Captain America was able to lift Mjolnir in Avengers: Endgame, but one key Marvel executive feels the hero has always been worthy of wielding the hammer. As noted by Comicbook.com, in Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame – The Art of the Movie, Marvel’s Louis D’Esposito revealed that Steve Rogers could have done this earlier on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the timing just wasn’t right. 

“I think one of the most special moments in this film is when Captain America picks up Mjolnir,” D’Esposito said. “If you remember from Ultron, they were all sitting around in the Avengers complex in Manhattan, and there’s a party, and they’re all a bit inebriated, and they’re loose, and they’re having fun, and they’re all trying to pick up the hammer. It’s Captain America’s turn to try, and you look over to Thor’s face, and he says, ‘I think he might be able to do it,’ but Cap doesn’t pick it up. But Cap could’ve always picked it up. He didn’t want to at that point because it would’ve not been right.”

Cap has used the hammer several times in the pages of Marvel Comics. As fans will surely remember, one of the funniest and most memorable scenes in Avengers: Age of Ultron teased Cap’s eventual use of Mjolnir. The scene in question sees all of the heroes gathered at Tony’s party, seeing if they can lift the hammer. While everyone fails, the hammer actually wiggles when Cap gives it a shot. Per D’Espesito’s comments here, it seems Captain Rogers could have picked up the hammer at that time, he just opted not to. 

“We think he was always worthy and was being polite in Age of Ultron,” Marvel Studios head Kevin Fege said during a Reddit AMA earlier this year. So two key figures within the Marvel ranks claim that Chris Evans’ Captain America has always had the ability to make use of Thor’s hammer. In Endgame, Cap used Mjolnir to help hold off Thanos before the resurrected forces made their way to the battlefield. 

Here’s the official synopsis for Avengers: Endgame. 

“Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the remaining Avengers, Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Bruce Banner, must figure out a way to bring back their vanquished allies for an epic showdown with Thanos, the evil demigod who decimated the planet and the universe.” 

Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame – The Art of the Movie is available now. 

So what do you think? Was Captain America always worthy of Wielding Mjolnir? Should he have used the hammer earlier on in the MCU? Was the pay off in Endgame worth it? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!