Name the heroes who might be worthy of wieldingThor’s hammer Mjolnir, andHulkwill appear near the bottom of the list. However, I honestly believe that when you look at the conditions that make someone ‘worthy,’ Bruce Banner’s other half should be able to pick up the enchanted weapon whenever he wants.
In the recentHulk #25, from Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Nic Klein,Hulk seemingly picks up Mjolnirand uses it to bowl over Thor and his Asgardian allies. However, it’s quickly revealed that Hulk wasn’t ‘lifting’ Mjolnir - Thor just recalled the weapon and Hulk grabbed on for the ride.It’s not the first time Marvel has offered fans a misdirect regarding Hulk’s worthiness, proving that deep down, the publisher realizes the question of Hulk’s worthiness isn’t as simple as it seems.
Hulk is seen as a dangerous rage monster, and while that’s true, it’s not the whole picture. In fact, I think that - according to the ambiguous standards historically set by Marvel - there truly should not be a palpable reason Hulk would not be worthy.
By Marvel’s Own Definition, the Hulk Should Be a Worthy Hero Capable of Wielding Mjolnir
Thor Lays Out What Makes a Hero Worthy, and Hulk Checks All the Boxes
Thor’s hammer holds immense power, but its most notable attribute is thatit possesses a powerful enchantment cast by Odin to only be wielded by those deemed worthy, and grants the powers of Thor to those who have proven themselves. Though the true definition of “worthiness” is somewhat unclear, inThe Immortal Thor #5by Al Ewing and Martin Colccolo, Thor lays out thefive qualities that make him worthy. Thor states that “the power of Thor is to hold the storm back,“and he does this with his compassion, restraint, nobility, wisdom, and humility.
Though Hulk has never officially picked up the enchanted hammer (despite a couple of misleads, like that above),I’d argue that Bruce Banner’s Hulk does possess compassion, restraint, nobility, wisdom, and humility-at least in the same ways as Thor himself. Hulk has proven time and time again that he is a true warrior willing to put himself on the line to be a hero, showing a great deal of genuine empathy and selflessness. You could argue that Hulk lacks nobility, but evenThor has touted Hulk as a god, and few Marvel characters have suffered more while remaining dedicated to protecting the innocent and opposing evil.
The Hulk Isn’t a Perfect Hero, But Can We Honestly Say Thor Is?
At Times, Hulk Is Wiser and More Under Control Than Thor
Hulk is by no means the absolute perfect embodiment of wisdom and humility, but in truth, neither is Thor.Thor, at times, can be prideful and arrogant. Indeed, these qualities were so extreme, Odin banished him to Earth to learn humility, with Thor able to wield the hammer despite his flaws. InThe War of the Realms, he even enters a bloodthirsty berserker rage without having to drop the hammer, demanding more giants to slaughter.
Thor describes wielding his power as"holding back the storm,“and it’s no secret that Bruce Banner’s relationship with Hulk is the epitome of holding back a raging storm,as Hulk’s uncontainable powerhas taken Bruce years to control. Hulk comics have also made it clear that Hulk isn’t as unintelligent as he looks - inImmortal Hulk #6(Al Ewing and Lee Garbett),Bruce explains that while he is rational and intelligent, Hulk is intuitive and instinctive, admitting"he’s smarter than I am - but it takes the form of hunches and gut feelings.“That certainly seems like the type of ‘wisdom’ a Viking warrior god would respect.
Likewise, inDoctor Strange & Hulk#1, it’s explained that the Hulkis the manifestation of Bruce Banner’s willpower to fight for his life and others; he is the violence of life given form. Looking back at Thor’s criteria, I’m convinced Hulk scores impressively:
Hulk Is Worthy, Marvel Just Needs To Connect the Dots
Captain America Shouldn’t Be the Only Avenger Worthy of Wielding Thor’s Hammer, and Hulk Proves That
Being a hero doesn’t instantly make one worthy, but others such as Captain America, Beta Ray Bill andStorm have all lifted Mjolnirat some point, and even Loki was briefly worthy of Thor’s hammer.Hulk may not be a perfect hero, but neither is Thor - what matters is the positive qualities the two do share. They’re both noble heroes who will do anything to protect the innocent, fighting back evil and death at every opportunity. Despite some major temper problems, both always show up to protect the world (or universe), and act out of compassion, only asking if a fight is righteous - not whether it will benefit them individually.
By Marvel’s standards of what constitutes worthiness,Hulkshould be deemed worthy to wieldThor’s hammer Mjolnir - and by baiting fans inHulk #25, Marvel hints that they already know this question isn’t as clear cut as everyone pretends.
