Doctor Aphra

A rogue archaeologist and self-described "amoral" scientist first encountered in the pages of Marvel's Darth Vader series, Doctor Aphra was recruited by the Sith Lord himself to assist with clandestine operations far outside the Empire's official channels.

Few characters to emerge from Marvel's Modern Age Star Wars universe have captured readers' hearts quite like Doctor Aphra — a rogue archaeologist who burst onto the scene in Darth Vader #2 in 2015, conjured by the sharp creative minds of Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca. She proved compelling enough to earn her own ongoing series, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, a rare distinction that speaks to just how electric her presence is on the page. Across 46 catalogued appearances, she moves through the galaxy's most storied corners, sharing adventures alongside titans like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo. If you love morally complex, charismatic figures who thrive in the shadowy margins of the Star Wars saga, Doctor Aphra is absolutely essential reading.