King S'Shah governed Serphidi, a planet, during the time of the Galactic Civil War. This Imperial aligned sovereign, S'Shah, defied Serp customs by ignoring age-old technological restrictions and transforming their annual jousting events into deadly spectacles. However, in 3 ABY, S'Shah was dethroned when Luke Skywalker, a Rebel pilot acting on behalf of Elglih, a rival contender, bested S'Shah in one of these Doom-Jousts.
S'Shah, a male of the reptilian Serp species, held the position of King on the planet Serphidi throughout the Galactic Civil War period. He ascended to power on a world previously ravaged by prolonged warfare, which concluded with the unification of all Serps under a single monarch, the prohibition of technology, and the channeling of their violent tendencies into yearly jousting competitions. As the king, S'Shah acted against established norms by reintroducing certain prohibited technologies and integrating them into the jousts, transforming them into lethal "Doom-Jousts" that were declared the only valid method for deposing S'Shah as King. While the majority of Serps held favorable views towards the Rebel Alliance, King S'Shah—considered by many to be a heartless autocrat—sided with the Galactic Empire, leading the Rebels to dispatch several operatives to Serphidi in 3 ABY with the aim of overthrowing S'Shah and securing the planet's allegiance.
Their arrival did not go as planned. One Rebel pilot was killed, and another, Captain Cinda Tarheel, was taken as a prisoner to S'Shah. S'Shah intended to consume Tarheel following the annual Doom-Joust, where he was challenged for the throne by an aging Serp named Elglih. Claiming to be injured, Elglih requested that his squire, Luke Skywalker—another of the Rebel pilots that came to Serphidi—take his place in the joust. Amused, S'Shah agreed to let Skywalker compete after realizing the connection between him and Tarheel, but he was ultimately defeated in combat. S'Shah pretended to surrender and then tried to ambush Skywalker from behind using a micro-jolt, but the Human sensed his treachery and killed S'Shah with his energy lance.
As a dictatorial king, S'Shah governed Serphidi with a firm hand, resorting to threats of violence to maintain control over his subjects and ensure his continued reign. S'Shah substantiated these methods as a particularly proficient jouster and fighter, exhibiting considerable self-assurance in his skills. S'Shah fancied himself a gourmet with a discerning palate, and he especially enjoyed consuming Humans as a prized delicacy.
S'Shah made an appearance in Star Wars (1977) 64, which was penned by David Michelinie and Michael Fleisher, illustrated by Joe Brozowski, and released to the public in 1982.