Line #67 Main/ThunderHammer


1	[[quoteright:350:[[{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/doomhammer_tcg_2.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''This'' is what [[Music/Level80EliteTaurenChieftain powers the Horde!]]]]
3
4	-> ''"Krakaboom!"''
5	-->-- Mjölnir, ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor''
6
7	Likely inspired by how hammers make noises that could be compared to thunder, fiction frequently grants them the power to generate electricity or command storms. The sight of a hammer charged with electricity also falls under RuleOfCool so there's that. Designs usually range from a giant two-handed or a one-handed war hammer.
8
9	The {{Trope Maker\|s}} is Mjölnir, the mystical hammer wielded by the [[Myth/NorseMythology Norse god Thor]], associated with lightning to Thor's thunder, which means [[JustSoStory Mjölnir is what's lightning as it flashes through the air from Thor wielding it]]. Thunder Hammers are often either [[PublicDomainArtifact Mjölnir itself]], named after it or is an {{Expy}} of the mythical hammer.
10
11	Compare ThunderDrum. SubTrope of ShockAndAwe and ElementalWeapon. SisterTrope to LightningGun, ShockStick, StaticStunGun and LightningLash. Frequently overlaps with HumongousHeadedHammer.
12	----
13	!!Examples:
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15	[[foldercontrol]]
16
17	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
18	* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'':
19	** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Zudomon has an attack called Hammer Spark, which charges the "Thor Hammer" he wields with electricity. Confusingly, the English dub renamed both the attack and the weapon to "''[[Myth/ClassicalMythology Vulcan]]'''s Hammer"[[note]]This actually still works, if more esoterically, since Vulcan was the forger of lightning bolts used by Jupiter[[/note]].
20	** ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'': [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by the names of Blitzmon's attacks, "Thor Hammer" and "Mjölnir Thunder". The former has him clasp his hands together and swing them down while they are charged with lightning, while the latter is a GroundPunch which releases an electric blast. None of these attacks actually involve an electrified hammer but their names reference the mythical hammer of the Norse Thunder God.
21	** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure2020'': Not only do Zudomon and his Hammer Spark return, he also has a ranged version of the attack where he fires an electrified beam from the hammer.
22	* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'': Mjolnir is wielded by Beatrice Flowerchild since she possesses the Berserker class card connected to Thor. The hammer is roughly three times her size and requires her to enlarge her entire arm just to hold it. [[spoiler:Mjolnir turns out to be a ''massive'' RedHerring for this Berserker's True Name - rather than being derived from Thor, the card is instead derived from Magni, one of Thor's sons who inherited the hammer after his father's death during Ragnarok.]]
23	* ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'': The Zeus Gundam's Lightning Hammer is a large yellow hammer with a bolt-shaped handle. It is based on Thor's Mjölnir and can be charged with electricity to shock the enemy. The lightning abilities do not seem to be restricted to the Lightning Hammer as when another Zeus Gundam appeared in ''Anime/GundamBuildFighters'', it was able to channel the same abilities using a random stock hammer.
24	* ''Manga/RecordOfRagnarok'': Mjölnir is a massive hammer larger than Thor's entire body. Thor can channel electricity through the hammer, making his swings even more powerful and devastating.
25	* ''Manga/SoulEater'': Marie Mjolnir's weapon form is either a hammer or a tonfa. True to her namesake, she's able to utilize her soul wavelength to generate electricity.
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	[[folder:Comic Books]]
29	* ''ComicBook/DeRodeRidder'': The hammer is of course the focal point in the album ''De Hamer van Thor'' [[note]]Thor's Hammer[[/note]]. Both Mjollnir and Gungnir also make an appearance in the album ''De Walkure'' [[note]]The Valkyrie[[/note]], where they are wielded by their original owners. The album ''Doodsbrenger'' [[note]]Deathbringer[[/note]] briefly shows how Mjollnir was originally forged (from mithril, according to the story!), but instead focusses on the sword Deathbringer, which was forged at the same time but ended up hidden on Midgard, where it was eventually found by the album's main villain.
