Marvel Reveals Why Thor No Longer Has Mjolnir

The Odinson is set to return as the Thor of the Marvel Universe once again, but he’s coming with a shiny new arm and a golden hammer in place of the mighty Mjolnir. Today’s issue of The Mighty Thor seemingly reveals why that is.

SPOILERS for The Mighty Thor #705 follow

In the pages of The Mighty Thor, the hate-fueled monster Mangog has returned. Mangog is the manifestation of the absolute rage of an entire race that was wiped out due to the actions of Odin. Mangog’s entire purpose, the only reason he exists, is to kill Asgardians and he’s taken up that mission once again.

The first Asgardian to fall to Mangog this time around was the War Thor, Volstagg, who is now barely clinging to life. From there, Mangog made his way to Asgardia, destroying the Bifrost on his way, and set about razing the city. Odin, Freyja, and Odinson all stood against it but proved no match for the Mangog’s fury.

Though an earthbound Thor was trying to avoid lifting Mjolnir again, once she learned of the battle she saw no other course of action but to take up her hammer and join the fray. Mangog and Thor fought ferociously, giving the Asgardians time to take to their ships and flee Asgardia before the entire city plummeted into the sun.

No matter how hard Thor hit Mangog, the beast would not stay down. She threw Mangog into the sun, but the monster came back. Thor devised a new plan. She took the bindings that held the Fenris Wolf and wrapped them around Mjolnir’s handle. Then she sent the hammer flying around Mangog until the creature was wrapped and bound. Then, though she knew it would kill her, Thor sent the hammer into the sun, dragging Mangog along with it.

The Odinson was emotionally distraught over Thor’s actions:

The Mighty Thor has told some of Mjolnir’s origin story, revealing that the hammer has some kind of sentience to it after having a living storm trapped within it, which explains Odinson reacting like a living friend was just murdered.

This also explains why Odinson no longer has Mjolnir when the new Thor series starts, seeing as the hammer is either destroyed or holding Mangog down inside the sun. Either way, it still does not explain where Thor’s golden arm and hammer come from and should lead fans to wonder that if wielding Mjolnir is what made Jane Foster into Thor, then is the Odinson really Thor without it?

The Mighty Thor #705 is on sale now.

Thor #1 launches in May.