When Does Captain America Become Worthy of Mjolnir?
Captain America's Journey: A Closer Look at His Worthy Path
First and foremost, let's go back to the beginning. In the opening scenes of the first Avengers movie, we see Captain America (Steve Rogers) arriving just as Thor is confronting Loki. Iron Man has already been defeated by Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor. Captain America, remaining calm, tells Thor to put down the hammer. Thor's response is thunderous: "YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN!!! "
Selecting his words carefully, Captain America gently suggests, "Are we done here." It's fascinating to observe how the hammer reacts differently when it hits Captain America's shield compared to how it affected other opponents. No one else fell down, and Thor himself was sent flying by the massive impact. My hypothesis is that Mjolnir could sense that Captain America was already worthy to wield it.
This observation is not unique; in other circumstances during the Avengers films, we see Captain America resonate with the hammer once again. For instance, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, we see Captain America fighting by swinging the hammer. In this moment, Thor watches nervously, and Captain America steps back. This scene clearly shows that Mjolnir recognizes Captain America's worthiness, even if it wasn't declared officially.
A Theory on Steve's Unworthiness
However, we can also explore whether Captain America truly became worthy in Avengers: Endgame. Some argue that Steve didn't become worthy until the end of the movie. For instance, during an interview, Christopher Markus, one of the writers, mentioned:
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"he’s not completely worthy yet" he still has the secret of Tony's parents' death to resolve."
Intuitively, Steve had a certain degree of worthiness. However, he lacked true resolution and was still wracked with guilt over the lie to Tony about the identity of Iron Man. This conflict could very well have made him unworthy. After resolving this conflict and regaining his trust with Tony, Steve may indeed have become fully worthy.
The Impact of Guilt on Worthiness
In comic books, the worthiness factor for Mjolnir is greatly influenced by a user's mental state. At any given moment, someone can be worthy and unworthy. Consider Thor's experience; his worthiness was tested again in Endgame due to his guilt. However, he overcame this by revisiting his childhood memories with his mother.
It's possible that Captain America had moments of unworthiness due to his relationship with Tony. His guilt over the lie to Tony created a void in his heart, making him feel unworthy. Once Tony forgave him, their relationship was restored, and Steve became fully worthy.
Conclusion
In summary, Captain America's worthiness is a deeply nuanced theme within the Avengers Universe. His initial unworthiness could be attributed to unresolved guilt, which could be resolved over time. This journey of resolution is key for Steve to become fully worthy, culminating in his eventual ability to wield Mjolnir in Avengers: Endgame.