Meet Kho Phon Farrus: 'Star Wars' Most Unique New Character
*Spoilers for Star Wars: Doctor Aphra*
If there's any Star Wars series that's never short on surprises, it's Doctor Aphra. Originally created by Star Wars comic giant Kieron Gillen, the series follows its titular protagonist, Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, as she travels the Star Wars galaxy in search of bizarre beings and artifacts in the pursuit of money and notoriety. As an ongoing comic series, Doctor Aphra has explored topics and subjects that Star Wars as a franchise has never even thought about tackling before. One of the series' most notable aspects is its openly lesbian protagonist in Aphra herself, which plays into the character's complicated rivalry and on-and-off romance with Magna Tolvan; one of the comic's recurring antagonists.
The series has also tackled fantastical sci-fi and fantasy concepts and combined them with deeply personal themes of family, morality and identity. In May of 2020, the series was relaunched with new writer Alyssa Wong as part of Marvel Star Wars' focus on the gap of time between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This new relaunch of Doctor Aphra and her comic has been just as fun and exciting as the previous series, with plenty of twists, turns, and fresh new characters. Undoubtedly the most unique of these characters is Kho Phon Farrus.
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A fellow artifact hunter and former student from the University of Bar'leth, Kho Phon Farrus had their first run-in with Aphra while they were first trying to enter the university. Due to their Imperial chain code still using their deadname, they were initially denied entry. Luckily, Aphra then came in and, as Aphra so often does, invented a quick story on the fly for why Kho's correct name wasn't in the Imperial records, helping them get into the university. Grateful for her help, Kho went on to help Aphra steal an artifact from one of the university's teachers; Sava Iglan'tine Nos. This soon backfired however, as Kho was discovered trying to steal it and Aphra left them to take the fall for the act, hindering their education and future career. Kho, in turn, would swear revenge on Aphra for using and abandoning them.
They would also become obsessed with arcane rituals and technology; specifically those of The Ascendant. The Ascendant were an ancient cult of dark side acolytes who, while not Force-sensitive themselves, developed technology which could replicate the abilities of dark side users. Among their many devices was a type of glove which could cause objects with magnetic properties to levitate. Upon tracking Aphra and her current partner, Sana Starros, to Coruscant, Kho used this very device to show them the power of The Ascendant.
But this would only be the beginning for Kho and their new mission. While they already possess many artifacts of The Ascendant, their ultimate goal is to retrieve a device known as the Spark Eternal, which was rumored to have the power to grant eternal life. With the help of Beol De'Rruyet, another person whose life Aphra destroyed (that happens a lot), Aphra and Sana managed to lure Kho out in the open and eventually tracked them to the University of Bar'leth. In the latest issue, Aphra and Sana found Kho in an Ascendant temple beneath the university itself. Accompanied by Sava Nos, Kho plans to dig up the Spark Eternal and use it for their personal gain. They also have a deal with the Archivist, a current member of Crimson Dawn, and will most likely be using the device for the crime syndicate's benefit as well.
Despite only appearing in four issues so far, Kho Phon Farrus has already left quite the impression and solidified themself as the most unique new character in Star Wars' current canon. Their empathetic backstory, use of Force-replicating technology, and desire for eternal life help them to stand out amongst the various other villains in current Star Wars comics. Their connection to Aphra also creates the possibility of redemption for the character in future stories. Kho's character has tons of potential and I'm excited to see where Alyssa Wong takes them as Doctor Aphra spirals out of control in its usual fashion.
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