With Jane Foster's return to the MCU as the Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thundersome fans who are not familiar with her comic counterpart may be wondering why Jane is worthy of the title and hammer. Looking at her time as the Mighty Thor in the comics, not only is it clear how she became Thor, but it also shows exactly why she is more worthy than Thor Odinson.

Thor's Fall From Grace

Unworthy Thor kneels by his hammer with a morose expression

Going back to the God Butcher arc, readers start to see the seeds of Thor's downfall. In this run, Thor encounters Gorr the God Butcher, who believes Gods do more harm than good. Gorr slaughters many gods, nearly kills Thor and constructs a weapon to kill every God in existence. While Thor bests him, he is forever changed because of this.

It is then in Original Sin that readers see how Gorr's beliefs have impacted the God of Thunder. When the Avengers and him confront Nick Fury on the moon, Fury whispers a secret to Thor which makes him unworthy of Mjolnir. Later, it is revealed that Fury told him, "Gorr was right," and this leads to Thor questioning whether the gods actually serve a purpose or if they just cause more pain instead of answering prayers for help. This lack of faith in himself and the gods makes him unworthy.

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The New Thor

the mighty thor; jane foster holding mjolnir

In his place, Jane picks up the hammer. Mjolnir deems her worthy, and she knows that no matter what there must be a Thor to protect others. It is Jane's dedication to this role that makes her worthy. As soon as Jane picks up the hammer, she knows that people, in this case the Avengers, need her help, so despite having a million questions about what's happening, she jumps into action.

While she encounters a furious Odinson on her mission, she proves why she is worthy of the hammer by beating him in combat and saving the Avengers. Odinson also realizes that she could've taken advantage of this power, but instead she used it to save people. For these reasons, she is worthy, and he allows her to have his name.

Not everyone, specifically Odin and Cul, are in favor of the Mighty Thor. The two brothers, clouded by pride and hate, send the Destroyer after Jane, despite the new Thor saving others and fighting for what's right. While she gets thrown around, Thor refuses to back down, which is another reason why Jane is worthy of being Thor.

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The end of the 2014 run also plainly states why Jane chooses to be Thor. As she remembers her mother's passing in Issue #8, she recalls how, "At her funeral, I swore to myself I would never again be helpless to save someone I loved." As seen in her childhood promise, Jane is fueled by a drive to help others, and this is something Gorr failed to see in the other Gods.

Mortals Can Be Gods Too

It is also in Issue #8 that readers learn Jane, a mortal doctor battling cancer, is Thor, and her final panels clearly state why a human liker herself is worthy of the hammer. "We need a god who understands what it means to be humbled. To be mortal. A god who knows how precious life is. How delicate. A god who struggles every day to live a worthy life. Who suffers so no one else will have to. A god who loves the earth enough to die for it." From her career, to her illness, to her beliefs, Jane has a thorough understanding of how precious life is.

Furthermore, in the Asgardian/Shi'ar War arc, Jane manages to best the Shi'ar gods during the Challenge of the Gods because of her humanity. Where the Shi'ar gods use their powers to strike fear and cause suffering, Jane helps those in need. While the Shi'ar gods are nearly all powerful, Jane is the ultimate God in the end because she leads with care and inspires others.

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Finally, being Thor comes with a cost, undoing her chemotherapy every time she transforms. She knows being Thor is killing her, but she chooses to save others and fight to her dying breath, as seen in The Death of the Mighty Thor. She risks her life for others and helps anyone in need, making her more worthy than the other Gods in Marvel's pantheons.

Her Future in the MCU

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The MCU, while it can't be 100 percent comic accurate, has already set up the Goddess of Thunder well. In Thor, Natalie Portman's Jane already exhibits similar characteristics to her comic counterpart. For instance, she is willing to challenge S.H.I.E.L.D. to get her research back, demonstrating the same dedication and persistence of the Mighty Thor. Jane also evacuates citizens on a moment's notice and stays to help anyway she can when the Destroyer arrives, despite being powerless.

Furthermore, Thor's status in the MCU sets up the Mighty Thor. While he has not given up being Thor and he is worthy, Thor has given up the title of King of Asgard in favor of traveling the galaxy. With his absence from Earth, New Asgard and the Avengers, a new Thor is needed, and like in the comics, Jane is here to make sure there is always a Thor.

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