Shimrra Jamaane

Shimrra Jamaane was the assumed Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong during their invasion of the Galaxy. While Shimrra was the official leader of the Yuuzhan Vong, he had actually become a puppet of his jester, Onimi. Being the last Yuuzhan Vong to possess a connection to the Force, Onimi used mind controlling toxins to bend Shimrra to his will.

Early life and ascension
Shimrra was a member of Domain Jamaane, one of the few Domains not confined to a single Caste. He was originally a member of the Intendant caste by birth, though he was feared for his prowess in combat. He had a twin brother, a rare event that made both the brothers candidates for consideration as the next Supreme Overlord. To limit the pool of rivals and insure a great destiny, he killed his brother at age seven as an example of his strength&mdash;and an early warning of his viciousness. He strongly disagreed with Supreme Overlord Quoreal's decision to avoid the Galaxy after the discovery of Zonama Sekot by Supreme Commander Zho Krazhmir. Gathering loyal Domains, he launched a coup, usurped and killed Quoreal, and began preparing for the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. However, it would take sometime for the rest of the Yuuzhan Vong convoy to complete the trek between through the Intergalactic Void. During this time, Shimrra would supress all information on Zonama Sekot, and subtly manipulate Yuuzhan Vong religion and his supposed connection with the Gods to secure his power base. However, some of Quoreal's followers remained.

The Eighth Cortex
Shimrra claimed that the Gods had also granted him a vision of the Eighth Cortex of Shaping Protocols, which would grant the Yuuzhan Vong the power to conquer the Galaxy. In truth, the Cortex was almost completely empty, and Shimrra was soon forced to find new advances. The protocols were too rigid to allow experimentation, and Master Shapers Yal Phaath and Ch'Gang Hool were too conservative to allow for change. However, he appeared to have condoned the efforts of Master Shaper Taug Molou in creating the Vagh Rodiek, and Mezhan Kwaad also implied that Shimrra condoned her heretical actions on Yavin 4. But when Mezhan was killed and her apprentice, Nen Yim, was banished, he sent Onimi to observe her, and see if she was willing to defy the Protocols to make new advances. Claiming that the Protocols were taken from Yun-Yuuzhan by Yun-Harla, and from there to Yun-Ne'Shel, he said that new protocols were available, but that Nen Yim would have to labor for it. Offering the resources of his household, she eagerly accepted.

The turn of the tide
"Do not assume I am a fool! You have won your victories by sending your troops over a rampart of our own dead!"

- Shimrra Jamaane to Tsavong Lah

After the conquest and Vongforming of Coruscant onto Yuuzhan'tar, Shimrra brought his vessel to the planet, and it became his Citadel. He then commanded Warmaster Tsavong Lah to slow the assaults to allow the Warrior caste time to replenish their ranks, and refused to launch a full scale investigation of the Jeedai heresy. Meanwhile, he executed Hool for his incompetence over his inability to control the World Brain, and began killing more Shapers as they failed to gain control themselves. Executor Nom Anor, however, later brought information that the New Republic had taken refugee in the Deep Core, and that they could wipe out the enemy and easily end the war. Confident of success, Shimrra granted Warmaster Lah five battle groups, sure that his position would be secure.

That all changed after the Battle of Ebaq 9, where Lah was killed and a large portion of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet was destroyed. In a bold act to shore up his position, Shimrra ordered the Yuuzhan Vong to resume the offensive, including an invasion of Imperial Space, and to begin a serious purge of the heretics. He also called for the skin of Nom Anor, with the apparent intention of wearing it as a cloak. He then escalated Supreme Commander Nas Choka, a more conservative commander than Lah, to the position of Warmaster.

The mad monarch
"I am not as lenient as my predecessor."

- Shimrra Jamaane

As the war dragged on, Onimi began to lose his control over Shimrra, who became increasingly unstable: he was constantly attacking the followers of the prophet Yu'shaa, and murdering scores of suspected followers of the Jeedai heresy. For a time, Yu'shaa, in truth Nom Anor, managed to get a spy, Priestess Ngaaluh, into Shimrra's court, seting off a wave of repression. Several whole Domains were wiped out, but finally, Shimrra realized that he had been decieved by Ngaaluh. However, the damage was already done, and the heretics were now organized&mdash;and angry. Even his closest allies began to question the Overlord's ability to rule. Sensing this, Shimrra had Qelah Kwaad create the Slayers, a group of deadly, specially bred priest-warriors, who were capable of healing almost immediately when struck and wielded deadlier variants of the standard amphistaff and coufee. The Elite denounced their creation as heresy, but when they saw how dangerous they were, the Elite ceased their complaints. However, as a favor to the Elite, he allowed his proclamations and decrees to be analyzed by a quartet of seers, one from each of the four ruling castes. The Royal Seers, however, could do little more than pray for the Gods kindness, as Shimrra was ultimately the link to the Gods.

However, Shimrra still had other problems. Commander Ekh'm Val, who had rediscovered Zonama Sekot, was executed to prevent the living world from becoming public knowledge. Many heard of it, though. When Nom Anor informed Shimrra that he was on Zonama Sekot, he offered to destroy it in exchange for a pardon. Shimrra agreed, and took Anor into his confidence. Shimrra, however, suspected that Zonama Sekot had somehow survived. Seeking to remove the Galactic Alliance before the living planet returned, he declared that the Warriors were to launch an attack on Mon Calamari, in attempt to end the war before Zonama Sekot reappeared. However, it was obvious that the Warrior caste was already stretched to its limits. To placate the Elite, Shimrra ordered a massive sacrifice of of one thousand Alliance prisoners at the Place of Sacrifice, but the Shamed Ones disrupted the ceremony and rescued three hundred captives. In savage retaliation, Shimrra executed three thousand Shamed Ones in the Place of Bones. As each one died&mdash;either praising Yu'shaa or cursing Shimrra and the Elite&mdash;the Supreme Overlord laughed maniacally. Support for Shimrra among the Elite had never been weaker. Concerned about the disastrous effects that a battle could cause, and fearful that the gods were angry over the spoiled sacrifice, Warmaster Choka requested more time for, so that the Yuuzhan Vong could give a more secure force for defending Yuuzhan'tar, but Shimrra dismissed his concerns, telling Choka that his fleet would win, and he would become a legend.

