Natalie Portman's unexpected return to the MCU was met with a lot of excitement and acclaim, especially when considering it somewhat buried the excitement over Taika Waititi's return to the franchise. Of course, it helped that the Thor: Ragnarok director has big plans for Jane Foster, and will be bringing her back into things not just as Thor's ex-lover, but as Mighty (and not Female) Thor.
So who is Jane Foster's Mighty Thor, and what are some of the things audiences should know about her character? Here are some bits from the comics fans may want to know, as the countdown to Thor's next adventure draws closer with each passing day.
In The Comics, Her Identity As The Mighty Thor Was Initially Secret
When Jane Foster first wielded Mjolnir and became Mighty Thor, her identity was unknown to the Odinson. Thor (who was deemed unworthy) had no idea the person who became the new protector of Asgard was his old fling, and the Marvel Comics storyline began the precedent that Thor is also a title, and not a singular person. Remember, Mjolnir only enhances Thor Odinson's abilities, and he's still super without it.
Now, one would think that with Natalie Portman's Jane Foster publicly announced as Mighty Thor, her identity won't be as huge of a mystery in the movie. It's possible, although presumably if that was the main point of Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waititi wouldn't have rolled out Portman at Comic-Con. Fans had already assumed she was out of the MCU, and her return was definitely one of the biggest surprises of the weekend.
Jane Foster Had Cancer While She Was Mighty Thor
When Jane Foster first became Mighty Thor, she was going through about the darkest period in her life one can have. Her husband and son had died from a car accident, and she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Talk about a rough run of luck, and with Taika Waititi mentioning his love of the emotion of the story line, it wouldn't be surprising if the cancer element is adapted.
That's especially since becoming The Mighty Thor was detrimental to Jane Foster's cancer treatment. Whenever she transformed, her body was cleared of all toxins, which meant the chemotherapy meant to kill her cancer was wiped clean as well. It was literally killing her, and while Thor offered to help her with Asgardian magic, Foster refused any magical aid for the malady. Taika Waititi is certainly hot for his comedy right now, so would he introduce something as dark as cancer to Thor: Love and Thunder?
Mighty Thor Wielded Mjolnir, But Thor Did Not Wield Stormbreaker
As mentioned prior, Jane Foster acquired the power of Thor via wielding Mjolnir. Thor was unable to wield it, but he wasn't using the Stormbreaker axe the MCU has him wielding since Avengers: Infinity War. Instead he donned Jarnbjorn which, in Marvel Comics, was his weapon before he was deemed worthy of wielding Mjolnir. So, will Thor ditch Stormbreaker for Jarnbjorn, and perhaps more importantly, will Mjolnir re-appear?
For those who may have forgotten, the Mjolnir that appeared in Avengers: Endgame was borrowed from the time before its destruction. Captain America presumably returned it to its rightful place in the timeline, so the assumption is one currently doesn't exist in the present day. Marvel Comics has been known to bring back Mjolnir after its destruction without explanation, but the MCU hasn't done that so far. Will something like that happen, or is there some other explanation for how Jane got it?
Thor's Relationship With Jane Foster Has Rarely Worked Out
On a list of ride or die Marvel couples, Thor and Jane are far from Tony and Pepper or Peter and MJ. Things between them have rarely worked out relationship wise, with a point of tension typically being his status as a hero and her humanity. Odin is typically the one in the way of their courtship, and with him gone, perhaps they can live happily ever after?
Hey, anything can happen in the MCU. With that said, Thor: Love and Thunder isn't really about Thor and Jane living happily ever after, although there is something to be said for closure. Both within the context of the story, and for fans who felt like Natalie Portman's character was grossly under-utilized thus far. Will this be her sole return, or will it be the first of many appearances in Phase 5 and beyond?
She Once Sacrificed Mjolnir In A Pretty Insane Way
One of Jane Foster's biggest moments as Mighty Thor came in a fight with Mangog. Mangog is an ultra powerful beast of unclear origins, but no one was as concerned with where it came from as much as they were concerned with its immense strength and power. If left unchecked, the beast would've destroyed Asgard and a lot more, but Mighty Thor thought of a brilliant plan to destroy him.
Jane bound Mangog in some mystical chains and then tied the chains to Mjolnir. After that was set up, she then hurled Mjolnir directly into the sun which destroyed Mangog and Mjolnir. Seeing something to that effect happen in Thor: Love and Thunder would be pretty awesome to witness, but will Taika Waititi incorporate it in his story? It probably depends on whether or not Marvel has long-term plans for Portman's Mighty Thor, so we'll see.
Jane Foster Was Once Thor Before She Was Mighty Thor
With a ton of people curious about Thor: Love and Thunder, comic sales on Jane Foster's run as Mighty Thor will probably spike over time as audiences seek to find out as much about Jane Foster's Thor as possible. With that in mind, it's important to recognize that Taika Waititi's movie is from the comic of the same name, although it's doubtful elements from that earlier tale will be used in this adaptation.
The first time Jane Foster became Thor was via Marvel's What If...? comics, and it was a bit weird. For example, Jane eventually elevated beyond the duties of Mjolnir, and was granted goddess status in Asgard. She then ended up marrying Odin while Thor ended up pairing up with Lady Sif. Basically, don't read this one trying to find some connection to Thor: Love and Thunder.
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Thor: Love and Thunder's release date is still a ways off, with the movie not hitting theaters until Friday, November 5, 2021. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend in the meantime for any and all updates on it, the rest of the upcoming movies in the MCU, and for the latest news in movies and television.
