Despite maintaining that he didn’t need Mjolnir anymore, Thor gave Stormbreaker to Love in Thor: Love and Thunder’s ending. Here’s why.
Surprisingly, Thor gave Stormbreaker to Love in Thor: Love and Thunder. Having been adopted by Thor, Gorr’s daughter has seemingly become the new owner of the weapon forged to defeat Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. In Thor: Love and Thunder’s ending, Love carried it into battle alongside Thor, who was once again wielding Mjolnir.
The movie doesn’t explain Thor’s motivations for giving up Stormbreaker, but it makes sense that Chris Hemsworth simply wanted Love to have a powerful weapon to aid her in battle. It’s unlikely that he could give her Mjolnir, considering that so few people in the MCU have been deemed worthy of its power. So if she can’t use Mjolnir, the next best option that’s already in his possession would be Stormbreaker. He knows it can be an asset in battle, which is exactly why he would trust it to keep her safe if she was ever in danger.
Why Thor Needs Mjolnir More Than Stormbreaker
Thor: Love and Thunder saw Chris Hemsworth’s Thor express on more than one occasion that Stormbreaker – and not Mjolnir – is his weapon now, which is the main reason why it was so unexpected to see him hand it off to Love so easily. However, it’s possible that despite Thor’s protests in the movie, he’s always valued Mjolnir more than Stormbreaker. For all the power it possesses, Stormbreaker just can’t compare to the long history that Thor has with Mjolnir, which has been by his side for several centuries.
Plus, it’s worth noting that Love and Thunder’s story greatly strengthened Thor’s link to Mjolnir, even if he wasn’t the one using it through most of the movie. Now that Jane Foster is dead, it’s so much more than a symbol of his power and heritage and his trusted weapon since childhood; it also represents Jane Foster’s legacy. Her death in Love and Thunder’s ending makes the hammer a reminder of Jane and her sacrifice, as well as a monument to her character and what she stood for in the MCU. In a way, Mjolnir carries an even deeper meaning for Thor now than it did before its destruction at the hands of Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.
Will Love Return With Stormbreaker In The MCU?
If Marvel plans to use Love again, it would make sense for her MCU return to pay off Thor: Love and Thunder’s ending tease by having Stormbreaker serve as her signature weapon. If that happens, she can be a capable ally to her father in Thor 5 or perhaps a full-fledged superhero in a Young Avengers movie, where she could be the team’s very own Thor. Alternatively, the MCU doesn’t have to permanently separate Thor from Stormbreaker. After all, it could be that Thor only lets her use it, rather than give up forever. If that’s the case, Thor can wield it together with Mjolnir, particularly if he appears in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars without Love in tow.
