====== The Mighty Thor (Jane Foster) ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity: A brilliant and compassionate mortal woman who, while battling cancer, was chosen by the mystical hammer Mjolnir to become the Goddess of Thunder, embodying the principle that worthiness, not birthright, defines a hero.**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  * **A Legacy Redefined:** Jane Foster's transformation into Thor was a monumental shift in the [[thor_odinson|Thor]] mythos, exploring themes of mortality, sacrifice, and the true meaning of heroism. She proved that the power of Thor was a mantle to be earned, not an inherent trait of one individual.
  * **The Ultimate Price:** A central, tragic irony defines her story in both comics and film: the very power that made her a god was accelerating her human death. Every moment spent as the Mighty Thor brought Jane Foster closer to succumbing to her cancer, making every battle an act of ultimate self-sacrifice.
  * **Crucial Incarnations:** In the [[earth-616|Earth-616]] comics, Mjolnir, sentient in its own way, sought out a worthy Jane after Odinson could no longer lift it. In the [[marvel_cinematic_universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe]], the reforged Mjolnir answered her plight due to a protective enchantment Thor Odinson had previously placed upon it, fundamentally changing the nature of her divine selection.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
Jane Foster is one of the Marvel Universe's oldest supporting characters, predating even the Avengers. Created by plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and legendary artist Jack Kirby, she first appeared in **//Journey into Mystery #84//** (September 1962). Initially, she served as a nurse for Dr. Donald Blake, the mortal guise of Thor, and was the primary romantic interest and link to humanity for the Asgardian prince. For decades, her character evolved from a classic damsel-in-distress to a skilled physician in her own right, but she remained largely on the periphery of Thor's superheroic adventures.
The modern, revolutionary chapter of her story began with writer Jason Aaron's epic run on the Thor titles. The concept of a new, female Thor was seeded in the 2014 crossover event **//Original Sin//**, where Nick Fury whispered an unrevealed secret to Thor Odinson that made him instantly unworthy to wield Mjolnir. This set the stage for a new beginning.
In **//Thor// (Vol. 4) #1** (October 2014), a mysterious woman picked up the abandoned hammer and became the new Goddess of Thunder. Her identity was kept a secret from both readers and the characters in the Marvel Universe for several months, creating a compelling mystery. It was not until **//Thor// (Vol.4) #8** (May 2015) that she was revealed to be Jane Foster, now a doctor battling breast cancer. This iteration of the character was co-created by writer **Jason Aaron** and artist **Russell Dauterman**, whose dynamic art defined her tenure as Thor. This storyline was met with critical acclaim for its depth, emotional resonance, and powerful exploration of heroism in the face of mortality.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
The circumstances of Jane Foster's ascension to godhood differ significantly between the prime comic continuity and the cinematic universe, though they share core thematic elements of illness and sacrifice.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Jane Foster's journey to becoming Thor was born from two simultaneous tragedies: Thor Odinson's fall and her own mortal struggle. During the //Original Sin// event, a confrontation with Nick Fury armed with the knowledge of the Watcher resulted in Fury whispering something in Thor's ear that shattered his self-worth. Whatever the secret was ((It was later revealed to be "Gorr was right," referencing the God Butcher's belief that gods were unworthy of mortal worship.)), it caused Thor to instantly become unworthy, unable to lift his own enchanted hammer, which he had left on Earth's moon.
At the same time, Dr. Jane Foster had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She pursued aggressive chemotherapy, but the treatment was debilitating. As a renowned physician, she was acutely aware of her own prognosis. Thor Odinson, now just "Odinson," had visited her, even offering Asgardian magical cures, which she staunchly refused. She insisted on fighting her battle on her own human terms, believing that magical "cheats" would invalidate the struggle of every other cancer patient.
Sensing Odinson's unworthiness and a profound need in the universe, Mjolnir began to telepathically call out. Jane, feeling a strange pull, was eventually able to arrange transport to the Moon's location with S.H.I.E.L.D. There, on the barren lunar surface, lay the hammer. Hesitantly, she reached for its handle. The moment her hand touched the Uru metal, a bolt of lightning struck, and she was transformed.
She was imbued with the power of Thor, clad in new armor, and held the might of the storm in her hands. She quickly discovered that Mjolnir had a will of its own and seemed to respond to her thoughts with an unprecedented level of speed and agility. However, this immense power came at a terrible cost. Each time she transformed into Thor, the magic of Mjolnir purged all toxins from her body. Tragically, it identified the life-saving chemotherapy as a poison, rendering her treatments useless and allowing the cancer to advance unchecked within her human form.
Jane kept her identity secret for a long time, even from Odinson, who respected the new Thor's right to privacy while conducting his own investigation. She joined the [[avengers|Avengers]], served as a senator for Midgard in the Congress of Worlds, and fought countless battles against foes like Malekith, the Absorbing Man, and even Odin himself, who refused to accept a "pretender" wielding Mjolnir's power. Her every heroic act was a countdown, a step closer to her own death, a sacrifice she willingly made for the good of the Ten Realms.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The MCU's adaptation of Jane's story, primarily depicted in **//Thor: Love and Thunder//**, streamlines her origin while retaining the core emotional conflict. Years after her relationship with Thor ended, Dr. Jane Foster is a world-famous astrophysicist. However, she is diagnosed with Stage Four cancer and finds that conventional medical treatments are failing to stop its progression.
Desperate and running out of options, her research into ancient mythologies leads her to a potential cure: the mystical power of Thor's hammer, [[mjolnir|Mjolnir]]. She travels to New Asgard, now a tourist destination on Earth, where the fragments of Mjolnir—shattered years prior by Hela in //Thor: Ragnarok//—are on display.
Unbeknownst to Jane, years before, Thor had lovingly spoken to Mjolnir, asking it to promise to always protect her. The hammer, imbued with this lingering enchantment, sensed her presence and her desperate need. As she neared the display, the fragments began to glow and levitate. They swirled around her, re-forming into a complete hammer and wrapping her in armor of lightning and steel. She was transformed into The Mighty Thor.
This origin differs from the comics in several key ways:
  * **The Source of the Power:** In the MCU, Jane's power stems directly from Thor's enchantment, a "charge" he left on the weapon for her protection. In the comics, the power is from Mjolnir itself, which independently judged her worthy after its previous master failed.
  * **The State of Odinson:** The MCU's Thor was still fully worthy and in possession of his new weapon, Stormbreaker. He was not in a state of unworthiness when Jane gained her powers, but was instead shocked and delighted to see her wielding his old hammer.
  * **The Hammer's Form:** Jane wields a reforged Mjolnir, which retains the cracks from its destruction. This allows for a unique power set where she can have the hammer break apart into dozens of Uru shards to strike multiple enemies before reassembling, a visual and combat style unique to the MCU.
Much like her comic counterpart, Jane soon discovered the terrible price of this power. Wielding Mjolnir was not curing her cancer; it was draining her life force, preventing her body from fighting the disease. The power was using up her remaining time, forcing her to choose between living a little longer as a mortal or fighting for the universe as a god, knowing it would be the end of her.
===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality =====
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
As The Mighty Thor, Jane Foster possessed all the traditional powers bestowed upon a wielder of Mjolnir, but she also demonstrated unique capabilities and a different approach to her powers shaped by her intellect and the hammer's unique connection to her.
==== Powers & Abilities ====
  * **Superhuman Strength:** Jane's strength was comparable to that of an Asgardian god, allowing her to physically battle beings like the Absorbing Man and hold her own against Odin. Her upper limits were considered to be in the "Class 100+" range, capable of lifting well over 100 tons.
  * **Superhuman Durability & Stamina:** Her godly form was nigh-invulnerable, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, high-caliber ballistics, and powerful energy blasts. She could fight for extended periods without tiring.
  * **Superhuman Speed & Reflexes:** While not a speedster, she could move and fly at speeds far exceeding any human, capable of traversing interstellar distances. Her reflexes were sufficient to deflect bullets and energy blasts with Mjolnir.
  * **Electrokinesis (Weather Manipulation):** She commanded the storm with absolute authority. She could summon lightning from the sky, create hurricane-force winds, blizzards, and tidal waves. Her lightning strikes were powerful enough to stagger cosmic-level threats.
  * **Unprecedented Mjolnir Control:** This was Jane's most distinct ability. She demonstrated a level of control over Mjolnir that even Odinson had never achieved. The hammer seemed to have a symbiotic, almost sentient bond with her. She could change its trajectory mid-flight with a thought, have it pinball between dozens of enemies, and control its velocity and spin with surgical precision. Odinson himself remarked that the hammer had never moved for him in such a way.