30	* ComicBook/{{Steel}}'s hammer has a variety of features revolving around electromagnetism. It can measure electromagnetic energy, generate {{EMP}}s to disrupt machinery and be tuned to the Earth's magnetic field, making it impossible to move. When not in use, the hammer can be magnetically attached to Steel's back.
31	* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'':
32	** As expected in a comic based on Norse myth, the titular character wields the TropeMaker. ''ComicBook/Thor2014'' reveals that the piece of [[FantasyMetals Uru]] Mjölnir was created from contained a cosmic storm called the God Tempest.
33	** ComicBook/BetaRayBill has Stormbreaker, a [[MixAndMatchWeapon hammer/axe]], with similar powers to Mjölnir. It was created for Bill when it was found out that he was worthy enough to carry Mjölnir since he and Thor can't exactly use the same weapon.
34	** The ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' version of Thor has multiple hammers named Mjölnir. His original hammer has the same powers as the 616 version.
35	* ''Comicbook/{{Valhalla}}'': Thor wields the TropeMaker Mjölnir, here presented as a short-hafted one-handed hammer that neatly fits in his hand. Thor can cause thunder and lighting to erupt from the hammer by brandishing it.
36	* ''ComicBook/XMen'': In the 80s, when Storm was going through her {{depower}}ed "Mohawk phase", a 1985 story in X-Men Annual saw Loki attempt to manipulate her into allying with him by giving her a knock-off Mjolnir called Stormcaster, which gave her back her WeatherControl powers so long as she wields it. She was forced to surrender the hammer when she thwarted Loki's plan.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Film — Live Action]]
40	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Like in the comics and the myths that inspired them, Mjölnir is featured as Thor's main weapon. Although ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' establishes that Thor's ShockAndAwe powers come from himself and not the hammer, anyone who is [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield worthy enough]] to lift Mjölnir can call down lightning with it.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Literature]]
44	* ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'': One of Tongtian Jiaozhu's many deadly Paopei are the Purple Lightning Hammers, which are apparently extremely powerful weapons that can break through even other lesser Paopei.
45	* ''Literature/MagnusChaseAndTheGodsOfAsgard'': As usual, Mjölnir is Thor's weapon. [[spoiler:Although it spends almost two books missing]].
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
49	* ''Series/FirstWave'': Mjolnir shows up as an alien device that can create portals.
50	* ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gods_of_Honour Gods of Honour]]'': The series revolves around the birth and origins of gods, with Leigong as one of the three main characters (alongside Nezha the Warrior and Erlang the Guardian). True to the myth, Leigong does get his enchanted mallet and spike halfway in the show, allowing him to battle demons by striking them down with thunderbolts.
51	* ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'': Thor appears in the episode "Hammer Time" and as expected wields Mjölnir, an oddly Japanese-looking version of it to be precise. This is mostly because it is a case of CulturalTranslation due to it coming from a ''[[Series/GogoSentaiBoukenger Boukenger]]'' storyline involving the ''Conjuring Mallet''. In addition to its {{Sizeshifter}} powers from the stock footage, Thor is shown using it to create blasts of lightning.
52	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Mjölnir is auctioned off in the episode "[[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy What's Up Tiger Mommy?]]" by Plutus, the Greek God of Greed. When Sam manages to get his hands on it, he is able to strike down gods.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
56	* Myth/ChineseMythology: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigong Leigong]] ("Lord of Thunder") is the Chinese equivalent of Thor. He is depicted as a bird-headed humanoid who carries a mallet and [[ThunderDrum drum]] which can produce thunder, and a chisel to punish evildoers. He is often depicted as being accompanied by ''Dianmu'' ("Mother of Lightning") and ''Yuntong'' (Child of Clouds) who assist him in creating thunderstorms.
57	* Myth/NorseMythology: Mjölnir ''is'' the TropeMaker and TropeCodifier. It is both a powerful weapon and an instrument that can provide blessings.
