Although the main first volume of “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra” ended with issue #40, I am at heart a completist and must finish our retrospective of the series with a look at the Doctor Aphra story contained in the one shot “Star Wars: Empire Ascendant” #1, the appropriately named ‘Doctor Aphra: Epilogue.’
Cover by Riccardo Federici‘Doctor Aphra: Epilogue’
Written by Si Spurrier
Illustrated by Casper Wijngaard
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Lettered by VC’s Joe CaramagnaThe good doctor has proven to be, out of all the characters out there in the Star Wars galaxy, one of the most human. Before Alyssa Wong and Marika Cresta team up to bring us a second volume of “Doctor Aphra” in April, Simon Spurrier and Casper Wijngaard have one final Aphra story to tell with ‘Epilogue’
Editorial Note: The focus of this review will solely be on the ‘Doctor Aphra’ story. We reviewed the full one shot back in December 2019.
When we left Aphra last week, she had left her family – – blood and found – – behind on Hoth at Echo Base, while she was off on new adventures with two-thirds of the crew that started her adventures: Triple-Zero and BeeTee? (Where’s Black Krrsantan been?) She assured them of her safety and comfort with this decision, but didn’t say whether or not she would come back to them. This played out in a voiceover through issue #40, but didn’t really give the impression that Magna, her father, and Vuulada knew of her plans.
Now, they do. While at Echo Base on Hoth, Tolvan receives a recorded message from her former lover which expands on many of the ideas we saw in issue #40: her belief that letting go is the ultimate act of love. Of course, the difference here is that we see everyone’s reactions to her decision. Korin thought his daughter was dead. Tolvan wonders if anyone else agrees with Aphra’s assertion that she (Aphra) did this out of love for those closest to her. Surprisingly, Korin, a man devoted to the pursuit of the Jedi, proves himself a cynic, waxing poetic on the cyclical nature of good and evil. Even an appearance from none other than Luke Skywalker himself, praising Aphra for her work on sabotaging the Empire’s computers that put them behind in their mission doesn’t do much to sway the other three, figuring Aphra’s moral code is where she always is: somewhere in between.
At the time this epilogue dropped readers knew another volume was en route, which makes the somewhat vague nature of this closing tale make sense. If Aphra’s story was fully ending, then we could have something more of closure for the character. Rather, what we have here is closure for the supporting characters and this chapter of Aphra’s life. Will they be back in Volume 2? A quick scan of solicits for the first seven issues doesn’t show this is the case. But this is Star Wars, so anything can happen.
We must also muse for the moment on the placement of this story, part of a one-shot that was wrapping up several series in the comic universe. It’s certainly an economic decision to have one more issue, because that means more sales. But for story structure, the epilogue here could have also placed well at the end of issue #40 as backmatter. And then I muse on this idea: was this epilogue even necessary at all? It doesn’t promise us anything new in terms of Aphra’s story, merely a rehashing of what took place in the final issue, just from another point of view. And this isn’t to say that it’s poorly scripted; rather, it’s a moving, loving, coda to the series that closes a chapter, rather than a character. In that, it succeeds, and succeeds well.
Because this is a character-driven tale, the art really gets to play with setting instead of those big action moments that defined much of the series. As he did in both the Annual and the final arc, Wijngaard sets tone in his art to fit the quieter, character-driven nature of the story very well. He has fun giving the ice world of Hoth a sense of warmth and a feeling of family for this found family, focusing first on the base before bringing us out into the cold landscape.
Continued belowWhen we do see the crisp, desolate ice terrain with its cloudless, star filled sky (in all its blue and purple glory thanks to Lee Loughridge’s colors), that cold and vast expanse of space, you have all sorts of emotions: comfort, peace, awe, loneliness. Wijngaard also pulls back on heavy detail, providing what is necessary to give shape to the land and sky. All of it gives your eye and your mind the moment to pause, to contemplate, to think, and understand what everyone is feeling in the absence of Aphra – – comfort she is safe, awe at the vast world that is still out there, but grief for her departure. It mirrors feelings many of us have in this time of pandemic: rational understanding of decisions that need to be made, but also a moment to mourn what could have been. It sets and amplifies the quiet, contemplative nature of the script superbly.
This ending also is a good time to take stock of this series in the aggregate. We had two writers that brought their own mark to the character. Kieron Gillen grew her into someone fun that you simultaneously shook your head at for her less than ethical decisions but still enjoyed her company. Si Spurrier took that and put her in situations that challenged her worldview time and again to help her grow past the world’s expectations of her. Each excelled in their own way, so I can’t say one was better than the other. Changing artists as much as was done in this series is something that is problematic if not executed properly, but all our various artists’ experience in other Star Wars titles provided them understanding of what works for the franchise and what doesn’t.
There were shortcomings, though. We had a case of too many supporting characters spoiling the broth. Whether it was Winloss and Nokk, Black Krrsantan, or even young Vuulada, secondary players floated into the story in a way that had you believe they would be significant to it, but only to be dropped and never seen again. (See: Black Krrsantan.) A better focus and streamlining of supporting players is something that could make Volume 2 soar to new heights. The Annuals never also seemed to get in the right groove, trying different formulas (self-contained stories, tie-ins) with varying degrees of success. If there are to be more Annuals, let them figure out an identity early on and stick with it. And finally, questionable publication dates and placement left stories with less of an emotional punch or logical thread, including this epilogue. Given that the second volume was delayed by the Diamond COVID shutdown, this one is a bit out of everyone’s hands. But as the industry gets back on track, it’s a good time to pause and take stock of schedules and assess if they are in the best interest of storytelling as much as economics.
With all that, we close this volume of Chelli Lona Aphra’s life. What comes in Volume 2? Well, we did take a look at that debut issue, which you may recall is what led me down this primrose path. There will still be adventure. There will still be questionable decisions. But there is now a woman who knows she is better than what her past dictates, and has that as her north star.
