Your Snoke Theory Doesn’t Suck

“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.” – Gautama Buddha

Ever since The Force Awakens hit theaters in 2015 there has been a lot of speculation about the identity of Supreme Leader Snoke. To be fair, questions about Snoke’s identity began even before the film came out, but in the wake of the movie’s release the conversations about the First Order’s mysterious, Force-sensitive leader exploded. Just doing a simple Google search of “Snoke” will result in a trove of articles, videos, and podcasts attempting to identify/explain who Snoke may or may not be. With the next film, The Last Jedi, only months away, conjecture about Snoke will undoubtedly ramp up, and if his identity remains a secret beyond Episode VIII the cavalcade of Snoke theories will continue to pour onto the interwebs until Episode IX arrives.

Like others I too have my own theories and hypotheses about Supreme Leader Snoke, and while I won’t be putting each and every one to paper in any elaborate form, I never-the-less find myself constantly drawn back to my Snokie thoughts. Honestly, I just can’t help myself. Mystery breeds curiosity, it attracts me like a moth to a light, drawing me in and igniting my imagination. From there my imagination runs wild, my brain using the information available to me – information from the Star Wars movies, novels, comics, games, etc. – in hopes of figuring out something about Snoke’s mysterious identity. At times I return to the same theories my mind has conjured up, at other times I head down a different path, a new thought leading me on an imaginative journey which may center on Snoke’s disfigured face, or perhaps his connection to Kylo Ren, or his relationship with General Hux, or his statements about the Force/Jedi, and so forth.

snoke-2
Kylo Ren stands before Supreme Leader Snoke.
Photo Credit – Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Mystery breeds curiosity, and as the trove of Snoke-related articles/podcasts/videos prove, the mystery surrounding Supreme Leader Snoke has captivated Star Wars fans of all types. While I certainly haven’t sifted through every Snoke theory or hypothesis, I have dabbled in a handful that have crossed my path. Some theories have left me really intrigued, and I have incorporated ideas from these theories into my own musings. At other times I have found theories uninteresting or based on questionable Star Wars logic. Still, even in moments where I am not captivated or believe a Star Wars-related flaw exists in the theory, I can still appreciate that the theory means something to that person, that they put the time and effort into its construction. After all, it is hardly my place to trash someone for engaging in space fantasy inspired speculation, to tell someone their Snokie ideas suck simply because I might not agree or because I have my own theories. 

Yet, there has been a proclivity within elements of the Star Wars fan base to do just that, to tell people that their Snoke theories suck. The phrase “Your Snoke Theory Sucks” has become a spontaneous, uncritical and churlish way to throw shade on any theory that explores Snoke’s mysterious identity. Well, I am here to tell you this: if you have a Snoke theory, it absolutely does not suck. Is it possible that when Snoke’s history, background and identity are finally revealed that your theories, or my theories, end up being incorrect? Absolutely! The potential to be wrong is omnipresent, a reality that always exists when one engages in contemplative and abstract thought. But here is a little secret: when it comes to Star Wars, I don’t theorize because I think I am 100% right, I theorize because it is fun. And if you have fun theorizing about Snoke, or anything else in Star Wars, then I say keep it up. We all might end up being wrong, in fact we probably will be wrong, but who the hell cares? 

Check out this piece by Michael from My Comic Relief for an expanded take on the topic:

Really, Your Snoke Theory Doesn’t Suck

35 comments

  1. Creating your own fan theories or “head canon” is one of the joys of fandom. Even I’m guilty of it on occasion. ^_^

    That said, I really hope it turns out that Snoke is just Snoke and not someone we’ve met before in any form (no clones/reincarnations/characters we thought had died but didn’t). More importantly, I hope the writers do a good job of making him a compelling character as he was an utter snooze-fest in The Force Awakens…

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    1. The chance of him being a completely new character with no prior manifestation(s) is rather high and likely. I think there is a lot of room for him to be completely new and unique BUT still be tied in subtle ways to past events…perhaps very ancient events even. Time will tell, and who knows, perhaps even past Episode IX his identity will remain a mystery…

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      1. I like that idea of being tied with ancient events. What I don’t want is for him to be, say, Mace Windu (who survived what looked like a fatal fall) or a clone of Palpatine (Legends already did it).

