The Natalie Portman/Jane Foster Thread

[Mjölnir]

She's toast

Jane and Malekith are just doing some Vadering...

 

[Ratcrawler]

I don't "hate" Jane, I just feel like she kind of dragged the story in the first movie down as a poor choice of love interest and one that felt forced.

Thor is a thousand years old and Asgard must be full of beautiful women of similar lifesPan. Why is he so in love with a cute Earth girl he knows will shrivel up and die before he shows any signs of aging? Because she's clever? Are the thousand-year-old 20-somethings on Asgard really that stupid? Is she a more relatable protagonist for the female audience?

Honestly, I'm looking more forward to seeing Darcy in this one and not caring much if Jane pulls a 'Rachel Dawes'. :/

 

[Raiden]

She's toast

I don't think she's really toast; at least, not permanently.

She's FLYING! (look, thor....i can see my house from here)

On another note, that Jesus Christ pose got me wondering if we'll see her get an Asgardian-style death and resurrection. All signs in the trailer do point towards her being, toast, yes; but a lot of people are also advancing the theory that Thor goes to Loki for help in bringing her back from the dead, quite literally.

I'm wondering now if the mystery casting for Alice Krige *does* put her as Hela, and if a dead Jane actually goes to Hela's realm. There's a very brief scene from the trailer that shows Thor and Loki trudging across the frozen tundra with a figure in rags we only see from behind. My theory is that it's Jane, and she's a literal walking corpse.

Yeah, I think Thor went to his father Odin for help, but when he turned him down Thor went to Loki instead, and possibly break him out of prison (so both will be on the run from Father Odin). I don't think they would bring Portman back just so she will be killed and be done with.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Did someone say "resurrection"

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

She's toast

"You're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow"

 

[Kane52630]

hahah yes!

 

[Poetic Chaos]

I'm down with killing Jane. Portman is probably too in demand to keep around long term and Alexander would make a fine leading lady.

 

[Hunter Rider]

She's toast

Disappointing IMO but I'm sure the Sif fangirls/boys will be happy, plus Alexander will cost about a 10th of what it costs them for Nat.

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

I don't "hate" Jane, I just feel like she kind of dragged the story in the first movie down as a poor choice of love interest and one that felt forced.

Thor is a thousand years old and Asgard must be full of beautiful women of similar lifesPan. Why is he so in love with a cute Earth girl he knows will shrivel up and die before he shows any signs of aging? Because she's clever? Are the thousand-year-old 20-somethings on Asgard really that stupid? Is she a more relatable protagonist for the female audience?

Honestly, I'm looking more forward to seeing Darcy in this one and not caring much if Jane pulls a 'Rachel Dawes'. :/

Do you guys really not understand why Jane was chosen as the love interest? Jane is Thor’s connection to Earth. Jane represents Earth. Jane represents humanity. Humanity is what Thor had to learn to become worthy again. The romantic aspect is just an extension of Thor’s new found love of Earth. Through Jane, Thor fell in love with Earth, and in turn he somewhat fell in love with her. Though not fully, because he only knew her for a few days, which is why she’s needed to be in Thor 2. These two people’s lives were changed because of each other and that can’t be ignored. It frustrates me when people can only think of Jane as a love interest when she represents a lot more than that, but it seems like some people just didn’t care. Jane was INTEGRAL to the plot of the first film

 

[Mars452]

Do you guys really not understand why Jane was chosen as the love interest? Jane is Thor’s connection to Earth. Jane represents Earth. Jane represents humanity. Humanity is what Thor had to learn to become worthy again. The romantic aspect is just an extension of Thor’s new found love of Earth. Through Jane, Thor fell in love with Earth, and in turn he somewhat fell in love with her. Though not fully, because he only knew her for a few days, which is why she’s needed to be in Thor 2. These two people’s lives were changed because of each other and that can’t be ignored. It frustrates me when people can only think of Jane as a love interest when she represents a lot more than that, but it seems like some people just didn’t care. Jane was INTEGRAL to the plot of the first film

Mmm, not really.

Hell, take Jane out of the picture, and Thor and Selvig could have been bros, as per that deleted scene. Jane is nothing more than a Shallow Love Interest, but Selvig's people once worshiped deities like Thor. He could have become friends with Darcy as well. And Loki messing with Selvig's mind could have been an extra motivation for Thor to keep ties with his friends on Earth.

Jumping to "Romance, just because" is just lazy.

 

[bullets]

"You're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow"

 

[Raiden]

Mmm, not really.

Hell, take Jane out of the picture, and Thor and Selvig could have been bros, as per that deleted scene. Jane is nothing more than a Shallow Love Interest, but Selvig's people once worshiped deities like Thor. He could have become friends with Darcy as well. And Loki messing with Selvig's mind could have been an extra motivation for Thor to keep ties with his friends on Earth.

Jumping to "Romance, just because" is just lazy.

