There was a time in the history of comics and superhero stories when the leader of the Justice League wielded the signature weapon of the leader of the Avengers. But you may be wondering how on Earth it is actually possible, after all, Superman exists in the DC Universe and Captain America exists in the Marvel Universe.
However, there was one instance when these two most popular and different comic universes came together for a single storyline. The Marvel/DC crossover made the JLA and Avengers join hands in order to find totems that would help them save the universe. The epic crossover storyline written by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez is dearly referenced by fans to this day. The heroes of two worlds weren’t too surprised as they were to combat a nefarious plot against the adversary, Krona.
Superman Once Wielded Marvel’s Powerful Weapons
Captain America was leading the Avengers, and Superman was parading the JLA against their common enemy. However, as the enemy forces kept increasing, things were getting difficult. Superman is known to be a one-man army, pummelling through the mobs of enemies with his brute strength alone. When he was overwhelmed by the numbers, a legendary moment occurred in comic history. Captain America gave Superman his shield in order to face the enemies.
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But the action didn’t stop there. During the final moments of their long and arduous battle, they had to overcome an energy wall set up by Krona. It was impossible to beat the wall down with his raw strength alone. Then came a moment that is hailed by many fans – Superman lifted the Mjolnir.
Thor noticed the energy wall straight away and sent the Mjolnir his way with his famous line: “Do Thou Well With It!” Superman was able to break the energy barrier with the Vibranium shield in his left hand and the Mjolnir in his right hand. It is one of the greatest moments in comic book history to date. The Man of Steel is usually susceptible to magic, but in this case, the magic helped him become more powerful instead of becoming his weakness.
Was Superman Really Worthy?
Now here comes a moment that is highly debated – the “worthiness” of Superman using the greatest Marvel weapons. Thor’s Mjolnir has an enchantment placed on it, which ensures that only those deemed worthy may lift it. Sure, Superman fans defend him by referencing the moment where he used Mjolnir once. However, a very crucial fact is often overlooked.
In the very next scene, when Man of Steel tries to give the Mjolnir back to Thor, he can’t lift it even an inch. To everyone’s confusion, Mjolnir deemed him unworthy again. Of course, it alleviates the confusion in everyone’s head.
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The Mjolnir’s ‘worthiness‘ spell can actually be broken in certain moments, as explained by Thor himself. In desperate times, few people can wield the hammer despite being unworthy. This was the primary reason why Superman could use it.
At various points during Marvel/DC crossovers, Superman has been able to lift Mjolnir. However, there is no singular proof of the fact that he is worthy of the powerful weapon.
