The hammer was a crutch. Father said he used it to help focus my powers, but it is why I never truly embraced the extent of them until it was gone.

[ Typical Odin, finding ways to control his children, especially if he thought they could get too powerful. ]

You were trying to kill all of the Frost Giants, Loki. Is that what you thought he wanted? He could have done that himself, if it was.