Natalie Portman in “Thor: Love and Thunder” and how Jane Foster led Mjolnir in the comics

Almost three years ago, it was officially announced that Natalie Portman would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Love and Thunder. The direction fell again to Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), while Australian actor Chris Hemsworth resumed his leading role as the God of thunder after the final battle in Avengers: Endgame. After a long time without having anything but photographs leaked from the set, the first preview of the next film that will arrive in July of this year was finally revealed.

The teaser shows us Thor immediately after the events of the Blip and he is still on the Guardians of the Galaxy team, led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Afterwards, the Asgardian goes on adventures with Korg, while Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) has been left in charge of his people on Earth. The greatest and most anticipated moment was saved for the end: Jane Foster (Portman) is back in the form of Mighty Thor.

How does Jane Foster become Mighty Thor?

In 2014, the comics introduced a superhero worthy of carrying Mjolnir and who also described herself as Thor. Jason Aaron, the writer behind this series of comics, clarified that it was never conceived as an alternate version of the character or a Lady Thor, but as “the new Thor”. Later, it is revealed that this mysterious woman is, in fact, Dr. Jane Foster.

Jane had been diagnosed with breast cancer, after suffering a terrible tragedy (her husband and son died in a car accident). When Thor loses her powers and is unable to lift her precious hammer, the latter is left without a carrier and she is summoned to carry it, although initially her identity is kept secret. Although this power gave him great strength and power, they were only useful in his transformation and, in some way, hindered his treatment.

Throughout these issues, Mighty Thor appears multiple times to fight various threats. On the other hand, Jane's situation seemed to worsen as the cancer progressed and chemotherapies did not work, because at each transformation her body was rid of all the toxins, including those that should help her against this disease. So, she's usually hospitalized when she's in her natural form.

When Jane's cancer reaches stage four, she ends up revealing the truth to the original Thor and the Avengers. Odin's son asks her not to intervene in the confrontation against Mangog to save Asgard, however, at the last moment, she decides to join the battle and dies when she returns to her human form. Later, Thor and Odin use the power of Mjolnir to bring her back to life.

It should be noted that, originally, the idea of Jane Foster as Thor dates back several decades, exactly in 1978, when issue ten of the series What If? The character was created by the writer Don Glut and the cartoonist Rick Hoberg, but it was not rescued from the chest of oblivion until this century with a narrative dedicated to delving into its origin.

As Natalie Portman had commented in 2021, Jane Foster's cancer story would be included in Thor: Love and Thunder and, as seen in the trailer, the plot designed by Taika Waititi will have a great influence from the comics of Jason Aaron. Other characters that the latter presented in Marvel will appear, such as Gorr, the Butcher God (played by Christian Bale). The film will be released on July 7 in cinemas in Latin America.

KEEP READING: