Warning: Contains a preview for Avengers #56
A preview for Avengers #56 shows Jane Foster, the Valkyrie, trapped in a nightmare scenario that happens to be exactly what she wanted when she was first introduced as a supporting character for Thor: marrying the God of Thunder. This clever metaphor shows just how far Marvel has come in terms of representation of its female characters since the 1960s.
Jane Foster was introduced as a nurse hired by Dr. Donald Blake to assist him in his medical practice. Unbeknownst to Jane, Donald Blake was the mortal identity of Thor, the God of Thunder, trapped on Earth by his father Odin the learn the value of humility. Blake quickly fell in love with Jane but she was infatuated with Thor, unaware of his dual identity. Jane would regularly admire Thor's godly exploits, much to Blake's annoyance, causing him to wonder if she could ever love a mortal man. This dynamic was interrupted when Donald finally confessed his secret. Thor wanted to marry Jane but Odin forbade a wedding with a mortal and tried to undermine their relationship many times. Over the years, Jane got over this impossible relationship with a god and experienced many transformations, picking up Mjolnir to become the Mighty Thor for a while.
After saving Asgard from the Mangog and dying from cancer, Jane was rewarded by Odin who resurrected her with the powers of the Valkyrie. In that identity, Jane recently became a member of the Avengers, just in time to be involved in the gruesome battle against the Multiversal Masters of Evil and the demon lord Mephisto, who are planning to conquer the Multiverse. In a preview for Avengers #56 by Jason Aaron, Javier Garròn, and David Curiel, Jane is shown in an unusual, dreamlike scenario. She is married to Thor, having finally gained Odin's approval, and the couple lives on a farm in a remote corner of Asgard, where Jane is a happy housewife, tending to the house while Thor goes to "work."
This is obviously an illusion in which Jane is trapped, perhaps created by Mephisto himself, but the choice of the setting is revealing. Jason Aaron revolutionized Jane Foster when he made her the Mighty Thor, and now that he has the chance to have her as part of the cast of Avengers he wants to celebrate the evolution of the character. The illusion depicts what Jane originally wanted in the early Thor stories: to marry the God of Thunder and become a good wife. The dream, however, is actually a nightmare, because by marrying Thor, Jane would have given up her career and her chance to save lives, as a doctor first and then as a superhero too.
Overall, this is a very clever way of showing how far the Jane Foster character has come, as well as many other female Marvel characters who suffered from the same stereotyped representations when they were introduced in the 1960s. Hopefully, now that Jane Foster and Thor are on the Avengers together, Jason Aaron will take this chance to further explore their relationship, perhaps rekindling an old love with a modern outlook. Avengers #56 will be available on May 25.