        The writers have the freedom to really go to town with this so I hope we get something fresh and imaginative…especially given the fact that so many fans complained about The Force Awakens’ lack of imagination (personally, I enjoyed the film but I can see why people accuse it of being a rehash).

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      2. I have a strong feeling Snoke will surprise us in a really positive way. I think the powers-that-be know that he was a bit underutilized in TFA and they will, I am sure, expand his character in TLJ. I am particularly hoping that his identity and background actually play second fiddle to his interactions with Kylo Ren. I think the Snoke-Ren / Luke-Rey relationship will do a lot of interesting things to expand our understanding of the Force. I am looking forward to that.

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    1. I find it equally absurd that some individuals resist criticism so forcefully, as if their own ideas are somehow untouchable. Whenever we share our opinions and ideas – be they about SW, another universe we love, politics, etc. – those become ripe for analysis and critique. While I might have a theory or idea about Snoke, or something else in SW, if I share it with others I am inviting feedback, be it positive approval, negative critique, or just plain neutral. Any way is fine by me, and while I might not always engage in a one-on-one conversation with someone about my own thoughts, if they do provide a refrain I am receptive to it and will consider it. In fact, I have returned to previous posts I have written and changed aspects of them because people provided some thoughts I hadn’t considered before. Of course, there have been other times where I have disagreed with the feedback and haven’t changed anything. The point being that we should also be prepared and willing to hear the other side, even if, in the end, we still are firmly rooted to our beliefs when all is said and done.

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  3. You tease, what are your theories?!?!

    I *hope* he’s somehow related to the Brother of Mortis, but that’s too esoteric and would be weird to make sense of for regular movie-goers. I think he’s the ancient dark power Palpatine was looking for in deep space, simple as that…now what that ultimately means, I’ve no idea…

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    1. I actually have a theory in the works that I will be posting next week or the week after. I tend to shy away from the “clone of Palpatine” and “Mace Windu” theories only because they don’t interest me all that much. I do like thinking about the possibility that he is Plagueis (he totally isn’t, I just like to think about it) and am also intrigued by the Mortis connection, but only in the sense that I think Snoke knows about/has been to Mortis.

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      2. You know, a small part of me thinks they might go that route. I don’t want that, but it is a possibility that wouldn’t surprise me (even if it would make me face palm). But part of me, a larger part, also thinks they won’t go that route. If they were gonna do it, they really needed to keep the Ezra-Sith Holocron connection. I was actually really interested in that angle, the idea that Ezra was hiding something so dangerous, but then it just went away with very little explanation (other than Maul needing the item). I dunno, I just can’t get a read on Ezra at this point or how I am supposed to feel about him. Every time I think they will do something interesting with his character, they pull the rug out and make him whiny/lame again. Oish!

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      3. I think they’re trying to use him to “Bridger” the gap between RotS and ANH by making him a mix of Anakin’s “do whatever’s necessary for what you think is good” and Luke’s more “pure” goodness…as a result he ends up wishy-washy and hard to pin down. I know a lot of people love him, though, so I guess it works on some level. I absolutely don’t think he’ll end up being Snoke though, and actually prefer the Jar Jar theory to anything involving Ezra. As to whether the powers that be may orchestrate it that way, well, it’s certainly increase the demand for the Rebels series on Blueray…(I don’t really think they’ll do it, though…right?)

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      4. I am with ya, man. I think the intention with Bridger was to do just what you said, but it almost feels like from episode to episode they can’t figure out how Ezra should behave. I DO think they have a long-game for him, that they know how the show will end and what Ezra will be doing, but I just don’t get the sense that his character development is fluid (S1 did a good job, but 2 & 3 have been sporadic at times).

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      6. Which really isn’t much different than how this particular season has unfolded.

        Btw, totally unrelated to Snoke (not that we are really on topic anymore anyway) but what the hell do you think happened with Gregor and Wolffe? Am I the only one who thinks it is weird that Rex joined the Rebellion and those two are just doing…well, doing whatever the hell they are doing?

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      10. 1) We met Gregor on Abafar.
        2) Colonel Gascon references Malachor while on Abafar.
        3) Ezra finds ancient crossguard lightsaber on Malachor.
        4) Kylo Ren builds crossguard lightsaber based on the same ancient design dating to the Scourge of Malachor.
        5) Kylo Ren is Snoke’s apprentice.
        6) Gregor is obviously Snoke.

