How Thor Got His Hammer Made

How Thor Got His Hammer Made Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, is the most iconic weapon in Norse mythology — but it wasn't a gift, and it definitely wasn't planned. It exists because Loki, the trickster god, shaved off Sif's golden hair as a prank, then bet his own head trying to fix the damage. In this video, you'll follow Loki into Svartalfheim, the realm of the dwarves, as he first commissions golden hair from the Sons of Ivaldi, then recklessly bets his head against two dwarven brothers, Brokk and Eitri, claiming they can't out-craft the gods' new treasures. What follows is a forge contest that produces some of Norse mythology's most legendary items — Gungnir, Odin's spear that never misses, Draupnir, the self-multiplying golden ring, Skidbladnir, the foldable ship, Gullinbursti, the glowing golden boar, and finally, Mjolnir itself, Thor's hammer, forged with one flaw thanks to Loki's own sabotage. You'll see how the gods judged the two sets of gifts, why Thor's hammer won, and how Loki nearly paid with his life for losing the bet — before talking his way out of it with one final trick. This is the real, chaotic origin story behind Thor's hammer, and it says more about Loki, Thor, and the dwarven craftsmen of Svartalfheim than almost any other Norse myth. If you enjoyed this, let me know in the comments which Norse god or myth you want covered next. 🔔 Subscribe for more Norse mythology, explained.