58	* Myth/CelticMythology has Lorg Mor (Lore-ug More), "Great Staff" the signature weapon of The Dagda, the TopGod of the Irish pantheon. It is usually described as a staff or club (the word "lorg" can mean either in Irish Gaelic). Unlike most examples of this trope, one end not only channels Dagda's powers (which includes weather control) bringing death and destruction, but the other end actually revives the slain. He notably used its storm abilities when battling the sea monster [[TentacledTerror muirselche.]]
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
62	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
63	** In the supplement ''Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia'': Thor's magical hammer Mjölnir can fire a total of 100d6 worth of lightning bolts per day, divided up as the god wishes.
64	** The Hammer of Thunderbolts is, depending on the edition, either a really powerful magic hammer or an outright artifact. Heavily based on Mjölnir, if wielded by someone who's also wearing Gauntlets of Ogre Power and a Belt of Giant Strength, it gives the wielder god-like strength and the ability to hurl the Hammer at distant foes to release mighty thunderclaps that damage and stun all nearby creatures. If the target is a giant, they must also make a saving throw or be instantly struck dead by the impact.
65	* ''TabletopGame/FabulaUltima'': One of the sample rare heavy weapons is Mjolnir, a one-handed hammer that inflicts both bolt damage and the Dazed status effect to anyone it hits.
66	* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': The minor artifact ''Hammer of Thunderbolts'' is essentially a lesser version of Mjölnir (and is also featured in ''TableTopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''). It requires other magic items (based on Thor's belt and gloves) to be worn to be used at full power.
67	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': The [[https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Thunder_Hammer Thunder Hammers]] are huge war hammers used by Space Marine Terminators. They have disruption fields designed to activate on impact, greatly increasing the damage they deal and producing a crack of thunder. For Astartes Terminators they are usually one-handed and reasonably sized, however they can also come in two-handed HumongousHeadedHammer style for space marines wearing regular power armor.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Video Games]]
71	* ''VideoGame/AdventureQuest'': The game has an equipment set themed after Myth/NorseMythology, Mjollnir naturally shows up as one of the weapons in the set. It is an Energy-element hammer that can either be swung or thrown. The FullSetBonus of the set grants Mjollnir a x20% damage to any opponent that uses Strength.
72	* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'': Mjölnir is an obtainable weapon, complete with a lightning effect.
73	* ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}}'': Sentinel and Thor's hammers generate electricity when used in special attacks.
74	* ''VideoGame/BugsBunnyAndTazTimeBusters'': WesternAnimation/ElmerFudd appears in the Viking Era as the guardian of Mjölnir. During his boss fight, his main method of attack is using the hammer to call down lightning bolts.
75	* ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'': The player can customize weapons with a variety of modifications. One in particular, the Shocking Sledge Mod, allows you to electrify a sledgehammer. Other, more generalized mods can also be used to electrify hammers.
76	* ''Franchise/DeadRising'': ''[[VideoGame/DeadRising2OffTheRecord Off The Record]]'' introduced the ''Electric Crusher'', a weapon created by [[MixAndMatchWeapon combining a sledgehammer and a car battery]]. It can brain zombies like a traditional hammer, but can also be slammed into the ground to send out a zombie-killing wave of electricity. The weapon recurs in ''VideoGame/DeadRising3'' and [[VideoGame/DeadRising4 4]].
77	* ''VideoGame/DiceyDungeons'':
78	** The card Hammer, which does raw damage[[note]]damage equal to the dice inserted[[/note]] and shocks one of the enemy's cards if you put in a 6 (or any even number if upgraded). If Inventor's art is anything to go by, this is a completely regular claw hammer.
79	** The card Sledgehammer, only available in [[spoiler:Parallel Universe and Bonus Round episodes]], has a countdown of 10, and does 8 damage as well as shocking the enemy.
80	* ''VideoGame/{{Dislyte}}'' has Donar, the Esper of Thor who wields both his thunder powers and his iconic hammer.
81	* ''VideoGame/DOTA2'': Maelstrom is a hammer that gives your attacks a ChainLightning effect. It can be upgraded to Mjölnir, which has the same effect and can also place a lightning shield around an ally.