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  4. Yeah there was a lot of discussion about Snoke at my Star Wars party last weekend. Someone brought up the Mace Windu theory, which I think is horrible and ridiculous (yes I just threw some shade) and another brought up the Grand Inquisitor theory which I think is slightly less dubious.

    But it would kind of be refreshing to have him be someone that we don’t know yet. Imagine all the disappointment and wasted thought time though…

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    1. I have found myself intrigued by the Mace Windu is Snoke theories. I don’t think Snoke is actually Windu, but I find the idea of Windu surviving and being corrupted a fascinating idea. And I, too, have also been receptive to the Grand Inquisitor being Snoke, but I have moved away from that a bit only because I think the way he dies in Rebels S1 is so very powerful.

      Chances are he will be someone we don’t know, but with that I think there will be ways of tying Snoke to some other moments in SW in really interesting ways. I like the idea of Snoke being off to the side watching as events (in the PT and OT) unfold.

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      1. I think if it is someone we know, I hope that he is completely unrelated to Palpatine or Plagueis. I know those are the prevailing theories out there, but I hope desperately it’s not Plagueis because that detracts from Palpatine’s amazing work throughout the first 6 movies. I’m slightly more open to Snoke being Palpatine because that man was, again, amazing at what he did and how he manipulated the entire galaxy…but I’d rather not in the end because it’s kind of tiring and recycling the same main bad guy is almost as bad as having a huge machine planet that can blow up things…oh wait….

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      2. I really doubt it would be Palpatine or Plagueis (especially Plagueis). I agree with you, Palpatine besting Plagueis is a really important story, albeit one we only have through glimpses. I sometimes toy around with the idea that Plagueis somehow survived, but even if that was the case I don’t think they would have Snoke actually be Plagueis. Besides, even though I toy around with the idea I don’t actually believe Plagueis survived.

        And the whole Palpatine angle, which is more plausible, is one that is there but I sort of just ignore. Vader killing Grandpa Palps is such an important moment in ROTJ that undoing that just feels so so wrong.

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  5. Pingback: Really, Your Snoke Theory Doesn’t Suck – My Comic Relief

  6. After reading Michael’s follow-up piece for this over at My Comic Relief I just wanted to comment to you. I left him a rather lengthy comment about how this whole bashing of theories thing pisses me off. I feel that most who take the time and energy to dismantle another’s theory either don’t remember the past or are young enough to have all 3 of the original trilogy in their hands at one time. When I was a kid the years between movies were filled with nothing but theories, rumors, and imagination. That was how we lived and it was beautiful. Even after Jedi came out we still keep thinking and talking about “what happens next”. These were the days before 24/7 Star Wars coverage, comics (other than Marvel’s), or even novels (other than a few). It wasn’t until the ’90s when Dark Horse started filling in gaps, or the novels continued after Jedi, or Lucas began the prequels that Star Wars and it’s mythos were being boxed in and the word canon began being thrown around. But in the late ’70s and ’80s we had nothing but our imagination. Ever since Force Awakens was announced I felt like we returned to that wonderful time again. I’m talking to other people of all ages about possibilities, rumors, and theories and it takes me right back to being a kid again on the play ground. It’s a beautiful for humanity to use their imagination and it angers me to no end when others rip down another’s thought process. Ok, sure…you don’t have to like it or you may have other “facts” to interject but to be aggressive, hurtful, and tactless is petty and thug-like. It’s like if two people colored the same picture and used different shades of the same color. Is it really wrong?

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    1. Rob, thanks so much for the comment. I appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts.

      Something I have thought about a lot the past few days is that it is possible to disagree without being disagreeable. Because we each have an experience of Star Wars – or stories in other fantasy worlds – that are unique to ourselves we are naturally going to disagree at times. I love Thrawn but others do not; I adore Ahsoka but not as much as others; I am not a fan of Ezra but I know others love him; and so on and so forth. We all bring ourselves to the story in different ways, and in turn we leave the story having had an experience totally unto ourselves. Then, as is natural, we want to share that with others. Sometimes when we do we will connect on a deep level, at others we will have completely opposing ideas. But the unifying factor, at least in this case, is that both experiences came from Star Wars. THAT is what is key. THAT is all that should matter. We can agree, we can disagree, but the most critical thing we do is sharing ourselves while also listening to the other. Personally, I have no time for any approach that levels personal insults, that calls someone out uncritically by saying “your” idea sucks. The “sucks” part is disappointing, but the “your” part infuriates me. Whether it started as an inside joke among some, or just grew out of the ground into what it has become, I simply have no time for that. I have no time for that as an adult, as a professional, as a husband, as a sibling and a son, as a future parent, and especially as a human. I have no time for it and that is why I wrote this piece.

      Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and the continued support!

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      1. Eloquently put good sir. I agree in every way. I also think the power of the word “yours” in the venomous statement is what makes it the most hurtful. For some reason I am reminded of a famous George Carlin bit – and I paraphrase – ” my shit is stuff and your stuff is shit. Sorry for the crass language but I think it sums up how people view other’s possessions, views, and beliefs.

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      2. Sorry for the delay. Lots going on this week (and also had to deal with more trolls on Twitter over the “issue”). But I am completely with you 100%, the word “yours” is an automatic, all-encompassing signal to people that whatever they are presenting is worthless. And frankly, as I already said, I have zero time for that nonsense. As I said in my comment to Nancy, I want there to be compassionate and positive language, language that lifts people up and does not bring them down. A blanket phrase like this one – be it a joke or otherwise – has no place in a fan base that is built on the imaginations of children. If you want to tell me, an adult, that something I have created sucks, fine, do it to my face. But if you create a blanket term that could make a child feel insecure or feel bad then I will not put up with it. Period.

        On a separate note, albeit a related one, I was thinking about how people would feel if someone created a blanket phrase like “Your Star Wars Podcast Sucks” or “Your Star Wars Blog Sucks.” I wonder how THAT would go over with people who have come after me (and are now going after Mike for his piece defending mine).

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  7. After reading your original post, I had liked it, and started typing out something about Jar Jar but was called away from the computer by one of my kids and never finished it. So…had I written that my kids and I joke around that Jar Jar is secretly Snoke, some people would have ripped my comment apart? While none of us truly believe that theory, the idea that someone would criticize funny conversations my family has together, makes me mad. Fan theories and fan fiction should elevate fandom, not bring it down. Sorry that your well intentioned post received backlash- it’s the negative responses you got that sucked.

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    1. Yeah, it did stink and I am still having some Twitter trolls coming after me over it (all because they think I had a problem with some stickers. Seriously, stickers…facepalm).

      Anywho, on a positive note, of course Jar Jar isn’t Snoke but who cares! It is supposed to be fun and silly, and anything that detracts from the silliness is not okay in my book. I really worry about where we are as a society when we think it is okay to be openly insulting while insulating ourselves inside this logic that we are just “making a joke” or that people shouldn’t take things so seriously. But as an adult it is my responsibility to remind people that using rude/crude language has no place in our society openly (an uphill battle, for sure). I just wish there could be more compassionate engagement across the board, more acceptance and affirmation rather than denial and rancor.

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  8. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a person insults someone and then makes it even worse by claiming it was a joke. Our current presidential leadership isn’t a good example to the nation of how to act civilly or rationally. But that’s another (depressing) conversation…

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    1. Completely agree! People say things that are just plain mean and cruel, and then hide behind what they say by describing it as a joke, or that they hearer is being too sensitive/politically correct. Just look at the people who say blatantly racist things, are called on their racism, and then immediately say that THEY are not the racist, YOU are the racist for saying it is racist! They hide behind the idea that they can do no wrong because “the Other” is always at fault, that whatever “the Other” says is actually a reflection of “the Other” and not themselves. And the problem, in many cases, is that those people who throw around racist b.s. or who make crude jokes and so on also lack the conceptual understanding of what racism actually is, or how jokes are actually supposed to function. They create the definition they want to support how they feel and fortified by their assurance that they have the right definition, they in turn go on the offensive without a care in the world. They can do no wrong because they are already convinced that they are right.

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  9. I am hoping that in ‘The Last Jedi’ Snoke does not turn out to be Boba Fett, who curiously was not eaten by the Salacc! This is of course highely unlikely and he will probably turn out to be a completely character. (Ben Fastnedge)

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  10. Pingback: Making My Peace With The Force Awakens – My Comic Relief

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