Þrymr confirms to Loki that he has stolen the hammer. Þrymr says that he has buried it deep in the ground and no one will ever get it back unless they bring him Freyja to be his wife. Loki flies back to Asgard and meets with Thor. Thor asks Loki if he has any news, and Loki tells Thor Þrymr's ultimatum. Thor and Loki go to Freyja. One of the two asks Freyja to put on a bridal head-dress and come with them to Jötunheim. Freyja is so enraged by this request that the hall shakes, and her necklace, Brísingamen, breaks off. The goddess refuses.

The gods meet together in counsel (see Thing (assembly)) and discuss how to get the hammer back. The god Heimdallr proposes that Thor put on a bridal head-dress and wear Brísingamen as if he were Freyja. Thor initially rejects the proposal, but Loki convinces him that if he doesn't, the jötnar in Jötunheim who stole his hammer will soon call Asgard their home. The gods dress Thor in bridal gear, Loki dresses as "Freyja’s" maid to accompany him, and the two drive Thor's goat-led wagon to Jötunheimr, producing flames and splitting mountains along the way. From the hall yard, Þrymr spots the duo arriving and tells his retinue to prepare by tossing straw on the hall benches. That night, Þrymr says that he is surprised to find his bride-to-be ferociously eating and drinking, consuming nine entrees—one ox and eight salmon—and three casks of mead. Loki responds that "Freyja" had neither drank nor eaten for eight nights before this one as she was so eager to come to Jötunheimr. Þrymr lifts "Freyja"’s bridal veil to kiss her, only to spring back: The bride’s eyes were "terrifying", as if "fire is burning from them". The disguised Loki explains this was because "Freyja" had not slept for eight nights before this one, because she was so eager to arrive in Jötunheim (on the topic of the numbers three and nine in Norse myth, see numbers in Norse mythology). Finally, Þrymr calls for Mjölnir to be brought forth to sanctify the bride with the assistance of the goddess Vár.

"Freyja" sees the hammer and laughs internally before grabbing it, killing Þrymr and another jötunn, and pummeling the gathered wedding guests. The poem ends with a prose note indicating that this is how the god got his hammer back.

In God of War Series

Concept and Development

Introducing the character of Thor in the God of War Series also meant the need to create in-game his signature weapon, the legendary Mjölnir. Many variations have been designed and suggested, some of them more or less seemingly based on what people are used to seeing in the movies. Instead, the greatest care has been taken in order to create an exquisite, unique, and extremely detailed weapon worthy of the Norse God of Thunder. The final version of Mjölnir offers a relatively short but richly decorated and refined wooden handle, embellished by a splendid gold pommel, designed with two goats. The head of the hammer is of an atypical and relatively aggressive shape, featuring sharp edges that contrast with the beautiful curves shaping the underside of the hammer. Just like the Leviathan Axe, Mjölnir is covered in Norse runes and symbols, and can be recalled by its owner after being thrown, even over a long distance. The hammer has been described by Cory Barlog in an interview as having a striking power equivalent to that of a nuclear weapon, which makes it one of the most powerful weapons ever created in the series.

It is important to point out that while Mjölnir has always been associated with the concept of worthiness in other universes, such thing doesn't exist in the God of War Series. While the hammer is still very heavy, it is implied that anybody with sufficient strength could technically wield it. Throughout the whole series in the Norse Era, only three characters have successfully and effortlessly wielded Mjölnir; its original owner Thor, then his father Odin, and finally his daughter Thrúd.

Mjölnir in God of War Ragnarök's Lore

Prior to the release of God of War Ragnarök, many fans theorised that the player would be able to use Mjölnir after defeating Thor. While it is true that the hammer would have been an incredible asset for the player, it cannot be wielded or even picked up by Kratos (nor Atreus) for several reasons. The first and most important is Kratos' arc itself: people have long been used to seeing the Ghost of Sparta as a ruthless and bloodthirsty anti-hero throughout his previous journeys, particularly in the Greek Era of the series. Collecting mythical weapons from his dead enemies and using them to his own advantage was a characteristic of Kratos' former self and the point is the now retired God of War has grown past this, and sought to change after the doom and chaos he brought in his quest for revenge against the Olympian Gods. This is further demonstrated by the fact that the Spartan tried to get rid of his Blades of Chaos, and very likely viewed Mjölnir as yet another symbol of destruction. Although Skofnung was seemingly an exception of this rule, it must be noted that Kratos deemed it yet to reach the same level of infamy as Blades of Chaos and Mjölnir hence the reputation of King Hrólf Kraki's former weapon could still be improved in future generations' eyes through better wielders starting from him.

