Stormbreaker is an enchanted axe of Dwarvian manufacture, forged from Uru on Nidavellir with the ability to summon the Bifrost. Following Mjølnir's destruction, the weapon was forged by Thor in order to defeat Thanos. After Mjølnir's reassembly, Thor allowed his adoptive daughter Love to wield Stormbreaker in combat.
History[]
Creation[]
Stormbreaker was designed by the dwarves of Nidavellir to be the greatest weapon in Asgard's history, designed for their king and capable of summoning the Bifrost Bridge on its own. However, it was never forged, and the dwarves had been pushed to near-extinction by Thanos, with Eitri as the sole survivor.[1]
Forged[]
Thor endures the energy to reignite the forge
In 2018, Thor, Rocket, and Groot went to Nidavellir to forge a weapon. Upon arriving, the typically lively forges of Nidavellir were cold and barren, littered with broken parts. Eitri appeared before them and learned that Thor needed a weapon, so he decided to forge Stormbreaker.
Stormbreaker is forged on Nidavellir
With Thor and Rocket's help, Eitri opened the cage around Nidavellir and re-lit the forge, melting down ingots of Uru and pouring it into a mold. He then shattered the mold, revealing the axe's blade and weight, but misplaced the handle for the weapon. Seeing that Thor was close to death after taking the brunt of the power, Groot decided they could not wait for Eitri to find or create a metal handle; he grasped the red hot pieces of metal with one of his arms and then cut the arm off to serve as the handle, truly finishing Stormbreaker. The weapon then revived Thor.[1]
Used by Thor[]
Battle of Wakanda[]
Stormbreaker was used by Thor to summon the Bifrost Bridge to Wakanda. It was then used during the battle against the Outriders, augmenting Thor's own lightning massively. It was also used to destroy the Outrider Dropships and the remaining Threshers.
Notably, it was the only weapon to severely injure Thanos by impaling him in the chest soon after the Infinity Gauntlet was completed. However, Thor intentionally aimed for Thanos' chest, which allowed Thanos the chance to activate the Infinity Gauntlet and eliminate half of all life in the universe. As Thanos teleported away in a wormhole, Stormbreaker fell out of his chest and to the ground, smeared with his blood.[1][2]
Residing at the Avengers Compound[]
Stormbreaker is used to test Carol Danvers
Thor then took Stormbreaker with him to the Avengers Compound. Three weeks later, Stormbreaker was summoned to Thor's hand in order to test Carol Danvers's resolve. When she did not flinch, Thor smiled.[3]
Ambush on Thanos[]
Thor then brought Stormbreaker with him on the Benatar to Planet 0259-S. There he used Stormbreaker to cut Thanos' left arm off and to decapitate him.[3]
Residing in New Asgard[]
Thor brought Stormbreaker with him to New Asgard. He placed Stormbreaker against a wall in his hut and it remained unused as Thor became depressed, overweight and drunk.[3]
Battle of Earth[]
- "No, no, give me that. You have the little one."
- ―Thor to Steve Rogers[src]
In 2023, Stormbreaker was used for the first time in five years during the battle against an alternate Thanos at the ruins of the Avengers Compound. Thor dual-wielded both Stormbreaker and an alternate version of Mjølnir, using them to great effect in the battle. However, Thanos gained the upper hand, catching Stormbreaker when Thor summoned it and nearly forced it into Thor's chest. In the later stages of the battle, Thor used Stormbreaker to battle the combined forces of alternate versions of the Outriders, Chitauri, Sakaarans, and the Black Order. At one point, Steve Rogers wielded Stormbreaker, but Thor quickly switched the weapons. After the battle ended, Thor joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and took Stormbreaker with him.[3]
Journeys with the Guardians[]
Stormbreaker was used by Thor during his time as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. After he had lost weight and was again at his physical peak, Stormbreaker was brought on various adventures. In 2025, they went to Indigarr and Thor set Stormbreaker up in dirt as he meditated on a hill. After Thor was asked to assist in the fight against the Booskans, Thor took Stormbreaker out of the dirt and used it to fly down to the ground.[4]
Attack on New Asgard[]
To be added[4]
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Jealous of Mjølnir[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Traveling to Omnipotentence City[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Traveling to the Shadow Realm[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Ambush at the Shadow Realm[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Stolen by Gorr[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Battle at the Gates of Eternity[]
To be added[4]
| This section requires expansion |
Used by Love[]
Stormbreaker was handed over to Love, once Thor adopted her and discovered her cosmic powers.[4]
Capabilities[]
Stormbreaker is able to focus and enhance Thor's powers. Due to it being composed of Uru, the weapon is nigh-indestructible and able to withstand energy blasts created by the Infinity Stones. It is also able to channel dimensional energy and summon the Bifrost Bridge, which enabled Thor to teleport himself, Rocket, and Groot to Wakanda. Like Mjølnir before it, Stormbreaker will return to Thor's hand when summoned and strikes his opponents with massive force. It can glow with an otherworldly blue flame that crackles with electricity and seems to have the ability to home in on a target if Thor wills it. In addition, the weapon allows the user to fly effortlessly while using it, unlike Mjølnir, which required the user to spin it at great speed to lift them off the ground. Unlike Mjølnir, however, the weapon is not enchanted to prevent those deemed "unworthy" from holding it, making anybody with sufficient strength capable of using the weapon. Stormbreaker can also be summoned by those worthy of lifting Mjølnir, as shown when Captain America, who was previously proven worthy of wielding the hammer in his fight against past Thanos, summoned Stormbreaker by mistake some moments later during the Battle of Earth.
