In both Greek Mythology and the comic books, there aren’t many weapons that bring more attention than Thor’s Hammer. Thor’s hammer, or Mjölnir, is known as one of the most damaging and coolest weapons of all the Greek heroes and comic book heroes. This being the case, it is no surprise that it is so popular with fans of the comics and of the old stories.
Thor is the son of Odin and is the god of thunder. He carries his magical hammer with him everywhere he goes and when he throws it at an enemy, it returns to him like a boomerang. In Greek mythology, Thor travels in a cart pulled by goats and he has a big beard. Neither of these are true in the comics but they do have one thing in common and that is the hammer. Because of the popularity of the Thor’s hammer, many people choose to get tattoos of Mjölnir.
In this post, we are going to talk about Thor’s hammer and the origins of this magical weapon. In doing this, we will talk about what Thor’s hammer symbolizes and what it means to the people who get the tattoo. By the end of this post, you should feel much more informed on the matter and it might even push you to get your own Thor’s hammer tattoo.
About Thor’s Hammer
There are a lot of cool facts and stories about Thor’s hammer and we figured we’d share some with you to understand why so many people are getting the tattoo.
There are a few different stories of Mjölnir’s origin but one thing we do know is that Thor’s hammer wasn’t made in a regular forge. The most current story about the origin of Thor’s hammer, and the one they use in the movie, is that the heart of a dying star was the location where Mjölnir was forged. However, there is more to the story than this. Dwarven blacksmiths named Buri, Brok, and Eitri were the ones who forged the hammer.
In the comic books, the dwarves were commanded to make a powerful and deadly weapon for Asgard by none other than Odin himself. For the dwarves to accomplish this, they had to summon a magical forge from the heart of a star where they made the hammer out of Asgardian metal.
The forging of Mjölnir was intense outside of being a magical process. Earth was almost destroyed in the process of making Thor’s hammer. In the Marvel comic books, there was an explosion after the creation of Thor’s hammer that was so strong, that it caused the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth.
Thor’s hammer is what makes Thor who he is. Without it, he was a much weaker version of himself and had to learn to be humble to earn the right to swing the hammer. Thor’s ability to conjure lightning, his ability to fly, and his armor are all because of Mjölnir.
Of course, Thor is a physical force and he is very strong, but Mjölnir is what makes Thor who he is. This is the difference between Thor and many of his superhero counterparts. When Wonder Woman loses her weapon, she is still extremely strong and can fight with the best of them. If Batman were to lose his utility belt, he could still survive using hand-to-hand combat.
Because Thor is a demigod, it isn’t easy to hurt him. However, his attacking power is almost useless without the hammer and that is why Mjölnir is such an important part of who he is.
As of the latest comic books, Thor isn’t the wielder of Mjölnir anymore. He lost the privilege when he and Nick Fury had an incident which in turn, disqualified Thor as the kind of being that was worthy.
Jane Foster is now the holder of Mjölnir. She was a trusted member of Thor’s inner circle and a human ally. The passing of the torch (or hammer in this case) was so important that the inscription on the hammer changed. It now states, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if she is worth, shall possess the power of Thor.”
Thor’s Hammer Tattoo Meaning
In Norse mythology, Thor’s hammer is a symbol of protection, consecration, and blessing. Those with this tattoo might have it because they are a fan of the Marvel comic series or just a fan of mythology in general. To have Thor’s hammer tattooed on your body is a symbol of power and a symbol of honor as well. Thor was the protector of Asgard and with this tattoo, it can represent you being the protector of your home as well.
Thor’s Hammer Tattoo Variations
There are a few variations that we’ve seen of Thor’s hammer tattoo and we picked a couple to share. There are probably hundreds of ways to get this tattoo done, but between these examples and the pictures below, you should have a pretty good idea of the different variations of this tattoo.
Norse Thor’s Hammer Tattoo
The stories of Thor’s hammer are Norse in lineage so those with the Norse heritage will sometimes get this tattoo as a way to honor the past. The intricate details of the Norse version of this hammer make this a beautiful tattoo that will get the attention of most onlookers.
Thor’s Hammer with Thor Tattoo
It’s hard to get a tattoo of Thor’s hammer without Thor being in the picture. Often fans of the Marvel comic book series will tattoo Thor with Mjölnir on their body to pay homage to one of their favorite demigods/comic book characters of all time.
Thor’s Hammer Made of Electricity Tattoo
Because Thor can control lightning, Thor’s hammer tattoo is often engulfed in electricity or there will be a storm in the background. A piece like this is often used as the main section of a sleeve tattoo because of the background.
You can get this tattoo in many styles so figure out which tattoo artist you want to work with and let them create the tattoo of your dreams.