In July, Doctor Aphra gets the audiobook treatment, adapting and expanding on her initial introduction in the Darth Vader (Vol. 1) comic series. As a big Aphra fan, this is extremely exciting news for me and something I’m eager to listen to and enjoy! Also, I immediately began to wonder what exactly all the expanded content could include, especially since they teased more Sana Starros, so I went back and reread the opening arc of the Vader (Vol. 1) series, and more, to figure out what and how they could add to Aphra’s side of things. So if you want to see all the potential inherit in Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original’s expansions, head below for some ideas on what you might be able to expect! UPDATE: Now here’s my review!
In the original Vader comic, we first meet Doctor Chelli Aphra (who will be voiced by Emily Woo Zeller) in its third issue, as she’s in the middle of a Indiana Jones-esque heist of the deadly Triple Zero matrix; it’s a job on behalf of the Droid Gotra, a group of Separatist droids who didn’t get decommissioned at the end of the Clone Wars and have been fighting the Empire ever since. Darth Vader (voiced by Marc Thompson) crashes into Aphra’s life after he destroys some of her impressively modified droids (in issue 2), figuring he could use her services to create a personal army of his own. Vader finds Aphra mid-robbery, and instead of fulfilling her work for the Gotra, themselves members of the larger Crymorah Syndicate, she joins the imposing Sith Lord instead, taking Triple-Zero and the newly awoken blastomech BT-1 with her. They go on to steal a droid factory on Geonosis, another mission from the Gotra misappropriated to help Vader, and Aphra finds herself dodging constant death from Vader by staying as useful as she can manage. We have only a few stories that take place prior to these events, from flashbacks to the time she spent with her mother, Lona Aphra, when she spirits Chelli away to hide from all types of danger, her time in school “earning” her doctorate, to a quick jaunt on Dantooine, but the rest is open and only hinted at in various lines of dialogue across much of the aforementioned Vader series, Star Wars (Vol. 1), and the first two volumes of her own series.
With the audiobook offering expansions to this opening story of the Vader comic, what could writer Sarah Kuhn all include, especially if she teased Sana Starros, a character I’ve not mentioned above? Could we see the story of how Aphra comes to work for the Gotra, and their retribution for her actions? Her mission to Dathomir with Just Lucky? Another Indiana Jones homage? So without further ado, after rereading much of her appearances across many series, in anticipation and excitement (and a lack of patience) for this audiobook, I’m compiled a lot of possibilities for what Kuhn could all add to upcoming audiobook to flesh out more of Aphra’s story. I’ve arranged them below according to how likely we are to see them: Most Likely, Somewhat Likely, to Highly Unlikely. UPDATE: I was hoping to get this out before some of the cast was revealed, but a partial cast list has hit the web! I originally had some of the now confirmed characters in the Most Likely section due to figuring out what could be added to their part in Aphra’s story, but now I’ve created the category ‘Confirmed,’ to place both them and the newly announced ones. UPDATE 2: And now an interview with writer Sarah Kuhn came out 6/29, revealing some of the details of the story, like what we should see with Sana, Maz, and that yes, there is a framing story (like much of Aphra’s comic have had in the past). I’ve mentioned where I updated
{I’ve omitted some of the obvious appearances, like Aphra and Vader}
CONFIRMED
Sana Starros (Voiced by Nicole Lewis) – We’ll start with the big, exciting reveal from the audiobook’s announcement: More Sana! As I mentioned earlier, she wasn’t even in the first Vader series, but she was in the first Star Wars volume, releasing simultaneously as Aphra’s early appearances. The two wouldn’t clash heads, nor have their past relationship revealed, until the “Rebel Jail” arc of Star Wars (Vol. 1), some three arcs after their initial introductions; later, Doctor Aphra #1’s (Vol. 1) back-up story would reveal they’ve known each other since Aphra’s university days. You can read our character concierge article about Sana (by Chris) to learn more about the stories she’s been in, but none of them cover what went down with Aphra and Sana. I’d then hazard a guess we’ll get to see the fateful breakdown between these two that would go on to permeate their interactions all the way up until the backend of the first volume of Aphra, which should add some extra emotional context to said interactions. I, for one, am the most excited about this possibility! {Moved to Confirmed from Most Likely} UPDATE: In the new interview with writer Sarah Kuhn, she revealed we will be seeing these two fall for one another in university, so the likelihood we’ll also see the breakup is rather high. Can’t wait to see how this relationship comes together, especially all from Aphra’s POV!! Also, the Creative Director at Del Rey Elizabeth Schaefer hyped up the chemistry between Emily Woo Zeller and Nicole Lewis, so I’m even more anxious to see these two now!
