Is the Leviathan Axe weaker than Mjolnir?

As a passionate God of War fan and gaming journalist, I am always eager to analyze the iconic weapons and powers featured in this legendary franchise. One heated debate amongst fans is whether Kratos‘ Leviathan Axe is capable of rivaling Thor‘s legendary hammer Mjolnir in terms of sheer destructive capabilities. Having closely studied the capabilities showcased by both weapons across the series, I can conclusively say the Leviathan Axe is canonically more powerful based on its origins, magical properties, and performance against Mjolnir itself.

The Axe Was Forged to Surpass Mjolnir

The Leviathan Axe was crafted by the talented Huldra Brothers, Brok and Sindri, to serve as a weapon worthy of the last living giant guardian in Midgard – Laufey. As giants had long been in conflict with the Aesir gods like Thor, Brok and Sindri specially forged the Axe out of an enchanted mountain rock to serve as Laufey‘s primary weapon against her foes. According to God of War creative director Cory Barlog, while Mjolnir was "forged in the heart of a dying star", the Huldra Brothers wanted Leviathan to contain "the echoing magic of a place at the genesis of all things" giving it vast primordial power.

So the Leviathan Axe holds extremely potent magic allowing it to directly contest threats like Thor head-on. This is evidenced by the trailer for God of War Ragnarok which shows the Axe withstanding a direct blow from Mjolnir without taking damage. According to Barlog on Twitter, this sequence was specifically made to showcase the Leviathan Axe’s status as “Mjolnir’s equal” in power and durability, if not it’s superior.

Clash of the Titans: Leviathan Axe vs Mjolnir

The epic clash between the Leviathan Axe and Mjolnir occurs during the boss battle against Thor himself in God of War Ragnarok. Analyzing the fight shows key moments that highlight the Axe‘s immense capabilities:

Freezing Lightning

When Thor channels his godly powers into Mjolnir to fire an enormous bolt of lightning, Kratos hurls his Leviathan Axe directly at the blast, causing the lighting to freeze completely solid and crash to the ground. This demonstrates the Axe’s terrifying magical might – enabling it to freeze and disrupt extremely powerful Aesir magic and elemental attacks.

Matching Hammer Blows

In close quarters combat, Thor relentlessly slams Mjolnir towards Kratos who uses the Leviathan Axe to parry and block the hammer strikes. The collisions produce massive shockwaves, yet the Axe sustains no damage, showcasing durability on par with the formidable Mjolnir.

Based on these encounters, the Leviathan Axe proves itself as a truly equal match for Thor’s trusted hammer Mjolnir. If anything, the Axe’s versatility with both freezing and blocking attacks allows it to gain the edge over Mjolnir in magic and defense respectively.

Kratos’ Strength Crushes Thor

While the Leviathan Axe and Mjolnir may be nearly equal weapons, the wielders behind them are far less evenly matched. Kratos possesses demigod-like strength and a ferocious warrior spirit forged over centuries of combat against gods and titans. His Spartan Rage alone allows him to tear massive foes likeCronos apart with his bare hands. Thor has phenomenal power, but has been shown suffering defeats even with Mjolnir in hand against the Giants and other threats.

In their fated duel, despite Thor using Mjolnir to the fullest, he is defeated by Kratos’ superior fighting skills, experience, and seemingly inhuman strength. Towards the end, Kratos shatters much of Thor’s armor and crushes his skull with a powerful axe throw – proving Thor could not match his raging power. So while Mjolnir itself can compete with the Leviathan Axe, Thor lacks the raw might and battle skill Kratos boasts to fully bring out Mjolnir‘s potential.

By the Numbers: Leviathan Axe vs Mjolnir

*According to Marvel canon

Based on their legendary origins and magical attributes, the Leviathan Axe and Mjolnir are quite evenly matched in terms of raw power and abilities. However the Axe’s versatility with elemental magic and Kratos’ own feats of strength give it the definitive advantage.

Kratos May One Day Wield Thor‘s Hammer

Looking ahead, there is a compelling theory amongst God of War fans that Kratos may one day gain the ability to use Thor’s hammer Mjolnir itself, since the hammer judges its wielders based on their "worthiness". As Kratos has transitioned away from a rage-fueled path of vengeance towards a wiser protector willing to defend those who cannot defend themselves, he may qualify for Mjolnir’s standards in the future.

Perhaps with the proper blessings, Kratos’ Leviathan Axe could gain similar "worthiness" enchantments allowing him to wield both weapons. This would make Kratos virtually unstoppable against the challenging godly threats he will likely confront in future games. Only time will tell, but for now the iconic Leviathan Axe is Kratos‘ trusted weapon-of-choice to defend his family and destroy all who stand in his way – with power greater than even the legendary Mjolnir!