God of War Ragnarök, the highly-anticipated sequel to 2018's God of War, will be released on Nov. 9. Preorders for the game and its Collector's and Jötnar editions went recently, with the special editions both selling out almost immediately, despite the controversy over them lacking a physical disc. Both contain some striking pieces of merchandise, but the standout is undoubtedly the hefty 16" Mjölnir replica.
Thor's famous weapon was crafted by the Dwarven brothers, Brok and Sindri to showcase their talents. However, when they saw the devastation Thor caused with it, especially towards the giants, they crafted the Leviathan Axe to oppose it. These two weapons are arguably the most powerful in the Nine Realms, and with Thor set to be the main antagonist of Ragnarök, it will be interesting to see how these iconic weapons will be used in the story. The replica only adds to this intrigue by hinting that Mjölnir may, in fact, could be wielded by someone other than Thor.
Fans were quick to notice that the replica contains several rune slots, similar to those found on the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos. Apart from being nice details for the merchandise, these suggest that the weapon may be equipped by the player at some point in the game. Rune slots allow weapons to be customized with light and heavy runic attacks, which can be further leveled up as the player gains more experience. In the 2018 game, Kratos' weapons had two rune slots each, but it's the Mjölnir replica appears to have six slots.
Since Thor is an antagonist in Ragnarök, it's like the weapon will only be obtainable after he's been defeated at the end of the game, if it's available at all. If that's the case, players would probably only be able to use Mjölnir and its added rune slots as part of New Game+ to add more depth to combat in a second playthrough. Although this seems most likely, it hasn't stopped fans from speculating about other possibilities.
Some have questioned whether the weapon could be stolen from Thor at some point. In the God of War universe, such a feat wouldn't be unprecedented, as it was said that the giant Thrym previously stole the hammer while Thor was sleeping. However, he fell into a trap, and Thor got his bloody revenge. Given the revelation that Kratos' son, Atreus, is himself half-giant, it would be quite poetic if the teenager were to somehow use it against the god who killed so many giants in the past.
Mjölnir and the Leviathan Axe already have a lot in common. Both were crafted by Brok and Sindri with enormous power, and both can be utilized by being thrown it at an enemy and returned to the user's hand. In this sense, the weapon woud likely feel comfortable to players accustomed to the existing gameplay mechanics. Of course, it could be simply feasible that Thor is the one utilizing the rune slots, but it would be exciting if players had to chance to wield Mjölnir's great power. God of War Ragnarök has a lot to live up to, and these sorts of twists could go a long way in helping it stand tall next to its beloved predecessor.