Which Norse god wields the hammer Mjölnir?
Quick answer
Thor, the Norse god of thunder, lightning and storms, wields the hammer Mjölnir. The hammer could level mountains, always returned to his hand after being thrown, and was used to protect gods and humans from the giants (jötnar). Thor’s name lives on in Thursday, “Thor’s day.”
Key facts
- God of
- Thunder, lightning, storms, strength, protection of humanity
- Weapon
- Mjölnir, a short-handled hammer
- Father
- Odin
- Wife
- Sif, the golden-haired goddess
How Mjölnir was made
The trickster god Loki cut off the golden hair of Thor’s wife, Sif. To avoid Thor’s anger, Loki got skilled dwarves to make treasures for the gods, then bet the dwarves that their rivals could do better. While the dwarf Sindri forged a hammer, Loki, disguised as a fly, kept biting his brother Brokkr to distract him. As a result, the hammer’s handle came out short. Even so, the gods judged Mjölnir the best treasure of all.
Mjölnir’s powers
- Could strike with enormous force
- Returned to Thor after being thrown
- Could shrink to fit inside his tunic
- Used to bless weddings, births and funerals
To wield it, Thor wore iron gloves and a belt of strength, Megingjörð, which doubled his power.
Famous myths
- The stolen hammer: A giant stole Mjölnir and demanded the goddess Freyja as his bride. Thor dressed up as Freyja in a wedding veil to get it back.
- Ragnarök: At the end of the world, Thor fights the giant serpent Jörmungandr, killing it but dying from its poison after taking nine steps.
Thor’s family
| Relative | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Odin | Father, chief of the gods |
| Jörð | Mother, a personification of the Earth |
| Sif | Wife |
| Magni and Móði | Sons, who inherit Mjölnir after Ragnarök |
| Loki | Not his brother in the myths, but often a companion (Marvel made them adoptive brothers) |
Thor today
Viking Age hammer amulets have been found across Scandinavia. Thor became famous worldwide through Marvel Comics and films starring Chris Hemsworth.
For other mythologies, see the Greek goddess of wisdom and the Egyptian god with a jackal’s head.
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