How heavy is Mjolnir in myth?

As a hardcore gaming and comic book fan, few weapons get me more pumped up than the legendary Mjolnir – the badass mystical hammer wielded by Thor, God of Thunder! But creative liberties have been taken with Mjolnir‘s dimensions across games, movies and ancient myths. One key example is the hammer‘s true weight. Let‘s analyze what the sources say!

In Norse Mythology: No Exact Weight, But Unfathomably Heavy

In the original Viking lore, no numeric weight is ever prescribed to Mjolnir. But it‘s consistently depicted as unimaginably heavy – so much so that only the beefy God Thor can swing it around or throw it as an absurdly lethal projectile!

For example, in one story the giant king Thrym steals Mjolnir and thor can‘t even budge it from his lap as part of the ransom. Another tale shows the combined might of elite giants or even Thor‘s sons unable to lift Mjolnir. That‘s some literally god-level weight!

This disproportionate heaviness serves an important purpose in Norse myths – to symbolize Thor‘s status as the warrior god par excellence. It reinforces his unmatched battle strength and cement his position atop the hierarchy of Norse deities.

What Does Mjolnir‘s Impossible Weight Really Mean?

We can interpret Mjolnir‘s unspecified but unbelievable weight as signifying a few key traits about Thor in Viking lore:

• His supreme power – no one comes close to matching his raw might
• Intimidating warrior prowess – enemies quake at the sight of unstoppable Thor wielding mighty Mjolnir!
• Physical embodiment of strength itself – Thor‘s godly genes allow him alone to operate the hammer as an extension of his body

So in the myths, Mjolnir‘s weight functionally serves to distinguish Thor as top dog among Norse gods and cement his fame through legendary feats of battle.

Marvel‘s MCU Mjolnir – A Mere 42.3 Pounds

In contrast, Marvel‘s films and comics quantify Mjolnir‘s weight at just 42.3 pounds! Composed of the fictional metal Uru, this surprisingly lightweight version allows not only Thor but other "worthy" heroes to occasionally take up the hammer, such as Captain America.

While much easier to transport and enabling exciting story potential, quantifying Mjolnir‘s weight this way diminishes the breathtaking scope of Thor‘s purported strength in myth. And it introduces logical problems – why can‘t elite earth heroes wield such a moderately heavy weapon?

Luckily in the MCU, few heroes can directly compare to Thor‘s exotic physiology granting substantial strength advantages. So the low weight doesn‘t totally undermine his power levels.

How Plausible is Marvel‘s 42.3 Pound Weight?

Let‘s think about whether Marvel‘s clearly finite weight makes practical sense:

• In-universe rational – Uru metal magic explains the gap from mythical Mjolnir‘s unfathomable weight
• Average war hammer weight – Historical examples range from 2-6 pounds typically
• World‘s heaviest hammer – 105 pounds, under 3x MCU Mjolnir

So Marvel‘s prescribed weight sounds reasonable enough for a metal-head hammer to not break suspension of disbelief. Thor can still seem plausibly mighty while wielding such a weapon.

Existence in Archaeological Record?

Have archeologists uncovered Viking-era artifacts resembling Mjolnir that could hint at real weight ranges?

Unfortunately, no definitive Mjolnir candidate has emerged. But various hammer & axe amulets and small weapons give us an idea of materials and construction methods. Rare elite ceremonial items came in precious metals like silver, suggesting functional war hammers took more utilitarian forms.

If more remnants do surface that match Mjolnir‘s descriptions, measuring their density could reveal plausible weights to inspire modern depictions!

Mjolnir Weight Comparison Chart

Here‘s a breakdown of Mjolnir weight depictions across key sources:

So Marvel splits the difference between myth and reality with its quantifiable but still substantial weight. This creative choice succeeds in preserving awe of Thor‘s might while grounding him enough to interact with mortal heroes!

The Heart of the Matter: Symbolic Meaning and Thor‘s Might

At the end of the day, rather than arithmetic details, the deeper symbolism of Thor wielding the super-heavy Mjolnir to devastating effect carries the most weight (puns intended). Behind any single depiction in pop culture lies this fundamental image burned into the cultural consciousness over centuries – the consummate warrior Thor, uniquely able to swing this unfathomably heavy hammer to lay waste to enemies and display his primeval potency as a god!