If only this were canon
This issue spins out of 'To Become an Immortal', the 'One More Day' of the Silver Age. It is one of the most important stories in Thor history and yet one of the most horrific. We saw Jane Foster 'fail' her auditon for godhood. I have several issues with 'To Become an Immortal' :
- The entire plot is so orchestrated it clearly reads as a set up.
- Jane is penalised for not using her powers successfully on her first attempt
- Jane is thrown in with the Lurking Unknown after being a god for merely a few hours if not minutes and is expected to have adaped to life as an asgardian
- Jane is doused with what is the equivalent of cosmic roofies and dropped with Keith Kincaid so he can unwittingly exploit the lingering feelings she doesn't understand
- Thor is shown as fickle as he drops Jane within a few pages
This What If highlights every one of these issues and writes the story as if the characters were acting in character rather than going through the motions of the plot.
- It shows that the entire scheme was a set up and gives Odin a sympathetic motivation, he was unable to let go of his favourite son and realise he had grown up.
- Thor does not stand by and allow Odin to steal Jane's memories. He stands by every word he ever said to her and comes across as the gallant, heroic leading man he should be.
- Thor sees that Odin had attempted to set her up with Keith Kincaid and realises his father's 'perfidity'
- Thor becomes his own man and in a scene readers today might recognise, he creates his own kingdom on Earth for he and Jane to rule for eternity.
The biggest compliment I can give this title is that I prefer it to the story it sought to correct. If only this were canon Thor would not have suffered such a huge blow to his character and to his book with the loss of Jane.