Five of the Most Powerful Weapons in Marvel That Aren't Swords
The Marvel Universe features incredibly powerful characters banging heads and occasionally mutilating the integrity of the Multiverse. Yes, these classic superhumans, gods, and higher-dimensional beings can occasionally destabilize reality with astonishing, unfathomable might.
But where does said immeasurable might come from? It comes from their innate power sets, or from personal (and very impossible) weapons of mass destruction. Yes, our favorite Marvel superheroes either gain powers from invincible artifacts, or experience power upgrades thanks to these enhancing, inconceivable implements.
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Be it an innocuous-looking (but reality-shaping) cube, a wielder-particular hammer forged with the heat of a star, or something used strictly for “nullifying,” these five items are the most powerful weapons in the MCU and Marvel Comics (without a single sharp edge, unless you’re counting the cube).
Mjolnir
(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Productions)
This (nearly) invincible hammer is wielded by Thor, “god of thunder.” An especially powerful Asgardian, Thor was bequeathed this item by his father, Odin. And yes, Mjolnir is no ordinary hammer. Let’s break it down:
Made from (nearly) impervious Uru metal (which was formerly an Uru moon), said Uru’s near imperviousness needed the intense heat of a star for proper forging. And said star exploded during the process, which nearly destroyed Earth (and perhaps the dinosaurs).
Odin added powerful enchantments to the hammer, magnifying its already significant super-hammering. And one such enchantment allowed only the “worthy” to wield it – someone good, righteous, and NOT a self-centered braggadocio who lives for thrashing trolls, bedding Midgard’s women, and drinking ale continuously for 300-year spurts. So, Thor had to relinquish most of that behavior to properly wield (technically, lift) Mjolnir.
What can Mjolnir do? Here’s a sampling:
While twirled, it can open wormholes and allow for dimensional cross-space travel; it can control, and weaponize, the elements (and we’re talking globe-walloping weather); it grants Thor the ability to fly; it grants the occasionally worthy wielder who isn’t Thor all of Thor’s powers, and access to the hammer’s myriad mystical attributes; energy absorption and redirection; the ability to generate energy blasts capable of annihilating entre planets (the “Anti-Force”); able to combine Thor’s godly powers with the hammer’s enchantments and let loose the destructive “God Blast” – a force so powerful, it’s capable of destroying Galactus.
So….yes. Mjolnir is a mighty weapon indeed.
The Cosmic Cube(s)
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Infused with the power of “Beyonders” (think godly beings who can shape reality and demand super-people fight to the death on hastily formed planets), the Cosmic Cube is essentially a wishing cube – envision what you want, and the cube will manifest it.
Unfortunately, Cosmic Cubes are, in a manner, “infected” by the thoughts/motives of their wielders. So, if someone like, say, The Red Skull uses one to ruin Steve Rogers’ day – and initiates horrific plots through the cube regularly — said cube is going to act…questionably.
Case in point: Cosmic Cubes will eventually gain sentience. And one such sentient cube constructed by SHIELD – an omnipotent child named “Kobik” – was utilized to make captured supervillains uncharacteristically complacent, and therefore, quite happy with a simple life at “Pleasant Hill” (a SHIELD-constructed, suburbs-inspired compound).
When some of the supervillains rebelled after discovering their forced docility, Kobik summoned and de-aged a currently old Steve Rogers (due to a reduced Super-Soldier serum potency). However, Kobik was created from several Cosmic Cubes, and one such cube was regularly handled by The Red Skull. Because of this, she created a Steve Rogers/Captain America in The Red Skull’s image – a Captain America who was secretly a HYDRA loyalist (and this kicked off the mildly controversial Secret Empire storyline).
In the MCU, the Cosmic Cube was referred to as the “Tesseract”- it chambered the Space Stone, and was hidden by Odin on Earth.
Unfortunately, the Red Skull discovered it, and used it to create advanced weaponry for proto-HYDRA during World War II. Thankfully, the Tesseract transported The Red Skull into space, and was later discovered by Howard Stark.
Held securely by SHIELD, the Tesseract was stolen by Loki who used it to open a dimensional portal, allowing the Chitauri to invade Earth. And then Loki was turned into a godly mop courtesy of the Hulk.
So, stay away from the glowing cube, kids, unless it promises eternal ice cream cake.
The Ultimate Nullifier
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
This oddly shaped device is, beyond a god/being of equal power/stature, the only thing that can effectively destroy Galactus.
How do we know this? When Galactus attempted to consume Earth, The Watcher, who usually just… watches, helped Johnny Storm procure a palm-sized device from Galactus’ world-ship.
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And when Reed Richards confronted Galactus with said device, Galactus…paused (and also argued against its use, lest Richards destroy – sorry, “nullify” – the entire universe).
Yes, the Ultimate Nullifier will absolutely annihilate its target, and probably its wielder if said wielder isn’t strong enough to absorb the intense feedback. And if said wielder isn’t careful, the Ultimate Nullifier will effectively nullify the planet upon which the target stands, the galaxy said planet resides within, and perhaps the entire universe.
Nakia’s Ring Blades (i.e., Chakrams)
(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Productions)
Heading back to more terrestrial weapons, Nakia wields her mighty Ring Blades – Vibranium chakrams that can cut through almost anything, and absorb almost anything.
Are they effective? Oh, yeah. Used as melee weapons during close combat, they can slice and deflect. Used as ranged weapons, Nakia can hurl the chakrams at her intended targets. And after they enact their expected damage, they return immediately to the user. If Nakia uses two Ring Blades, they’re usually connected by a blue energy field – a field that can also launch concussive blasts.
Chakrams are very much an effective, real-world weapon. So much so that they were featured as the finale weapon on the second ever episode of Forged In Fire. Check it out here.
Nakia’s Ring Blades are certainly effective, but the following disc-shaped implement is slightly more renowned.
Captain America’s Shield
(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Productions)
In the MCU, Cap’s second shield (the first being a stage prop) was designed/created by Howard Stark with the United States’ very limited supply of Vibranium.
And this very rare metal grants the shield extraordinary attributes: It’s much lighter/easier to handle, capable of deflecting/absorbing/redirecting small arms fire, large arms fire, destructive alien weapons, and….well, almost anything, really. In fact, this shield is so ridiculously resilient, it handles Iron Man’s blasts and punches with relative ease, and effectively withstood a blow from Thor’s hammer.
And the lightness/balance allows the shield to be hurled with uncanny accuracy – deflecting off various surfaces, smacking enemies in the skull, and returning immediately to said hurler.
Captain America’s shield is the perfect weapon for a man who would rather protect than attack (but make no mistake – he will absolutely shield-stomp the *bleep* out of anyone who knowingly crosses the line).
Are these the most powerful non-bladed weapons in the Marvel Universe (comics and cinematic)?
Yes, they’re all definitely contenders, and there are quite a few more. Besides the Infinity Gauntlet, please feel free to add more incredibly powerful (but not at all stabby) Marvel weapons to the comments (below).
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