Disney and Marvel Studios just dropped a new trailer for What If…?’s third and final season, and it looks like Marvel isn’t holding back when it comes to exploring alternate timelines in its universe.
What If…? is Marvel’s fourth television show set in its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) — the very first animated show produced by the newly-formed Marvel Studios Animation — that shows what would happen if major moments from the MCU movies occurred differently.
One of the biggest reveals of Season 3 happens in the final moments of the trailer when fans have the opportunity to see a version of Storm wielding what seems to be Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. This could be somewhat confusing for the casual fans of Marvel’s universe, as only those with pure-hearted intentions and a lack of self-serving motives could wield the legendary hammer forged from the mythical Uru metal. So, can Storm actually wield the legendary hammer, or is this one of the more “creative” narrative elements from the pen of A. C. Bradley and Matthew Chauncey?
Well, as it turns out, Storm’s ability to wield the legendary hammer actually tracks with several different narratives from Marvel Comics, including the storylines in which she actually becomes the Asgardian Goddess of Thunder. Storm’s first taste of godhood and godlike powers came during Arthur Adams and Chris Claremont’s X-Men Annual #9. In this storyline, Loki captures some of the New Mutants and brings them to Asgard because he sees their potential for causing chaos and wants to use their powers for his own ends.
After the New Mutants are taken, X-Men follow them to Asgard to rescue their teammates. While in Asgard, Loki takes a particular interest in Storm because of her powers and noble nature. In an attempt to manipulate the now-powerless Storm and win her loyalty, Loki orders the dwarf Etiri to forge a new hammer from the Uru metal and imbues it with powers similar to Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. He then presents the hammer to Storm, knowing that it would appeal to her affinity for weather manipulation, hopefully enticing her to join his side.
Storm accepts the hammer, called Stormcaster, which grants her the ability to call down lightning and thunder — something she previously did naturally on her own. Stormcaster also granted Storm an Asgardian warrior appearance, temporarily transforming her into a goddess-like figure with abilities similar to those of Thor. Though she initially wielded Stormcaster in the comics, Storm quickly recognizes Loki’s manipulative motives and rejects both him and the hammer, choosing to remain true to her own values, even at the expense of being powerless, rather than joining Loki.
She subsequently returned back to Earth, and her mutant powers soon returned. But that wasn’t the only time Storm wielded the magic hammer. In X-Men: To Serve and Protect #3, Thor brings Stormcaster to Wakanda after stumbling upon it while going through some Asgardian relics. Upon touching the hammer, Storm instantly transforms back into her goddess form. Realizing that the Stormcaster is amplifying Storm’s powers and heightening her aggression in a way that would be too much for a mortal to handle, Thor tries to shatter the Stormcaster using Mjolnir.
However, despite all his might, he’s unsuccessful, so he convinces Storm to grab hold of Mjolnir, and together, the two destroy Stormcaster. Although it appeared to be destroyed, Stormcaster reappeared in what was left of Old Asgard and remained there until Uovu, an emerging death god, sent his worshippers after Storm’s foster mother, Ainet Mwangi. Before dying, Ainet prayed to the Old Gods to grant Ororo (Storm’s real name) divine powers, and her prayers were answered by Stormcaster, which still lay dormant in Old Asgard.
The mystical hammer found Storm during one of her missions with the X-Men, granting her the same abilities as it did in the past. After learning of Ainet’s death, Storm traveled back to Kenya, confronted Uovo, and defeated the dark god. However, the battle with the dark god finally depleted Stormcaster’s power, and the mystical hammer turned to dust. It’s also worth mentioning that the What If…? comics story titled What If the X-Men Had Stayed in Asgard? follows the story of Storm, who kept Stormcaster and chose to remain in Asgard, eventually becoming the real Goddess of Thunder.
It’s still unclear which one of these storylines What If…? Season 3 is going to adapt or base its story upon, but whatever the case may be, it’s quite evident that Storm is worthy of wielding the legendary hammer. Sure, some might argue that she and Thor held Mjolnir together, but given her power, the ability to wield a similar weapon, and her heroic actions, it’s more than fair to assume that Storm is worthy of wielding Mjolnir, but would also be a fitting replacement should Thor ever decide to retire.