The second reason is more practical but no less symbolic: Kratos is already equipped with his own signature weapon, the Leviathan Axe. This weapon has been created by Brok and Sindri precisely to counter and match Mjölnir, which became irremediably associated to Thor and all what it represents in the series: death, destruction and power, something Kratos swore to bury forever. As such, God of War: Ragnarök emphasizes the personal rivalry between Kratos and Thor, between the Leviathan Axe and Mjölnir, in other words: between good and evil, and allowing Kratos to use the hammer would diminish this aspect of the story. Furthermore, in the Norse Games, each canon-storyline weapon that Kratos acquires i.e.- the Leviathan Axe, The Blades of Chaos, The Guardian Shield and the Draupnir Spear, are all physically shown sheathed/carried on his body when not in use. Due to the Hammer's size, it would be difficult to show Kratos carrying it along with his other weapons if he intended to use it after defeating Thor.

Last but not least, this deep change in Kratos' personality drove the developers into creating a new weapon that would perfectly fit what the Ghost of Sparta has become: the Draupnir Spear. Here also, the symbolism is high as the spear is a weapon traditionally associated with Spartan soldiers and the way they are fighting: with honor and discipline. It also symbolised Kratos' status as a General, someone respected and obeyed by his troops as demonstrated during the beginning events of Ragnarök. While Mjölnir is a symbol of violence and fear, the Leviathan Axe and the Draupnir Spear emphasize discipline and respect.

Prior to the events of God of War (2018)

Mjölnir was forged by the Huldra Brothers Brok and Sindri, back when they were relatively unknown blacksmiths back then and they were eager to make a name for themselves. Sindri would remark years later that making Mjölnir was their "legendary run" and had put their name on the map. When Thor was presented with the hammer, It quickly became the greatest murder weapon of the Aesir, ensuring their dominance, allowing the God of Thunder to massacre scores of Jötnar with devastating ease.

After seeing the destruction wrought on giants with the very weapon they created, the Huldra Brothers suffered a profound sense of guilt. As a way to try and make up for their mistake, they forged the Leviathan Axe, a weapon capable of rivaling even Mjölnir, and gave it to the last guardian of the giants left in Midgard; Laufey the Just. However, despite this, Brok and Sindri's creation of Mjölnir had caused their relationship to sour. Due to their guilt stemming from Thor's abuse of the hammer, this caused a rift between the brothers and as it was not resolved, it got so bad that they decided they shouldn't work together anymore and they went their separate ways, which would last last for years.

At one point, the Giant Thrym managed to steal the hammer from Thor while he was sleeping. Not one to think with his head, he held it for ransom in exchange for having Freya as his bride. Odin saw this as an opportunity to infiltrate Jötunheim and coerced Freya to conceal Thor using her magic, allowing him to join her at the wedding feast. Once Mjölnir was presented at the party, Thor revealed himself, took it back and wasted no time in smashing Thrym's head in. He proceeded to kill any Giant he could find until Freya cast both herself and Thor back to Asgard, much to the ire of Odin.

God of War (2018)

Mjölnir makes a brief appearance for the first time in the secret ending where it is hung from Thor's belt while crackling with electricity.

God of War Ragnarök

Thor used Mjölnir during his two battles against Kratos, the first one taking place in Midgard and the second one taking place in Asgard, in front of Odin's Great Lodge. In their first battle, Thor used the hammer as a defibrillator to jumpstart Kratos' heart, bringing the Spartan back into the fight. The colliding between Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe also cause a bolt of lightning to get frozen on impact, as a result of the clashing between the two equally matched weapons.

After Odin kills Thor for refusing to obey orders, he uses the hammer to knock Thrúd out of commission. Shortly after Asgard's destruction, Mjölnir was sent flying into Alfheim where Thrúd would find it, allowing her to become the new owner and wielder of the hammer. She then used it to go and search for the Valkyries for her training. According to Lúnda, Brok and Sindri would be happy that Mjölnir is in good hands.