I gonna agree with JB. Becoming "bro" with Selvig imo doesn't translate to love for Earth very well, plus falling in love with Jane (who is a mortal) showed that Thor, who was full of arrogance that got him into trouble the first place, displayed humanity for the first time. I just can't see being buddy with an old researcher like Selvig would've been better by comparison.

 

[cherokeesam]

I gonna agree with JB. Becoming "bro" with Selvig imo doesn't translate to love for Earth very well, plus falling in love with Jane (who is a mortal) showed that Thor, who was full of arrogance that got him into trouble the first place, displayed humanity for the first time. I just can't see being buddy with an old researcher like Selvig would've been better by comparison.

Becoming friends with Son of Coul could.
Technically, Coulson is the only human Thor promised that he'd watch over Midgard for. The starcrossed lovers thing *could* have worked great for Thor and Jane, and *should* have, but the fact that Joss chose to gloss it over in TA1 and just give Thor a perfunctory glance at Jane on a computer monitor proves that she wasn't all *that* to him. If he was madly in love with her, he WOULD have taken at least a moment to fly his happy Asgardian ass over there for a booty call before jetting back to save the world.

 

[Raiden]

Becoming friends with Son of Coul could.
Technically, Coulson is the only human Thor promised that he'd watch over Midgard for. The starcrossed lovers thing *could* have worked great for Thor and Jane, and *should* have, but the fact that Joss chose to gloss it over in TA1 and just give Thor a perfunctory glance at Jane on a computer monitor proves that she wasn't all *that* to him. If he was madly in love with her, he WOULD have taken at least a moment to fly his happy Asgardian ass over there for a booty call before jetting back to save the world.

Well, Whedon didn't even let Steve Rogers go check to see if Peggy Carter was still alive, so none of the heroes get to see their present & past lovers. I think he did it to preserve the pace of the movie. Letting them go & get booty call would've slowed the movie down, and create some awkward moments as well. The only one who get any booty was Tony Stark with Pepper.

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

The starcrossed lovers thing *could* have worked great for Thor and Jane, and *should* have, but the fact that Joss chose to gloss it over in TA1 and just give Thor a perfunctory glance at Jane on a computer monitor proves that she wasn't all *that* to him. If he was madly in love with her, he WOULD have taken at least a moment to fly his happy Asgardian ass over there for a booty call before jetting back to save the world.

The whole reason Thor was sent to earth in The Avengers was because of Loki, making sure Jane was safe is the first thing he did after Loki was captured and it's all he had time for. Family is the most important thing to him. It's the whole reason Thor went back to Asgard in the first place rather than just staying on Earth with Jane.

 

[04nbod]

I do wonder though, what if the film does end with Thor and Jane staying in Asgard together? how would people feel if the MCU took a different route from the comics where in this version, Jane does end up with Thor?

The comics aren't over. She still might.

I do wonder how that would work out...Jane staying with him in Asgard. Would she turn the focus of her science to studying the "magic" of Asgard? What would she do? Obviously with Sif, we've seen that other female roles are possible but then Thor did mention that he was "supportive" of Sif which means that most Asgardians are still old-fashioned in how they think a woman or queen should behave.

He becomes Dr Donald Blake or Olsen, the Paramedic. Have Odin be a majestic *****e, end the movie with him having lost his wife and his sons. How does he come back from that?

I don't "hate" Jane, I just feel like she kind of dragged the story in the first movie down as a poor choice of love interest and one that felt forced.

Thor is a thousand years old and Asgard must be full of beautiful women of similar lifesPan. Why is he so in love with a cute Earth girl he knows will shrivel up and die before he shows any signs of aging? Because she's clever? Are the thousand-year-old 20-somethings on Asgard really that stupid? Is she a more relatable protagonist for the female audience?

Honestly, I'm looking more forward to seeing Darcy in this one and not caring much if Jane pulls a 'Rachel Dawes'. :/

You have no romantic bone in your body.

Does Tarzan leave Jane because she is civilised?
Does Superman leave Lois because he is an alien?
Does Darcy leave Lizzie because he is rich?

The differences are what make great romances. Not the similarities. Its how those obstacles are overcome that make the story. Its often the weaknesses in characters that are overcome by those differences.

 

[warriorking]

The greatest moments in film are when your foe hurts the one you care deeply about, I think in jane"s case we will see a side of Thor that his foes will wish they had never unleashed....

 

[cherokeesam]

The comics aren't over. She still might.



He becomes Dr Donald Blake or Olsen, the Paramedic. Have Odin be a majestic *****e, end the movie with him having lost his wife and his sons. How does he come back from that?



You have no romantic bone in your body.

Does Tarzan leave Jane because she is civilised?
Does Superman leave Lois because he is an alien?
Does Darcy leave Lizzie because he is rich?

The differences are what make great romances. Not the similarities. Its how those obstacles are overcome that make the story. Its often the weaknesses in characters that are overcome by those differences.

