One fan-favorite scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is from Avengers: Age of Ultron where the Avengers take turns trying to lift Thor’s Mjolnir, unable to accept the fact that you actually need to be “worthy” in order to do so. While Steve Rogers came the closest, no one was actually able to wield the hammer. In the comic books, though, many characters have been able to use the weapon, including Superman.
A still from Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) | Marvel Studios

Since Superman is “worthy” enough to lift Thor’s Mjolnir, it makes us wonder what a fight between Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel and the six O.G. Avengers could look like. Now, this is a long-standing debate amongst fans of DC and Marvel, but when you add Superman’s Mjolnir-lifting ability into the equation, the discussion just gets a lot more interesting.

Henry Cavil’s Superman Takes on MCU’s Avengers with Mjolnir

Henry Cavill in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) | Warner Bros. Pictures
On Reddit’s r/whowouldwin subreddit, the question of Superman vs. The Avengers was raised. Both teams are out of blood, and the six O.G. Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye) are in their primes.

What occurred was a very interesting conversation amongst the fans, every one of whom had some unique points to add to the debate. However, a user pointing out that Superman could lift Thor’s Mjolnir caught our attention.

I’m assuming you mean the DCEU Superman versus the recent/current MCU Avengers… Only the heavy hitters (IW Thor, IW Ironman, “Worthy” Cap and pre-Endgame Hulk) are making a difference here. Mjolnir’s magic can harm Superman. Superman could be worthy to catch and wield Mjolnir, but the fact he nearly killed Batman in a fit of rage weakens that assumption– thus leaving it debatable at best.

Since Superman is vulnerable to magic and Mjolnir is an enchanted artifact, it is very much possible that even if the Kryptonian wielded the hammer, he wouldn’t be able to use it to its full potential. In a different scenario, this vulnerability could be nullified after Mjolnir gives Superman Thor-like powers.

As for his battle with MCU’s six Avengers, well, let’s just say that he would be nearly impossible to beat even with the supes’ combined effort, thanks to Mjolnir.

DC’s superhero is already blessed with super speed, strength, flight, heat vision, and more. If you were to combine this with the powers Mjolnir gives its master (control over lightning, weather, enhanced strength, etc.), Superman would be an unstoppable force.

Perhaps even Iron Man’s technology, Hulk’s brute strength, Captain America’s enhanced physical abilities and his indestructible shield, Black Widow and Hawkeye’s combat prowess, and the literal God of Thunder himself would fall short of defeating Henry Cavill’s Superman. Not to mention that Thor would no longer possess the Mjolnir.

However, his other weapon, the Stormbreaker, could stand a chance against their opponent. As ‘n0sf3ra2’ mentioned, “Stormbreaker has the potential to one-shot Superman, as his durability is inferior to Thanos.” On the other hand, Superman’s super speed and Mjolnir’s combined efforts would give the Avengers a run for their money.

Perhaps there is no one way of answering the “Superman vs. The Avengers” question and the topic will remain a debate forever.

When Superman Wielded Thor’s Hammer

Superman lifting the Mjolnir in JLA/Avengers issue #4 | Marvel Comics/DC Comics
While not many have lifted Mjolnir in the MCU, the comic books have a handful of characters who have managed to do so, including Superman in JLA/Avengers. The series features two teams of superheroes: Justice League of America from DC Comics and, of course, Marvel’s Avengers.

In the fourth issue of the limited comic book series, Superman was able to use Captain America’s shield as well as Thor’s Mjolnir to defeat the near-invincible villain, Krona.

However, it was later revealed that Superman did not have the heart of a warrior despite being able to wield the hammer. Thus, in order to help the man save the day, Odin took away Mjolnir’s enchantment. This means that while many believe Superman lifted the weapon because he was worthy, it is simply not true.

When he later goes to pick up the Mjolnir, he is caught dead in his tracks as the hammer wouldn’t even slightly budge. When Thor tells him about the enchantment, he states, “I Held it before,” to which the God of Thunder replies, “My father is stern, Superman. But not stupid. A very few worthies have been allowed to overcome the spell, in desperate hours.” He does add that even though just briefly, Mjolnir was in good hands. He couldn’t be more correct!