Ssssk ! Ssssk ! was a male telepathic member of a feline species who served as an adjutant of the Galactic Empire . In 4 ABY , Ssssk ! was stationed on the planet Seoul 5 under Imperial Captain Drezzel , where he telepathically monitored a pair of Imperial - funded scientists researching there . When the scientists discovered that a type of crystal found on the planet had once been used as a power source , Ssssk ! learned of the discovery by reading their minds and reported it to his superiors . The scientists were imprisoned , and the crystals were tested for use in weapons development . When the smuggler Han Solo arrived on Seoul , Ssssk ! was sent to find him , and the pair ended up facing off in a subterranean room . Ssssk ! attempted to telepathically assault Solo , but the smuggler used a key crystal to defeat the feline . However , Solo accidentally activated all of the crystals using the key crystal , resulting in a blinding flash that the smuggler and scientists used to escape , followed by a large explosion that destroyed the city the crystal was located in and the Imperial forces stationed there . Biography . The male telepath Ssssk ! lived during the reign of the Galactic Empire , a power he had come to serve as an adjutant by the year 4 ABY . The feline served under a Human captain named Drezzel and accompanied him and his Imperial troops to the lost planet Seoul 5 in order to protect a pair of scientists whom the Empire was funding to carry out research on the world . The two scientists , Doctor Ualp Xathan and his assistant , Fem Nu - Ar , had provided the Empire with charts they had found showing the route to the Seoul system in return for funding . On the planet , they began researching an abandoned city built there by the Seoularian s , an extinct native species . As the scientists worked , Ssssk ! used his telepathic skills to keep tabs on them by reading their minds . After they translated the ancient Seoulian texts , the pair discovered that a series of crystals had once been used to power the entire city , which Ssssk ! then reported to his superiors before the scientists could reveal it . Xathan and Nu - Ar were then confined and tied up and the crystals taken for weapons development . In 4 ABY , the Corellian smuggler Han Solo landed on Seoul 5 after acquiring the coordinates of the planet while gambling with an old Imperial scout , who also gave him one of the crystals from the planet . The Imperials on the planet detected Solo ' s landing , and once Drezzel was informed , he ordered Ssssk ! and Squad Three , a group of stormtroopers , to report to him immediately . As the telepath approached the IF - 120 landing craft where Drezzel was stationed , he overheard a pair of stormtroopers insulting him and telepathically assaulted them , causing them great amounts of pain and leaving the pair writhing on the floor . Drezzel ordered Ssssk ! and the squad to accompany him in tracking down the unauthorized visitor , after which they made their way into the city , with Ssssk ! mentally probing the area . He eventually found Solo , who was hiding behind a statue of a deity named Onrai , and directed the troops to his location , where they started to shoot at him . The troopers ' blasterfire distracted Ssssk ! , however , causing him to lose concentration and preventing him from probing Solo , allowing the smuggler to escape down a trapdoor activated using the statue . Ssssk ! and Drezzel then made their way down to the room that the trapdoor led to , with Drezzel ordering the stormtroopers who had already reached Solo to stop firing , as he did not want them to damage the Seoularian crystals that were located in the room . Instead , Ssssk ! telepathically attacked Solo , who had found the imprisoned scientists in the room ; however , Solo boosted his own mental powers using the crystal he had with him , which the scientists had identified as the key crystal . With his increased capability , Solo was able to defend himself from the feline ' s attack and caused the telepath to collapse . The smuggler was also drained by the attack and accidentally locked the key crystal into a pedestal in the chamber while stumbling to support himself . The placement of the crystal caused the other crystals to activate and the chamber to flood with light , allowing Solo and the scientists to escape to the " Millennium Falcon " , Solo ' s starship , and flee . As they flew away , a huge explosion erupted from the crystal control room , destroying the city along with much of the surrounding area . Personality and traits . Ssssk ! was a member of a feline species and possessed brown fur and yellow eyes . He was also capable of telepathy , with the power to cause sentient beings to collapse writhing in pain , which he claimed was only the result of a limited attack . Ssssk ! claimed to have the power to reduce Humans to non - sentience if he wished to and could also mentally probe for hidden foes . The feline was unpopular with the Imperial stormtroopers with whom he served , who viewed him as Drezzel ' s pet and called him names based on his feline species . When serving Drezzel , Ssssk ! wore a purple robe . Behind the scenes . Ssssk ! first appeared as a villain in " " , part of the run of " Star Wars " comic books produced by Marvel Comics . The issue was released in 1984 and was written by Roy Richardson , illustrated by David Mazzucchelli , and colored by Tom Palmer . The issue does not identify Ssssk ! ' s species or make clear if he is killed in the explosion following Han Solo ' s escape .