  * **Expert Physician:** In her human form, Jane Foster is a brilliant doctor, a skill she sometimes used to provide medical aid on the battlefield when not in her Thor form.
==== Equipment ====
  * **Mjolnir:** The legendary hammer forged from Uru metal in the heart of a dying star by Dwarven blacksmiths. It is bound by an enchantment from Odin: //"Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."// It grants the wielder the powers mentioned above, allows for flight when thrown, can be used to open interdimensional portals, and always returns to its wielder's hand.
  * **Undrjarn the All-Weapon:** After her death and resurrection, Jane Foster became the last of the Valkyries. Her signature weapon is Undrjarn, a mystical artifact that can change its shape into any weapon she can imagine, from a mace to wings to a complex projectile launcher.
==== Weaknesses ====
  * **Cancer:** Her greatest strength was inextricably linked to her greatest weakness. The magical transformation into Thor purged her body of all "toxins," including the radiation and chemicals from her chemotherapy. This caused her cancer to grow more aggressively each time she reverted to her human form. Her heroism was literally killing her.
==== Personality ====
Jane as Thor was defined by a deep well of compassion mixed with fierce determination. Unlike the often-boisterous Odinson, she was more measured and thoughtful, likely a result of her background as a doctor. She fought to save everyone and felt the weight of every life she couldn't protect. She was humbled by the power she wielded and acutely aware of its temporary nature, which drove her to do as much good as possible in the time she had left. She possessed an inner strength that impressed even the gods.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The MCU's Mighty Thor shares many abilities with her comic-book counterpart but with distinct visual flairs and a slightly different context for her powers and weaknesses.
==== Powers & Abilities ====
  * **Superhuman Strength, Durability, and Stamina:** Consistent with the comic version, she demonstrated the power to fight on par with Thor and overwhelm the forces of Gorr the God Butcher. She could leap great distances and withstand significant punishment.
  * **Electrokinesis:** She could summon and project powerful bolts of lightning, both from the sky and directly from her body and Mjolnir. She could also imbue Mjolnir with lightning for more powerful strikes.
  * **Flight:** By throwing Mjolnir and holding onto its strap, she could fly at high speeds.
  * **Reforged Mjolnir Manipulation:** Her most unique cinematic ability was the control over the reforged Mjolnir. She could command it to shatter into its constituent fragments, creating a deadly storm of Uru shrapnel that could strike multiple targets simultaneously before re-forming into a solid hammer. This "shrapnel attack" was her signature move.
==== Equipment ====
  * **The Reforged Mjolnir:** The same hammer once wielded by Thor, but now held together by magic. The glowing cracks across its surface are a visual testament to its history. In the MCU, its loyalty to Jane is explained by Thor's protective enchantment, which activated when she was in mortal danger and deemed "worthy" of its protection.
==== Weaknesses ====
  * **Terminal Illness:** Similar to the comics, her power was a double-edged sword. The film explains that using the power of Thor was draining her "human" strength and preventing her body from fighting the cancer. Each use of the hammer was making her sicker and accelerating her demise, framed more as "using up her finite time" rather than the specific purging of chemotherapy.
==== Personality ====
Natalie Portman portrayed Jane with a mix of her established scientific brilliance, newfound awkwardness with her powers ("What's a catchphrase?"), and a desperate, underlying fear of her own mortality. She was driven to find a "godly" solution to a human problem, and when she got one, she embraced the heroic role with gusto. She retained her wit and charm, but it was layered with the tragic knowledge that her time as a hero, and a human, was running out. Her final decision to help Thor fight Gorr, despite knowing it would kill her, showcased her ultimate selflessness.
===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network =====
==== Core Allies ====
  * **Thor Odinson:** The most significant relationship in Jane's life, evolving from romance to a deep, respectful partnership. In the comics, Odinson was initially frustrated and intrigued by the new Thor, but once he discovered it was Jane, his admiration for her strength and sacrifice knew no bounds. He proudly ceded the name "Thor" to her, going by "Odinson" until he was worthy again. He supported her completely, and her death in his arms was one of the most devastating moments of his long life. In the MCU, their reunion is more bittersweet, rekindling their romance under the shadow of her impending death.
