Warning: contains spoilers for Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #31!An upcoming Star Wars comic will introduce a Legends-era creature to current canon, linking the stories of Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura to Luke Skywalker. Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the issue will include the debut of the horrific Starweird, a mysterious and deadly creature. The obscure monstrosity will be an old adversary of the two Clone Wars-era Jedi in the new canon before turning its sights on Luke Skywalker and Doctor Aphra.
The upcoming 34th issue of 2020’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, by Alyssa Wong and Minkyu Jung, will feature the debut of the Starweird, with a similar appearance to its Legends-era counterpart and perhaps the same monstrous abilities as well. The Starweird set to appear in Doctor Aphra is said to have been trapped long ago by the prequel-era Jedi Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura, only for Luke Skywalker and Doctor Aphra to release it.
Doctor Aphra isn’t a natural ally for Luke Skywalker, but the antihero archeologist just kidnapped the young Jedi in the conclusion of Doctor Aphra #31 after dosing him with knockout gas. If Aphra is involved, then there is treasure in the balance, but what could be worth crossing a Starweird?
Star Wars’ Starweirds Explained
In the Star Wars franchise’s Legends continuity, the Starweird was first explored in the 2004 Star Wars Roleplaying Game reference book, Ultimate Adversaries. The mysterious Starweirds are nightmarish space-dwelling creatures with unique connections to the Force, making them the subjects of much in-universe speculation and rendering them baffling to even the Jedi Knights. According to Ultimate Adversaries, Starweirds let out a telepathic shriek when encountered and aggressively attack any who cross paths with them, using their sharp teeth and talons and, more horrifyingly, powerful dark side abilities, such as Force lightning.
These demonic entities were said to attack beings repairing their vessels in deep space or, even worse, appear aboard their ships during hyperspace travel, mysteriously leaving no trace of their existence upon death. The book also explains that Starweirds are particularly aggressive towards other Force-users, leading some Jedi to believe that they are physical expressions of the dark side itself.
The Starweird Is a Major Threat to Luke
How closely the Starweirds of canon continuity will resemble their Legends-era counterparts remains to be seen. Assuming that there are few to no differences, the Starweird set to appear in Doctor Aphra was likely an extreme threat to Jedi Masters Secura and Ti, despite both Jedi being renowned combatants. It appears that Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura could only contain the nightmarish Starweird, not kill it, though perhaps Luke Skywalker and Doctor Aphra will finally defeat the monstrosity in its Star Wars canon debut.
Doctor Aphra #34 is coming from Marvel Comics July 19.
