Over the decades, Thor's magical hammer Mjolnir has gone through many changes in appearance in Marvel comics continuity. The two most prominent being from the mainstream (Earth-616) and Ultimate Marvel universes. For those of you who are only vaguely familiar with the godly weapon, here's a brief overview of the two versions:
Classic
'Mjolnir is the enchanted hammer wielded by Thor. It was forged by the legendary dwarf weapon smith Eitri, Brok and Buri. They made the hammer from the mystical ore Uru. It has a long wooden hilt, and ends with a thong to secure it around the bearer's hand. When the dwarves started to build Mjolnir, they used the inner core of a star as a mold and while they were shaping the hammer inside the core, the star is destroyed and the following supernova almost destroyed earth but it did killed off the dinosaurs. When Mjolnir was finished, Odin first used it to defeat the leader of the Frost Giants, Laufey. Later, Thor received the hammer after proving himself worthy after going through Odin's trials. Mjolnir bears the following inscription: "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."
'Anyone holding Mjolnir possesses certain powers and abilities. Often the subject's clothing will transform into Asgardian armor similar to Thor's, and their strength and durability are altered to match that of the god. Mjolnir is extremely durable (although the most extreme stress or damage from other Uru-based weaponry can cause it damage. It can be used to strike an opponent or target with great force. It can produce devastating blasts, can absorb and redirect energy, and can command the elements of the storm. If thrown, Mjolnir will return to the bearer even after striking an opponent. Mjolnir can detect certain types of magic and enchantments, and has different properties when used against certain mystical or demonic elements. When swung above the head can open portals to other dimensions, and can also open temporal portals (this power has been lost). If swung by the hilt and let go (so that the bearer is holding the leather thong), one can achieve flight by being pulled behind the hammer including the ability to change direction mid-flight.'*
Ultimate
'Ultimate Thor's hammer bears little resemblance to its 616 counterpart. The handle of ultimate Mjolnir is longer, and comes to a point at the bottom where there is also a leather thong. Rather than a solid, square block of metal for a hammer, ultimate Mjolnir's head resembles a hammer on one size, and has an axe blade on the other. Similar to its 616 counterpart, ultimate Mjolnir's enchantments allow ultimate Thor to fly, teleport, control and manipulate weather (particularly storms), as well as channel thunder and lightning. Ultimate Thor was revealed to have an arsenal of enchanted weapons, including a hammer that resembles the 616 version of Mjolnir.'*
One of the largest debates surrounding the live action
Thor movie that is currently in production was whether Marvel Studios would choose to showcase the mainstream comics hero, or the Ultimate version. Regardless which side of the fence fans stood on, the debate ended last week when the
first image of Chris Hemsworth in Asgardian armor was released. The second mainstream Thor influence was revealed during the after-credits scene in
Iron Man 2; which is currently in theaters. Fans now have their first look at Mjolnir; and it is undeniable that Marvel Studios has opted to use mainstream comics continuity as a visual basis for the film.
From what little was shown of the mighty Mjolnir, a sharp eyed viewer can make out slight modifications that were made to it. The most prominent being Rune-style carving along it's border, seconded by symmetrical lines which appear to give off a more metallic and, dare I say, futuristic appearance.
The question now, is, are fans happy with what they've seen?
*Information courtesy of ComicVine
MPP - I've seen the end credits scene for Iron Man 2 three times already in theaters, that last being in IMAX. Personally, I love the slight updates Mjolnir was given. The main reason I wanted to see the writing on it's side was to break up the monotony of what would just look like a boring, stone hammer. I can't wait to see/hear the explanation given for the carvings they've put on it!
In all honesty, though, I'm just really relieved we didn't get another one of
these: