Jane Foster Returns… As Valkyrie.

So, Jason Aaron, who wrote Thor for a bit – then wrote Thor, when Jane Foster became Thor, is returning to the world of Thor again – in a round about way. Or should I say he’s returning to the world of Jane Foster. Or is it that Jane Foster is returning to the world of Thor? OK, fine – I will get to the point (“Finally!”) – Jason Aaron (along side co-writer, Al Ewing) is writing another Jane Foster series – this time, Jane is not coming back as Jane Foster… she’s not coming back as Thor… No, she’s coming back as… Valkyrie. (You probably would have never guessed that based on the title of this post, right?)

Spoilers ahead for War of the Realms #2… So Stop Reading If You Don’t Want To Be Spoiled.

Still here? Good. So apparently, during War of the Realms #2, all of the Valkyries are slaughtered. I had hoped – hoped – when I first heard news of a Valkyrie series, it would be Brunhilde returning to the mantle. As an avid fan of the original Defenders series, she was one of my favorite female characters. I would have settled for the movie version from the MCU being the new Valkyrie too, if not Brunhilde – because it would make logical sense, because it’s a character, who MCU fans might be able to immediately recognize if they were interested in picking up the comic to know more.

What I was not expecting was that Jane Foster would take the mantle. The article on Marvel states “a lot of fans have been waiting to hear about Jane Foster.”

However, as I read the article on Marvel’s site – there was something that made me sigh. Al Ewing states:

…. she [Jane Foster] does have something not seen before in the world of Asgard — UNDRJARN THE ALL-WEAPON, forged in the fires of the Realm-War, that can change its shape and be whatever the wielder needs — including wings! 

Wait. So it’s not just that she’s a Valkyrie… but she has… uh, what’s it called? Undrjarn – the all weapon?

Now I love me some Norse Mythology – but… I didn’t recall a weapon by that name. Now, to be fair, when Walt Simonson introduced Beta Ray Bill, he created Stormbreaker, which was essentially a copy of Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. But… they’re introducing Valkyrie’s weapon as The All Weapon, similar to Odin being the All Father. It sort of reeks of “Looks how much more powerful my character is because of this weapon!” (I just wish they simply called it Undrjarn – without the title of “The All Weapon”).

For me, I am a little bummed that it’s not Brunhilde or the Valkyrie from the Thor MCU movie. I didn’t particularly enjoy Jason Aaron’s Thor, or his Jane Foster Thor, so I don’t have high hopes that I would enjoy his Jane Foster Valkyrie.

I will say this though – despite the tone of this piece – I am actually very happy for the Jane Foster fans, who will be able to continue to read stories of Jane Foster – as a character – continuing her heroic career.