Doctor Aphra 1 : Aphra , Part I Doctor Aphra 1 : Aphra , Part I is the first issue of the Marvel comic book series " " . The comic , written by Kieron Gillen with art by Kev Walker and Salvador Larroca , is set after the events of " " , and was released on December 7 , 2016 . Publisher ' s summary . " BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT ! " " Following the blockbuster finale of , the fan - favorite character begins a new journey in STAR WARS : DOCTOR APHRA # 1 – the coming this December ! From superstar writer Kieron Gillen ( ) and fan - favorite artist Kev Walker ( Marvel Zombies ) comes Marvel ' s first ongoing series starring an original character created in the comics ! " " Following her time in the clutches of Darth Vader , Doctor Aphra has barely escaped with her life . If he ever learns of her survival , he ' ll hunt her to the ends of the galaxy . But for now , it ' s time for a return to what she does best . With the droid s 0 - 0 - 0 and BT - 1 in tow , she ' s off in search of rare artifacts from the galactic center to the Outer Rim and everywhere in between . Aphra ' s got debts to pay after all . Just as long as she can stay one step ahead of the Empire , some Bounty Hunters and just about everyone else in the galaxy ! " Plot summary . The first issue opens beneath the Cosmatanic Steppes , somewhere in the Outer Rim . A masked and armored explorer , Ulbik Tan , is attempting to retrieve an ancient artifact from a droid carcass deep within a cave . When he inadvertently reactivates the droid after extracting the artifact from its mechanical body , he is forced to flee , tossing a grenade behind him as he races for the cave exit on a speeder bike . As the mouth of the cave explodes , disabling his droid pursuer , he is tossed from his speeder but lands safely in a bed of grass . He removes his mask and helmet , breathing a sigh of relief , before being shot through the chest and killed by Doctor Aphra , who takes the artifact for herself . Victorious , Aphra pilots her own speeder , prize in hand , into a nearby settlement , Fulan Ro , where final preparations on the Ark Angel II are nearing completion . There , she is greeted by her ' murderbots , ' the Tarkin Initiative droids , Triple Zero and BT - One – who inform her that the third companion of her crew , Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan is inside , working on the ship . She is then cornered by Soo - Tath , flanked by two Gigoran bodyguards . Soo - Tath , a local gangster , demands payment from Aphra . Aphra explains that the artifact she just recovered , once sold , will more than cover the substantial debt she owes Soo - Tath ' s organization . Eager to settle the account , Soo - Tath simply demands the artifact , so he can sell it himself . Aphra explains that without archaeological accreditation , he ' d only get 0 . 2 % of its value . Soo - Tath again demands she hand over the artifact , saying they will find another archaeologist to sell it . Realizing she can ' t talk her way out of this , Aphra attempts to distract the gangster and his guards and flee , but , anticipating Aphra ' s trick , one of Soo - Tath ' s bodyguards violently knocks her to the floor . Enter Black Krrsantan , bowcaster in hand , who growls threateningly at Aphra ' s assailants as he descends the Ark Angel II ' s exit ramp . Triple Zero translates , that as Aphra owes Black Krrsantan a similar debt , he will not allow her to be physically damaged . Aphra then proposes a bet , her Wookiee against Soo - Tath ' s Gigorans , double or nothing . Soo - Tath agrees . Krrsantan dispatches Soo - Tath ' s flank with ease , after which Aphra assures Soo - Tath that she will return and settle their account once she has sold the artifact . Having a few hours to kill before the Ark Angel II will be ready for its maiden voyage , Triple Zero and BT - One head into town " to pick up some supplies . " They ambush Soo - Tath in a quiet cantina and Triple Zero stabs him in the throat with a luxury - range neurotoxin , which causes Soo - Tath to collapse , dead , from what will look like a cardiac arrest . Later , aboard the Ark Angel II , Aphra and her crew head to Archaeo - Prime , a marketplace for the sale and purchase of archaeological relics , maintained by the Archaeological Association . Their droid representative informs Aphra , however , that she cannot sell the artifact she recovered as her doctorate has been suspended . Enraged , Aphra makes to depart , but is stopped by her father , who claims he had discovered that she lied about having discovered Abersyn symbiote s on Boothi XII , and that now she must look to her " spiritual salvation , " if she wants her doctorate returned . University of Bar ' leth , Years Ago . . . . Aphra , a student at the University of Bar ' leth , is sitting in on a class of undergrads taught by Sava Toob - Nix , despite being a doctoral candidate . She manipulates the holograph he is playing for the class , angering Toob - Nix , who kicks her from the classroom . After class , her friend Susina expresses concern over Aphra ' s behaviour . Aphra remains confident that her final project will be so ground - breaking that Toob - Nix will have no choice but to award her a doctorate , despite her disagreeable behaviour . Aphra has located a vault on Boothi XII , which she believes will hold evidence of a previous civilization . To her disappointment , upon exploring the vault Aphra discovers nothing . Later , Toob - Nix confronts Aphra about her failure to produce a preliminary report on her findings . Mocking her for her failures , he beckons her to follow him . He leads her to a private chamber housing Abersyn symbiotes . Aphra is horrified . The symbiotes are classified beyond quarantine , destined to be fed into plasma furnaces and destroyed . If they are reactivated , they can wipe out entire civilizations . The Sava scolds her for her " cowardice , " then criticizes her misunderstanding archeology . Archeology , the Sava explains , is not about " flash , " but about determination . The Sava tells Aphra that he only chose her for doctoral supervision to withhold it from her . Leaving the Sava in his elation at having finally revealed this to her , Aphra contacts an old friend , Sana Starros , and requests her help . With Sana ' s help , Aphra has the Absersyn symbiotes stolen from the Sava ' s private chamber and deposited in the vault on Boothi XII . She then " discovers " them , and they are thereafter disintegrated by Imperial decree . She is thereby granted her doctorate .