Thor had the element of surprise and a weapon capable of overpowering even the Infinity Gauntlet. Stormbreaker powered through the gauntlet's energy beam but left Thanos alive long enough to succeed, making his victory in Avengers: Infinity War all the more devastating.
Avengers: Infinity War directors Joe and Anthony Russo explained that the reason Stormbreaker was able to take the brunt of six Infinity Stones was because it was the greatest weapon ever made and Thanos was caught off-guard, having only realized what that weapon was after he was struck by it.
Incredibly, though, Stormbreaker proved capable of resisting the full might of all six Infinity Stones; in the final battle of Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos projected a beam attack against Thor, one that flared with the colors of all six Stones, but Stormbreaker didn't even seem to be slowed by the blast.
But as it turns out, it was not just Thor's strength. After all, no weapon in existence should be able to stop the combined power of the Infinity Stones, no matter how powerful the wielder is. Turns out, Thanos was taken unawares. He had just incapacitated all the heroes who tried to stop him.
Stormbreaker has the additional power to summon the Bifröst, allowing Thor to teleport anywhere in the Nine Realms. Screen Rant has identified Stormbreaker as the more powerful of the two, based on this ability, as well as it being a much larger and edged weapon.
Endgame Directors FINALLY Reveal Why Stormbreaker Beat The Infinity Gauntlet
Can Stormbreaker beat Thanos?
As Thor described in Infinity War, Stormbreaker was a “Thanos-killing” weapon. Like Mjolnir, Stormbreaker is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, and both Uru hammers nearly deal killing blows to Thanos in both Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
While no one besides Thor has been able to truly wield the awesome might of Stormbreaker, Groot was the very first being to hold this weapon when one of his arms became the handle for the mighty axe.
During a Vudu Viewing Party for Avengers: Infinity War, co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo revealed a key difference between Thor's hammer Mjolnir and his new ax Stormbreaker: the latter doesn't require worthiness. That's why Groot was able to lift the ax, not because he was worthy but because he didn't need to be.
Many viewers have pointed out that Thanos was able to lift Stormbreaker without a problem, but this is because the ax isn't enchanted as Mjolnir is. Others believe Thanos lifted Mjolnir (although briefly) and have even argued that he would be worthy of doing so.
The movie doesn't explain Thor's motivations for giving up Stormbreaker, but it makes sense that Chris Hemsworth simply wanted Love to have a powerful weapon to aid her in battle. It's unlikely that he could give her Mjolnir, considering that so few people in the MCU have been deemed worthy of its power.
If Thor decides to use the power of lightning onboard the Asgardian refugee ship to fight the villain and his minions, he may accidentally damage the ship, or worse, even kill his own people. So, he chose to hold himself back, allowing some Asgardians to escape with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Taika Waititi).
Meanwhile, MCU Phase 4 saw Stormbreaker being wielded by Thor, Gorr the God Butcher, Love, and anyone else who was strong enough to actually lift and swing it. This is because of the respective origins of both legendary Asgardian weapons.
With the Power Stone, Thanos' physical strength is theoretically limitless. With but a thought he can make his grip strong enough to crush solid vibranium like it were tin foil. An unstoppable force encountering a not-so-indestructible object.
The entire axe was undamaged by the beam from all six Infinity Stones. So the handle was likely enchanted alongside the head of Stormbreaker to be nigh-indestructible as well. After all, like other weapons of Nidavellir, Stormbreaker is a magical weapon.
Although Stormbreaker and Mjolnir have very similar properties and powers, Stormbreaker is the most powerful weapon wielded by Thor so far. The obvious reasons are that Stormbreaker is the physically larger weapon out of the two, and not to mention that it is an axe, which could well be more dangerous than a hammer.
Who would win in an MCU fight: Odin or Thanos? Without the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos stands little chance against Prime Odin. Odin is stated to be able to shatter the Earth.
Thanos didn't know what was coming his way and if he did he would have been able to use the stones to better react to Stormbreaker. Joe and Anthony explained at an Avengers: Infinity War screening that the only reason Thor was able to do some damage is because Thanos wasn't ready.
The answer might be two-fold: Captain America is a super-soldier and had the strength to hold Mjolnir before. If holding Stormbreaker is a matter of simple strength, then Captain America wielding it is all the more impressive.
Can Stormbreaker destroy Captain America's shield?
Because it was dead-set in the middle. Captain America's shield is strongest in the middle and weaker on the outsides. That's why Thanos was able to break it. So with a bladed weapon of his own and hitting the sides, Thor could indeed break it.
Actually everyone can lift Stormbreaker. Odin's enchantment was only for Mjolnir not for any other weapon which he would use in future. That is why Thanos was able to lift Stormbreaker and he was not worthy of Mjolnir.
Stormbreaker can summon the bifrost and Hela is stronger in Asgard. Thor can teleport her and himself and open her chest killing her, or cut off her limbs ir head. Plus, Stormbreaker is stronger than Mjolnir.
Because it could kill thanos, is more powerful and thor panicked. Had he thought to call Mjolnir thanks would have gone to catch it and it would have knocked thanos on his bottom or something similar. But because thor was reliant on stormbreaker because it was more powerful he did it without thinking.
