Now, when you’ve got one of the best Stormtroopers turned Resistance hero going up against a fallen Jedi turned Supreme Leader of the First Order, you know you’re in for one hell of a narrative ride.
In this article we lay out the narrative foil journey of the Sequel Trilgoy’s co-protagonist Finn and the central antagonist Kylo Ren. From their tension filled game of cat and mouse in TFA, to their thematic parallels in TLJ, and the hopeful rematch coming in Episode IX with the return of JJ Abrams! Thank you John and Adam, may the force be with you, and remember that this is only the beginning!
More Solo speculation and how it might tie into the Sequel Trilogy. Here we go!
Some Solo speculation from a few months ago and how it might tie into the Sequel Trilogy. Let’s see how we did!
Kylo Ren tells Rey her parents were ‘junk dealers’. Interestingly, Legends of Luke Skywalker suggests Luke was scavenging on Jakku in story #2. He personally later adds a second seat to an A-Wing.
While he may not have operated a business, he may well have worked with salvage he found in his travels to support himself. Kylo may have been telling the truth when he said her parents were junk dealers (Luke and her mother dealt in salvage) while embellishing the rest.
The Theory Post That Started it All...
Written by robotical712.
This was my first full theory regarding how Rey ended up on Jakku and what my full background theory evolved from. I posted this on the Star Wars Speculation subreddit on April 25, 2016:
I'm at a point where I feel confident that I've largely figured out what Rey's intended backstory is. I believe the only real coincidences are the Falcon(1) and BB-8 rolling directly into Rey (although this is almost certainly Force directed).
After RotJ, Luke spent some time searching for Jedi related artifacts and information. During his travels he fell in love and got married, resulting in a child (Rey). His wife assisted him in his research. At some point, Luke started looking for the First Jedi Temple, before he even set up the academy (temple, whatever). When Rey was about five, Luke or Rey's mother came across information that a map to the temple was on a crashed Imperial vessel on Jakku, and her mother (or whomever) went to investigate and brought Rey along. The obvious first step in locating the map was contacting the local salvage dealer, Unkar Plutt (since most of the recovered salvage went through him).
In all likelihood, Snoke learned of their intended trip and planned an ambush for them(2, 3). As the five year old granddaughter of the chosen one, Snoke's objective would most likely have been to kidnap and turn her to the darkside (with the added bonus of hurting Luke). Somehow, Rey's mother had a premonition or received warning of the impending attack, but only had enough time for one course of action. There was no time to hide or find help and her guardian left Rey with Unkar and flew off to draw their attackers from Rey. Alas, she was killed or sacrificed herself before she could call for help. This event turned out particularly tragic for young Force-Sensitive Rey; she felt her mother die.
There has been a lot of discussion about what Rey remembers and she states she doesn't know where she came from or how she ended up on Jakku in one of the books. Some have theorized a mindwipe, but I think there is good evidence for another explanation - she does remember and is doing her damnedest not to. Feeling her mother's death would have been horrific for five year old Rey and her reaction was to consciously suppress her own connection to the Force(4). To her father, Luke, and anyone else attuned to her, it would appear she died with her mother. Knowing her mother was dead and how she knew that was far too painful for Rey and she created and clung to a far more comforting fiction - her 'family' (which was a comforting abstraction) had accidentally left her behind and were coming back for her. This is why she was so anxious about leaving Jakku, because it risked forcing her to acknowledge what she already knew.
Her deepest fears came true when Rey had the Forceback and Maz told Rey she already knew the truth. These events punctured the belief that had kept her going, but also in a prison of her own making all these years. Understandably, this was a massive emotional blow to Rey and she instinctively rejected it and fled (the book even mentions she was running from herself). By the end of TFA she has accepted that she has been clinging to a fantasy, but I believe she has yet to really acknowledge she already knows what happened and who she is.