Stormbreaker overpowers the energy blast from the Infinity Stones
Due to its increased size and mass, having both the blade of an axe and the head of a hammer in its construction, as well as sporting an elongated handle enabling the weapon to be wielded two-handed, it is a notably more potent melee weapon than Mjølnir. Eitri even went as far as to say Stormbreaker was meant to be the strongest weapon in Asgard's history. As such, it is one of the few able to grievously wound Thanos, who faced off against the combined might of Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Drax, Star-Lord, Mantis, and Nebula while suffering nothing more than a tiny scratch on the cheek. Thanos himself mocked Thor for not aiming for his head, indicating Stormbreaker would have been capable of killing him instantly. The axe is so powerful that it was even able to quickly slice through and overpower the beam from all six Infinity Stones unleashed by Thanos, although he was caught off-guard and could have repelled the attack by other means. It is also capable of healing severe wounds, as shown by it fully healing a sun-damaged Thor.[1]
- Electricity Generation: When using Stormbreaker, Thor could easily generate electricity which he used many times to strike Gorr the God Butcher to keep his distance. The electricity can strike the enemy from above, or generate around the weapon to create a bigger blow. Thor can also project this electricity through Stormbreaker that was able to temporarily hold back Gorr.
- Storm Manipulation: Stormbreaker can manipulate the weather around him. Thor was able to generate thunder and lightning while calling his weapons before fighting Thanos.
- Bifrost Summoning: After Thor gained his new devastating weapon, Stormbreaker, he was able to teleport at will, due to gaining the ability to manipulate the Bifrost Bridge. As a result, Thor instantly teleported himself, Rocket and Groot to Wakanda, in order to aid his allies in the battle against Thanos and the Black Order. He could also use Stormbreaker to summon a Bifrost Bridge from under him, which he used to travel to the Shadow Realm as well as Earth. After Gorr the God Butcher stole Stormbreaker, it was used to create a portal to reach Eternity. After Thor reclaimed Stormbreaker, Thor allowed Axl Heimdallson to use it to bring the Asgardian children back home.
- Weapon Summoning: When thrown, Stormbreaker returns to Thor's hand when he summons it.
- Flight: Stormbreaker allows its user to fly through the air without to spin it like Mjølnir.
- Healing: The axe was able to fully heal Thor and restore his strength when he was badly burned exposing himself to the power of the dying star.
- Clothes Generation: Stormbreaker is able to conjure various armors such as a viking-like black armor and blue and gold armor.
Alternate Versions[]
| Origin | Status | Creators | Owners | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iso-8 Power Source | Active | - | Beta Ray Bill | Beta Ray Bill |
| Holographic Thanos Training Exercise | Active | - | Thor Odinson | Thor Odinson |
| Lego Avengers: Endgame Rush | Active | - | Thor Odinson | Thor Odinson |
| Avengers: Endgame | Active | - | Thor Odinson | Thor Odinson |
Appearances[]
| Appearances for Stormbreaker |
|---|
|
In chronological order:
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Trivia[]
- In the comics, the Stormbreaker was created by Odin as a weapon for Beta Ray Bill, after he returned Mjølnir to Thor.
- The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Stormbreaker shares similarities with the Mjølnir of the Ultimate Universe such as the tip of the hammer.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Avengers: Infinity War directors Joe and Anthony Russo explained that the reason Stormbreaker was able to take the brunt of six Infinity Stones was because it was the greatest weapon ever made and Thanos was caught off-guard, having only realized what that weapon was after he was struck by it.[5] Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely suggested that because Eitri made both items, he made Stormbreaker to be able to withstand the Infinity Gauntlet.[6]
- When asked as to whether Mjølnir could withstand the power of all six Infinity Stones like Stormbreaker did, Joe Russo said that it would not be able to because Mjølnir is not as powerful as Stormbreaker.[7]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Avengers: Infinity War
- ↑ 'Avengers: Infinity War' Directors Reveal Why Thor Didn't Kill Thanos
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Avengers: Endgame
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Thor: Love and Thunder
- ↑ Infinity War: Epic 2-Hour Spoiler Interview with the Russo Brothers
- ↑ Infinity War Spoilers: Screenwriters Go In-Depth on Making of Film
- ↑ Infinity War: Epic 2-Hour Spoiler Interview with the Russo Brothers
