Jane Foster's last appearance in the MCU was Thor: The Dark World in 2013, and as she is set to return nine years later in Thor: Love & Thunder, it begs the question of what happened to her character between these films. Clearly, a lot has changed for Jane in the time she has been away from the MCU, and she has been reintroduced as the Mighty Thor, complete with a repaired Mjolnir, which is a far cry from where audiences last saw her.

Jane Foster was introduced in the MCU in 2011 with the first in the Nordic film installment, Thor. The astrophysicist and colleagues Darcy and Erik are the first humans to find Thor when he crashes on Earth. Jane is immediately fascinated by him, and Thor teaches her about Asgard and the Nine Realms from which he hails. The coupling represented the intersection between science and magic, which is so prevalent in the MCU, and the two fell in love.

Related: Is Loki In Thor: Love & Thunder?

Despite this promising start, her character has had a rocky journey. She has only appeared in the MCU twice, Thor and Thor: The Dark World, the latter being her last appearance. Since then, she has only been mentioned fleetingly by name. First, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where it was noted that she wasn't at the heroes' party because her work on the Convergence takes her all over the world, being one of the leading astrophysicists in the field. Then, two years later, in Thor: Ragnarok, it is quickly mentioned by a passing fan that Jane and Thor had broken up, and then there is no other mention of her. So, what happened to her between The Dark World and Love & Thunder?

Why Thor & Jane Foster Broke Up

Thor and Jane Foster

As stated, it was comically noted by a fan that Jane ''dumped'' Thor, though Thor tried to insist it was a ''mutual dumping.'' There was no exact reason given at the time, and it was brushed over fairly quickly in Ragnarok, though concrete answers are sure to come in Love & Thunder. However, it is known that Jane was not keen on the distance between them, as exhibited in The Dark World, where, upon reuniting, Jane slaps Thor and demands to know where he's been. Thor is immortal, and Jane is mortal, and time likely passes very differently for the both of them. Therefore, it is plausible that they broke up because of their vastly different lifestyles.

Thor was continuously saving the world, and Jane was at the top in her field, traveling the world and collecting Nobel prizes. It's a wonder they ever had time to see each other. As clichéd as it may sound, the long distance (the two were literally worlds away from each other) likely contributed to the break-up between Jane and Thor.

Why Natalie Portman Didn't Return For Thor: Ragnarok

Thor preparing to battle Hulk in Ragnarok.

According to Kevin Feige, Jane wasn't present in Ragnarok because the story takes place off-world. Primarily, the characters are on Sakaar, the garbage planet run by the Grandmaster. Jane was earthbound then (before she got her Thor powers,) and there doesn't seem to be any conceivable reason for her to be in the story. Natalie Portman has also backed up these claims. There are, however, some behind-the-scenes rumors that Portman's lack of involvement in the MCU after The Dark World resulted from studio tensions. It is rumored that her character's uninspired journey from accomplished scientist to a damsel in distress in the last Thor film she partook in led her to distance herself from the MCU. Further, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins was set to direct a Thor film, which Portman was supportive of, but then removed from the project, which apparently also caused friction, leading to her absence in Ragnarok.

Related: Mjolnir's MCU Return Can Answer Thor's Multiverse Mystery

Was Jane Foster Snapped By Thanos?

Natalie Portman as Jane Foster in Thor: Love & Thunder

Many MCU characters disappeared during Thanos' snap in Avengers: Infinity Wareven some snap victims who were not seen on screen. The Russo Brothers even confirmed that Betty Ross from 2008s The Incredible Hulk was snapped. Despite the original script alluding to Jane's fate was not confirmed in Avengers: Endgame, the trailer for Love & Thunder seems to hint at her being snapped with one small line. Upon their reunion in Thor: Love & Thunder, Jane ponders that it's been ''three, four years'' since she last saw Thor. Thor, however, responds with ''eight years, seven months, and six days,'' thus Jane's missing five years equate to her being the half of the universe who was snapped by Thanos.

More: What If Thor Went For Thanos' Head In Avengers: Infinity War?

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