Triple-Zero (Voiced by Sean Kenin) and BT-1 – The inclusion of these murderbots was 125% guaranteed, but the reason I have a section on them is more about what new stuff we could learn or see. The Droid Gotra sends Aphra on missions to get both murderbots (and the Geonosian droid factory): Aphra has a dormant BT in her ship, the Ark Angel, at the opening of the Vader series, and she’s introduced in the middle of her attempt to steal the Triple-Zero matrix, so maybe the audiobook could include the Gotra hiring her and her discovery of BT-1/planning the heist of Triple-Zero. {Moved to Confirmed from Most Likely}
Boba Fett (Voiced by Jonathan Davis) – Boba is the one who delivers the news to Vader that the rebel pilot who shot down the Death Star is Luke Skywalker, thus revealing to the Dark Lord he has a son, and it’s Aphra who brings Boba’s arrival to Vader’s attention in the first place. This could mean several things: we’re going to see Boba battling Luke in Obi-Wan’s old home, depicted in the Star Wars (Vol. 1) series; there will be more Boba beyond Vader hiring him and the big son reveal scene; or he’s just included in the early list due to how popular a character he seems to be and his role isn’t much more than what was in the comics.
Luke Skywalker (Voiced by Sean Patrick Hopkins) – This is one of the cast reveals that took me by surprise! Aphra’s biggest interaction with Luke comes in The Screaming Citadel crossover, but that’s set after the conclusion of the Vader series’ first volume and the start of her own series, but they first cross paths in the Vader Down crossover. Triple-Zero zaps Luke unconscious and Aphra nearly gets away with him, but the whole thing ends with Aphra as the Rebellion’s prisoner instead. As I mentioned before, we could simply get the scene where Luke and Boba duel briefly, hence Luke’s inclusion, but otherwise we might be going as far into the Vader series as the crossover, which is its third arc.
Leia Organa (Voiced by Catherine Taber) – For how Leia ties into everything, remember how I mentioned Aphra is the Rebellion’s prisoner at the end of Vader Down? It’s because Leia knocks Aphra out cold with a mean right hook, though the two team up with Sana Starros in the “Rebel Jail” story arc of the Star Wars series to escape a prison riot. Unless there’s some type of framing story (UPDATE: there is, but I don’t think Leia will factor into that much now) or much bigger expansion on the story’s focus, it looks like we’re diving much further into Aphra’s story than even I expected or hoped.
Maz Kanata (Voiced by Carol Monda) – Well, it’s no surprise someone like Aphra likely wandered into a bar/castle run by a 1000 year old woman – I’m sure we’ll find many characters have as the years go on – but it’s still a pleasant surprise to see her name on the list and getting to see Maz around the early days the Rebellion should be a real delight. Is she on Takodana at this point? Is she helping out the Rebellion in small ways? Is she tasking Aphra with finding Jedi relics…or maybe Aphra’s father, Korin? The one thing I will place bets on though: someone breaking Maz’s no fighting rule…and that someone is likely named Chelli Aphra. UPDATE: Thanks to the new interview with the writer, we know Maz and Aphra will be in a space battle with one another?!?! Who hasn’t Aphra managed to piss off in some way???!?
Emperor Palpatine (Voiced by Euan Morton) – The overall arc of the Vader series involves the Sith Lord being held accountable for the destruction of the Death Star and showing he’s a worthy apprentice to his Master, managing to regain his position to place him a seat of power again as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. Palpatine is around to mock Vader for his failure, demand he do better or be replaced, and later commend his apprentice for proving himself again. Aphra doesn’t interact with the Emperor until the final arc of the series, so while some of these characters hint at the audiobook covering a longer stretch of time than just her introduction, this could hint we’re going to cover the entire series; the Dooku: Jedi Lost audiobook covered a large swath of time, so it’s more than possible.
MOST LIKELY
Droid Gotra – I would be shocked if the droid organization that hires Aphra due to her skills with modifying droids, as well as tasks her with finding the murderbots and the droid factory on Geonosis, all part of her first appearances in the Vader series, wasn’t somehow added to the audiobook, be it a scene where they tell her about the murderbots or some of their reactions to her joining with Vader instead.
Utani Xane – The curator of the Quarantine world Aphra infiltrates to gain the Triple-Zero matrix, he’ll get a brief moment to shine, though the implied backstory between the two, where he previously put in her jail, could make for more story in the audiobook.
Dr. Cylo – In the Vader series’ opening arc, Aphra (and the murderbots) assists Vader with infiltrating Dr. Cylo’s lab, where he’s brewing Vader’s replacements on commands directly from Emperor Palpatine himself, but the two never directly interact. He could be name dropped a few times, at the very least. UPDATE: I’ve pushed him up from Somewhat Likely to Most Likely, as the surprising list of characters revealed with the cast means there’s no way he won’t be more prominent than a few name drops.
Inspector Thanoth – This wily inspector, the SW equivalent to Sherlock Holmes, figures out most of Vader’s plans, but isn’t involved with the series until the second arc, so it really depends on how far this audiobook goes into that story. He does request an ISB officer to compile a file on Aphra at one point and trains Tolvan, so he does have ties beyond his appearances that could be expanded on here as well. UPDATE: He was originally in my Highly Unlikely category, but the new confirmed cast, and possibility we’re covering much more story than expected, has pushed Thanoth up a bit!
