Commentary: A Popular ‘Star Wars’ Character Had A ‘Star Trek’ Predecessor
by Frank Martin
It’s amazing how popular characters have roots and characteristics from characters in the past. These characters, who are often seen as original and groundbreaking, can trace their foundations back to those that came before them. It doesn’t mean that they were copied or even that their creators found inspiration somewhere else. The influence might be subconscious, or it may just stem from the fact that popular tropes and motifs are often cyclical and can be recycled without writers ever knowing it. Such is the case with one character in the Star Wars cannon that has a lot in common with an old Star Trek one.
As soon as she premiered, Dr. Aphra, created by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, instantly became a popular character in the Star Wars roster. She tangled with killer droids and even the Sith Lord Darth Vader himself. But as an archaeologist, she encompassed an area of the Star Wars universe not often explored. She was interested in rare finds from long lost civilizations. But the academics of archeology weren’t her sole interest. She’s a bit of a dastardly character, often dealing with criminality to further her own goals.
She was compared to a female Indiana Jones in space. But fans of the character may be surprised to learn that someone in the Star Trek had already come close to filling that role. Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) was an archaeologist primarily concerned with profit over knowledge. She had a budding romance with Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) before adventuring with the powerful being Q (John De Lancie) before going her own way. Any episode with her and fans can see the resemblance between Vash and Dr. Aphra. That’s not to say that Aphra was inspired by Vash, who may have been inspired by Indiana Jones, himself inspired by the pulp heroes that came before him. It just goes to show that different forms of a character are constantly being revamped and inspired with each new generation.
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