Star Wars Just Established Lady Qi'ra's (Insanely High) Power Level
Warning! Spoilers for Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #4
The extent of Lady Qi’ra's power in the Star Wars galaxy has been revealed. As the War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event continues, readers are finally getting a glimpse of her skill level. Following her duel with Darth Vader, the rebels have taken notice of Qi’ra’s fighting style.
Since Qi’ra began to work more closely with Maul in Crimson Dawn, fans have wondered what she’s capable of in a fight. While the mysterious assassin Deathstick handled much of her bidding, Qi’ra remained in the background. Given her proven ability to fight in Solo: A Star Wars Story, fans have assumed she’s only gotten better. Previously, Darth Vader took note of her dark side training, seemingly hinting that she is Force sensitive. However, there has been some additional clarification regarding Qi’ra in Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #4, written by Charles Soule with art by Luke Ross.
As Lando recounts Qi’ra’s duel with Darth Vader to Leia and Chewbacca, he calls her “one of the best hand-to-hand fighters” he’s ever seen. Although Qi’ra had already gone up against multiple skilled fighters, Lando’s comment helps put her abilities in perspective. Considering that she is among the best trained and Vader still nearly killed her, the rebels don’t have much hope for themselves. The Sith had taken notice of her expertise in Teras Kasi, a form of combat intended to take on Jedi with physical strength alone. This might be a disappointing answer for some who anticipated her Force sensitivity, but it also implies that she doesn’t need such external power to face the galaxy’s most formidable threat.
At this point in the crossover, Qi’ra’s preparedness to fight Darth Vader raises many questions regarding her past since the events of Solo, as well as the future state of Crimson Dawn. Since she had to depend on the assassin Deathstick to strike terror into the crime syndicate’s enemies, then Qi’ra likely has more urgent matters to deal with. The event had ramped up to the moment she revealed her abilities, and it’s still possible she has more to show off.
Qi’ra’s current lack of Force usage doesn’t necessarily indicate she didn’t pick anything else up from Maul. It remains a mystery how the ex-Sith had ended up stranded in a desolate pit as seen in Rebels, and now it seems possible that Qi’ra bested him in a fight to take over Crimson Dawn. Since War of the Bounty Hunters is set after The Empire Strikes Back, Qi’ra’s fight with Vader has also emphasized Luke’s growth as a Jedi in Return of the Jedi. Originally losing miserably to his father on Cloud City, the next time that Luke faces him, he’s a fully fledged Jedi Knight. As Qi’ra continues to lead the crime syndicate in the upcoming miniseries Crimson Reign, it’s likely she’ll have more run-ins with the Empire and reveal what else she can do.