The Marvel Cinematic Universe may have started with Iron Man's advanced technology, but since its incipience, it has added other elements, many of them magical or mystical. First introduced in 2011's Thor, this twist was then explained by Thor himself as another form of science. Subsequent releases suggest that even in the MCU, that's not exactly the case.
As the Ancient One pointed out to Dr. Strange, not everything has a strictly scientific explanation. Certain objects don't obey the rules of physics like the Ten Rings that made their official debut in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Much like other Marvel objects of power, they didn't fail to disappoint.
Updated on July 13, 2022 by Scoot Allan: The release of Thor: Love and Thunder brought back a fan-favorite weapon and one of the strongest objects of power in the MCU. Mjolnir returned in Jane Foster's hands, and they encountered another deadly weapon called a Necrosword that made an impact on the MCU.
15 The Ten Rings Were Xu Wenwu's Ultimate Weapon & The Key To His Longevity
Xu Wenwu discovered the Ten Rings thousands of years ago. They were a set of armbands that granted their users tremendous power. Not only did they allow Xu Wenwu to create concussive blasts in battle, but they were the key to his longevity. They allowed him to live up to the present day and made him much stronger.
Armed with the rings, Xu Wenwu built an army as a mythical warlord. Using the power of the rings, Xu Wenwu broke the seal around the door imprisoning the Dweller-in-Darkness. The rings were inherited by his son Shang-Chi who used them to defeat the legendary monster. However, the origin of the Ten Rings remained a mystery.
14 Mjolnir Is The God of Thunder's Trademark Weapon
The first true object with mystical associations in the MCU, Mjolnir is Thor's trademark weapon. Using his hammer, Thor can fly and summon lightning. The weapon is a conduit for Thor's innate abilities, crafted out of uru by the dwarves of Nidavellir. Odin placed an enchantment on the hammer, keeping anyone unworthy from lifting it.
Even though Mjolnir was destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok, time travel brought the hammer to the present. Captain America wielded its powers before returning the hammer to its place in time. In Thor: Love and Thunder, Jane Foster returned with a reforged Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor.
13 The Casket Of Ancient Winters Was An Ancient Jotunheim Weapon
Another powerful artifact introduced in Thor was the Casket of Ancient Winters. The devastating weapon from Jotunheim was kept in Odin's weapons vault on Asgard after it was stolen from the Frost Giants.
The Casket of Ancient Winters was capable of releasing a never-ending icy wind that was capable of completely freezing enemies, fortresses, or entire planets if left open long enough. Loki used it against Heimdall in Thor, and simply touching it revealed his origins as a Frost Giant.
12 Thor's Ax Stormbreaker Is Even More Dangerous Than Mjolnir
After Mjolnir's destruction at Hela's hands, Thor was left without his best weapon. In Avengers: Infinity War, he traveled to Nidavellir. The sole remaining dwarf, Eitri, agreed to help him, but Thor was forced to withstand the heat coming from a neutron star in order to forge his new ax.
Thor almost died, but some quick thinking from Groot provided the almost-ready ax with a handle, and the weapon itself saved Thor's life. Stormbreaker was even more powerful than Mjolnir, and through it, Thor could even summon the Bifrost.
11 Yondu's Yaka Arrow Was Created By Centaurians And Controlled With A Whistle
Guardians of the Galaxy introduced fans to the Ravager Yondu Udonta, a bounty hunter who kidnapped and raised Peter Quill to become Star-Lord. Yondu was a Centaurian who wielded a powerful weapon known as a Yaka Arrow.
Created by the Centaurians using a sound-sensitive metal called Yaka, the arrow proved a deadly weapon. Yondu controlled it with extreme precision, using arrows that could take out an entire ship's crew in seconds. The Yaka Arrow was passed on to his loyal Ravager first mate Kraglin, who remained a close ally of the Guardians.
10 Gungnir Is The Iconic Spear Wielded By Asgard's King
First seen in the hands of Odin All-Father, Gungnir is the spear used by all Asgardian kings. A powerful mystical weapon, it can channel all forms of energy. Asgardian kings from Bor to Odin and Loki have each used it to create powerful blasts of magic.
Notable instances include Loki's killing blow against his birth father Laufey and Bor's attack against the dark elves. Whoever wields the spear is acknowledged as the ruler of Asgard and also has a powerful connection to the Destroyer, the automaton sent by Loki to hunt down his brother in Thor.
9 The Bifrost Is A Bridge Between The Worlds But Also A Weapon Of Great Destruction
One of the most important pieces of technology the Asgardians use is the Bifrost. It allows Asgardians to open wormholes, transporting them to worlds millions of light-years away. Depicted as a beam of light, the Bifrost isn't just a fancy method to move around the different realms.
If left open for too long, the Bifrost can destroy the entire world its power is focused on, as Loki attempted to do to Jotunheim. Thor prevented the disaster by destroying the bridge, but it was later rebuilt. Heimdall guards the Bifrost with his sword Hofun, another powerful Asgardian weapon.
