So, here’s the scoop: back in 2017, Natalie Portman officially stepped off the Marvel train, leaving fans curious and a little bummed. Portman, who played the brainy Jane Foster in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, hinted she was “done with Marvel.” And no, this wasn’t just a scheduling issue—it was a clean break. Asked if Jane would be back in Thor: Ragnarok, Portman’s answer was blunt: “As far as I know, I’m done… maybe for an ‘Avengers 7’ or whatever,” she shrugged. For Marvel fans, it was a big “ouch.”
So, what exactly went down? Well, Ragnarok took a significant leap away from Earth and Jane’s whole reason for being. Marvel Studios’ mastermind Kevin Feige spilled the beans, admitting that Ragnarok would be “80 to 90 percent in the cosmos.” The plot threw Thor (Chris Hemsworth) into intergalactic gladiator battles and even a showdown with the Hulk. Earthlings need not apply—especially astrophysicists stuck on Earth.
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Still, you’d think Marvel could find a way to keep Jane around, right? After all, she did help Thor adjust to Midgard (Earth, to us mere mortals) back in movie one. But her role had already started shrinking in The Dark World, where she mostly watched Thor and Asgard’s shiny warriors handle all the heavy lifting. Marvel’s take? Space is rough; sometimes, there’s no room for love stories and lab coats.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Portman’s exit wasn’t the only disappearance fans noticed. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts was also MIA during Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War. For Tony Stark’s story arc, Marvel just decided to drop a few lines about a breakup and call it good. Is it the Marvel way? Write off these female leads as “back on Earth” while their superhero boyfriends dive headfirst into danger.
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Let’s face it: Marvel has a casting knack. They can pluck top talent from anywhere and give us unforgettable heroes. But sidelining leading ladies wasn’t winning any points with fans. And while Ragnarok leaned into the galaxy-hopping adventures, the franchise still faced a growing demand to give its heroines the same love they were giving their gods and monsters.
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Ultimately, Portman’s break from Marvel didn’t just clear the way for Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie (who quickly became a fan-favorite). It was a big reminder that Marvel needed to keep all its key players on board to stay on top of the universe. And for Ragnarok, as fans strapped in for a cosmic joyride, Portman said her final farewells.
