The Origins of Jane Foster's Thor

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re exploring the origins of Jane Foster’s Thor. Before she makes her big screen debut in “Thor: Love and Thunder”, we’ll look at how the good doctor became a divine heroine. Which hero would you love to see wield Mjolnir next? Let us know in the comments below! By either fate or divine intervention, Jane Foster crossed paths with the God of Thunder. As they worked to combat evil and save lives together, they fell for each other. But Thor’s obligations as an Asgardian royal pulled him away from Jane. While he was off handling cosmic conquerors and fighting great battles, the good doctor faced difficult tragedies and challenges on earth. Jane was also unfortunately diagnosed with breast cancer. When Thor arrived and offered magical assistance, she rejected divine solutions and insisted on relying on known science to get better. The god of thunder honored her wishes and did what he could to help Jane fight her cancer on her terms. But unbeknownst to both of them, she would soon be pulled into an entirely different battle. During a battle with Nick Fury on the moon, long story, the agent whispers a few words into Thor’s ears. The statement the god of thunder hears shakes him so much that he becomes unworthy to lift Mjolnir. Although Thor keeps trying to pick up the hammer, it refuses to budge for him. He runs out of time to try and reacquire the legendary weapon when frost giants and Malkeith the dark earth invade Earth. Thor decides to take them on with a powerful axe instead. Unfortunately, he gets defeated, loses an arm and nearly dies. Just when it looks like Thor’s met his end, someone else steps up to wield Mjolnir. But it wasn’t a known superhero like Captain America who lifted the hammer. It turns out that Doctor Jane Foster had been deemed worthy of wielding Mjlonir’s might. While Jane Foster was receiving non magical cancer treatments on Asgard, the hammer spoke directly to her mind and requested she travel to the moon to pick it up. Thanks to Heimdall, she arrived there in an instant. Jane soon found herself imbued with all the powers of Thor as soon as she raised Mjolnir above her head. She wasted no time turning her new abilities against the numerous Frost Giants that were causing chaos on earth. In Jane’s hands, the hammer demonstrated new abilities that spelled doom for anyone who dared to step up to her. She also found that she could access her divine powers for a short time when she wasn’t holding mjolnir. But just when Jane was getting into the swing of things, an angry Thor arrived. The god of thunder immediately demanded that his hammer be returned to his hands. However, Jane couldn’t simply give it back because he was still unworthy. And she also didn’t want to reveal who she was because she knew Thor would sideline her out of concern for her health. After a brief fight, the god of thunder accepted that Jane must wield mjolnir for the time being without learning her true identity. They two valiantly fought side by side and helped bring the frost giant invasion to an end. In the aftermath, Thor gave a public blessing for Jane to continue to battle evil with the hammer. Unfortunately, this decision would have major consequences. Whenever Jane picked up Mjolnir, the divine powers would essentially undo the positive effects of her medical cancer treatments. So although she was mighty when Mjlonir was in her hands, her condition grew worse whenever she put it down. Jane eventually became so sick that she collapsed while she was trying to do hero work. After being taken to a hospital, Dr. Strange informed her that she’d’ likely die if she ever picked up the hammer again. At first, Jane heeded his advice and decided to recover in the hospital. But she had trouble staying still when Thor and many of her allies were attacked by a nigh unstoppable enemy. Although she knew rushing into battle would cost her everything, Jane picked Mjlonir one last time. Even with her divine powers, Jane couldn’t defeat the fearsome foe with pure force alone. Desperate to save everyone, she wrapped the villain in the chains that held the giant wolf Fenris, attached it to her hammer, and threw her weapon and enemy into the sun. The destruction of Mjolnir and strain of the battle seemingly weakened her past the point of no return. But just before Jane was taken to the fields of Valhalla, Thor and Odin used a literal deus ex machina to revive her. Her extraordinarily close brush with death inspired Jane to fully step back from heroics and receive treatments for her cancer. Fortunately, Jane went on to make a full recovery. And when the realms were threatened by Malkeith later on, she borrowed a broken hammer and rushed back into battle as a mighty Thor once more. Early reports hinted that several of the comic elements of her Thor journey will be adapted into the plot of “Love and Thunder”. Actress Natalie Portman, who plays Jane Foster in the MCU, confirmed that the live-action character will be undergoing cancer treatment. And in the first teaser, she’s seen wielding a broken hammer. But there are still some big questions. Thor’s sister Hela infamously broke Mjolnir during the events of “Thor: Ragnarok”. And although the god of thunder borrowed a hammer for “Endgame”, Cap later returned the weapon. So, will Jane be wielding the shattered Mjolnir that got broken back in “Ragnarok”? Or did she pick up the hammer from an alternate universe? No matter where Jane’s Mjlnoir comes from, it looks like it will definitely grant her the powers of Thor. And it may not be a one time deal. In the comics, Jane operated with mjolnir for a good chunk of time while Thor did his own thing. Coincidentally, early footage for “Love and Thunder” suggested that the god of thunder is ready to take a break from a life of fighting and war. If he still feels the same way by the end of his fourth film, maybe he’ll give his blessing for Portman’s Jane to take his place in the MCU. Seeing her lead heroes like Spider-Man, Dr. Strange and Captain America into battle would be epic. It’s too early to tell whether lightning and her Thor will strike twice or more in the MCU. But if the live action universe wants to commit to bringing Jane’s full history as Thor to the big screen, they’ll have a divine story to draw from.