Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #34: A Parallel Galaxy

Much of this arch has had a sub-focus on Aphra’s memory of her mother, as told through flashbacks. Not knowing were to go now that she is free but wanted by The Empire, Aphra chooses to go to the planet where she and her mom lead a simple life when she was a kid. However, the peaceful planet of Arbiflux has had some other settlers since then, namely The Empie. However, the Imps are left on the backburner for now. Aphra has been tracked by bounty hunters. One of them is Black Krrsantan the Wookiee, sometimes companion, sometimes adversary to the unlucky doctor. Black Krrsantan has had a strong but modest presence in the new canon comics. First appearing as a cohort of Boba Fett in the main series, he began to become a supporting player in the Aphra series. Aphra frequently uses him for her schemes by reminding him that she owes him money. If harm were to ever come to Aphra, he would not receive his pay, leaving the great warrior helpless to do anything but help her. With Black Krrsantan and her newly acquired ward, Vulaada along with her monstrous pet Gurtyl, Aphra has a new formidable team. Knowing this, and wanting to be far from the Empire, Aphra returns to the Rebel faction under the guise of helping them build their super weapon after all. However, her real goal is to liberate the Farkiller weapon

This issue is full of parallels to various other Star Wars tales. The series as a whole is almost based on that concept. Aphra herself may be a kind of Star Wars devilish version of Indians Jones, but her appearance is loosely based on concept sketches of Luke when George Lucas was considering making the character female. Evil droids Tripple-Zero and Beetee are dark reflections of Threepio and Artoo, and Black Krrsantan is a less than heroic version of Chewbacca. In this chapter, there is a lot of flashbacks to Aphra and her mother living a simple farm life away from the complications of the galaxy. Ultimately, they are discovered and child Aphra must leave her mother to remain safe. This is a direct parallel to Jyn Erso in Rogue One. As a child her parents kept a low galactic presence hiding out in similar fashion. However, when Aphra’s rescuers come for her, it is the Empire that her mother calls to rescue her, instead of Saw Guerra and his group of radical Rebels. Another reflection is on the cover itself. Aphra and her ward are trapped in a net being carried on the back of Black Krrsantan. This is meant to parody disassembled Threepio being carried on Chewbacca’s back in a similar net from The Empire Strikes Back.