Star Wars reaches across several entertainment mediums to tell intriguing stories that unfold over decades. One such story – call it tragic, poetic, or just plain entertaining – was that of Shira Brie, aka Lumiya. Shira’s story began in Star Wars #56 (February 1982) and eventually transitioned into novels through the 2000s.

Born during Emperor Palpatine’s reign, Shira Brie was a Force sensitive human female who would become a Dark Lady of the Sith. Dedicating her life to the Imperial New Order doctrine, she caught Darth Vader’s attention, and he guided her through Imperial programs. After she graduated from the Intelligence Academy of Carida, she was given a highly classified mission to infiltrate the Rebel Alliance and destroy Luke Skywalker, either by killing him or ruining his standing with the Rebels. She accomplished his disgrace during the Battle of the Secret Armada.

Luke, Shira, and two others used modified TIE Fighters to pose as returning Imperial pilots to attack the Star Destroyers. During the fight, an Imperial admiral used the Teezl to block communication, causing confusion between Imperial TIE Fighters and ones carrying Rebels. Luke found the ship carrying the Teezl, but a TIE Fighter was in his line of sight. Unable to communicate because of the creature’s interference, Luke used the Force to determine if the other fighter was friend or foe. Correctly surmising that the TIE carried an enemy, he fired, shooting down Shira Brie.

The event left her terribly disfigured, but alive, and once Vader found her, he rehabilitated her with cybernetic replacements, akin to his. He trained her in the dark side of the Force, and she took the identity of Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith. While Vader secretly trained her, she also worked as one of the Emperor’s Hands – which were Force-trained assassins. When both Palpatine and Vader died in the battle of Endor she became a Mistress of the Sith and was consumed with a need for vengeance against Luke and the Rebels.

During the Battle of Herdessa, she faced a significant defeat that damaged her armor, which was replaced by the triangular headdress that along with her lightwhip, would be her signature. For years she was involved in different conflicts and worked alongside Imperial Intelligence, even taking on apprentices of her own. She also mastered the creation of empowered Force phantoms, which where lifelike apparitions that could be projected across the cosmos.

Lumiya was almost captured by the Yuuzhan Vong as they invaded the galaxy, and the ensuing chaos solidified her belief that only a Dark Lord could create stability. She learned from Sith Vergere and finally her training was complete. Together they decided to pursue the creation of the next Sith Lord, targeting Jacen Solo, the grandson of Darth Vader.

Years after Vergere died, Lumiya began her plan to turn Jacen during the new conflict between the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances and Corellian systems’ Five Worlds government. She orchestrated events to guide Jacen to her and then she trained him. Lumiya revealed herself to the Jedi as a means of distracting them while Jacen grew to fully embrace the Dark Side and become Darth Caedus. With her mission and revenge complete she died in combat against her lifelong nemesis Luke Skywalker.