Today, leaks regarding the identity of the masked heroine in Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman’s “Thor” have been spreading across the internet. In response, Marvel seems to have responded to the leaks by spoiling the series to the New York Times. The New York Times. We understand that some people would still like to wait the extra day to actually read tomorrow’s “Thor” #8, when Thor’s alter ego will actually be revealed, but we’ve got the rest of you lot covered.
SPOILERS BELOW
For the past few months, theories regarding who took up Thor’s hammer after “Original Sin” have ranged from his mother Freya to Roz Solomon, Agent of SHIELD. Aaron and Dauterman have set up plenty of women who could have adorned the Odinson’s luscious blonde locks and issue #7 seemed poised to reveal Solomon as the new Goddess of Thunder. However, as revealed today, the new Thor is actually longtime interest and MCU favorite Jane Foster.
Jane Foster’s an interesting choice to pick up the hammer, not just due to her longtime connection with the Thor’s mythology but because she’s recently been suffering from cancer. Apparently, the power of Mjolnir has some effect on her condition. As Aaron told The New York Times, “The very act of picking up this hammer, of becoming Thor, is killing her. Where we go from here is the real story.” While transforming into the thunder god betters her health, the back-and-forth between her human and god forms is accelerating her cancer.
It’ll be interesting to see where this development goes, not just in the comic but in the films as well. Natalie Portman’s Jane has been a much-loved character among MCU fans and, after The Dark World, only seems set to be more actively involved with the swords-and-sorcery aspect of Thor’s live. Perhaps Ragnarok might see her take up the hammer, at least for a scene or two. Chris Evans has Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan to replace him if he ever wants to step away from the films. Now it looks like Chris Hemsworth might too.
