Doctor Aphra (2020) #34
RESONANCE
After finding a mysterious Jedi message, Aphra decided to kidnap Luke Skywalker to bring him to the Sason temple where the ancient artifact known as Kythoo’s Bell resides.
Aphra needs Luke, as the Bell only opens for those pure of heart and strong with the Force. After some trouble using the Force, Luke and Aphra were attacked by a terrifying crystalline creature and dropped through the ground into a large pool. There, they were greeted by holograms of Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura, who were tasked with guarding the temple, which is actually a Jedi prison and inhabited by the terrifying Starweird….
Writer: Alyssa Wong
Artist: Minkyu Jung
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Junggeun Yoon
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: July 19, 2023
We open issue 34 of Doctor Aphra many years before, in the Outer Rim as Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti roar through space in their Jedi Starfighters, holding the key element of the Kythoo Bell as they attempt to capture the ‘planet-eater’ Starweird, who suddenly appears before them, and we cut to ‘now’ in the Sason Temple as Doctor Aphra and Luke Skywalker watch as the Starweird screams. Luke has no idea what the creature is, but Aphra recognises it as a Starweird, and as it uses an unseen force – but not THE Force – to hurl them backwards into a wall, it suddenly releases them and screams a deafening howl, all the while Aphra is holding on to that key part of the Kythoo Bell. She quickly realises what she’s holding is a dampner, and adjusts her reasoning to see it’s actually an emitter that is amplified by the crystal walls of the temple. As she speaks the shattered crystal on the floor rises and suddenly impales the Starweird, and as they run Luke explains he used the Force to hold it still, not kill it.
Everything in the temple appears to be broken, but as they run Luke suggests they hide as the Starweird is catching up. Aphra argues, then agrees, throwing the device to Luke as the creature screams in and attacks, only to smash into the crystal walls and their reflections. They scatter, and we see Luke is sending Force visions through the walls as Aphra finds a Jedi holo-projector and starts hacking it as the Starweird tears in.
As Luke asks if she managed to get the projector working we see the holograms of Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura appear, and the Starweird attacks, fritzing out the holograms much to its consternation as Aphra spies the Ark Anhgel in the distance. Just as they’re almost there., the Starweird attacks, knocking Luke off a ledge and leaving Aphra alone with the creature, Luke’s broken sentinel lightsaber in her hands. She manages to get it working as it looms in, dodging as Luke climbs back to the precipise, gets her blaster and nails it, allowing Aphra to use the lightsaber to take off its hand. Luke notes how painful that is as the creature looks down in shock, and they tear into the skies in the Ark Angel, only for the creature to follow. Suddenly Aphra remembers; the Starweird live in the vacuum of space, and Luke takes the device to use the Force to end the creature in the raging storm.
They land on Numidian Prime as Aphra curses their bad luck. No power boost, no fixing Luke’s lightsaber, no Kythooo’s Bell, and as Luke tells her that she need not bribe him to help her against Vader – as that’s what jedi do – we end with a great switch as Aphra reaches for the device only to find Luke has light-fingered it off her as the issue ends.
Great fun as always, the art keeps the story buzzing just as Alyssa Wong and her usual snappy dialogue allows for some great to-and-fro between the characters. One observation, and it’s more a lament for the lost art of the narrative box than a criticism, but there are moments that are visually hard to follow (for example, how the Starweird was ended), and without clunky character exposition it relies on how the reader interprets the scene to figure out what’s happening without knowing for sure that they’re correct. Again, in a busy, fast-paced issue it’s not a huge problem – or a knock on Wong as a writer – but rather the retirement of the narrative box (and the thought bubble before it) lessens the options for making 100% clear exactly what’s going on.
Regardless of that, a fun issue with Luke and Aphra making for an interesting duo as we head on in to Dark Droids.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Wong, Alyssa (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 23 Pages - 08/23/2023 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
