You know, when Star Wars: The Force Awakens first came out, I was pretty hyped. I had waited years for this, and when the film finally dropped, I couldn’t wait to dive into the new characters and see how they’d stack up against the old legends. But then came Snoke.
At first, I thought he was a joke. A big, weird, hologrammed villain that seemed like a placeholder for someone more interesting—like, seriously, who was this guy? I was underwhelmed. But, man, looking back now, I can’t believe I underestimated him. Let’s talk about how I went from thinking Snoke was the lamest of all Star Wars villains to realizing, in the most humbling way possible, just how wrong I was.
First Impressions: Is This Really the Big Bad?
Snoke’s debut was in The Force Awakens, and honestly, I remember thinking, “Who is this dude?” He looked like a cross between a deflated balloon and a burnt marshmallow—no offense. His face was all saggy skin, and those crazy eyes? I thought, “Okay, he’s just some Sith-like shadowy figure with a cool throne room.” Yeah, I didn’t get it at first.
There was no backstory, no depth, no “oh wow, this guy is dangerous” moment for me. He seemed like an afterthought, a faceless power behind the scenes. And the whole “big evil guy” who’s really just pulling the strings in the background? Classic trope, right? Honestly, I thought maybe he was just there to die in a future movie. Yeah, I know. It was a bit harsh.
Snoke’s powers were impressive, sure, but I didn’t see him as anything more than a tool to push Kylo Ren’s story forward. “Okay, so he’s a Sith Lord, big deal,” I thought. In my defense, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. A lot of people (probably) just shrugged him off.
Anyway, here’s the kicker: The Last Jedi rolled around, and Snoke’s role became… well, even more confusing.
The Plot Twist: Snoke Gets Burned—Literally
Fast forward to The Last Jedi. It’s the moment that totally threw me off. Kylo Ren, our angsty villain, turns on Snoke and kills him in what I can only describe as one of the most unexpected twists I’ve ever seen. I was shook, y’all. Like, no lie, I literally sat in the theater with my jaw on the floor for a solid minute.
Let’s pause here for a sec. I had spent the last year or so being like, “Snoke is dumb, he’s just some over-the-top villain in hologram form,” and then boom—he’s dead. Just like that. It felt like the rug was pulled out from under me. This wasn’t how I expected the Star Wars story to go.
Now, I’m no stranger to Star Wars plot twists (remember the whole “I am your father” thing?), but this one was different. Snoke’s death wasn’t just a shocking moment for Kylo Ren’s arc—it was a signal. He was never meant to be the Big Bad after all. He was… a stepping stone.
And that’s when I realized something: I had it all wrong. Snoke’s entire purpose wasn’t to be the ultimate villain; it was to be a catalyst for Kylo’s rise. The man (or whatever he was) was the dark shadow over Kylo Ren’s journey. In the end, Snoke wasn’t lame; he was a game-changer.
So, What Was Snoke All About, Really?
Okay, let’s rewind for a second. What was Snoke really about? I’ll admit, I had to take a minute and rethink everything I’d written off as “lame.” As it turns out, Snoke was a master of mind games.
- Snoke and Kylo Ren’s Relationship: Looking back, Snoke’s relationship with Kylo was way more than just “I’m the bad guy, and I want power.” It was a complex manipulation of Kylo’s emotions. Snoke didn’t just want Kylo to serve him—he wanted to break him down, to make him question his very identity.
It’s like when your best friend tells you that you can’t do something, and you start to believe them. Except Snoke wasn’t just some best friend, he was feeding Kylo all this fear and doubt. Honestly, that kind of emotional manipulation? Terrifying. I didn’t get that before. Now, I’m like, “Okay, Snoke. I see you.” - A Symbol of Power—And Its Downfall: Also, Snoke was not just some evil overlord. He symbolized the corrupting nature of absolute power. Like the way some CEOs think they can do no wrong—Snoke’s descent into control and manipulation was a cautionary tale of the Dark Side. His ego was so inflated that he thought he could control everything around him. But Kylo’s betrayal? That was the moment Snoke’s house of cards crumbled.
By the end of it, Snoke had outlived his usefulness as the traditional villain. He was, in essence, the old regime, the old way of thinking—manipulative, controlling, but ultimately fragile. His death paved the way for something different: Kylo Ren’s version of power.
Why I Regret Thinking Snoke Was Lame (And How You Should, Too)
Alright, here’s the thing: I regretted thinking Snoke was lame, like, almost immediately after The Last Jedi. I had spent so much time wondering why he wasn’t like Palpatine or Darth Vader. The truth is, Snoke wasn’t supposed to be those guys. He wasn’t a final boss or an iconic villain with a massive backstory.
- Snoke’s True Role: It turns out, Snoke was a tool. But not in the way I thought. He was a plot device meant to challenge Kylo Ren, to push him to the breaking point. Once that job was done, he was expendable. That realization made me respect Snoke a hell of a lot more.
- Subverting My Expectations: You know what? I think I was too caught up in expecting the same kind of villain we’ve seen over and over again. What The Last Jedi did—killing off Snoke in such an unexpected way—was actually brilliant. It flipped the script on us. And now, every time I watch The Force Awakens, I pick up on little details that show just how expertly Snoke played everyone around him.
Let me be real for a sec: My first instinct was to laugh off Snoke, but that laugh was premature. In the end, he was far more than just a puppet in a chair. He was a symbol of something larger—the lure of the Dark Side and how even the most powerful can fall prey to their own hubris.
The Snoke Legacy: What We Can Learn From Him
Here’s something I didn’t expect: Snoke’s impact didn’t end with his death. His influence lasted beyond his brief role in the trilogy. Kylo Ren’s struggle with the Dark Side was a direct result of Snoke’s manipulation. But here’s the twist: Kylo wasn’t just trying to break free from Snoke; he was trying to break free from everything Snoke represented. The past. The Sith. The chains that held him.
That’s kind of heavy, right?
Snoke’s story is also a reminder that not every villain needs to have a detailed backstory or a long reign of terror. Sometimes, a villain’s true purpose is to serve as a stepping stone for the hero’s journey. In Snoke’s case, he was there to push Kylo Ren to his breaking point, to make him face his inner demons and, eventually, to take control of his own destiny.
Conclusion: A Changed Perspective
So, yeah. I was wrong about Snoke. I thought he was a lame, placeholder villain, and boy was I wrong. He wasn’t just some power-hungry bad guy trying to take over the galaxy. He was a symbol. A master manipulator. A stepping stone. And honestly, that makes him one of the most intriguing characters in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
As for me? I’ll never forget the feeling of thinking I had him all figured out—and realizing that I didn’t.
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