The mysterious skeletal creature known as the Starweird was created for the Wizards of the Coast Star Wars roleplaying game back in 2004, and was only just recently brought into the franchise’s current canon via Marvel’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra comic book series, which continued last week with issue #34 of Volume II.
Doctor Aphra #34 begins with a flashback to the prequel era, with Jedi Masters Aayla Secura and Shaak Ti encountering a Starweird in the void of space while piloting their Jedi starfighters, only to use “the most important piece” of the artifact called Kythoo’s Bell to combat and capture it. Then writer Alyssa Wong cuts to the present of this comic (the period set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), where the titular Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra and would-be Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker are facing off against the Starweird that Secura and Ti had imprisoned in the Sason Temple. Thus begins an extended chase / fight sequence, wherein Aphra attempts to use her expertise with ancient artifacts– while Luke struggles to regain control over his Force powers after they were rendered unpredictable by the opening of the Fermata Cage in the Star Wars: Hidden Empire miniseries– to defeat the shrieking cosmic ghoul. Chelli is briefly able to freeze the Starweird in its tracks by using that same piece of Kythoo’s Bell, though both it and Luke’s lightsaber are working temperamentally, if that.
Eventually the chase concludes with Aphra using her electro-tattoos to hack into the holographic projector that created the illusion of Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura guarding the temple, which distracts the Starweird for long enough for Chelli and Luke to make their escape… though there’s another tense confrontation with the creature on the landing platform outside, wherein our two heroes wind up temporarily swapping weapons in order to repel the beast. They finally make a daring egress, with Luke at long last gaining control over Kythoo’s Bell via the Force, sending the Starweird into a swirling vortex from which it appears as though there is no escape. And a fond farewell on the planet Numidian Prime sees Skywalker pull a fast one on our favorite rogue archaeologist, finally earning a little respect from the double-dealing Aphra. It’s a really fun, fast-paced issue that makes me hope this isn’t the last time that Luke and Chelli team up. It’s just a blast to watch these two characters with very different personalities bounce off each other, and their mutual interest in Force-related history should hopefully have them crossing their paths again before too long. In the meantime, I’m still quite enjoying what Wong and artist Minkyu Jung are cooking up for the Star Wars: Doctor Aphra title, and I can only wonder where Chelli’s adventures will take her next as Marvel’s interlocking Star Wars storylines hurtle toward the upcoming Dark Droids crossover event.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #34 is available now wherever comic books are sold.