Several missions have the special rule that "instead of activating normally, <some villain> performs one action after each hero activation".

The other thing that always happens after a hero activation is a normal Imperial deployment card activation, so I wonder, does this constitute a timing conflict that the Imperial may resolve in either order? Or is he required to do the single action on the special figure before the normal activation of another deployment card?

The action of <some villain> is played as an interrupt. So it would be before anything happens.

But I have another question regarding "after each hero activation ":

Is it

a) After the Hero resolves his/her whole Activation Phase , then <some villain> interrupts for his action

or

b) After the Heros activation (at the start of his/her Activation Phase ), <some villain> interrupts for his action

The action of <some villain> is played as an interrupt. So it would be before anything happens.

But I have another question regarding "after each hero activation ":

Is it

a) After the Hero resolves his/her whole Activation Phase , then <some villain> interrupts for his action

or

b) After the Heros activation (at the start of his/her Activation Phase ), <some villain> interrupts for his action

The word 'after' is key here. There is no ambiguity when they use words like 'after' or 'before' or 'while', etc. 'After' literally means when the thing that happens after a hero's activation would happen (as in the next Imperial figure would activate), this happens instead...

@macmastermind

so your idea of the text is a) After the Hero resolves his/her whole Activation Phase , then <some villain> interrupts for his action

@macmastermind

so your idea of the text is a) After the Hero resolves his/her whole Activation Phase , then <some villain> interrupts for his action

Not phase (I think the activation 'phase' encompasses all activations), but yes, completely after a hero resolves everything in their activation and before the imperial would then activate a figure...

@macmastermind

so your idea of the text is a) After the Hero resolves his/her whole Activation Phase , then <some villain> interrupts for his action

If it would mean that after a hero activates but before he can resolve any actions, It would probably worded like this:

Instead of activating normally, <some villain> performs one action at the start of each hero s activation.

See Quick Draw for Jyn where it's worded exactly this way and functions like you described with your example.

Logically, to me anyway I guess, the "after the hero's activation" is after the hero does their 2 actions and anything they do during those 2 actions. Then they flip their activation token over, from green to red, and their activation is over. Villain now goes as an interrupt. After the villain is done, the regular Imperial activation goes. Repeat with next hero activation.