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Stormbreaker Can Stop All Six Infinity Stones - Just How Powerful Is Thor's Weapon?
Just how powerful is Stormbreaker, the new weapon Thor gained in Avengers: Infinity War? The God of Thunder lost his famous hammer, Mjolnir, in last year's Thor: Ragnarok. But he's now gained a weapon truly fit for the King of Asgard - and new analysis suggests it may be even stronger than we realized.
The MCU's version of Stormbreaker was forged by the Dwarf King Eitri, possibly the last of his people. According to Eitri, this is the strongest weapon the Dwarves ever made for Asgard, crafted in order to kill Thanos himself. Incredibly, though, Stormbreaker proved capable of resisting the full might of all six Infinity Stones; in the final battle of Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos projected a beam attack against Thor, one that flared with the colors of all six Stones, but Stormbreaker didn't even seem to be slowed by the blast.
Thor may have been unsuccessful in his attempt to kill Thanos, but that was because of his own desire for revenge, not due to any deficiency on Stormbreaker's part. This is truly a weapon that could kill the Titan, possibly even with one blow. Given that's the case, just how powerful is Stormbreaker really?
STORMBREAKER'S POWERS IN AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
All Dwarven weapons are forged from Uru. The MCU hasn't really revealed much about its version of this rare mineral, but in the comics Uru is only found on Nidavellir. It's characterized by a unique capacity to store energy, particularly magic; that means mystical enchantments can be bound to Uru, which absorbs sorcery like a sponge. Mystical users forge a symbiotic bond with an Uru weapon, and many of Asgard's greatest warriors use their own distinctive Uru blades, axes, and staffs. The MCU's version of Uru does appear to be similar to the comics, explaining the powers of Hofund and Gungir in the Thor trilogy. This hints at why Stormbreaker may be so powerful in Avengers: Infinity War; it can absorb and manipulate energy more efficiently than anything else the Dwarves have previously forged.
In the case of Stormbreaker, wielding it seems to enable Thor to manipulate the raw cosmic forces of the universe itself. He is even able to summon the Bifrost, creating wormholes that transport the God of Thunder instantaneously across the Realms. Stormbreaker appears to be bonded to Thor's own power, crackling with his characteristic lightning, allowing him to focus and enhance his own natural abilities. Perhaps the most interesting detail, though, is that Thor was near-dead when Stormbreaker was forged, almost killed by exposure to Nidavellir's neutron star. Grasping Stormbreaker seems to have accelerated his already impressive natural healing factor, meaning Thor was fighting fit within minutes of holding the enchanted weapon.
The ultimate demonstration of Stormbreaker's power came during the final scenes of Avengers: Infinity War. Thor threw the weapon at Thanos, and the Mad Titan attempted to deflect it with all the might of the six Infinity Stones. He was unable to do so, and Stormbreaker struck true. That means it's potentially more powerful than all six Infinity Stones combined.
INFINITY WAR'S STORMBREAKER ISN'T THE COMICS' STORMBREAKER
Avengers: Infinity War may use the name "Stormbreaker," but that name is pretty much the only similarity between the MCU version and its ostensible comic book inspiration. In the comics, Stormbreaker is roughly equivalent to Mjolnir in power, enchanted by Odin as the weapon favored by Beta Ray Bill.
The Russos appear to have drawn inspiration from another Asgardian weapon in the comics, Jarnbjorn. This was a battle-ax created by writer Jason Aaron back in 2013, which ultimately replaced Mjolnir as Thor Odinson's signature weapon. Where Mjolnir was forged as a gift for Thor, Jarnbjorn was created and enchanted for one specific purpose; to give the Thunder God an ultimate weapon, one that could even slay Celestials. Thor himself placed a blood enchantment upon Jarnbjorn, blessing it with indestructibility. As a result, it's even been able to resist energy blasts from Apocalypse, beams that would have destroyed any other Uru tool.
The similarities between the MCU's Stormbreaker and the Jarnbjorn of the comics are clear; both were designed for the specific purpose of killing a cosmic threat, both seem able to resist even the most devastating energy-based attacks. But in resisting the might of the Infinity Stones, Stormbreaker has proved itself superior to anything seen in the comics before. It really does seem to be the most powerful weapon in the entire MCU to date.
KEY RELEASE DATES
- Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019
- The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019
