Doctor Aphra (2020) #24
DESCENT
As a Spark-possessed Doctor Aphra made her way to the ”Vermillion”, flag ship of Crimson Dawn, to gather more information from the Archivist, Sana Starros has gathered her team of Aphra associates and convinced Magna Tolvan to join the search.
The team ended up on the planet Birukay, but there were no prized possessions waiting for them. Instead, Aphra had left the two murderous droids BT-1 and 0-0-0 there to greet the search party….
Writer: Alyssa Wong
Artist: Minkyu Jung
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Vc Joe Caramagna
Cover artist: Rickie Yagawa
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: September 28, 2022
UPC: 75960609724101911
In the entire 45 plus year history of the Star Wars saga, has there ever been a character who attracts trouble and strife quite as expertly as Chelli Aphra? In the 24th issue of her second volume, things go from bad to worse as we find her on Rudun III, on the run from the Hast Antu Gang, once again fleeing blaster fire and pinging out her regulation snappy replies as the world threatens to fall down around her ears.
In the world of Doctor Aphra this, it has to be said, is not unusual.
Well actually, it IS unusual, as this isn’t the here and now but a past replaying in Aphra’s mind created by the Spark Eternal. The Spark is personified in the form of a Chadra-fan, and as Aphra reaches the roof her memories flood back as she remembers the time and place and leaping from the building she is flipped to another location, hitting the ground with a thump as she comes to in the Floating Catacombs. Remember how we said from bad to worse?
Hopping to the now on Birukay we find BT-1 and 000 dosing out their own usual brand of firepower as Detta and Kho leap for cover, only for Sana Starros to arrive and assist as Kho uses the Force to hurl the droids to one side. Starros has a proposal that she promises will satiate their own bloodthirsty programming, and 000invites her in.
Back to Aphra and she watches an unfamiliar memory as the Chadra-fan / Spark Eternal called Miril battles the Togruta in the catacombs, red-bladed lightsabers being hurled in all directions as Aphra asks whether this memory ended with a victory or a defeat. It appears that Miril cannot get out of the memory, her connection to the Spark requiring calm or passion, and as the Darkseekers close in Aphra pulls a wild gambit, aiming the blaster at Mirils head, forcing her to unleash the power of the Spark and giving her the opening to defeat the Darkseekers. Weakened, Aphra asks Miril to get them out of that memory, and she does by sending them back to Bar’leth a ‘long, long time ago‘. Here we see the Ascendant Sanctum beneath the university and learn that the Spark was made to counter the Sith and their connection to the Force, its artificial intelligence making it as potentially powerful as the Force.
We end with Aphra in the present, her hand on a blade that appears to be the Sith Killer and we wrap another brisk, pacey issue full of reveals and kinetic artwork by Minkyu Jung that compliments a snappy script by Alyssa Wong, all bathed in lavish colours by Rachelle Rosenberg. Aphra has always built its own corner of the galaxy steadily and well, in both volumes, and this current run continues to swim deep in the archaeological end of the pool while diving off the high board of adventure.
![Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1 [New Printing]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/413gEI33jqL._SL160_.jpg)
- Hardcover Book
- Gillen, Kieron (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 1240 Pages - 01/31/2023 (Publication Date) - Licensed Publishing (Publisher)
