Mjolnir is one of the most iconic mythological weapons of all time, thanks in no small part to its appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the last 10+ years. It’s only natural that when players see such an iconic weapon in-game for the first time, they’d want to use it for themselves. But thankfully, Santa Monica Studios showed restraint, and its decision to not let players wield Mjolnir in God of War Ragnarok was definitely the right one.
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It’s A Good Thing That Kratos Didn’t Wield Mjolnir in God of War Ragnarok
It is undeniable that wielding Mjolnir in God of War Ragnarok would have been fun. One of the most infamous weapons of all time, Mjolnir is just inherently very cool, being able to boomerang around opponents and harness lightning at will. However, wielding Mjolnir wouldn’t have made much gameplay or story sense for God of War Ragnarok, and Santa Monica chose to go for the harder but more rewarding route.
From a gameplay standpoint, wielding Mjolnir wouldn’t be quite as special as players would first think. One of the biggest gimmicks of Mjolnir is that it can be thrown and recalled, which is something the Leviathan Axe can already do. Aside from that, the weapon itself wouldn’t really call for a unique moveset, at least not one that differs enough from the axe’s. On top of all this, it’s highly likely that the player wouldn’t be able to shoot lightning out of Mjolnir, as the hammer is just a conduit for Thor’s inherent powers. So at the end fo the day, players would be left with a weapon that’s essentially just another Leviathan Axe.
From a narrative perspective, not letting Kratos wield Mjolnir has led to a much more satisfying outcome. If Kratos was able to wield Mjolnir in Ragnarok, that version of the game would likely see Thor die, and Mjolnir be passed onto him. Instead, Ragnarok’s actual events see Mjolnir handed onto Thor’s daughter Thrud, whose post-game appearance implies that she’ll use the hammer to continue her father’s legacy - at least the good parts of it. Though Santa Monica could have made a compelling story with Kratos wielding Mjolnir, this version of events is more than satisfying enough.
But by far the best outcome of Kratos not being able to wield Mjolnir in God of War Ragnarok is that the Ghost of Sparta finally gets a weapon of his own. Around halfway through God of War Ragnarok, players are given a brand new Draupnir Spear weapon. This weapon offers heaps of both story and gameplay benefits. Gameplay-wise, Draupnir controls pretty differently to the Blades of Chaos and the Leviathan Axe, with a ranged attack that’s extremely unique and versatile. And story-wise, Kratos is finally given a weapon of his own. He no longer needs to use his wife’s axe or Ares’ cursed Blades; instead, he can finally wield a weapon that speaks to his true nature.
God of War Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.
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