Notes: Years later, LST either learned of the map or followed the lead that brought Rey's mother to the planet and eventually succeeded in finding it (he had no idea she was there and may have never met her). 1) I don't think the Falcon has anything to do with Rey's backstory. Abrams simply wanted it to be the ship Rey and Finn escape on. 2) Snoke may have learned of Rey's mother's plans through an unwitting Ben. 3) Jakku was unaligned and could be directly accessed from the unknown regions, making it the perfect location for an ambush. 4) That she was consciously suppressing her connection to the Force is further supported by the fact her visions of the island came when she was on the verge of sleep. Edit: I don't think Snoke knew the map was on Jakku until LST found it. Edit 2: Plutt has no idea who she is and was not involved with the attackers. From his perspective, her mother suddenly panicked, left Rey there and never came back.
swshadowcouncil reblogged
THE LAST JEDI THEORY
okay guys I was watching the official trailer (AGAIN) and i had a flash
“when i found you i saw raw untamed power” remember how in some asian languages that “you” is marked feminine?
many think this is Snoke talking to Rey and i agree but WHAT IF HE’S ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT A LONG TIME AGO?
“when i found you” can’t mean “when Kylo Ren found you in the woods”
WHAT IF SNOKE HAD FOUND REY A LONG TIME AGO AND HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH REY BEING STUCK ON JAKKU?
everybody thinks Luke has something to do with it but what if it’s actually Snoke to have something to do with it?
thoughts?
We at the Shadow Council have long believed Snoke is directly responsible for Rey’s ‘abandonment’:
Descendants of the Chosen One, Rey and Jakku - robotical712
Sequel Trilogy Theory of Everything: Part 1 - HypersonicHarpist
We’re reaching the final week before The Last Jedi, and it’s evident that Mark can’t keep the secret behind Rey’s parentage for much longer. The latest article talking about Mark’s attempt at loopholes with Disney may shed light on his “personal backstory” for Luke.
A story of Luke being widowed and losing his daughter, with “creative liberties”. ;)
- Pale
swshadowcouncil reblogged
Was Rey Abducted from Tatooine?
There are several lines of thinking and circumstantial evidence that lead me to think Rey was indeed abducted from Tatooine:
- The VR tech demo Trials on Tatooine was co-written by Pablo and is loosely Canon. In it, Han is delivering supplies to Tatooine with the Falcon while you, an unnamed Jedi hopeful, wait. You immediately come under attack by Imperials. I think this is the fateful day Rey is abducted and the padawan is in fact Ben (explaining why he’s waiting for Han). The Empire was disbanded by this time and the stormtroopers and TIEs are probably standi-ns for the real attackers. Han making deliveries with the Falcon would also explain why Rey has always remembered it.
- SSN revealed we’d be revisiting Tatooine in the ST. They speculated that’s where Luke’s temple was, but it can be seen from the teaser that it definitely wasn’t on Tatooine.
- It explains why she thinks she’s been on Jakku as long as she can remember. Excepting the twin suns, it wouldn’t seem all that different from her true planet of origin. Any memory of twin suns would likely be dismissed as her imagination as she got older.
- Young Rey is already in what appears to be desert garb.
- Jakku was originally conceived as a swamp junkyard and then changed to a desert junkyard in pre-production. This would explain why.
- In terms of TLJ, it gives a strong opportunity for a rift between her and Luke. If she has a Forceback with Luke saying the “I’ll come back, sweetheart” line from the novelization on a desert planet, without showing the suns, it would lead her to believe he deliberately abandoned her.
Originally posted on the Shadow Council weblog.
*Whistles innocently*
swshadowcouncil reblogged
Evidently that’s a child being taken on the left side:
Now the obvious theory is the child is Kanan and this is some kind of prophesy. One might say too obvious, but who else could it be? It can’t be Ezra; he wasn’t taken by the Jedi.
It’s a crack theory right now and probably absurd, but I can’t help wonder if Ezra and Kanan are related.
swshadowcouncil reblogged
SkyMom
We came up a SkyMom story idea we reall like - SkyMom was the daughter of a fugitive Jedi Knight who was hunted down and killed by Darth Vader when she was young. She still harbors a deep grudge against Vader when she meets Luke.
