Long before Captain America wielded Mjolnir in Avengers: Endgame in his battle against Thanos, Superman called on Mjolnir during another potentially universe-shattering fight. In Marvel and DC Comics Avengers/JLA crossover, as the superteams are overwhelmed by an onslaught of, Superman calls for Mjolnir from a nearly defeated Thor and uses it to smash through the defenses of a comic villain who's trying to reshape both realities.
Among the most iconic scenes in any superhero film, Captain America successfully called on Mjolnir and proved he was worthy when all hope seemed lost in Avengers: Endgame. The crowd-pleasing moment was exhilarating and was ultimately the beginning of the end for Thanos, the Mad Titan. However, Superman pulled off a similar move more than a decade-and-a-half before Steve Rogers and did it without being worthy in the first place. In Avengers/JLA #4 by Kurt Busiek, George Perez, Tom Smith, and Comicraft, as both the Marvel and DC heroes seemed overwhelmed, the Man of Steel summons Mjolnir and uses it to help save the day.
Marvel and DC's 2004 crossover somehow managed to balance hundreds of characters together in a coherent story which saw both universes begin to warp and become completely disjointed. The villain Krona tries to merge them together while sending an army of villains, including Parademons, Moloids, and more at both DC and Marvel Comics' greatest heroes. Superman (wielding Captain America's shield) gets to Krona's last wall but can't break his final line of defense due to a powerful force-field protecting it. As Thor becomes overwhelmed by Krona's army, he throws Mjolnir to Superman, allowing him to break the wall. Breaking through Krona's final defense would eventually lead to his defeat. The Marvel and DC Comics' universes would be restored as the cracks in reality healed.
So, how did Superman lift Mjolnir? He's later seen retrieving the hammer post-fight and is unable to make it even budge off the ground. Thor explains the enchantment on his hammer has allowed others to wield it "and overcome the spell, in desperate hours." It seems Superman was able to control its momentum and smash the wall, while not fully control the hammer as his own weapon.
Funny enough, while Superman wasn't considered worthy in that story, DC Comics has teased he might be after all, as the Man of Steel is seen holding the hammer in a more recent issue of Thor. Regardless of the logistics behind Superman's use of Mjolnir, getting the hammer from a nearly-defeated Thor in the nick of time to help save the day is quite similar to Captain America's big moment in Avengers: Endgame. Superman certainly lived up to his name during the crossover event, even if he wasn't officially worthy.
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April 25, 2021 at 05:31AM
