If you were a fan of the Thor-Jane Foster relationship, I have some bad news that you were probably already expecting. As you know, Natalie Portman isn’t in Thor: Ragnarok, and while some had assumed that’s because the movie largely takes place away from Earth, it turns out that Thor and Jane have broken up.

It’s a bit disappointing, and it also kind of undermines the stakes of their relationship, especially when you consider that Captain America: Civil War did the exact same thing with Tony and Pepper—ended their relationship off-screen. On the one hand, I understand the logistics: you don’t want to pay Portman or Paltrow their quote only to have them do a scene where they break up with the hero. Also, breakups are sad, and you didn’t come to a Marvel movie for that. But that being said, it also makes the love interests wholly disposable; they’re useful for saving and a smooch, but little else.

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Image via Marvel Studios

So what does Thor’s romantic future hold? Well, he probably won’t be single for long as Ragnarok will set up a relationship with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige tells EW what to expect:

“We wanted Thor to encounter somebody that was near his equal and that his relationship with Jane may have evolved in unexpected ways in between The Dark World and Ragnarok and we wanted to pit him against a character who was much more his equal and in many ways his superior,” says Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. “Valkyrie is trying to not embrace any sort of Asgardian heritage that she has. Thor thinks maybe that will create a bond between them and, on the contrary, she wants to forget it all entirely.”

I understand that Feige means Thor’s “equal” in the sense that Valkyrie is also good at punching things, but Jane was a freaking astrophysicist! It’s nice that the characters are different!

While I’m a bit bummed to see Jane Foster exit the Marvel Universe, hopefully the MCU will treat Valkyrie a bit better.

Thor: Ragnarok opens November 3rd.

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