Star Wars' New "Sith" Replaces the Force with Dark Technology
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #18!
The latest issue of Marvel's Star Wars: Doctor Aphra sees a fake Sith preparing to enact a dark ritual, right as the Crimson Reign event has undercover members of the Crimson Dawn syndicate influencing events throughout the Star Wars galaxy. In the series thus far, the good doctor has had her hands full dealing with an old rival by the name of Kho Phon Farrus. Farrus is a villainous archaeologist whose own obsession with the Force and related artifacts created by the Ascendant cult has driven them to the brink of insanity.
The previous issue saw Doc Aphra come face to face with Kho Phon Farrus and the doctor was less than impressed with Farrus' Jedi ambitions, nor their accompanying attire. "The Sith-wannabe getup is embarrassing, and so is that fake lightsaber," Aphra quipped, referring to Farrus' Whip of Sorrows. "You're not Force-sensitive, and you're never going to be." However, just because Kho isn't Force-sensitive doesn't mean they're not dangerous, especially since the Ascendants' tech can empower them as if they were.
Judging by the preview images offered by StarWars.com for Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #18 by Minkyu Jung and Alyssa Wong, Kho Phon Farrus is going even further in their pursuit of posing as a Sith Lord, utilizing gadgets to replicate the abilities native to the Dark Side. Even worse, they will be furthering their ambitions with occult rituals. This issue will officially release on January 19, 2022. Enjoy the preview below.
As Doctor Aphra points out in this preview, Kho Phon Farrus is somehow finding ways to assassinate people undetected despite dressing like a Sith Lord. At this point in Star Wars history, a Sith's wardrobe isn't exactly inconspicuous. Dark, hooded figures wearing cloaks tend to stand out whenever they step inside of a crowded room, or at least one would assume that to be the case. Even more surprisingly, they've found a way to walk into a room quietly conducting elaborate, ritual murders. While the comic reveals Kho was once a pleasant individual, by the time of Crimson Reign, they're a lethal threat to those around them.
But as Aphra begins to deduce in this preview, perhaps Kho's elaborate ritual magic may not be so elaborate after all, at least not in a magical sense. It may just be illusions crafted by means of technology. That realization may be just enough to help Aphra and Sana Starros come up with a plan to stop Kho Phon Farrus once and for all, but the Ascendant cult's technology remains a major factor. The Whip of Sorrows and Thought Dowser make Kho a deadly threat, and while their methods of recreating Sith abilities may be technological trickery, their true goal could still lead to incredible loss of life if Doctor Aphra can't stop them.
Source: StarWars.com