Doctor Aphra #13: Caught in the Mix

Doctor Aphra has had a rocky past with pretty much everyone she has ever met. This is certainly the case with Darth Vader, who once used her as a lackey of sorts. She has betrayed multiple times and trapped the Dark Lord in her attempts to get away from him. However, that task is easier said than done. Vader is always on a mission, and time after time his missions intersects with Aphra’s. She knows he will take any opportunity to kill her. After panicking once she sees him show up at the auction, it becomes clear that his current motivations distract him from noticing her. Sana and she slip off into the party looking to continue their mission. Soon enough though, the find themselves in a new kind of danger. This formula has been the cornerstone of Aphra’s character since the very beginning. Her plans are always to avoid death and seek treasure. Its nice to see that after multiple series and cameos, that has never really changed. Only the missions change.

This issue finally gets to the heart of Just Lucky’s sub-plot in this chapter. His storying this series has been lacking in any real excitement. That changes in this issue when he and Ariole Yu finally confronts their old mentor Gallin, after he betrayed the Sixth Kin syndicate to join Crimson Dawn. Where as Aphra’s story in this issue is mostly talking and sneaking about, Lucky’s is packed with tons of action as the fighting begins. One of the neat things about this whole setting of the Crimson Dawn auction is that pretty much every character from every various “War of the Bounty Hunters” series is gathered the same place. Readers never know who will show up.  A great example of that is when the mysterious Deathstick appears to help Gallin. She is a dangerous Nightsister who has shown up in other “War of the Bounty Hunters” series. This helps keep the larger multi-series event more connected, instead of just four series running parallel to each other. They intertwine instead, which makes the larger event more of a single story.

One of the subtle themes arising in this month’s issues for “War of the Bounty Hunters” is the increasing notion that criminals from syndicates all over the galaxy are dropping their loyalties for Crimson Dawn. That is the case with Gallin and Deathstick, but Aphra discovers a Black Sun member spying for Crimson Dawn as well. This all adds up to Crimson Dawn once again becoming a major player in the galaxy. This will certainly come into play more as “The War of the Bounty Hunters” continues. Further that, it sets up the Qi’ra comic series that was recently announced, as she is the head of Crimson Dawn. Doctor Aphra will also be appearing in that series.