When thinking of Mjolnir, the hammer in the Marvel Universe, most fans of the movies probably first think of Thor. However, another powerful being can wield the hammer but received a different weapon to keep Mjolnir with Thor.
Which character is it? Since the beginning of the Avengers in the MCU, Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, has been one of the superheroes. His iconic weapon is the hammer Mjolnir, which can only be wielded if one is worthy. This also applies to other members of the Avengers.
After Mjolnir was destroyed by Hela, Thor set out to forge a new weapon for the battle against Thanos. On the star Nidavellir, the weapon Stormbreaker was forged for Thor.
In the comics, someone completely different is the user of the weapon: Beta Ray Bill received the weapon as a gift from Odin after proving himself worthy and defeating Thor in battle. In the MCU, except for a small detail, there has been no appearance of the character, who could even wield Mjolnir.
A champion who wants to protect his people
Who is Beta Ray Bill? Beta Ray Bill made his first appearance in 1983 in Thor comic #337. He hails from the planet Korbin, which was attacked by the powerful demon Surtur to create a weapon that could trigger Ragnarok.
To prevent this, Bill was chosen to become the protector of the planet. Through a severe surgical procedure, Bill was transformed into a cyborg, enhanced with the DNA of Tuog, an alien species. He was to be assisted by the AI Skuttlebutt, which also functions as a ship.
The process disfigured Bill’s face. Shortly after his operation, Surtur attacked Korbin. Some inhabitants of the planet fled and put themselves in stasis. Bill, despite being quite powerful, could barely survive the demon’s attack.
In flight and searching for a new home, they landed in the Milky Way. This was noticed by S.H.I.E.L.D., and Thor was sent into space. Bill and Thor began a fight in which Bill managed to grab Mjolnir and proved himself worthy.
Shortly thereafter, both were transported to Asgard by Odin.
A powerful weapon as a gift for the fight against Thor
What happened to Mjolnir and Beta Ray Bill after the fight against Thor? After the battle, Bill claimed that he justly deserved the hammer because he earned Mjolnir in the fight. Odin then declared that the two should fight for the hammer.
In Skartheim, Bill could once again defeat Thor. However, Bill didn’t want to kill Thor. Bill returned Mjolnir to Thor, but as a reward, Odin ordered that a new weapon be forged for Bill from Uru, the same metal as Mjolnir. Stormbreaker was created for Bill in the comics by Eitri and other dwarves.
There, Stormbreaker looks much more like a hammer but also resembles Mjolnir in its properties. When using Stormbreaker, Bill also wears the same outfit as the comic character Thor:
- One must also be worthy for Stormbreaker
- Bill can always summon Stormbreaker
- Through Stormbreaker, Bill can transform into a human form
- Stormbreaker can create portals, generate energy, and manipulate the weather (via Marvel Database)
What has Bill done with Stormbreaker? After his debut, Bill continues to fulfill his duty to protect his people. In doing so, he also often fights alongside Asgard and joined the Thor Corps, a group of heroes with abilities from Asgard. Bill became a recurring character with his own comic series.
Where is Beta Ray Bill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? So far, Beta Ray Bill has not had a specific appearance in the MCU, but it is known that he exists in the film universe. In Thor: Ragnarok, a statue of the hero can be seen on the planet Sakaar. Therefore, it can be assumed that he must have been a champion of the arena and captured by the Grandmaster.
No further information is available, and it is still unknown whether the character will be used in the future. After the events of Thor: Love and Thunder, Thor wields Mjolnir again, while Stormbreaker is used by Love, his adoptive daughter. More about Marvel can be found here: A great threat in the Marvel universe has existed for 20,000 years, but only a specific group can defeat it
