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I just read online that, not too long ago,

Jane Foster

was shown worthy to wield Thor's hammer and is now being called Thor as a result. What events led to this? Did the original Thor urge her to attempt lifting the hammer, or did she just want to see if it was possible?

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    “Did the original Thor urge her to attempt lifting the hammer” — “Go on Jane! Just wrap your hands around it and pull. Your King commands you!” Excuse me, I need a minute.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Sep 5, 2015 at 9:58
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    Just saying, if Thor had been separated from Mjolnir, it seems plausible that, given how much he trusts and loves Jane Foster, she would be the first person he would ask to grab Mjolnir. Otherwise, why would Jane attempt to lift it herself? P.S.: I know about the What-If? storyline, but this question is about the current Jane Foster Thor.
    – D-Pooly0916
    Sep 5, 2015 at 14:30
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    @PaulD.Waite - sometimes a Hammer is just a Hammer.
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Sep 5, 2015 at 16:45
  • @Keen - The Jane-Foster-is-Thor thing was all over the news, so I think it's safe to omit the spoiler alerts. But you're the boss.
    – Wad Cheber
    Sep 6, 2015 at 2:36

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How Jane Foster came to be Thor has not been revealed. It was hinted that Freyja, acting as the All-Mother, may have had something to do with it. Given Mjolnir was on the Moon and Jane Foster was dying from cancer on Earth, it seems unlikely she became a member of the space program and found her way to the Moon to pick up the hammer.

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Mjolnir found its way to the moon after a series of events including the murder of the Watcher Uatu, the revelation Nick Fury told to Thor of a future event which caused him to become unworthy. Thor dropped Mjolnir on the Moon and was unable to pick it up again. What Nick Fury said has also not been revealed.

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  • All we know for certain is in the pages of Thor #1, the then unknown Jane Foster and the hammer Mjolnir came together after the pronoun used on the hammer changed from "he" to "she." Few have the magical might to make such a change so it is assumed that Freyja is the likely candidate to make the change, especially since Odin had decided to resume leading Asgard in less than a friendly manner.

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  • All of this takes place after the complete destruction of the realm of Asgard in 2010 during "Siege," Tony Stark helped the refugee Asgardians create a new, technology-based home. Asgardia remained on Earth, floating above the city of Broxton, Oklahoma.

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  • In the aftermath of Thor's intense battle against Roxxon in Broxton, the decision was made to relocate Asgardia away form Earth.

  • Odin returns to Asgardia after the events with his brother Cul in the "Fear Itself" saga. Thor's foster mother, along with the goddesses Gaea and Idunn, took on the role of All-Mother following Odin's departure. They made the decision in "Thor: God of Thunder" #24 to relocate Asgardia away from Earth following the battle with Roxxon.

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  • With Gaea on Earth and Idunn scouting for a new place to park the floating city, Freyja remained on Asgardia as the sole All-Mother.

  • When Odin returned to the rulership of Asgard, he and Freyja, who had been acting as a trio of deities comprising the All-Mother, had a falling out.

  • Thor became unworthy of wielding Mjolnir and dropped it on the Moon. This was after a time traveling Nick Fury whispers something to Thor Odinson and he is unable to lift the hammer afterward.

In an interview with the New York Times, writer Jason Aaron reveals

“The very act of picking up this hammer, of becoming Thor, is killing her.”

In an image released from the comic, Dr Foster reveals her identity when the original Thor, Odinson (who was no longer worthy to wield Thor’s hammer) pleads with her to reveal herself.

She disappears into the sky, and says: “I am Dr Jane Foster. And I will not stop being the mighty Thor. Even though it is killing me.”

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  • Actually, she's been in the care of Asgardian doctors in Asgard, not on Earth, which is currently situated on the moon, hence how she was able to walk over there and pick it up.
    – Dan Jones
    Sep 6, 2015 at 15:55
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Thor Odinson dropped Mjolnir after Nick Fury whispered something to him (we don't know what), that was so devastating, he became unworthy to wield Mjolnir and promptly dropped it.

After vainly attempting to lift it again for weeks, he left it to go fight some ice trolls, and while he was gone, she walked over to it, and picked it up.

Odinson still doesn't know she is the one who now wields his erstwhile hammer (she has a mask on when she's Thor) but having fought alongside her, he has given his approval of her as the new Thor.

Consequently, although he is still Odinson, and Prince of Asgard, he can no longer bear the name Thor.

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  • It's not that he can't, it's just that he doesn't want to. He chose to give her that name.
    – Wade
    Aug 25, 2016 at 15:57
  • He agreed to call her by that name, once he accepted that Mjolnir had accepted her, but the inscription on Mjolnir makes it clear that whomever wields it shall be known as Thor. Therefore, since he can no longer wield it, he no longer has the right to that name.
    – Dan Jones
    Aug 25, 2016 at 19:48
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I believe Freyja has something to do with Jane becoming Thor-like. There has been a gender war theme throughout the entire run so far. Freyja is attempting usurp Odin and become the sole ruler of Asgard(ia). The fight between Jane and Odin is very telling. She describes how the hammer is laughing at and mocking Odin.

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