  * **Captain America (Sam Wilson):** In the comics, when Jane became Thor, Sam Wilson had recently taken up the mantle of [[captain_america|Captain America]]. They formed a strong bond as two "legacy" heroes, both stepping into enormous shoes and facing public skepticism. They were anchors for each other on the All-New, All-Different Avengers and shared a deep mutual respect.
  * **Valkyrie (Brunnhilde/Rūna):** After Jane was resurrected and became the new Valkyrie, she worked alongside the original Valkyrie spirit (within Annabelle Riggs) and later Rūna in the MCU. This sisterhood of warriors became her new family, dedicated to ferrying the souls of the worthy to their final rest.
==== Arch-Enemies ====
  * **The Mangog (Earth-616):** The ultimate test of Jane's heroism. The Mangog was a cosmic entity powered by the collective hatred of a billion billion beings slaughtered by Odin. It was the physical embodiment of righteous rage, an engine of vengeance whose sole purpose was to destroy Asgardia. Invulnerable and unstoppable, it defeated Odin and Odinson with ease. To stop it, Jane made the ultimate sacrifice: she physically bound the Mangog to Mjolnir and hurled them both into the sun, an act that destroyed the hammer and, without its magic to sustain her, ended her life.
  * **Malekith the Accursed (Earth-616):** The Dark Elf of Svartalfheim was a persistent and cruel antagonist throughout Jane's tenure as Thor. He was the architect of the War of the Realms, and Jane was often on the front lines fighting his forces across the Ten Realms, from the depths of Nidavellir to the streets of Midgard.
  * **Gorr the God Butcher (MCU):** In her cinematic outing, Jane's primary antagonist was Gorr. Wielding the All-Black Necrosword and disillusioned with the gods, Gorr sought to kill them all by reaching the cosmic entity Eternity. Jane's conflict with Gorr was personal and ideological. As a scientist facing a terminal illness, she initially hoped for a divine solution, while Gorr represented the ultimate consequence of divine indifference. Her final battle against him was a race against time for both her life and the fate of all gods.
==== Affiliations ====
  * **The Avengers:** Jane was a core member of the All-New, All-Different Avengers team formed after the 2015 //Secret Wars// event. This team, which included Sam Wilson's Captain America, Iron Man, Vision, Ms. Marvel, Nova, and Miles Morales' Spider-Man, was a younger, more diverse incarnation of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
  * **Congress of Worlds:** As Thor, Jane used her position to represent Midgard (Earth) in the inter-realm political body known as the Congress of Worlds. She was a diplomat as much as a warrior, fighting for Earth's interests on a galactic scale.
  * **The Valkyries:** Following her resurrection, the spirits of the deceased Valkyries recognized Jane's sacrifice and nobility. She was chosen to be the new, sole Valkyrie, tasked with guiding the spirits of the fallen to the afterlife.
===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
=== The Goddess of Thunder (Thor Vol. 4) ===
This storyline establishes Jane's entire arc. It begins with Odinson's unworthiness and Mjolnir abandoned on the moon. The mystery of the new female Thor's identity drives the narrative for eight issues. We see her learning to use her powers, battling Frost Giants and Malekith, and earning the respect of other heroes, all while facing intense scrutiny from a furious and suspicious Odin. The reveal of her identity as a cancer-stricken Jane Foster in issue #8 is a watershed moment, re-contextualizing her heroism as something deeply personal and sacrificial. It established the core theme of her story: what does it mean to be a god when you are so painfully, finitely human?
=== The Death of the Mighty Thor ===
This is the climactic, heartbreaking finale to Jane Foster's time as Thor. The unstoppable Mangog is unleashed upon Asgardia, the city of the gods then floating over Oklahoma. One by one, Asgard's greatest defenders—Heimdall, the Warriors Three, even Odin himself—are brutally defeated. Odinson, wielding the axe Jarnbjorn, is also cast aside. Doctor Strange tells Jane that one more transformation into Thor will kill her for good. Faced with the annihilation of a people and a realm she swore to protect, Jane makes her choice. She utters the words "I am Thor" one last time, and engages the Mangog in a cataclysmic battle. Knowing she cannot destroy it by conventional means, she wraps it in chains she summoned from the core of Asgardia, binds them to Mjolnir, and flings the hammer—and the monster—into the sun. The act destroys the Mangog and Mjolnir, and as the divine magic fades, Jane Foster dies a hero in Odinson's arms. ((Though she is later resurrected by the combined efforts of Odinson and Odin, this moment was presented as her definitive, heroic end.))