8 The Cloak Of Levitation, The Staff Of The Living Tribunal & The Sling Ring Are Relics Used By Sorcerers
Dr. Strange introduced MCU fans to a whole new world of infinite possibilities. After a car accident injured his hands, Stephen Strange hoped to find a cure by working with the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj. Trained in the arts of sorcery by one of the MCU's most powerful magic users known as The Ancient One, Stephen received a sling ring that allowed him to create teleportation portals.
The sentient Cloak of Levitation chose Strange when he became the defender of the Sanctum Sanctorum, giving him the ability to fly and becoming an unexpected ally in battle. His mentor and later enemy Baron Mordo wields The Staff of the Living Tribunal, a powerful relic that can take different forms like a whip or a flail.
7 The Eternal Flame Is A Powerful Relic That Can Resurrect The Dead
Yet another addition from the Thor trilogy, the Eternal Flame appears in Thor: Ragnarok as an inextinguishable fire that's the source of Surtur's power. It's seen alongside other powerful MCU items like the Infinity Gauntlet, although Hela revealed it was actually a fake.
Contained in Odin's Weapons' Vault by the All-Father, Hela used the Eternal Flame to resurrect the armies of the dead. Later, Loki used the Eternal Flame to resurrect Surtur himself, deliberately bringing Ragnarok upon Asgard to stop Hela.
6 The Eye Of Agamotto, The Tesseract, The Scepter, & The Orb Were Vessels For The Infinity Stones
The Infinity Stones first appeared in the MCU under the guise of different artifacts. The Tesseract contained the Space Stone and was capable of transporting people to different locations. Loki uses it to escape during Endgame's time heist. The Mind Stone appears in Loki's scepter, which was also very important in awakening the powers of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
The Eye of Agamotto which held the Time Stone was entrusted to Stephen Strange. The Orb was entrusted to the Nova Corps by the Guardians of the Galaxy after they kept the Power Stone out of Ronan's clutches. When joined in the Infinity Gauntlet with the Aether/Reality Stone and the Soul Stone, the ancient artifacts were at their most destructive.
5 The Infinity Gauntlet Is The Tool Thanos Used To Turn Half The Universe Into Dust
The Infinity Gauntlet is the ultimate instrument Thanos used to channel the power of the Infinity Stones to achieve his master plan. Thanos forced the dwarf Eitri to create the Infinity Gauntlet, presumably in exchange for the lives of his people.
After securing all the Infinity Stones, Thanos completed the Infinity Gauntlet and snapped his fingers, turning half the universe's population to dust. He then used the Gauntlet to destroy the Infinity Stones, so they couldn't be used to undo the decimation.
4 Thanos' Powerful Double-Edged Sword Was Made Of An Alien Metal Called Dargonite
While Thanos was at his most powerful when he wielded the power of the Infinity Gauntlet, he had another weapon that rivaled some of the MCU's other powerful objects. Avengers: Endgame introduced an earlier version of Thanos from before his quest for the Infinity Stones.
This Thanos used a deadly double-edged sword in his conquest and extermination of multiple planets across the galaxy. The sword was made of Dargonite and was capable of withstanding blows from other MCU objects like Mjolnir. The Dargonite proved to be an even more powerful metal than Vibranium when it shredded Captain America's shield.
3 The Darkhold Is An Ancient Book Of Power That Featured A Prophecy About Scarlet Witch
A version of the magical tome first appeared on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but a new version of the Darkhold debuted in WandaVision. The Darkhold was a book of spells crafted out of dark energy by an Elder God known as Chthon. The Darkhold came into the possession of Agatha Harkness, who used the Darkhold to manipulate Wanda Maximoff's Hex.
After Agatha's defeat, Wanda claimed the Darkhold for herself in an attempt to find her lost twin sons in the Multiverse. The Darkhold played a huge role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which revealed that an alternate reality version of Doctor Strange had been corrupted by the Darkhold as well.
2 The Book Of Vishanti Was The Powerful Opposite Of The Darkhold
Scarlet Witch's use of the Darkhold turned her into a multiversal threat, targeting young America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That led Doctor Stranges from multiple universes to search for the Darkhold's magical opposite, the Book of Vishanti.
The Book of Vishanti was an ancient book of wisdom and knowledge that could give a sorcerer the power to defeat any enemy. The Illuminati from an alternate Doctor Strange's reality used the Book of Vishanti to vanquish a Darkhold-corrupted Strange, stop Thanos, and prevent their own Infinity War. Scarlet Witch ultimately destroyed the Book of Vishanti.
1 Hela And Gorr Both Used Powerful Versions Of The Necrosword
A few versions of the deadly Necrosword have appeared in the MCU. Hela first uses a version of the Necrosword that is seemingly combined with her Nightsword from the comics. She uses her Necroswords in the MCU to lay waste to Asgard as its new ruler.
Thor: Love And Thunder introduces a new version of the Necrosword alongside a powerful new enemy known as Gorr the God Butcher. He wields the powerful weapon which can channel energy from the Shadow Realm. The sword also withstands attacks from both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker during Gorr's battle with Thor and the Mighty Thor.