What If... Jane Foster Had Found the Hammer of Thor?

We've had one sex change story already with Betty Brant becoming Spider-Man (well, Spider-Girl), but here's a full-length version with a much better costume.

What If Vol.1 #10 (August 1978)
Based on: Journey Into Mystery #83 to Thor #157
The true history: While being chased by the Rock Men of Saturn, the lame Dr. Don Blake throws himself after his fallen cane and stumbles into a cave where he finds a secret chamber that houses an ancient walking stick. When he strikes it against a rock fall, he is transformed into Thor, the God of Thunder.
Turning point: What if Jane Foster accompanied Don Blake on his trip to Norway?
Story type: Sex change.
Watcher's mood: Floating head.
Altered history: In this version of events, Nurse Jane Foster accompanies Don Blake on his trip, because you know what?
She doesn't mind that he's lame. That word hasn't aged well at all, has it? When the Saturnians show up, Don Blake once again drops his cane down a ravine, but this time, it's Jane who goes after it and finds the walking stick. Striking it, she becomes...
THORDIS!!! (Sounds like another Doctor Who crossover.) Since she isn't actually Thor trapped in human form, she only takes on his power, not his mind (like Beta Ray Bill). She drives the Saturnians away, and starts operating as Thordis. But Jane Foster can't be seen with a big unwieldy cane, so she's had it chopped up into... a hairbrush!
Though Thordis is rejected by Odin and Asgard (laying the groundwork for a politically more powerful Loki), she has pretty much the same adventures as our Thor, including becoming a founding member of the Avengers. Just as in our world, Don Blake and Jane Foster grow apart, but in a Thorless world, the Lady Sif takes matters into her own hands and goes to Midgard to heal Blake's lameness and profess her love to him. Hey, never argue with a goddess.
When she is injured, it's Don Blake who saves her life and it's Don Blake she wants to marry. Then, Mangog threatens to spark Ragnarok, and Thordis, Sif and Don Blake are whisked off to Asgard. After the battle, Odin decides that enough is enough and gives the hammer back to Thor/Blake. As thanks, Jane is turned into a goddess.
Does this mean Thor will go out with her now? Why no, he's got Sif. But Jane finds love anyway...
Oh, gross. (Note the bit of cheating: This is also What if Odin had divorced Frigga a long time ago and she doesn't mean anything to him anymore, honest?) But the ultimate April/December romance seems like a happy match, and Thor takes over Jane's comic as she ascends to floating head status.
Books canceled as a result: None. I don't believe a comic called Thordis would have survived, so it remained Journey Into Mystery until #157 when it changed protagonists and was retitled Thor.
These things happen: Other people have been able to lift Mjolnir, but never Jane Foster (has she ever tried?). Of mortals that have been found worthy by the hammer, there's Captain America, Red Norvell and Beta Ray Bill. No girls though. Foster DID do the goddess thing at some point, however, striking a sword to transform into Sif herself.
She just didn't like the immortality. It's not for everyone. Or as this story shows, not for every version of someone.

Comments

rob! said…
Thordis = Hubba Hubba!
Marc Burkhardt said…
One of my favorite What Ifs, maybe because it didn't end in tragedy. Plus ... Norwegian Wood! Isn't it good?
chiasaur11 said…
Gotta agree with comment one.
Delta said…
Just discovered this blog, and it's fantastic -- I suppose we do have the female Thor from the Earth-X series, right?
Siskoid said…
Plus, Fear Itself will have female hammer-bearers!
Agent00Soul said…
When did Jane become Sif?
Siskoid said…
Thor #236 in 1975.
Anonymous said…
I liked in this issue the role reversal between giantman and wasp
NES Boy said…
And now, Jane Foster is actually weilding Mjolnir! Except she isn't calling herself Thordis, Thor actually let her use his own name.