And then, Zonama Sekot returned.

Death of a Dread Lord
"The Master and the twins. How long we have anticipated this meeting."

- Shimrra Jamaane to Luke Skywalker



When Zonama Sekot arrived in the Yuuzhan'tar system, the Yuuzhan Vong Empire&mdash;and Shimrra's control&mdash;began to crumble. Several whole Domains refused to come to Yuuzhan'tar's defense, for fear that they would be ordered to attack Zonama Sekot. The heretics, believing Yu'shaa's prophecy had come to pass, began to revolt against the Elite. The Quorealists, feeling vindicated that Quoreal was right, began spreading information about Zonama Sekot that Shimrra did not want revealed. However, he still had one trick up his sleeve. Alpha Red had been tested on Caluula during the Battle of Mon Calamari. Realizing that Sekotan and Yuuzhan Vong technology were similar, he declared that the Gods had engineered Zonama Sekot's return as a test of the Yuuzhan Vong's heart, and ordered a Slayer ship infected with Alpha Red would crash into Zonama Sekot, infecting and killing the planet.

But then Sekot revealed that it had granted the Jedi its living vessels, which violated Yuuzhan Vong law. Worse, the Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet entered the system, with the intent of retaking Coruscant and bringing about an end to the war. Declaring that the heretics had given them to the Galactic Alliance, Shimrra granted Prefect Nom Anor half of the Citadel's forces to wipe out every Shamed Ones on Yuuzhan'tar. However, Shimrra had regained control of the World Brain, and ordered it to begin making the planet uninhabitable. Shimrra apparently suspected defeat, so he decided that if he coudn't have Coruscant, no one would. Luke Skywalker, Jaina and Jacen Solo reached Shimrra's coffer, where they fought the elite bodyguards. Unbeknown to Shimrra and his Jedi enemies, Onimi began using his power to coordinate the Slayers and make the Citadel to quake. Despite Onimi's efforts, one by one the Slayers were killed by the Jedi.

While Jaina pursued the fleeing Onimi, Shimrra knocked out Jacen and dueled with Luke. Luke struggled against the Supreme Overlord, but was already exhausted from the previous battles, and Shimrra's Scepter of Power wrapped itself around Luke. As Luke struggled against the amphistaff, Shimrra deflected Jacen's saber throw and revealed that he posessed Anakin Solo's lightsaber. Shimrra intended to kill Luke with his nephew's own lightsaber, so that the Jedi might feel the pain his Warriors had to suffer in fighting living vessels. At that point, Luke released his hold on the amphistaff to push away Shimrra's wrist, allowing the Scepter of Power to bite him. While Shimrra laughed that one more thrust would kill the Jedi Master, Luke pulled the lightsaber from Shimrra's massive hand with the Force. Severing the Scepter of Power, Luke drove the two lightsabers into Shimrra neck and beheaded him. Like a marionette with its strings cut off, the Dread Lord's massive body fell with a noticeable thud, discarded by the real mastermind, Onimi.

Physical appearance
"Would you look upon me, Adept? Would you look upon me and die?"

- Shimrra Jamaane

Even by the standards of the Yuuzhan Vong, Shimrra Jamaane was both physically impressive and frightening to behold. He was heavily built and imposingly tall, even by Yuuzhan Vong standards, attributed to the Shapers of Domain Jamaane. His head was enlarged and modified to resemble that of a Yuuzhan Vong deity, and his eyes were replaced with mqaaq'it implants, which shifted color depending on Shimrra's mood (though they were usually the color that represented anger). His head also bore countless ritual scars, leaving many who saw him to feel that Shimrra's face was merely a massive, unhealed flesh wound. All ten of his fingers were removed and replaced with those of ten different carnivores. These modifications were intended to cause Shimrra to resemble Yun-Yuuzhan, and simply looking at him caused instincts of worship for some Yuuzhan Vong.

Personality
"Shimrra hates the sound of reasoned words."

- Harrar

Personality wise, Shimrra was unpredictable. He had a rather fickle personality, favor one person this day and another one the next. He also had an uncontrollable rage that could spring forth at any time. He executed Master Shaper Ch'Gang Hool because he was unable to gain control of the World Brain, and wiped out several Domains for merely being suspected for having sympathy for the Jeedai heresy. He also ordered an attack on Mon Calamari in seeming defiance of rational goals. However, Shimrra also had an introspective personality to himself. He appeared genuinely curious about where the heretics learned their doctrine from. He was also adept at playing on the passions of the Elite, able to incite them into a frenzy with just a few words (though this may have been caused by Onimi).

Behind the scenes

 * Despite what the artwork in The New Essential Chronology showed, when Luke Skywalker crossed the lightsabers in their duel, Shimrra's Scepter of Power should already be slashed to pieces.

Appearances

 * Boba Fett: A Practical Man
 * Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
 * Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
 * Balance Point
 * Edge of Victory I: Conquest
 * Edge of Victory II: Rebirth
 * Star by Star
 * Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
 * Destiny's Way
 * Ylesia
 * Force Heretic I: Remnant
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee
 * Or Die Trying
 * Force Heretic III: Reunion
 * The Final Prophecy
 * The Unifying Force
 * Dark Nest I: The Joiner King