Star Wars (2015) 31

Star Wars 31 is the thirty-first issue of Star Wars and the second issue of Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel, a crossover event between Marvel Comics' Star Wars and Doctor Aphra series. Star Wars 31 was written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Salvador Larroca. It was released on May 17, 2017.
==Publisher's summary==
*While Luke and Aphra face the Queen of the Citadel…
*…Han and Leia are coming…for Aphra?!
==Plot summary==
===Rebels to the rescue===
At the rebel temporary outpost on Horox III, Sana Starros tells Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa that it is no coincidence that Dr. Aphra decided to "kidnap" Luke Skywalker on the day that the Queen of Ktath'atn grants favors in return for receiving the most interesting "organic oddities."
When Leia asks what she means when the Queen "receives" them, Starros ominously asks a rhetorical question. Solo asks Starros about her relationship with Dr Aphra but Leia tells him to drop it. Starros tells him to mind his own business but Solo responds that he has been strangled and covered with wasp-worms during his previous encounters with Aphra. When Solo asks if she is hiding anything from him, Starros replies that she is not telling him to walk into a star.
Before leaving, Solo tells Chewbacca that it is not safe to bring him along since the Queen of Ktath'atn does not like Wookiees and reassures him that Essfour will keep him company. Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Solo asks Starros if there is anything else that they need to know about Ktath'atn, she warns them not to drink the water, sleep with one eye open, and to keep their blasters handy at all times.
===Citadel of darkness===
Back at the Citadel of Ktath'atn, the alien Lord Hossferin demands to be given an audience with the Queen of Ktath'atn, having traveled a long way from the Moons of Ai'ken Prime. A guard responds that the Queen's reception ended early and tells him to return the following year. Just then, one of the Queen's lieutenants, Bombinax arrives. Hossferin tries to reason with him but the lieutenant throws him to his death over a cliff edge. Bombinax then kills Hossferin's bodyguards with his vibroblades. Having eliminated the unwelcome guests, Bombinax heads to quarantine to deal with the unconscious Krrsantan.
Luke has misgivings about the safety of Ktath'atn but Dr Aphra is determined to get the Queen's help in reactivating their "Jedi artifact". Luke is skeptical the Queen will help but Dr Aphra believes that the Queen is interested in all manners of physical deformities and oddities including the Jedi. Even if she cannot help, Aphra suggests that the Queen could lead them to someone who knows how to reactivate the crystal.
Skywalker is skeptical of people obsessed with Jedi due to his bad experience with Grakkus the Hutt on Nar Shaddaa. Dr Aphra reassures him that the Queen is not like Grakkus and that the Queen will help them in exchange for having breakfast. Dr Aphra also tells Skywalker that the Queen also brings her collection of oddities out once a year and to leave the talking to her.
===A deathly breakfast===
The Queen of Ktath'atn invites Dr Aphra and Skywalker to feast on krillcrab eggs. During the breakfast, she takes an interest in Skywalker's Force powers. When asked, Dr Aphra tells the Queen that she met Skywalker while trying to taking him prisoner and quips about "house training" a farm boy. The Queen tells Dr Aphra and Skywalker that she has received all manners of creatures but never a Jedi.
Skywalker tries to deny being a Jedi but Dr Aphra responds that her Jedi is thrilled to meet the Queen. Dr Aphra tries to remind the Queen about their business but the Queen tells them to wait. Several serving droids bring dessert covered in gold lids. The Queen asks Skywalker to open the gold dishes using the Force. Skywalker, who is still learning to grasp his Force powers, struggles to lift the gold lids.
To "encourage" Skywalker, Vespinax holds a knife to his throat. Skywalker asks Dr Aphra to intervene but she tells him to comply. Skywalker struggles to levitate the gold lids. Dr Aphra then gets to business, telling the Queen that she has an Ordu Aspectu artifact containing the archived personality of a Jedi called Rur and that she needs help opening it. Aphra says she doesn't have the artifact with her while placing a detonator beneath the table.
The Queen claims that the dessert is candied rat-monkey offal and taunts Skywalker. As Skywalker struggles, Vespinax shoves him onto his plate. Dr Aphra claims that Luke is "Force shy" and attempts to open her lid. Dr Aphra considers lifting the lid herself but Skywalker warns against it. At that point, several Abersyn symbiotes break out of the lids. As Skywalker and Aphra flee, the table explodes.
Amidst the chaos, Skywalker and Dr Aphra flee. An enraged Queen orders her guards to lock down the Citadel and unleashes her menagerie on the escapees. While fleeing downstairs, Dr Aphra tells Skywalker that the Aberyn symbiotes are dangerous lifeforms which take over all brain and motor functions, turning lifeforms into thralls. Dr Aphra requests a pick-up from Triple Zero but he is preoccupied.
===Rebel entanglements===
As the Queen's alien symbiote-controlled menagerie, which includes a Gungan, a Lurmen, a two-headed Ithorian, a Dressellian, Hassk, and Talz and Arcona, advances on Skywalker and Dr Aphra, Triple Zero replies that he and Beetee are seeking orders on whether to kill rebels. The comic ends with a full page panel of the droids facing Han Solo, Sana Starros, and Princess Leia.
==Media==
===Cover gallery===
File:Star Wars 31 Textless.jpg|Textless cover by Marco Checchetto
File:Star Wars 31 Action Figure.jpg|Action figure variant cover by John Tyler Christopher
File:Star Wars 31 Star Wars 40th Anniversary.jpg|Star Wars 40th Anniversary variant cover by Kevin Nowlan
File:Star Wars 31 Star Wars 40th.png|Star Wars 40th Anniversary textless variant
File:Star Wars 31 Mile High Comics Exclusive.jpg|Mile High Comics variant cover by Mike Mayhew
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel
*Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 1
*Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
*Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1
==Sources==
*
*The Marvel Art of Star Wars
==Notes and references==
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