Mjölnir

In Norse mythology, Mjölnir (Old Norse: Mjǫllnir, IPA: [ˈmjɔlːnir]) is the hammer of Thor, a major Norse god associated with thunder. Mjölnir is depicted in Norse mythology as one of the most fearsome weapons, capable of leveling mountains. In his account of Norse mythology, Snorri Sturluson relates how the hammer was made by the dwarven brothers Sindri and Brokkr, and how its characteristically short handle was due to a mishap during its manufacture.

Name

Old Norse Mjǫllnir /'mjɔlːnir/ regularly becomes Mjøllnir /'mjœlːnir/ in Old Icelandic by the 13th century. The modern Icelandic form is Mjölnir, Norwegian and Danish Mjølner, Swedish Mjölner.

The name is derived from a Proto-Germanic form *meldunjaz, from the Germanic root of *malanan "to grind" (*melwan, Old Icelandic meldr, mjǫll, mjǫl "meal, flour"), yielding an interpretation of "the grinder; crusher".

Additionally, there is a suggestion that the mythological "thunder weapon" being named after the word for "grindstone" is of considerable, Proto-Indo-European (if not Indo-Hittite) age; according to this suggestion, the divine thunder weapon (identified with lightning) of the storm god was imagined as a grindstone (Russian molot and possibly Hittite malatt- "sledgehammer, bludgeon"), reflected in Russian молния (molniya) and Welsh mellt "lightning" (possibly cognate with Old Norse mjuln "fire").

List of ships in the Matrix series

This article is about the 'hovercraft' ships shown in the fictional universe of the Matrix series of science fiction films, comic books and video games. The Animatrix short film "The Second Renaissance" depicts the war between men and machines which led to the creation of a computer-generated world known as the Matrix. Humans are shown using technology enabling personal vehicles, like a flying car called Versatran, and flying warships to hover above surfaces. The "hovercraft" used by the human resistance, years after the end of the war, seem to use similar technology for propulsion.

Hovercraft are designed to patrol the sewers and tunnels left over from the megacities that existed before the Man–Machine war. Their crews attempt to enter the Matrix in order to locate and free the minds of humans who are ready to understand the truth of the artificial reality. A ship's Operator remains as guide, and prepares crews with navigation data and by hacking equipment and information in the form of programs sent directly to them.

Mjolnir (comics)

Mjolnir (/ˈmoʊlnⁱər/ MŌL-n(ee)r) is a fictional weapon appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as the favored weapon of the superhero Thor. Mjolnir, which first appears in Journey into Mystery #83 (August 1962), was created by writer Stan Lee and designed by artists Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.

Mjolnir was typically depicted as a large, square-headed gray lump hammer. It has a short, round handle wrapped in brown leather, culminating in a looped lanyard. The object is based on Mjölnir, the weapon of the mythical Norse god. The hammer's name translates as "The Crusher" or "The Grinder."

Publication history

Mjolnir debuted in Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962), and was immediately established as the main weapon of the Thunder god Thor. The weapon's origin is revealed in Thor Annual #11 (1983), although another version is presented in Thor vol. 2, #80 (Aug. 2004).

Other significant moments in Marvel continuity include the altering of Mjolnir's enchantments in Thor #282 (April 1979) and Thor #340 (Feb. 1984); the temporary possession of Mjolnir by a member of the Enchanters Three in Thor vol. 3, #14–15 (Aug.–Sep. 1999); and when the hammer has been damaged, occurring in Journey Into Mystery #119 (Aug. 1965); Avengers #215 (Jan. 1982); Thor #388 (Feb. 1988);Thor vol. 2, #11 (May 1999); Thor vol. 2, #80 (Aug. 2004) and Thor vol. 3, #600 (Feb. 2009).