Doctor Aphra (2016) 1
Doctor Aphra #1 marks the inaugural issue of the comic book series Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, published by Marvel. Kieron Gillen penned the script, while Kev Walker and Salvador Larroca provided the artwork. Chronologically, the story unfolds after the events depicted in Star Wars: Darth Vader, and its release date was December 7, 2016.
Official Synopsis
BY POPULAR DEMAND!
After the earth-shattering conclusion of Darth Vader #25, a fan-favorite character embarks on a fresh adventure in STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #1 – a brand-new ongoing series launching this December! From the celebrated writer Kieron Gillen (Darth Vader) and beloved artist Kev Walker (Marvel Zombies) comes Marvel's first ongoing series spotlighting an original character born in the comics!
Having narrowly survived her entanglement with Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra finds herself in a precarious situation. Should he ever discover she lives, he will pursue her relentlessly across the galaxy. For the moment, however, she returns to her area of expertise. Accompanied by the droids 0-0-0 and BT-1, she embarks on a quest for rare artifacts, venturing from the galactic core to the Outer Rim and all points in between. Aphra has debts to settle, after all. She must simply stay ahead of the Empire, various bounty hunters, and virtually everyone else in the galaxy!
Detailed Plot
The narrative begins in the depths of the Cosmatanic Steppes, situated somewhere within the Outer Rim Territories. An explorer, Ulbik Tan, concealed behind a mask and armor, is attempting to extract an ancient artifact from a droid's remains within a cave. After inadvertently re-powering the droid while removing the artifact, he is compelled to make a hasty retreat, detonating a grenade as he escapes on a speeder bike. The resulting explosion at the cave entrance disables the pursuing droid, but also throws him from his speeder. He lands safely in a grassy area, removes his helmet and mask, and sighs in relief, only to be fatally shot by Doctor Aphra, who claims the artifact.
Triumphant, Aphra rides her speeder into the nearby settlement of Fulan Ro, where the Ark Angel II is undergoing final preparations. She is greeted by her 'murderbots,' Triple Zero and BT-One, droids from the Tarkin Initiative, who inform her that Krrsantan, the Wookiee bounty hunter and third member of her crew, is working on the ship inside. Suddenly, she is confronted by Soo-Tath, a local gangster, accompanied by two Gigoran bodyguards, who demands payment from Aphra. Aphra explains that the artifact she has just acquired will more than cover her debt to Soo-Tath's organization once it is sold. Soo-Tath, eager to settle the debt, demands the artifact outright so he can sell it himself. Aphra retorts that without archaeological accreditation, he would only receive a tiny fraction of its true value. Soo-Tath repeats his demand, stating that he will find another archaeologist to handle the sale. Realizing she cannot talk her way out of the situation, Aphra attempts to distract the gangster and his guards in order to escape, but one of Soo-Tath's bodyguards, anticipating her move, knocks her to the ground.
Krrsantan intervenes, bowcaster in hand, growling menacingly at Aphra's attackers as he descends the ramp of the Ark Angel II. Triple Zero translates, explaining that as Aphra owes Black Krrsantan a similar debt, he will not allow her to be harmed. Aphra then proposes a wager: her Wookiee against Soo-Tath's Gigorans, double or nothing. Soo-Tath accepts. Krrsantan quickly defeats Soo-Tath's bodyguards, after which Aphra assures Soo-Tath that she will return to settle their debt once she has sold the artifact. With a few hours to spare before the Ark Angel II is ready for departure, Triple Zero and BT-One venture into town "to acquire supplies." They ambush Soo-Tath in a quiet cantina, and Triple Zero stabs him in the neck with a high-end neurotoxin, causing him to collapse and die from what will appear to be a cardiac arrest.
Later, aboard the Ark Angel II, Aphra and her crew journey to Archaeo-Prime, a marketplace for the buying and selling of archaeological relics, operated by the Archaeological Association. However, their droid representative informs Aphra that she is unable to sell the artifact because her doctorate has been suspended. Enraged, Aphra prepares to leave, but is stopped by her father, who reveals that he discovered she fabricated evidence of discovering Abersyn symbiotes on Boothi XII, and that she must now seek "spiritual salvation" if she wishes to have her doctorate reinstated.
Flashback: University of Bar'leth, Years Earlier...
Aphra, a student at the University of Bar'leth, attends a class of undergraduate students taught by Sava Toob-Nix, despite being a doctoral candidate. She interferes with the holograph being used in the class, provoking Toob-Nix, who expels her from the classroom. After class, her friend Susina expresses concern about Aphra's behavior. Aphra remains confident that her final project will be so revolutionary that Toob-Nix will be forced to grant her a doctorate, despite her disruptive behavior.
Aphra has located a vault on Boothi XII, which she believes contains evidence of a lost civilization. However, upon exploring the vault, Aphra finds nothing, much to her disappointment.
Later, Toob-Nix confronts Aphra about her failure to submit a preliminary report on her findings. He mocks her failures and invites her to follow him. He leads her to a private chamber containing Abersyn symbiotes. Aphra is horrified. The symbiotes are classified as beyond quarantine and are destined for destruction in plasma furnaces. If reactivated, they have the potential to destroy entire civilizations. The Sava reprimands her for her "cowardice" and criticizes her misunderstanding of archeology. Archeology, the Sava explains, is not about "flash," but about dedication. The Sava informs Aphra that he only agreed to supervise her doctorate to prevent her from obtaining it. After the Sava reveals this, Aphra contacts an old friend, Sana Starros, and asks for her assistance.
With Sana's help, Aphra arranges for the Abersyn symbiotes to be stolen from the Sava's private chamber and placed inside the vault on Boothi XII. She then "discovers" them, and they are subsequently destroyed by Imperial decree. As a result, she is awarded her doctorate.