A Match Made in Space Heaven in Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #7!

Doctor Aphra is joined by Sana Staros for a big heist in Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #7 written by Alyssa Wong with art by Minkyu Jung, inks by Victor Olazaba, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg and letters by Joe Caramagna.

Issue 7 of Doctor Aphra brings us part 2 of The Engine Job. As we left off in part one, Aphra needs help to steal the experimental engine, and she needs someone with an in on Corellia. That means only one thing: time to ask Sana Staros for help! Readers of the previous Aphra series know Sana and Aphra have a complicated relationship (exes who have tried to kill each other and saved each other a roughly equal amount of times), but Wong does a great job painting a clear picture of where they stand with just a little bit of dialogue.

Their dynamic is a lot of fun here. Aphra would be a nightmare person to love, but she’s so aggressively charming that even the people who know better feel compelled to give her another chance. She also knows to include sweet rolls as a bribe, so Sana agrees to help her out with an introduction. Of course, Aphra being herself, she didn’t actually need an “introduction” to the local crime boss so much as “someone else to set up the meeting, since said crime boss would like to kill her”. They manage to get the necessary information, and are off on the next phase of their quest—with some information that guarantees that Sana is going to stay involved in the hunt for the engine. I am ready for their romantic getaway, and I mean getaway in the sense that they are actively running away from people with weapons.

We also get to briefly check in on Just Lucky. He’s out of work, since his boss is dead, and his brother’s gambling is still out of control. He’s gone from friend to enemy in a few short issues, but I like that he’s not really a villain. Lucky has betrayed Aphra, yes, but he’s not a bad guy. There’s nobody in Aphra’s life who hasn’t gone against her or tried to kill her, and she’s absolutely willing to betray the people she knows to get what she wants. I can only assume their paths will cross more in the future, and I’m excited for their reunion.