82	* ''VideoGame/DyingLight'': Electrified hammers are among the game's weapon customization options.
83	* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': Thunder Hammers can be found as random enchanted loot in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', ''VideoGame/TheElderscrollsIVOblivion'', or ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''. Players can also create their own Thunder Hammers if they want to.
84	* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'': The super sledge (and sledgehammer as of Nuka-World) can be modified to do electrical damage, though your enemies' primary concern is still going to be the rocket power sledgehammer head.
85	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': [[https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Thor%27s_Hammer_(weapon) Thor's Hammer]] is a recurring weapon throughout the series. It is often used to cast lightning magic or deliver lightning-charged strikes. Curiously, it is often a signature weapon of the WhiteMage, a support-based class that rarely actually uses their weapons.
86	* ''VideoGame/FinalFight 3'': Dean can generate electricity and his signature weapon is a hammer. He can charge said hammer with electricity and throw it at enemies.
87	* ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'': The Fatui Electrohammer Vanguard enemies wield giant hammers that can be imbued with the [[ShockAndAwe Electro]] element. While electrified, their hammers gain a significant damage boost and increase in range, making them very dangerous to face head on without a [[AnIcePerson Cryo]] user to counter their element.
88	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'': The smiths who forged Mjolnir, Brok and Sindri, are supporting characters who aid Kratos and Atreus by providing crafting services. They are deeply ashamed of forging Mjolnir since Thor used it to slay countless Giants. Thor's sons Magni and Modi are in fierce competition with each other over the right to inherit the hammer. [[spoiler:The hammer itself makes an appearance in TheStinger when Thor appears in front of Kratos's house in Atreus's dream.]]
89	* ''Videogame/GodOfWarRagnarok'': Continuing on from the previous game, Thor shows up with Mjolnir in tow and is shown to be capable of tossing and recalling it like Kratos with his axe. When the two collide, it creates a massive frozen lightning bolt that stretches to the skies.
90	* ''VideoGame/{{Hexen}}'': The Crusader class from ''Hexen II'' carries a war hammer as their base weapon. While not electrified by default, under the influence of the [[QuadDamage Tome of Power]] it not only gains the ability to fly through the air at a toss, but then on impact also strikes those that it hits with bolts of lightning. Essentially making it into an {{Expy}} of Marvel's Mjolnir (especially with the ability to fly as the weapon is tossed, which [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] used to do).
91	* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'':Jayce Talis uses a hammer that can discharge electricity.
92	* ''VideoGame/LoveOfMagic'': Thor wields Mjölnir [[spoiler: until it is taken from him and given to Bella]].
93	* ''VideoGame/{{Magicka}}'': Mjölnir itself makes an appearance as one of the weapons that can be wielded by a wizard. It can call down lightning from the sky.
94	* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'': The Hammer of Ironfist is the AncestralWeapon of Torim Ironfist, founder of the Ironfist dwarf clan. It inflicts bonus electric damage with each strike and grants the wielder partial resistance to electric damage. When the hammer is fully charged, it may be used to call forth a powerful blast of electricity, centered on the hammer itself, that damages foes and deafens them with a thunderclap-like noise.
95	* ''VideoGame/NuclearThrone'': The Lightning Hammer shoots lightning every time it is swung.
96	* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2'':
97	** Techters' Wands often take the form of hammers. By using an Element Change Ring, Techters can imbue their Wands with lightning, striking with elemental explosions with every swing.
98	** Aratron Tolstoy's Avatar Arms is Thor's Hammer, a large war hammer that crackles with electricity when he slams it down on the floor. When he fights you in earnest, [[spoiler:he transforms into a HumongousMecha with an even larger hammer that calls down lightning in addition to his electrified hammer.]]
99	* ''VideoGame/QuakeI'': The ''Scourge of Armagon'' ExpansionPack has the Mjölnir as a melee weapon. It's hidden attack involves [[GroundPound striking the floor]] and releasing a stream of bolts that shocks every monster in the vicinity. This attack is only available if the player has enough Cells.
