The list of Marvel characters who have successfully wielded Thor’s hammer Mjölnir is ever-expanding, but those who lift it are typically heroes who have already exhibited significant prowess over the years. While Steve Rogers lifting the hammer for the first time was certainly a big moment, it was also a relatively predictable one in the big picture.
Worthiness isn’t determined first and foremost by superheroic might, though, even if this fact has been less frequently proven in official Marvel lore. The latest update confirms that a character without much physical strength is indeed capable of wielding Mjölnir, courtesy of Magic: The Gathering mechanics for official Marvel cards.
Mjölnir is making its Magic: The Gathering debut as a Legendary Artifact, and Spider-Man’s Aunt May is officially one of the characters able to wield the hammer, as highlighted by Comic Book Resources. In-game, the hammer can only be equipped by “a legendary non-Villain that’s red and/or white,” a list of attributes that applies to characters ranging from TMNT‘s Raphael to, bafflingly, Final Fantasy 7‘s Sephiroth.
Aunt May’s worthiness actually makes a lot of sense, as she frequently serves as a guiding light for Peter’s moral compass. More questionable, however, is the inclusion of J. Jonah Jameson among the list. The newspaper mogul isn’t incapable of exhibiting heroism — the moment in the Raimi films where he unhesitatingly protects Peter’s identity is a real standout — but he’s hardly the noblest Spider-Man character.
As a whole, it’s hard to take the list of worthy characters in Magic: The Gathering as any kind of canon, as too many of the inclusions are fundamentally ludicrous. At the end of the day, MTG simply isn’t willing to make the hammer too niche in play, so Marvel seems to have allowed an extra bit of creative license for this usage.
Aunt May, however, is one character that I consider fully legitimate. It wouldn’t surprise me if she does lift the hammer someday in Marvel comics, even if it’s a throwaway gag where she doesn’t realize that she’s achieving anything noteworthy.
That being said, Aunt May might still be held back by the same limitation that applies to Peter. Mjölnir is a warrior’s hammer, and it doesn’t tend to respond to those unwilling to kill for a cause. Aunt May might be one of Marvel‘s greatest heroes, but her greatness is partly due to her belief in turning the other cheek.
- Main Genre
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Fantasy
- Release Date
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August 5, 1993
- Created by
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Richard Garfield
- Character(s)
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Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar, Liliana Vess, Garruk Wildspeaker, Nissa Revane, Ajani Goldmane, Nicol Bolas, Teferi, Gideon Jura, Sorin Markov, Ral Zarek
- Video Game(s)
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Magic: The Gathering, Magic the Gathering Commander, Magic: The Gathering – Battlegrounds, Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012, Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers, Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012, Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013, Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014, Magic: The Gathering Arena
Magic: The Gathering is a strategic collectible card game where players use customized decks featuring creatures, spells, and abilities to reduce opponents’ life totals to zero. It combines fantasy themes with tactical gameplay, resource management, and deck-building. Published by Wizards of the Coast, it remains an influential trading card game over three decades after its initial release in 1993