Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jane Foster is deserving of the honor of being considered worthy to wield Mjolnir. The Jane Foster arc in the Mighty Thor comic book series is fantastic, and the original comic book material establishes that Jane is more than capable of swinging the hammer. The only issue is that, according to how Thor: Love and Thunder is written, she isn’t genuinely deserving, and this points to a greater fault with the film as a whole.
In a sequence of flashbacks detailing Thor and Jane’s relationship inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is revealed that Thor basically puts a spell on Mjolnir by promising that it will always protect Jane. This revelation comes about as a result of the Mjolnir. This is the rationale that is presented for why Mjolnir beckons to Jane and, eventually, why she is bestowed with the might of Thor. The fact that it has nothing to do with whether or not she is deserving is a bummer.
In the Marvel Comics universe, Jane can legitimately wield the strength of Thor because she makes the conscious decision to do so. And even though she knows that utilizing Mjolnir will hasten the progression of cancer in her body, she will continue to do it because she believes that it is the morally superior choice. In point of fact, Jane is deserving of the right to wield Mjolnir due to the fact that she is a nice person; the reasoning for this is straightforward, and there is no need for anything else to be considered.
This is the point at which Thor: Love and Thunder unwittingly undermines Jane’s role as well as her agency. The movie makes an attempt to replicate the book’s subplot, which suggests that Jane’s cancer is exacerbated by her continued use of Mjolnir. The fact that the reason for her gaining the powers of Thor is now different means that the whole thing is shifted off base.
In the comics, Jane is the one who chooses to make the sacrifice for herself. However, in the movie, the promise that Mjolnir made to Thor to protect Jane ends up being what causes her death. And Thor: Love and Thunder makes an attempt to have its cake and eat it too by including a scene in the conclusion in which she makes the decision to wield Mjolnir one more time despite the fact that she is aware it will probably end her life. However, it turns out that it was rushed, and before the audience has a chance to digest it, she passes away so that Thor’s journey can continue.
Yes, the franchise belongs to Thor, but Jane deserved something greater. Jane is provided with a great deal more autonomy as a character in Thor: Love and Thunder than she was in previous films such as Thor: The Dark World. Thor: Love and Thunder is good when viewed in a vacuum. Despite this, the film’s portrayal of Jane’s journey as the Mighty Thor displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the factors that contributed to the success of the original literature. Due to the post-credits scene, it appears doubtful that this will be the only time that spectators will see Jane or the Mighty Thor in any Marvel Cinematic Universe production.
