Mighty Maidens – The Female Characters of Thor

Happy Thorsday, everyone! Finally, the day has arrived for Thor: Love and Thunder to premiere! Ever since Thor Odinson was deemed unworthy of Mjolnir in the comics, it became apparent that the God of Thunder is surrounded by a mighty group of women who are more than capable of upholding the Thor legacy.

With Jane Foster taking up the helm of Mighty Thor in the MCU, it’s time to look back at that comic book legacy and how it has been woven into the on-screen tales of Thor. You’ll find there are many incredible female characters who have shaped and influenced Asgard as well as Thor himself over the decades. Magic and mortal, fair and foul, this Thorsday we are all about celebrating those mighty maidens, the ladies of Thor!

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Freyja

Freyja, sometimes Frigga, is the All-Mother of Asgard. She originally hails from the realm of Vanaheim, and is married to All-Father Odin. She is the mother of Thor but not through birth. She raised the God of Thunder, as well as other sons of Odin, both hers and of other women.

Within the MCU, she is the mother of Thor and the adoptive mother of Loki, with whom she shares her magic. She serves to keep the men of the royal Asgardian family in check, with her level head and commanding presence. She is skilled in the use of magic, and uses it mostly for defense — but never shies from a fight.

In the current comics, she is a fierce warrior who prefers the use of a sword and shield, but Freyja is also a wise and caring protector for those she loves.

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Jane Foster

Jane Foster originally made her debut as the nurse assistant to the mysterious and handsome Dr. Donald Blake. She quickly fell in love with her boss and was kept unaware of his alter ego for a time. Of course, the hero Thor caught her eye. Loki, the trickster brother of Thor, often would use Jane as the victim in his schemes as he tried to thwart the thunder god.

In recent years she has come a long way from her original appearance, now often appearing as a doctor or physician rather than a nurse. In Thor: The Mighty Avenger, she worked on curating artifacts for a museum. In the movies, she’s an astrophysicist. In all cases, her work somehow leads her to Thor and she uses her compassion and intelligence to help him and others out of tough situations.

Jane has become a representative of Midgard in the Congress of Worlds, which has liaisons from each realm. She was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, which she bravely decided to face without the help of Asgardian healers. Most notably, Jane was deemed worthy of wielding Mjolnir, leading to her transformation into Mighty Thor (later she would also use the title Valkyrie). Mighty Thor will make her on-screen debut in Thor: Love and Thunder.

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Valkyrie

Long ago when Hela waged war upon Asgard, the Valkyries fought valiantly against Odin’s wayward daughter. Sadly, they were largely defeated — except for one. When Thor is stranded on Sakaar after Odin’s death, he encounters that survivor, known as Valkyrie to honor her fallen people. Thor attempts to recruit Valkyrie to his cause but her independent spirit will not be convinced.

She is definitely not interested in helping to restore Asgard, having become disillusioned after all the pain, but over time she is won over by Thor. Her friendship and assistance could not have come at a better time because few can match Valkyrie’s prowess in battle — or her cool demeanor. Currently, she is the King of New Asgard.

Valkyrie is a character whose MCU appearance inspired a comic book version, rather than the other way around. In Jason Aaron’s The Mighty Valkyries #1 (2021), the character’s name is finally revealed to be Rúna. This Valkyrie also recently appeared in Marvel’s Voices Pride #1 (2022).

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Sif

Sif was introduced to the comics and to Thor after the thunder god elected to become a hero on Earth. They had been friends in childhood, when she had golden hair that was shorn off by Loki as a mean prank, following Norse mythology. Odin, Thor’s father, was unhappy with his son’s affections for the mortal Jane Foster and arranged for him to meet the goddess Sif, now grown into a beautiful woman and fierce warrior. They began a relationship, but Sif could never forsake Asgard in favor of Thor’s beloved Earth.

Since then, she went on to meet alien champion Beta Ray Bill, adventuring around space and defending the realms. Sif has been involved in battles with many villains, including Surtur and the foes of Ragnarok. She headed her own Journey into Mystery title in more recent years.

Sif is known for her excellent swordsmanship, being a shield maiden of Asgard. She is also known as the Asgardian goddess of war, and can use her enchanted sword to traverse the galaxy, tearing open portals for instant teleportation.

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Amora

Known as the Enchantress, Amora studied magic under the Queen of the Norns Karnilla. A dutiful student, she was eventually dismissed for being too reckless with her magical abilities. This didn’t stop the Enchantress from studying the works of other Asgardian magicians and spellcasters. She grew powerful in her sorcery and even came to rival her former teacher. She often used her powers to seduce men and get them to do her bidding.

Amora has a younger sister named Lorelai, who knows some sorcery, specializing in love potions and spells. The Enchantress has many magical abilities, such as time manipulation, teleportation, and illusions. She often uses these offensively, working to get what she wants by any means necessary. More than once she has tried to cast charms on Thor, and while some do succeed, she remains unable to affect Mjolnir in any way.

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Lady Loki

Okay, this one is a little tricky. Post-Ragnarok destruction, Loki’s soul took up a female form which was a malicious version of Sif. In this form, Loki worked with Doctor Doom to try to reconstruct the world and eventually joined the Cabal (a villainous version of the Illuminati) with Doom, Norman Osborn, Emma Frost, and others.

After Osborn’s plan for a new world order failed, Loki and Sif were separated once more. This “Lady Loki” design has become a fan favorite, though, especially with Loki (and his family) embracing his nonbinary identity. No matter his form, Loki always knows how to win over a crowd.

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Roz Solomon

An original character from Jason Aaron’s Thor: God of Thunder series, Roz Solomon is a highly skilled field agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D. who first gets tangled up in the thunder god’s life when he accepts her invitation to her graduation dance. She graduates from S.H.I.E.L.D. as an environmental scientist and operative, trained in martial arts as well as basic spy weapons. She is spunky and a bit stubborn, and Thor immediately sets his sights on her.

She drives a flying red car which has even traversed outer space. Coulson is her boss, and she likes to talk back to him because, let’s face it — as helpful as he is, sometimes Roz needs to do things her own way. She’s more focused on her work than on Thor’s advances, but the two do go out for drinks when they’re not fighting the likes of the evil oil corporation Roxxon.

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Brunnhilde

Odin’s chosen leader of the Valkyrior, Brunnhilde the Valkyrie is one of the fiercest warriors of Asgard. She fights with a spear but also wields an enchanted sword, and rides upon a winged horse. She joined the Fearless Defenders and fought alongside Misty Knight.

Being a Valkyrie means that she chooses the worthy slain and takes them to Valhalla following great battles. She possesses the power of teleportation in order to transport fallen warriors to the realms of the dead. She can also sense a dying aura around those near the end of their lives.

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So, now that you’ve read all about some of the amazing women from the Thor legacy, you can prepare to behold the latest installment in the MCU, Thor Love and Thunder — which will finally introduce Jane Foster as Mighty Thor!

If you be worthy, join the conversation alongside other Marvel fans in the Let Your Spoiler Sideshow Facebook Group, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!

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