Warning: contains spoilers for Doctor Aphra #13!
In Doctor Aphra's earlier appearances within Star Wars comics, the archaeologist betrayed Darth Vader. Doctor Aphra #13 harkens back to that moment, filling in fans who may have missed it. The War of the Bounty Hunters is underway and Aphra may find herself face to face with her former boss very soon.
Doctor Aphra was introduced in Star Wars: Darth Vader #3 in 2015. Within this series, she worked for the titular villain. To escape his service, she faked her death. Then, in her first independent series, she eventually ended up back on Vader's radar. Now, she is doing her best to avoid the Sith lord at all costs.
A new preview from StarWars.com revisits Aphra's last encounter with Darth Vader. Doctor Aphra #13 has the creative team of Alyssa Wong, Victor Olazaba, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Vc Joe Caramagna. The cover for this issue is illustrated by Sara Pichelli and Nolan Woodard. Aphra and Sana are currently at Crimson Dawn's auction of Han Solo, but the Empire is also at the event. Darth Vader has made an appearance, which is just Aphra's luck. Check out the preview here:
This preview begins with Aphra remembering her last encounter with Darth Vader. While at Crimson Dawn's auction, the Sith lord made a highly noticeable entrance. Aphra is ready to make a run for it with Sana - who doesn't know the full story about her friend's time with Vader. Their last interactions in Doctor Aphra (2016-2019) are recapped briefly. Aphra definitely has a reason to stay as far away from her former boss as she can.
Doctor Aphra has proven to be a fan-favorite character, but the War of the Bounty Hunters crosses numerous series. It also has characters that are well-known from the original films, making it appealing for many fans. However, Aphra and her background are not nearly as well-known as Darth Vader or Boba Fett. This crossover event hasn't taken many opportunities to recap information from other parts of the galaxy, but this instance certainly emphasizes just how fearsome Darth Vader is. Working for him kept Aphra safe while she could be of use, but he is threatening, and being around him regularly is a hazard to everyone.
The bigger problem with Vader is that he has proven to be mostly inescapable. He is a master at locating those he wants to find and inflicting punishment on people who fail him. Considering Aphra has not only faked her way out of his employ but also betrayed Vader directly following that, she would certainly be deemed worthy of extreme punishment from him - likely in the form of death. Vader doesn't hesitate to kill anyone he is displeased with or to kill anyone standing in the way of what he wants. Aphra falls under both categories since she didn't provide him with the actual coordinates for the rebel base on Hoth. Star Wars has brought Doctor Aphra back into the center of trouble and her past - as well as Darth Vader - are catching up to her very quickly.
Doctor Aphra #13 will release on August 25, 2021.
Source: StarWars.com