As we all saw at the Marvel Studios Saturday panel, at the San Diego Comic-Con, we saw that fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be getting a new ‘Thor’ movie. The title of this new ‘Thor’ movie will be Thor: Love and Thunder, directed by Taika Waititi. However, ‘Thor’ (Chris Hemsworth), that we have all grown accustomed to over these eight years, is going under a bit of a change. Chris Hemsworth will no longer be the only ‘Thor’ in the M.C.U. In this new ‘Thor’ film, ‘Thor’ will be played by Chris Hemsworth’s former co-star Natalie Portman, who will continue playing as ‘Thor’s former lover ‘Jane Foster’. Yes, ‘Thor’ is going to be female this time around. This may seem confusing for most moviegoers if they didn’t read the comic books, that is. This turn of events draws inspiration from the 2014 comic book storyline for ‘Thor’, created by writer Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman. Don’t worry, we’re going to explain how ‘Jane Foster’ became the ‘Mighty Thor’ in the comics for those who didn’t read those events.
2014 ‘Thor’ Issues
As reported by online news source Polygon, the events that led to ‘Foster’s transformation came after the events of the comic book storyline for Original Sin. The events of Original Sin featured a crossover that spanned multiple Marvel comics that revolved around the mysterious death of ‘Uatu the Watcher’ on his moon base. As the events of this storyline unfolded, ‘Thor’ was deemed unworthy of wielding Mjolnir and so he left his hammer abandoned on the moon. Completely unguarded, thinking that no one could possibly be deemed worthy.
Immediately following Original Sin, ‘Frost Giants’ attacked the Earth and a new ‘Mighty Thor’ swooped in and saved the day. The only thing is, is that no one knew the identity of this mysterious new ‘Thor’ and this went on for the first seven issues. ‘Thor’, ‘Odinson’ that is, tried to reclaim his hammer and power but eventually stopped. Seeing as he understood why this new female ‘Thor’ was chosen after seeing her in action.
As the new ‘Thor’ storyline continued, ‘Odinson’ tried to discover the identity of this ‘Thor’. He thought that it could be ‘Jane Foster’ at one point; however, he ruled her out since she was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer. Though, in issue #8, after a battle with the ‘Destroyer’, ‘Odinson’ begs this ‘Thor’ to reveal their identity. It is then that readers found out that the new ‘Thor’ was, in fact, ‘Jane Foster’.
Though, ‘Foster’ is dying from the breast cancer that she has and her new god-like powers only make the disease worse. With her true identity revealed and her body being worse for wear with the disease, ‘Foster’ so bravely states, “I am Dr. Jane Foster. And I will not stop being the mighty Thor. Even though it is killing me.” She does just that, even becoming a part of the ‘Avengers’.
Eventually, while working alongside ‘Dr. Strange’, ‘Strange’ informs her that her condition had become so severe that if she were to become ‘Thor’ once more that she will surely die. This does not stop her and when ‘Mangog’ attacks ‘Asgard’, ‘Jane’ becomes ‘Thor’ once more to fight this foe. In the process, she sacrifices Mjolnir and her own life. However, since in the comic book world of logic no one ever really dies, ‘Odin’ and ‘Odinson’ (the original ‘Thor’) revive ‘Jane’ and ‘Odinson’ becomes worthy of Mjolnir once again and becomes ‘Thor’. ‘Jane’ decides to focus on her health and her breast cancer goes into remission.
What Does This Mean For The M.C.U?
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Unfortunately, not much has been said by Waititi as to if the events of the movie will play out similarly to the 2014 ‘Thor’ issues or not. Though, ‘Foster’ in the comics, becomes a ‘Valkyrie’ in War of the Realms after meeting the original ‘Valkyrie’. This is exciting because of Tessa Thompson is going to be continuing her role as ‘Valkyrie’, from Thor: Ragnarok, in Thor: Love and Thunder.