Star Was: Doctor Aphra #33 // Review
Chelli is entering an ancient Jedi temple. She knows what she’s doing. She is an archaeologist. That doesn’t make it any less dangerous, though. The thing has been as dead as a tomb for a long time. There’s no telling what she’s going to find in there. The good news is that she’s hanging out with one of the last Jedi in the galaxy and a rather remarkable little astromech droid. So if she runs into any trouble, she WILL be in good company in Star Was: Doctor Aphra #33. Writer Alyssa Wong explores a small corner of the Star Wars universe with artist Minkyu Jung and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg.
The Sason Temple lies in the Outer Rim. There’s an artifact known as Kythoo’s Bell that’s rumored to be in the temple. The problem is that the Bell will only open for the pure of heart. Doctor Aphra is a bit of a non-starter there. Thankfully, she’s got the aid of some kid who grew up as a moisture farmer on Tatooine. The kid claims to be a Jedi. Okay--so maybe he IS. That can only help, though, right? Bring a Jedi into a Jedi temple, and the artifact is as good as hers, right?
Wong has the kernel of a good story. She’s pursuing it with wit and a bit of whimsy. The complexities of an ancient Jedi temple should really be a lot more complicated than what Wong is delivering to the page. There should be more of a sense of wonder and power about the Jedi that the movies never really manage to harness. Occasionally, it finds its way into a novel or a game, but the real power of a group of people connecting up directly with something as all-encompassing as the Force needs a bigger, more mysterious presence than what Wong is delivering in the story.
Jung has a clean and clear vision of what the ancient temple should look like, but it lacks the feel of a distinct architecture from an alien race. As nice as the overall feel of the place is, it lacks the kind of majesty one might hope for in a temple for an ancient order like the Jedi. Aphra looks as appealing as ever, but without an exotic and majestic temple to explore, she’s just sort of..hanging out with Luke and R2. It’s kind of a waste of a major crossover.
The Sason Temple is a fun idea for a location, and some of what Wong populates it with IS interesting, but like so much else with the Star Wars franchise, it fails to live up to its potential. Aphra continues to be a really interesting and appealing character, but there simply isn’t a strong enough story to really make use of her potential. It’s fun to see Aphra hanging out with Luke, but the connection should be more potent. There should be MUCH more of a reason for the two characters to meet. The Sason Temple isn’t quite the right reason for the crossover.
