Star Wars“Own version of” Indiana Jones “could be the key to Emperor Palpatine’s plans, shaped during the unpublished years of his master plan leading to The rise of Skywalker.
The affectionate nickname applies to Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, created by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca in their poplar tree and critically acclaimed dark Vador run. She is essentially the Star Wars the equivalent of Indiana Jones, an archaeologist who delights in finding the most risky artifacts. Unlike Indiana Jones, however, the morale of Doctor Aphra is seriously questionable. Star Wars has always consisted in part in (re) discovering the secrets of the past – be it the ancient secrets of the Sith or the sacred texts of the Jedi. As such, it’s a surprise that the franchise has never explored this archetype before, and no one is really surprised that Doctor Aphra has proven his character Star Wars comics. She has escaped the wrath of Darth Vader and is now the star of her own second ongoing series. Marvel released a digital copy of the first issue of Alyssa Wong and Marika Cresta on May 4 as part of the “Star Wars Day” celebrations.
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So far, the adventures of Doctor Aphra have seemed like side stories in the galaxy, far away. But, curiously, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker leaves a gap in its history that would be perfectly filled by the immoral Indiana Jones of the franchise.
Palpatine didn’t always have Sith guides
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker revealed that Palpatine had survived his death in Return of the Jediand his spirit had fled to a last dread of the ancient Sith Empire, Exegol. This planet is secreted into the depths of unknown regions, hidden by a labyrinth of solar storms, rogue magnetospheres, black holes, gravity wells and much more strange things. It was probably discovered by Sith explorers who used the Force to circumvent these dangers, a technique ironically known as “Skywalking”. The Sith recognized the potential of Exegol, a world their enemies could never access, and made it their last bastion. They had waited for Exegol for millennia while Palpatine’s spirit escaped and had a clone body prepared for him.
But here’s the rub; Star Wars ties suggest that Palpatine didn’t find Exegol until late in the game. According to Chuck Wendig’s “Aftermath” trilogy, he had felt the darkness waiting for him in unknown regions. One of Palpatine’s closest allies, a loyalist named Gallus Rax, remembers:
“The Emperor was convinced that something was waiting for him there – an origin of the Force, a dark presence formed of a malicious substance. He said he could feel the waves of it now that the path was clear. The Emperor called this a signal – conveniently the one that only he could hear. Even his biggest executor, Vader, seemed oblivious to him, and Vader also claimed control of the Dark Force, didn’t he? Rax thought Palpatine had gone mad. “
Palpatine had made a phenomenal effort to uncover this mysterious vergence in the Force. That is why he had recruited Grand Admiral Thrawn, a member of an extraterrestrial race known as Chiss, originally from unknown regions. He had used Thrawn’s knowledge to create detailed maps and charts of unknown regions and established secret observatories – including one in Jakku – from which he had sent scouts. The clear implication is that at this point, Palpatine and Darth Vader did not have the Sith Wayfinders; since the observatories were built during the galactic civil war, they could not have acquired them until the end of Palpatine’s reign.
How did Palpatine and Darth Vader acquire the Wayfinders?
Clearly there is a story waiting to be told. How did Palpatine and Darth Vader acquire the two Wayfinders? As the Sith Dark Lord, Palpatine possessed an unparalleled collection of ancient Sith objects. This was reinforced after the fall of the Jedi in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, when Stormtroopers attacked the Jedi Temple. The Jedi had hidden countless talismans, artifacts and even Sith holocrons, burying them in what they called the “Bogan Collection”. Palpatine would have spent years browsing this collection, if not decades. Ultimately, therefore, it is safe to assume that he has discovered a reference to the Sith Wayfinders.
Master manipulator, Palpatine would then need to choose the right pawn to help him locate the Wayfinders. These had probably been lost millennia ago, perhaps deliberately hidden by the Sith so that they could not be recovered by the Jedi, and then forgotten. Palpatine would need an expert to find them; an experienced archaeologist, someone familiar with the legends of the Sith and Jedi, and preferably someone who was not afraid of the dark side. Dr. Aphra would check each of these boxes.
It is true that Darth Vader tried to hide the existence of Aphra from his master, but there is no reason to assume that he succeeded. The emperor watched his apprentice’s activities carefully, and there is no doubt that he knew all about Darth Vader’s plans. Indeed, he would have been delighted to see them, as they would have been proof of Vader’s growing mastery of the dark side. It is therefore entirely reasonable to assume that Palpatine knew exactly who Aphra was and what she had shown herself capable of.
Lucasfilm probably did not intentionally create this narrative gap. All the evidence suggests that they decided to resuscitate Palpatine quite late in the game, and Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker also appears to have undergone significant last-second changes. In this case, however, it is not a plot hole; it’s just a part of the story that hasn’t been told yet. And it’s clearly full of potential – especially since Marvel Comics has just relaunched the Doctor Aphra series.
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Originally published 2020-05-05 18:20:51.
