Snoke: Behind the Hologram

Mysterious, manipulative, enigmatic and oddly ominous, the imagery of Snoke is nothing short of ambiguous. That being said, how much do we really know about the man behind the hologram?

“It is where you are from. What you are made of – The Dark Side and the Light. The finest sculptor cannot fashion a masterpiece from poor materials. He must have something pure, something strong, something unbreakable – with which to work.” – Snoke ‘The Force Awakens’

My first and overall impression of Supreme Leader Snoke was … well, unimpressive. For me, the character itself lacked, what the Emperor or even Vader managed to embody, trepidation. Again, this is just my personal opinion and in no way, do I mean any disrespect or discredit toward the film. But of course, this is only the first dose of what’s yet to come and my perspective could change after the second dose of Snoke, in Episode VIII. After all, what we get in The Force Awakens is just a holographic image of a being that is force-sensitive and skilled with the dark side – conniving and a reticent militant/activist. But his presence is lacking that … “oomph” that his predecessors personified.

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” – The Wizard ‘The Wizard of Oz’

I cannot help, when thinking of Snoke, to be reminded of this line from The Wizard of Oz where Toto unveils, literally, the Wizard to be nothing more than just an ordinary man, or in this case, a carnival magician. I wonder, will this be the fate of our, the viewers, unveiling of Snoke’s identity? Will it have that same notion or “Ah-Ha” revelation that this classic fairytale had on audiences back in 1939? If so, how would that be a bad thing? For it continues to do so, for each generation that has yet to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. So why not Star Wars too?

**Side note, do you think Snoke could be compensating for something by enlarging/elongating his holographic image? In addition, granted this is not canon (not anymore), the imagery of Snoke is vaguely reminiscent to James Luceno’s depiction of Darth Plagueis the Wise.**

Don’t snicker or roll your eyes, you may be surprised to know, that Star Wars has been compared to The Wizard of Oz for many, many years. And why not? The parsecs add up, don’t you think? Both Dorothy and Luke grow up on a farm. They meet someone wise, who tells them a little bit about their impending futures and then, each are sent on a quest or a journey of self exploration. But, I digress …

As for Snoke and the mystique factor, when all is said and done, will it be worth it? All the secrecy and the efforts to keep his identity on lockdown – I’m hopeful. His character is described as someone noteworthy, someone who has been around for a long time, who has witnessed the fall of the Republic and the Jedi Order, the rise and fall of the Empire, and now, the First Order and the Resistance. He is considered wise by Kylo Ren which is plausible, considering his lengthy existence, so, he would be vastly knowledgeable in many ways and in many things, not just in the force. And this, on a historical level of the galaxy far, far away … has captured most of my interest, where this character is concerned. Not to mention his physical features that clearly show just how ancient he really is. Weathered and tattered, it’s painfully obvious that there is history behind those scars and … endurance.

Makes me wonder, did he witness the discovery of the chosen one and his fall to the dark side? Was he close enough to know him or did he watch by the wayside? Did he know of the twins before they even knew of each other? If so, how did he remain anonymous for all these years? One thing is for sure, Leia certainly knew him and not just of him. Unfortunately, she was unable to evade her son’s destiny with the dark side of the force, but that’s a different blog for another time.

Until then,

The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins. It always wins because it is everywhere. It is in the wood that burns in your hearth, and in the kettle on the fire; it is under your chair and under your table and under the sheets on your bed. Walk in the midday sun, and the dark is with you, attached to the soles of your feet. The brightest light casts the darkest shadow. – Matthew Stover ‘Revenge of the Sith’ novelization

The Cantina Cast

The wretched hive your Jedi Master warned you about!

 

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