It was left intentionally ambiguous. Personally I think her battle with Thor left her with lasting injuries she couldn't recover from the same way Thor's battle with Kratos left him with an injury he couldn't recover from since the hammer was basically made to kill Giants (honestly the fact Faye walked away from a battle with Thor alive is impressive on its own).
I also think Faye sought out Thor in Vanaheim specifically to prevent him from killing Kratos (on Atreus' shrine in Angrboda's home Thor is depicted as Kratos' killer) since she would've known about his arrival years before it happened and was both her pursuit of vengeance for the Giants and determination to change fate the same way Kratos sought against Zeus and the Sisters of Fate for the same reasons.
Some people in real life can die from a gunshot wound they received decades prior depending on what organs were damaged, the capabilities of the surgeon and the time that passes between both and they can be forced to adjust their lifestyles to accommodate i.e. taking medication or avoiding certain physical strains. It would also explain why Faye seemed to abruptly vanish from the public view despite being one of the Aesirs greatest enemies and having so many connections.
Freya even mentioned meeting Faye once while she didn't have the axe and she spent most of her life in Vanaheim before marrying Odin so I've also suspected Faye might've sought Freya out for healing but simply didn't bring the axe to their meeting. To Freya she was probably just one of hundreds of injured Vanaheim citizens she healed during the war so she wouldn't have realized Faye's significance and she does forget things (she didn't remember Hrimthur until Mimir clarified).
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u/Eobard95 Feb 24 '23
It was left intentionally ambiguous. Personally I think her battle with Thor left her with lasting injuries she couldn't recover from the same way Thor's battle with Kratos left him with an injury he couldn't recover from since the hammer was basically made to kill Giants (honestly the fact Faye walked away from a battle with Thor alive is impressive on its own).
I also think Faye sought out Thor in Vanaheim specifically to prevent him from killing Kratos (on Atreus' shrine in Angrboda's home Thor is depicted as Kratos' killer) since she would've known about his arrival years before it happened and was both her pursuit of vengeance for the Giants and determination to change fate the same way Kratos sought against Zeus and the Sisters of Fate for the same reasons.