A lot of the focus in the Marvel Cinematic Universe points to who has the worthiness to wield Mjolnir, but what about those who have used Gungnir? The powerful spear has made appearances in all three Thor movies, and it holds a deep significance to Norse mythology. Four specific characters have wielded the majestic staff thus far in the franchise, but not all have fully understood the weight of its power.

Gungnir, which in the comics translated to “The Spear of the Heavens,” served as a symbol of Asgardian kingship. The current leader of Asgard traditionally held the staff as he sat upon his throne. Made of Uru, Gungnir connected to power and authority, holding numerous enchantments to propel its power. Among its capabilities were energy blasts and teleportation. In addition, Gungnir could open and close the Bifrost Bridge and control the Destroyer.

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The king’s weapon was not only more powerful than Mjolnir, but Gungnir was arguably comparable to Stormbreaker’s strength. The key to Gungnir’s potential was knowing how to wield the powerful piece of metal. Here’s every character in the MCU that took ownership of Gungnir, and what happened to the spear in their care.

Odin

Seeing as Odin was the king of Asgard for much of Thor’s arc in the MCU, he was the one who predominantly used Gungnir. While Odin was often seen holding the staff, Thor also shared insight into the king’s past when the weapon was heavily used. In 965 A.D., the Asgardians found themselves in a war against the Frost Giants and their king, Laufey. Odin used Gungnir when he directly faced Laufey to prevent the Frost Giants from turning Earth into an ice-covered wasteland. Before Odin passed away in Thor: Ragnarok, he was shown using Gungnir on a number of occasions, including the funeral of his beloved wife, Frigga.

Bor

Before Odin wielded Gungnir, the spear was owned by his father, Bor. As stated in Thor: The Dark World, Bor used Gungnir when Asgard was at war with the Dark Elves and their leader, Malekeith. Bor was successful in that war, but he met his demise in another battle shortly after. As the heir to the throne, Odin took over as the ruler, and he was given Gungnir.

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Loki

During Odin’s reign, his adopted son Loki briefly took ownership of the symbolic spear in the first Thor film. While Thor was exiled to Earth, Odin fell into “Odinsleep,” leading to Loki take over as the new king of Asgard. After allowing the Frost Giants into Asgard, Loki betrayed Laufey, killing him with Gungnir to allow others to perceive him as a hero. When Thor returned to his homeworld, he fought Loki before forcing him to give the staff back to their father. Loki seemingly took back control of the throne and Gungnir when he disguised himself as Odin in The Dark World. As he ruled Asgard after the Dark Elves’ invasion, Loki had Odin sent to Earth under a spell, requiring care at a retirement home.

Thor

Despite being in line to rule Asgard, Thor never got a real opportunity to serve as king. The God of Thunder did, however, wield Gungnir in his seventh overall Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance in Ragnarok. As his unknown sister, Hela, arrived to take ownership of the throne, Thor squared off with the figure. He obtained Gungnir in the throne room and struck her with it without fully realizing its real powers. Thor ended up discarding the staff, and it was presumably destroyed when Surtur decimated Asgard.

Key Release Dates
  • Black Widow (2021)Release date: Jul 09, 2021
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Release date: Sep 03, 2021
  • Eternals (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
  • The Marvels/Captain Marvel 2 (2023)Release date: Feb 17, 2023
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About The Author


Kara Hedash
(1746 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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