Trivia

• The hammer appeared before in God of War: Ascension's Multiplayer as an add-on and possible nod to the future of the franchise. This, however, is the Canon version of the hammer.
• Noted as the hammer's only flaw, the handle was made too short due to a fly (Loki in disguise) biting Brok on one of his eyes during the forging of the hammer. However, this isn't mentioned or hinted at suggesting in the God of War series Mjölnir isn't regarded as having a flawed short handle.
• To date, there is no mention as to what materials the dwarfs Brok and Sindri used to make the hammer.
• Despite possibly being the greatest weapon in all of the Nine Realms, only rivaled by the Leviathan Axe, Odin is capable of making certain things indestructible even by it, as according to Mimir, the tree he is imprisoned in cannot be destroyed by any weapon in all the Nine Realms, not even by Mjölnir.
• In Norse mythology, Thor has a pair of magic gauntlets and a belt that he always wore when wielding the hammer. The belt, named Megingjörð ("power-belt"), doubled Thor's already divine strength which allowed him to use Mjölnir to even greater efficiency. The gauntlets were named Járngreipr ("iron grippers").
  • Járngreipr and Megingjörð were not actually required to be worn in order for Thor to wield the hammer, contrary to popular belief, as has been noted to be able to wield it effectively without them. The most prominent example of this being when he slaughtered the Jotunn Þrymr and his kin while disguised as a bride.
• Though Brok and Sindri express guilt for all the destruction brought about by Thor's use of their hammer, they still acknowledge it as their greatest work, albeit bitterly.
• According to God of War: Lore and Legends, Mjölnir was created two-hundred years prior to the start of the story.
• In Norse mythology, Magni and Modi were said to have inherited the hammer together, as it was so heavy it required both of them to wield it effectively. This does not appear to be the case in God of War, however, as they are in open competition for the hammer and both were killed by Kratos and his son Atreus, leaving Thor's daughter Thrúd as the only inheritor.
• Contrary to popular depiction/belief; Mjölnir is not the source of Thor's lightning. That power is innate within him as a storm/thunder God. This is further demonstrated by Thrúd having lightning based powers despite no claim that her weapons have them. The hammer is merely a weapon built to withstand the God himself as he was infamous for breaking and/or losing all other weapons that were forged for him. The Prose Edda describes the hammer as being unbreakable so it would never fail under Thor's immense strength, never missing the target it was thrown at, always returning to Thor's hand no matter how far he threw it and being of a convenient size so it was easy to carry around. There is no mention of the weapon being the origin of the Thunder God's lightning. However, the hammer does have lightning-based powers on its own, since it generated electricity when it hit Thrúd.
• Interestingly in Norse Mythology, it is implied that there are those among the Jötnar having the strength required to lift the hammer, including Loki. When Thor first awakens to find his hammer stolen, his first instinct is to blame the trickster, only to then realise that even Loki would not dare do something so foolish as to steal his hammer. Note; the Thunder God did not dismiss the notion on account of Loki's physical strength. The same story also shows that Þrymr the King of the Jotnar is able to lift it, as he can steal it from Thor and also later placed it on lap of "Freya" (Thor in disguise).
  • This has an interesting implication that Thor's great strength that allows him to wield the great hammer in such effective manner comes from his Jötnar's heritage.
• When Kratos and Atreus reach the Corpse of Thamur, Mimir remarks in regards a particularly thick wall of ice, that even Thor with Mjölnir in hand could not get through it. However, it is highly likely that this was an exaggeration, as Thor has been noted both in-game and in the Lost Pages of Norse Mythology podcasts to be immensely powerful and can easily shatter a Jotunn skull with a single throw of the hammer. Considering Thamur, who himself was defeated by Thor (albeit he really just got lucky, since Thamur slipped), is many times larger than the wall of ice in question, it also casts further doubt on Mimir's claim that a mere wall of ice would hinder the God of Thunder and Strength.
• Ironically, in Norse Mythology, Loki himself is responsible for inspiring Sindri and Brok to forge Mjölnir. According to the Prose Edda, Loki pulled a prank on Thor's wife, Sif, by cutting all of her hair off while she was sleeping. Thor was not amused and threatened to break every bone in his body. To avoid this, Loki convinced Thor to let him go by promising to find him master craftsmen to replace Sif's hair. Loki planned to start a challenge between the Sons of Ivaldi and Brok and Sindri, by feeding them lies about each other. The challenge involved that both parties would have to make three gifts each for the gods. Brok and Sindri, however, were not fooled, and made a wager; if they won, Loki would have to forfeit his head to them. The trickster tried to sabotage them, which he did in the form of causing Mjölnir's handle to come out shorter than intended, by disguising himself as a fly and biting Brok on his eye, but the other Gods (Thor especially) still decided it was the overall better gift when both groups of Dwarves presented their respective gifts. Brok and Sindri won the challenge, but Loki found a loophole, stating that his head was to be forfeited, but not his neck, and thus the dwarves had no right to cut it, to which the other Gods agreed. Brok, having been cheated off the chance to take Loki's head due to the ambiguous nature of where the neck truly ended and the head began, found an alternative by sewing Loki's mouth shut, as revenge for his craftiness.
• Interestingly, the head of the hammer on the statue of Thor is upside down compared to what Thor is holding at the end cutscene.
• Cory Barlog - the director of the God of War 2018- stated in an interview that Mjölnir has the power of a nuclear weapon.
• When Thor sat down to share mead during his visit to Kratos and Atreus' home at the beginning of Ragnarök, he deliberately dipped his fingers into a filled cup and used them to wipe a mead stain on the Hammer; the stain quickly dispersed, as if drained, on-screen. The reason he did this or why the stain could quickly disperse is currently unknown.
• The hammer seems to be a sentient weapon, much like Ingrid, as both can act on its own and even fighting with each other without their wielder.
• Thor often summons Mjölnir with his left hand and by snapping his finger. Doing so is for the hammer to react and reach his hand quickly. But there were two occasions where Thor just simply raising his right hand to call Mjölnir, which the hammer would react it with unpleasant.
• According to Brok and Sindri in Lunda's Workshop notes, their brand used to be in Mjölnir´s holster, but somebody made changes to the leather element were the brand used to be.

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