100	* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'':
101	** Thor is a recurring demon throughout the franchise and wields his hammer Mjölnir. He invariably has access to lightning-element spells as per his legend as the god of thunder. His hammer is also available for use as equipment in numerous games throughout the franchise.
102	** In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', Mjölnir is one of the strongest weapons available to Ryuji Sakamoto, and can only be obtained by itemizing Thor. Appropriately, Ryuji specializes in Electricity himself, and Mjölnir improves his Electricity output on par with the passive skill Elec Boost. Oddly, it's actually a [[SubvertedTrope mace]].
103	* ''VideoGame/SwordsAndSoldiers'': The ultimate spell acquired by the Vikings is the Hammer of Thor. When activated, it summons the God of Thunder, who hurls his hammer into the battlefield, where it will stay put and electrocute all nearby enemy units until it's destroyed.
104	* ''VideoGame/TitanQuest'': The "Essence of Donar's Hammer" relic sounds like it should be this as Donar is another name for Thor. However, it does not have much of a electricity connection beyond inflicting "Stun" or generic elemental damage.
105	-->Donar, or Thor, is the Germanic god of thunder. A son of giants himself, he uses his mighty hammer to protect the world from all kinds of monsters.
106	* ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'': There is a large assortment of giant hammers in the game and all the non-unique weapons have FireIceLightning variants. Naturally, there are lightning hammers that deal shock damage, which [[JackOfAllStats Optimus]] and [[TheBigGuy Grimlock]] can use. Humorously enough the regular giant hammers' design harken back to the Magnus Hammer from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', so them getting electrified can count as a MythologyGag.
107	* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'':
108	** The Doomhammer is an [[AncestralWeapon ancestral orcish weapon]] wielded by Thrall, and temporarily by [[PlayerCharacter Enhancement Shamans]] in ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft Legion]]''. Although it can channel the power of any element, its attacks are almost always accompanied by lightning.
109	** The Mountain King HeroUnit in ''Warcraft III'' wields a hammer which he uses to perform his [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Storm Bolt]] and [[GroundPound Thunder Clap]] attacks. Muradin retains these abilities in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm''. Downplayed with the Thunder Clap ability in ''World of Warcraft''; it's a vanilla GroundPound that doesn't require a hammer to use, but the ability icon still shows an electrified hammer doing the attack.
110	** Stormhammers are the weapons of the Wildhammer dwarves, which are lightning-infused hammers they throw from atop their gryphons. They strike "with the fury of a storm" then return to their wielder's hand.
111	* ''VideoGame/Warhammer40000SpaceMarine'': At some points in the Singleplayer Campaign, Captain Titus is allowed to arm himself with the fearsome Thunder Hammer, sometimes either on its own or with a complimentary jump pack.
112	* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'': Electra is a lightning-based blade inspired by Japanese [[GodOfThunder thunder gods]]. She uses a hammer as her weapon and functions as a tank.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Web Animation]]
116	* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Befitting a character inspired by Norse myth, Nora Valkyrie has the ability to absorb electricity to boost her strength and speed, and fights with Magnhild, a hammer(that can transform into a grenade launcher). In Volume 4, the hammer gets an upgrade that allows it generate an electric current.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Webcomics]]
120	* ''Webcomic/GingersBread'': Ryan and Kelly once gave Ginger a taser shaped like a hammer as a birthday present. At first she was annoyed that they were persisting with the joke that her (very Swedish) dad is Thor, but then she decided it was a pretty cool weapon.
121	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Durkon starts using a Hammer of Thunderbolts near the end of the story arc "Utterly Dwarved". It's coruscated in white lightning whenever he swings or throws it.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Western Animation]]
125	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': Jayce's Mercury Hammer is powered by [[{{Magitek}} Hextech]] and can generate electric energy for close or ranged combat.
126	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'': The Quarrymen wield hammers that can discharge electric currents. This function is activated by cocking the hammer like a shotgun.
127	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': The Magnus Hammer can fire lightning bolts or call down lightning from the sky. It is Ultra Magnus's weapon as well as his symbol of authority.
128	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ThunderHammer