=== War of the Realms ===
While Jane was no longer Thor during this massive crossover event, her role was still pivotal. The story is the culmination of Jason Aaron's entire saga, as Malekith brings his war to its final battleground: Midgard. At the start of the war, Jane is a human, deep in her cancer treatment. She acts as a voice of hope and reason for the people of Earth. However, as the war rages and the Valkyries are all slaughtered, Jane steps up. In the wreckage of the battle, she finds the shattered remains of the Valkyries' weapons. They coalesce around her, forming Undrjarn the All-Weapon, and she becomes the new Valkyrie, rejoining the fight not as a god of thunder, but as a chooser of the slain and a warrior of immense power, proving her heroism was never tied to Mjolnir alone.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
=== Secret Wars (2015) - The Thor Corps ===
During the 2015 //Secret Wars// event, the multiverse was destroyed and reformed into a single planet, Battleworld, ruled by Doctor Doom. The police force of this planet was the Thor Corps, an army of different Thors drawn from across the dead multiverse. While Jane Foster of Earth-616 was not a member, this event introduced several other female Thors, most notably the "Ultimate Thor" from Earth-1610, who was a key character in the miniseries. This event broadened the conceptual possibility of "Thor" being a title held by many, paving the way for wider acceptance of Jane's role.
=== What If...? (MCU) ===
In the MCU animated series //What If...?//, a variant of Jane Foster appears in the episode "What If... Thor Were an Only Child?". In this reality, Thor is a hard-partying prince who throws a planet-wide rager on Earth. Jane is the brilliant astrophysicist who discovers his arrival, but in this timeline, she becomes his love interest without the drama of his banishment or the Mjolnir conflict. She plays a key role in helping him clean up his mess before Frigga arrives. This version showcases a lighter, purely romantic path their relationship could have taken.
=== Marvel's Avengers (Video Game) ===
Jane Foster was added as a playable character to the 2020 //Marvel's Avengers// video game. Her story in the game is an alternate-reality take, drawing heavily from her comic book origins. In her timeline, following A-Day (the game's inciting incident), Jane became Thor after Odinson grew disillusioned. She was eventually pulled into the game's prime reality, where she fights alongside the Avengers, including the prime version of Thor. Her gameplay and abilities are a direct homage to her comic book run, emphasizing her unique and acrobatic control over Mjolnir.
===== See Also =====
  * [[thor_odinson]]
  * [[mjolnir]]
  * [[asgard]]
  * [[war_of_the_realms]]
  * [[gorr_the_god_butcher]]
  * [[jason_aaron]]
  * [[valkyrie]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((Jane Foster was named after the romance comic character Jane Arden.))
((Writer Jason Aaron has stated that the decision to give Jane Foster cancer was inspired by his own mother's battle with the disease, lending the story a deep personal and emotional weight.))
((In the comics, the inscription on Mjolnir reads, //"Whosoever holds this hammer, if **he** be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."// When Jane first lifted it, the pronoun magically changed to //"if **she** be worthy,"// signifying a fundamental change in the hammer's nature.))
((The mystery of the new Thor's identity in 2014 led to widespread fan speculation. Popular candidates included Thor's sister Angela, Sif, and even Odinson's ex-wife Roz Solomon. The reveal of Jane Foster was a well-guarded secret.))
((Natalie Portman's return to the MCU in //Thor: Love and Thunder// was a surprise to many fans, as she had been largely absent from the franchise since 2013's //Thor: The Dark World//. Her enthusiasm for the "Mighty Thor" storyline was a key factor in her decision to return.))
((Jane's Valkyrie weapon, Undrjarn, is a name derived from Old Norse. It roughly translates to "The Wonder Weapon" or "The All-Weapon," fitting its form-changing capabilities.))
((First Appearance (as Jane Foster): //Journey into Mystery// #84 (1962).))
((First Appearance (as The Mighty Thor): //Thor// (Vol. 4) #1 (2014).))