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WARNING : This article carry SPOILERS forThor#705
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If there was any doubt Marvel ’s comic book Jane Foster beat the movie adaptation , Thor ’s expiry seal it . comical book fan have get it on that the clock was ticktock down on Jane Foster ’s sprightliness for years . Since 2014 , Jane has stood at the forefront of the Marvel Comics universe as the distaff Thor . Wielding the trustworthy malleus Mjolnir , she ’s proved herself in battle against everything from the Phoenix Force to Odin himself . But that story was always go to come to an end sooner rather than afterward .
The reason Jane Foster was worthy when Odinson was n’t was because she knew the world needed a Thor , and was inclined to pay a direful price . Jane was die of Crab , and every time she ferment to Thor it overturn the result of the chemotherapy that was try out to keep her animated . Being a submarine wasliterallykilling her .
Thor#705 finally wreak Jane Foster ’s death . With Immortal Asgard under attack , Jane take in that the divinity demand her to stand as their defender . She lay claim the enchanted hammer one last prison term , knowing it would signify her death of her . By the end of the matter , she had pitch Mjolnir into the Sun , accepting - and even embracing - death .
Jane Foster croak a on-key submarine , and the Marvel Universe will mourn the loss of one of its greats . At least , it will in thecomics .
Contrast this Jane Foster to the case make for by Natalie Portman in the MCU , though , and it becomes clear just how disappointing a job Marvel Studios has done with the same heroine . Jason Aaron ’s tarradiddle shinny a light on just who Jane Foster could have been had the moving-picture show invested in her - indeed , who sheshouldhave been to globose audiences .
A Poor Portrayal of a Key ‘Thor’ Character
The first twoThorfilms are in general come among Marvel ’s weaker movies , in the main complimented because ofTom Hiddleston ’s iconic delineation of Loki(having become every bite as of import to Marvel fans as most of the centre Avengers ) . Natalie Portman ’s Jane Foster , however , is hardly a standout despite have the film ’s MacGuffin take over her physical structure .
There are precious few similarities between the Jane of the comics and the Jane of the MCU . In the comics , Jane was introduced as a nursemaid who work alongside Thor ’s human persona . In the moving picture , she ’s a plucky astrophysicist researching cosmic phenomena . The film ’s drastic rewrite of Jane ’s line of descent suggest Marvel view her as a " love interest group , " and secondary to the plot by skeptics . But as a scientist who viewed Thor as the reply to a lifelong cerebral pursuit , therewaspotential ( which was soon abandoned ) .
Thor : The Dark Worldattempted to integrate Jane into its key plot of land , but it faced an unenviable challenge : Thor and Jane ’s relationship was never fleshed out to the item that it evenneededto be plow upon returning to Earth inThe Avengers . fan criticise Portman ’s performance , but in the true the script forThe Dark Worlddidn’t give the actress a chance to shine .
bad still , the motion-picture show settle for using the rest of Foster ’s squad as footling more than comical relief . By the close of the plastic film , viewers did n’t have a understanding to be invested in Jane . Compare this to the Jane Foster of the comics : a grapheme who ’s become strong enough to asterisk in her own solo claim for the last four years .
Her final scenes inThor#705 are touching and heart - wrenching , as she stands an adequate to Thor Odinson himself ( if not superior ) , prepare to do what seems unfathomable to him . They have n’t been a amorous couple for years , yet the flames of passion are still visible in Russell Dauterman ’s art . The two share a last , passionate kiss - at Jane ’s urging - and the female Thor reverts to her human form , and succumbs to her cancer .
And so the saga of Thor come in to an end , awarding Jane Foster a end as worthy of the bequest of Asgard as she was in life . So … is it too late to hope that Marvel could do the same with the pic version ?
Jane Has Become An Afterthought To the MCU
As disappointing as Jane foster ’s enactment has been in the MCU , the problems are compounded byRagnarok ’s manipulation of Thor and Jane ’s " break - up . “Although Portman signed a three - depiction sight , she became defeated with behind - the - setting drama at Marvel during production ofThor : The Dark World . Portman was consider taking a break from acting at the clip for rivet on her new-sprung son .
She was tempted back into performing by the promise ofPatty Jenkins directingThor 2 , who actually hada " Romeo & Juliet meets Thor " pitchthat would see Portman as a carbon monoxide gas - star . alas , Marvel had other idea , and Jenkins leave after only two months on the project . There have been account that Jenkins ’s passing was n’t exactly on good full term , and that Portman , who had pushed for Marvel to make Jenkins the first female director or a superhero blockbuster , was particularly displeased . Whatever the truth of those rumors , Portman did not return forThe Dark World ’s reshoots .
Then came Taika Waititi’sThor : Ragnarok , the most successful of theThorfranchise - in part because Waititi fairly much ditched everything establish in the previous plastic film forwhat he deliberate a reboot of theThorstory . The picture determine Thor ’s best friends the Warriors Three down offwithout any response from the hero . Jaimie Alexander ’s Sif was unavailable for motion-picture photography , which may be all that salvage her from sharing a similar destiny .
But the love story with Jane Foster was the most startling of all : Thor and Jane had broken up . That revelation was tossed out in a winking - and - you’ll - miss - it mention , bereft of emotion , with minimum impact . The message was cleared : forget about Jane , she ’s not a part of Thor ’s story . After two cinema centered on the lineament , that ’s a middling noteworthy move by Marvel .
Is There Any Way to Redeem Jane Foster?
Believe it or not , it is n’t too tardy for Jane Foster . The simple accuracy is that Marvel Comics has n’t always had a in effect history when it comes to Jane Foster , either . Back in the Silver Age she was nothing more than your traditional " demoiselle in distress . " It took time ( and skilled author ) to develop Jane as a fictitious character , with Jason Aaron ’s advanced ladder fairly remarkable in its discourse of Jane , exploring her history and motivation in a deeper style than any comic book discharge has to date .
That ’s the keystone to redeem Jane Foster : hire a writer who ’s invested in the case , and who has a vision for her . Portman is a skilled actress , but so far she has n’t been yield the best material to work with . If the rumors of behind - the - scenes drama at Marvel are right , she had good cause to be baffle . But Marvel is , in no small sense , a different company now than it was then .
When Portman go with them Ike Perlmutter was still in charge , and music director were struggling to deal with the Marvel Creative Committee . Marvel Studios has since been separated out from the balance of Marvel Entertainment , andthe Marvel Creative Committe was disbanded . Given the significant organisational changes , it ’s no surprisePortman is unforced to come back to the MCU .
Chris Hemsworth is coming to the end of his Marvel contract , potentially pull up stakes a Thor - sized kettle of fish in the MCU.Kevin Feige has cite the melodic theme of a distaff Thor , and the Jason Aaron run shows just how well that could be done . While Mjolnir ’s devastation inRagnarokmakes this more difficult , the job is n’t insurmountable . After all , Thor craft a newfangled weapon inAvengers : Infinity War .
The character of Jane Foster may not have been treated well by Marvel so far , but there ’s no understanding the future ca n’t fix mistakes of thew past .
MORE : Jane Foster is Marvel ’s Best Thor So They ’re Killing Her