There are a lot of ginormous creatures in theStar Warsuniverse, and Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra andLuke Skywalkerare no stranger to them. Along with Rynn Zenat, Luke and Aphra just faced a giant Klyff’wat on the planet Lehanis: a giant, deformed, rat-like creature with wings coming from its back that makes the Krayt Dragon look pleasant.
InStar Wars: The Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege (2024) #2by creative team Alex Segura, Stefano Raffaele, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna, Doctor Aphra arrives on Lehanis, where Luke Skywalker and Rynn Zenat are hunting for an ancient Jedi relic. Aphra warns them that the relic they are hunting for is a fake, planted byGrand Moff Ubrik Adelhardand his Acolytes of the Beyond. While Aphra relays her message, they are ambushed by the Klyff’wat.
The creature is absolutely gigantic, forcing Luke to ignite his lightsaber in order to survive. It’s a fight to the death that Luke doesn’t feel great about, and begins to reveal a pattern about Luke and Aphra’s team-ups.
The Krayt Dragon was a large, ferocious, reptilian creature that resided on Tatooine. One that was attacking the village of Mos Pelgo was defeated by Din Djarin, Cobb Vanth, and an army of Tusken Raiders after a rather lengthy skirmish.
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Luke Skywalker and Doctor Aphra Can’t Stay Away from Monsters
Their Combined Interests Take Them Where No-One Else Has Been
The last time Luke and Aphra teamed up, they facedthe ancient and powerful Starweird, a creature that resonates with the Force and inhabits the vacuum of space. Prior to the Battle of Endor, Doctor Aphra kidnapped Luke Skywalker and showed him a holo message by Jedi master Shaak Ti warning about the Sason Temple. Aphra heard there was an ancient relic in there called Kythoo’s Bell, and she convinces Luke to come with her. Aphra claims it’s because she knows he’s trying to learn more about the Jedi, but she really just needs him to use the Force to open the door. The two of them try to take a crystal from inside the bell, but the bell is really a security system, and they awaken the Starweird from its Jedi prison.
The Klyff’wat is a particularly perfect way to show how far Luke has come since he began training as a Jedi. After all, this is the kid who used to bullseye womp rats in his T-16.
The two ultimately survived their battle with the unknown monster, just as they manage to down the Klyff’wat. Aphra and Luke areverydifferent people, but they’re both treasure hunters. Aphra is all about profit whileLuke desperately wants more of a connectionto the Jedi, and yet their interests do have common ground. It’s therefore no surprise that they keep finding themselves up against previously unknown monsters - more than almost any otherStar Warscharacters, Luke and Doctor Aphra are interested in venturing off the edge of the map.
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Luke Skywalker Has a Dilemma Killing the Galaxy’s Monsters
Jedi Philosophy Clashes with Luke’s Thirst for Adventure and Discovery
While Luke kills the Klyff’wat, he makes it clear that he’s not happy to do it. Luke Skywalker has a deep connection to the force, but so do all living things. Causing a creature - no matter how giant - pain and death is anathema to the way Luke is trying to live as a Jedi. However,the Klyff’wat is a particularly perfect way to show how far Luke has come since he began training as a Jedi. After all, this is the kid who used to bullseye womp rats in his T-16. Luke has gone from killing rats for fun to deeply regretting the action, despite the fact that the ‘rat’ is now a huge monster that could kill him in seconds.
At this point in his Jedi journey, Luke regrets any pain caused to another living thing. Of course, causing that harm is going to keep being necessary so long asLuke Skywalkercontinues searching for Jedi knowledge - an interesting contradiction thatStar Warswill hopefully continue to explore.
Star Wars: The Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #2is available now from Marvel Comics.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