Shadow University – First introduced in Doctor Aphra (Vol. 1), she mentions they might not hold their grudge anymore after showing up to an auction, so it’s possible we could see what caused a riff between her and the “university.”
Black Krrsantan – The deadly Wookiee that Vader hires to track down Dr. Cylo doesn’t really directly interact with Aphra, besides briefly being on her ship with Cylo, until the series’ second arc, but they later go on to be traveling companions in Aphra (Vol. 1), so more of their credit-focused “friendship” doesn’t seem like an impossibility. After all, she lets him in on her big secret of escaping Vader, so she has to come to trust him to some extent!
SOMEWHAT LIKELY
Korin Aphra – Father and daughter have a strained relationship, to say the least, considering his attempts to make the galaxy safe for his little Boop meant he was too drowned in his work instead of the here and now, therefore not even realizing when his wife and daughter left him. With Maz Kanata in play, she could be a source Korin goes to find the Ordu Aspectu, and Aphra could find him there, further drawing their divide before they patch things up a smidgen in the first volume of her series.
Lona Aphra – Yes, Lona is unfortunately dead long before the events of Vader (I had a crazy theory she wasn’t dead for a while), but Aphra’s mom could make an appearance in flashbacks or Aphra recalling tales of their misguided little jaunt into the Outer Rim (as seen in Aphra arc “Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon”). It’d be great to have a little more Lona, a woman who both shaped some of our rogue archaeologist’s thoughts and gave her ones to rebuke, so I put her in the Somewhat Likely.
The Ante – A Givin information broker, Aphra requires his services in the Vader series’ second arc, though there is once again implied history from their dialogue, so maybe she comes to him for details about the murderbots
Just Lucky – Introduced in the second volume of Doctor Aphra, Lucky mentions a mission or two with Aphra from some unknown time before, including a trip to Dathomir; Could be an opening scene of the audiobook, though I’d just like to see him and other Vol. 2 characters here for synergy.
Unknown Pirates – Vader destroys pirates whom Aphra sold some of her upgraded droids to in Vader issue #2, so maybe we’ll get to see her being a saleswoman for her tech and selling them the goods.
Ronen Tagge – Aphra mentions she won’t do business with Ronen (in her series’ second volume), part of the Tagge family that includes members like Cassio and Domina, and he says he has a score to settle with her, so there’s potential they’ve met before; or he’s talking about getting revenge on Aphra for Cassio’s death at Vader’s hands, as she was working for the Sith Lord while Vader was actively scheming to get out from under the Grand General’s boot heels (as seen through most of the first Vader volume). Aphra also talks to two of Ronen’s men, mentioning some job on Felucia with them, so maybe she has worked with Ronen before, but indirectly, though both are potential threads to add to the audiobook.
HIGHLY UNLIKELY
Magna Tolvan – Unless there’s some type of framing element to this story, where Aphra’s telling her beau about her past adventures, Tolvan will not make an appearance. I’d like nothing more to see more of her, so I’m holding out hope for a framing story, but she doesn’t come into Aphra’s life until the opening arc of Doctor Aphra (Vol. 1), thus making it basically impossible for her to be here. UPDATE: Thanks to the new interview we know there is a framing story, so seeing Tolvan in this is far less impossible, though we don’t know when Aphra’s taking the time to narrate the events of her life so it remains unclear for now; I’m not getting my hopes up but this is a step in the right direction.
Winloss and Nokk – Monster hunting duo and married couple Winloss and Nokk, a human and Trandoshan, wormed their way into fans’ hearts, and first met Aphra, in Doctor Aphra Annual #2, thus making their inclusion here very unlikely; unless, once again, there’s a framing story… (see the above Update to Tolvan)
Vulaada – The whip-smart street rat Aphra takes under her wing mid-way through her series’ first volume would only make it in the audiobook if, once again, there’s a framing story. (see the above Update to Tolvan)
Yonak – The leader of the Son-tuul Pride after his father’s death at Vader’s hands, seen in the Vader series, he attends an auction Aphra holds in her series’ first volume. But he does mention he met her some time before to buy a droid, so maybe we’ll get that scene here.
Confirmed cast list or not, there are tons of characters already in Aphra’s orbit that could make appearances to add to her tale and I hope this list entertained you enough to get you even closer to my level (or far beyond me) of excitement for Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original, out July 21!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
DOCTOR APHRA REVIEWS:
Volume 2: Fortune and Fate (#1-6)
Volume 1: Aphra (#1-6) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | The Screaming Citadel crossover (#7, 8) | Remastered (#14-19) / Arc Review | The Catastrophe Con (#20-25) / Arc Review | Worst Among Equals (#26-31) / Arc Review | Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon (#32-36) / Arc Review | A Rogue’s End (#37-40) / Arc Review | Full Volume 1 Review
Annual: #1 | #2 | #3