It’s safe to say that Crystal Dynamics’ heroic looter shooter, Marvel’s Avengers, hasn’t had the lifetime that the developers – or the fans – would have hoped. However, things are looking up and there’s still life in the old dog yet. Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor is being introduced to the game’s roster of playable superheroes on June 28 and it has been revealed that, for the developers, this was something of an inevitability.
Discussing the Mighty Thor content update with CBR.com, writer Jessica Krause has confirmed that – at least in her mind – Jane Foster was always going to wield Mjolnir in Marvel’s Avengers, adopting the mantle of Thor – as opposed to an appearance as Doctor Jane Foster or Valkyrie.
“I think the intention was always to introduce her as Thor,” Krause begins. “Because that particular run was so iconic… Jane as Thor is so integral to that run, and it was a no-brainer when we were pitching new characters to add. When we thought about Jane, it was like, no, this is Mighty Thor that we’re bringing in.
The comic runs that Krause is referring to in the above statement are Jason Aaron’s Thor, starting in October 2014, and the 2019 comic crossover event The War of the Realms. In Aaron’s Thor, it is confirmed that Jane Foster is worthy of Mjolnir and she becomes the Thor of the Marvel Comics universe following Odinson’s descent into unworthiness. Then, following a stint working with the All-New, All Different Avengers, and the events of the Secret Wars storyline, Jane Foster decides to continue the legacy of the Valkyrie after witnessing the destruction of Earth, the return of Thor Odinson, and the death of Brunnhilde – who is the final Valkyrie.
Fans who are more familiar with Jane Foster’s recent turn as Valkyrie in the Marvel Comics universe will be pleased to know that this part of her character’s story is represented in an unlockable outfit in-game.
However, that isn’t exactly where the references to her time as Valkyrie end. Marvel’s Avengers’ lead designer Brian Waggoner, commenting on how the Mighty Thor will play in-game, has revealed that she does have some “Valkyrie inspiration” when it comes to her moveset. Significantly, however, this is most obvious in her Ultimate Heroic.
When Mighty Thor uses this ability, named The All-Weapon, “Mjolnir goes sentient and starts seeking out enemies”, according to Waggoner. “ While that happens, she reaches her hand to the sky and summons Undrjarn. She starts using Undrjarn for her melee and ranged attacks.”
In Marvel’s comic, Undrjarn the All-Weapon is a magical item borne from the shattered shards of Earth-1610’s Mjolnir. It binds itself to Jane Foster at the end of the War of the Realms storyline and, in a lot of ways, symbolises her transformation from Thor to Valkyrie. Having Mighty Thor make the most of both weapons in Marvel’s Avengers is a sign that, in some ways, she is “double worthy” – as Waggoner puts it.
Of course, Jane Foster was the main topic of conversation in CBR’s interview with Krause and Waggoner, however, it was also confirmed that Loki will return – in some capacity – in the future. There’s no confirmation as to when, but Waggoner has stated that he likes “resolving things”. So, it looks like there’s more Asgard-based narrative content coming at some point.
Well, even if you’re not a fan of the gameplay, it looks like there’s something to look forward to following the announcement that the Apex Legends announcer joined the Avengers game as Jane Foster. The Mighty Thor content update is coming on June 28 and, with any luck, we should see a few more important content updates before the end of the year. You can get the lowdown on this update though on the Marvel’s Avengers Blog here.