Chelli Lona Aphra

An amoral rogue archaeologist and weapons expert, Doctor Aphra was recruited by Darth Vader after he discovered her operating outside Imperial sanction. Brilliant but self-serving, she specializes in illegal artifact hunting and outlaw tech across the galaxy.

Few characters to emerge from Marvel's Modern Age Star Wars line have made quite the impression that Chelli Lona Aphra has — debuting in Darth Vader #2 in 2015 under the sharp creative vision of Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, she quickly proved compelling enough to anchor her own ongoing series, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra. Her appearances span the galaxy's most storied corners, sharing pages with titans like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo across Marvel's flagship Star Wars titles. With 46 catalog appearances and a publishing run stretching from 2015 well into the 2020s, she's one of the most enduring original characters the comics line has produced — a genuine fan favorite born entirely from the page rather than the screen.