Warning: SPOILERS for King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #2
Even the most casual fan knows Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, the enchanted weapon that can only be lifted by those deemed “worthy”. But this wasn’t always Thor’s weapon of choice. Before he was worthy of Mjolnir, Thor wielded another great weapon of Asgard, Jarnbjorn. A mighty axe that he used to lay waste against frost giants, trolls and dragons on the quests of his youth. Such a mighty weapon is fitting for the future King of Asgard, but in King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #2 by writers Jason Aaron and Torrun Gronbekk with art by Nina Vakueva, it is revealed that the weapon was made for another warrior — and they have returned to claim their weapon.
In his youth, Thor’s weapon of choice was an axe. While MCU fans may know Thor for his world-destroying axe Stormbreaker, Jarnbjorn is a much different weapon. The axe was made by dwarves, meaning Jarnbjorn itself is sharper than any weapon on earth, and therefore can cut through anything. The axe has a charm that was placed on it to make it indestructible, allowing it to defend against any attack. Thor also enchanted the weapon with his own blood, giving it the ability to pierce the armor of a Celestial. Until now, readers were left to believe Jarnbjorn was another weapon built for the son of Odin. He would later pick up the handle of the axe again when he became unworthy of Mjolnir, allowing Jane Foster to become Thor.
No longer having the powers of Thor, Jane Foster is now the last Valkyrie who carries Undrjarn the All-Weapon and ushers the souls of fallen warriors to Valhalla. During the events of King in Black, Knull kills the Sentry and Jane begins a quest to bring his soul to Valhalla. While travelling across the stars, they come upon the decapitated head of a Celestial which is home to Knull’s very own version of Hell. Being killed by Knull himself, the hell tries to claim Sentry’s soul for itself. Dragged into the darkness, Jane forms Undrjarn into a mace on a long chain and casts it into the darkness, hoping to retrieve Sentry’s soul. While she does manage to pull a soul from the Hell, it is not Sentry’s. Jane Foster saves the soul of a Valkyrie, long forgotten and living in Knull’s Hell.
The nameless Valkyrie has been speculated to be the Marvel Universe’s incarnation of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie character from the MCU film Thor: Ragnarock. The Valkyrie agrees to aid Jane in destroying Knull’s Hell and saving Sentry’s soul. The nameless Valkyrie’s love, another Valkyrie named Alta, is still trapped in the Hell as well, making the matter even more personal for her. Brunnhilde has a plan, but first, she says that Valkyrie needs her axe, thinking it will help fuel her fire for the coming battle. The nameless Valkyrie describes herself as the strongest warrior of her time who fought alongside Bor and his son Odin, and such a warrior would have a powerful weapon of her own. Valkyrie reveals that Jarnbjorn was forged by the Dwarves for her.
Brunnhilde tells the Valkyrie the location of her axe, which has changed hands many times since she last held the weapon. Now located in Vanaheim, it is in possession of a King and leader of a band of thieves. Looking to sell the weapon to the highest bidder he is not willing to give it back to the Valkyrie without a fight. This coupled with Thor’s new origin means that comic readers are having to rethink everything they think they know about Thor.