Teaser trailers tend to emphasize one aspect of a film more than others, so it may be too early to tell; but it looks to me like the theme for this movie *is* romance. I think the heart of the story will very much go all Joseph Campbell and be a version of the Orpheus and Eurydice story (anybody drawing a blank? get some culture and read up on it, you philistines ).

 

[nefarious_e]

I hope that if the plan is to write Jane out at the end of the film they do it well (for example if Natalie wants out). I think it would be possible to go the "love that wasn't meant to be" route and still do justice to the characters and their feelings. If their going for romance, that kind of regret/goodbye can be very romantic.

If they do end up writing her out I think they would need to reiterate Thor's commitment to protecting the Earth. I don't think it really has to be even about a single person anymore but rather care and concern for the place and people who helped him become a better individual and a desire to help those whom he respects.

 

[04nbod]

Teaser trailers tend to emphasize one aspect of a film more than others, so it may be too early to tell; but it looks to me like the theme for this movie *is* romance. I think the heart of the story will very much go all Joseph Campbell and be a version of the Orpheus and Eurydice story (anybody drawing a blank? get some culture and read up on it, you philistines ).

Wrong mythology you cretin!

They won't end the movie ridding themselves of two of their main female cast and two of their biggest names. Its crazy. Especially as Natalie seemed to specifically want a good female representation.

I hope that if the plan is to write Jane out at the end of the film they do it well (for example if Natalie wants out). I think it would be possible to go the "love that wasn't meant to be" route and still do justice to the characters and their feelings. If their going for romance, that kind of regret/goodbye can be very romantic.

If they do end up writing her out I think they would need to reiterate Thor's commitment to protecting the Earth. I don't think it really has to be even about a single person anymore but rather care and concern for the place and people who helped him become a better individual and a desire to help those whom he respects.

What reason would he have for coming back though? There are the Avengers. Why do they need him? That is something they haven't solved in the source material either, even now Asgard is on Earth.

Jane fulfills a very necessary function unless you want Thor isolated in his own universe. And she's a great character but I don't even think Marvel give her that much credit. Branagh seemed to be her big champion, Feige doesn't seem to understand she didn't disappear from Thor in 1969. Apparently the Jurgens update just wasn't good enough. Honestly, Jane was great in the 60's, great in the 70's, screwed over in the 80's, rehabilitated in the 90's, got along in the 00's and is just waiting for a great story to launch her back into the MU properly. Where is Mark Millar when you need him? He's a Jane fan.

 

[Bren]

Say "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

 

[Mars452]

If they do end up writing her out I think they would need to reiterate Thor's commitment to protecting the Earth. I don't think it really has to be even about a single person anymore but rather care and concern for the place and people who helped him become a better individual and a desire to help those whom he respects.

We see in The Avengers that Thor gains a better appreciation of Humanity's worth as a species, mostly through his interactions with Steve Rogers and Phil Coulson. So, frankly, Jane Foster and her Shallow Love Interest character can be kicked out of the storyline and this would change absolutely nothing about Thor's commitment to Earth. Seriously people, there are ways to have two people care about each other deeply without them boinking. She's irrelevant.

Especially since every minute focused on Jane is a minute that's not focused on Odin, Frigga, Sif and the Warriors Three (who were horrendously short changed in the last one), Heimdall, Darcy, or Selvig, any of which have much more personality than Jane "Supposedly 'Brilliant Scientist' who does nothing but Meet Cute with Hero and Kiss Him At the End of the Story" Foster.

 

[Incredible Hans]

Say "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

 

[Flemm]

The differences are what make great romances. Not the similarities. Its how those obstacles are overcome that make the story. Its often the weaknesses in characters that are overcome by those differences.

Yeah, Thor/Jane is where it's at. Sif/Thor has always been boring.

Some sort of trip to Hel may be involved, or maybe Jane is transformed in some way. But... I don't think she's going anywhere.

 

[cherokeesam]

Wrong mythology you cretin!

They won't end the movie ridding themselves of two of their main female cast and two of their biggest names. Its crazy. Especially as Natalie seemed to specifically want a good female representation.

Well, that was my point. Orpheus goes to the Underworld to bring his beloved back.

I think the fate of Jane largely rests in the hands of Natalie Portman. She doesn't seem too enthusiastic about this role or series any more, and the shots from the trailer and even spy pics from the set look like she's phoning it in.

But who knows. Maybe she'll surprise me, and reveal that she *does* want to reprise the role at least one more time. Or at least give Jane some dignity so that a recast won't stop the franchise dead in its tracks.

As a betting man, though, I'm saying that Natalie's definitely itching to move on, and we'll get an obligatory dignified death, a quest to the underworld to resurrect her that goes wrong, and the movie ends up with Thor in inconsolable grief. And Sif waiting to comfort him. (And, if there's any justice in this world, a cameo by a chick named Amora who sees the widowed Thor and realizes that opportunity is a-knockin'....)