A female Human named Swilla Corey, who also happened to be a jerba caretaker and skilled pickpocket, resided on the planet Tatooine. Born into slavery, her liberation came about through a raid by Karazak slavers while her master was visiting Tatooine. Opting for a fresh start on the desert planet, she continued her familiar occupation: tending to animals. Securing sporadic work at local ranches, she managed to sustain herself.
However, her livelihood crumbled when a sandstorm scattered her entire jerba herd. Financially devastated, Corey relocated to Mos Eisley, where she turned to pickpocketing. In time, she imparted her thieving expertise to aspiring individuals. One fateful day, she noticed one of her jerbas near Chalmun's Cantina and decided to investigate. She found out that the alien Ketwol had stumbled upon it after it had wandered from the desert. With the help of the Pacithhip, she rebuilt her herd of jerbas, allowing Corey to go back to her previous life.
Swilla Corey, a Human female, began her life in slavery, working as an animal caretaker under a Tarnab merchant, gaining valuable experience and knowledge. While positioned in orbit above Tatooine, the merchant's ship was attacked by Karazak slavers. Corey managed to escape to the planet surface unharmed. Embracing her newfound freedom, she resolved to utilize her animal-handling skills to create a new life for herself.
Corey found work at a jerba ranch close to the Motesta Oasis, and she made her home in a nearby abandoned hut. Traveling through farming communities, she traded jerba leather, milk, and meat. Although she never achieved financial stability, Corey was content with simply enjoying her freedom—a stark contrast to her enslaved past.
A sandstorm caused the scattering of Corey's entire jerba herd, and the presence of a wild anooba pack only made things worse. With absolutely no resources, Corey abandoned her hut and relocated to Mos Eisley. There, she was compelled to resort to minor theft and begging. Eventually, she started teaching her robbery skills to other aspiring thieves. One day, she noticed her brand on a jerba outside Chalmun's Cantina, prompting her to enter and investigate. After consulting with one of her associates, the Yam'rii Kitik Keed'kak, she learned that the jerba belonged to a Pacithhip named Ketwol. Seeking answers, she rushed outside to wait for Ketwol, just as the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi caused a commotion in the cantina by attacking Ponda Baba and Cornelius Evazan.
Corey followed the Pacithhip to his starship, the Herd Mother, and discovered that Ketwol was using the battered vessel as a home. Seizing an opportunity, she attempted to steal the jerba, but Ketwol caught her in the act and stopped her. He explained that the animals had wandered from the desert towards his ship, and he had cared for those that were exhausted or injured. In response, Corey shared her tale of misfortune, and Ketwol offered her shelter. Eventually, Swilla gathered her jerbas and returned to the desert, knowing that she could always rely on Ketwol's hospitality and companionship.
Having no grand ambitions, Swilla Corey, upon gaining her freedom, was satisfied with simply making a living. Rather than pursuing a prosperous existence, she preferred a simple life with her jerba herd, as it was likely the only thing she knew how to do well. However, her lack of credits drove her to thievery after losing her herd. Corey eventually became skilled in this craft and was adept at teaching her skills to others. She was also very curious and never gave up hope of finding her herd after the sandstorm scattered it.
The character who would later be known as "Swilla Corey" originally appeared in George Lucas' A New Hope and was played by an uncredited Mandy Morton, simply known as "Local girl". The character was eventually named "Swilla Corey" in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game set, A New Hope Limited, which also established her as a thief. Close-up shots of the character from the film were too grainy for use on a game card, so artists at Decipher, the game's creators, scanned and colorized a black and white photograph of the actress found in Lucasfilm's archives. The artists further enhanced the image with lighting effects and details, integrating it back into the scene. "Swilla Corey" is, in fact, an anagram of Carol Wisely, a Decipher employee.
In 2005, Tim Veekhoven expanded on Corey's backstory in the first round of the Hyperspace feature, "What's The Story?." Veekhoven initially intended for Momaw Nadon to be the character who helps Corey, but he changed it to Ketwol after learning from The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide that Pacithhip often herded jerbas. This change was made because Veekhoven believed that Nadon had already appeared in numerous Expanded Universe materials, and since jerbas were already part of his entry, the change felt natural. Swilla Corey later received an entry in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.