What are some SkyMom ideas you like? (Aside from Mara Jade.)
swshadowcouncil reblogged
Sequel Trilogy Theory of Everything: Part 3 - The Last Jedi
For this post I have attempted to take images from the trailers and behind the scenes footage and put them in chronological order and interspersed the images with my plot prediction for the Last Jedi. (more…)
swshadowcouncil reblogged
Sequel Trilogy Theory of Everything: Part 3 - The Last Jedi
For this post I have attempted to take images from the trailers and behind the scenes footage and put them in chronological order and interspersed the images with my plot prediction for the Last Jedi. (more…)
swshadowcouncil reblogged
The Fall of Ben Solo
Written by robotical712.
Originally posted on the Star Wars Shadow Council weblog.
I would like to say up front that I don’t think JJ’s statement in the commentary that Rey and Kylo haven’t met before TFA should be taken absolutely. So please don’t reply as though I’m not aware of what he said. Second, it does make some leaps that aren’t predicated on any information we currently have. It’s based on where I think the ST is going thematically. This incorporates ideas developed in the previous three sections.
This is part of my full background theory:
- The Emperor and His Goals
- Secrets of the Emperor and Snoke
- Descendants of the Chosen One and Rey
- The Fall of Ben Solo (Today)
We have been given very little about Ben’s fall to the dark side. Based on the conversation between Han and Leia in TFA, it’s very likely the two knew Snoke personally. Leia’s statement that Snoke had been influencing Ben ‘from the beginning’ suggests the relationship started close to Ben’s birth. She further states Snoke knew he would be strong in the Force early on. For Snoke to target Ben so early, he must have somehow known Luke, Leia and Ben were the descendants of Anakin/Vader. This presents a problem, as the only people outside Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie to know of the Skywalker heritage were dead and we know the secret was kept until the events of Bloodline. We know Kenobi, Yoda and Bail never told anyone, which leaves the Emperor and Vader. Therefore, the probable way Snoke learned of the Skywalker heritage is through the Emperor. I posit above that Snoke was a secret apprentice and agent of the Emperor (1). As an apprentice and confidant, he would have been in a position to know the Emperor’s plans regarding the Force in general and the Skywalkers in particular. From there, it’s simply a matter of learning Leia was Luke’s sister to know Ben was Vader’s grandson. He is also the person the Emperor secretly selected as his successor in the event of his death.
In all likelihood, he infiltrated the Republic as a move to plant the seeds for the First Order within the nascent Republic and sabotage Luke, but once he learned Ben was Vader’s grandson, he likely refocused on Leia and her son. As the Emperor’s apprentice, Snoke would have known why the Chosen One and his bloodline were so important and it would prove invaluable if he could corrupt and recruit a descendant. As a child, Ben would have been especially susceptible to Snoke’s influence.
Snoke’s first goal would have been to emotionally isolate Ben while posing as his friend and mentor. Ben would have already been especially vulnerable due to his extreme Force Sensitivity. While secretly encouraging Ben’s exploration of his powers, Snoke would need to see to it that there was no one to give him the guidance he desperately needed. With Luke rarely around (and Snoke probably did what he could to keep him busy), the only other person who could give Ben real guidance was Leia. By subtly undermining Leia’s trust in herself and the Force, Snoke managed to make Leia forsake and even fear that part of her (2). His own mother’s fear and abandonment of the amazing power they both shared must have caused considerable confusion and distress for the young Ben. So, Ben befriended the only person who seemed to understand and encourage his gift. Snoke took full advantage of this and began to suggest that not only was Ben different, but superior. Ben’s father’s lack of sensitivity made him inferior and someone to be scorned. His mother had the gift, but was too emotionally weak to embrace it as she should.
At the same time as isolating him, Snoke would ensure he Ben had a front row seat to the chaos following the fall of the Empire. Even under the best of leadership, the New Republic would have struggled to fill the vacuum left by the defunct Empire and lawlessness would have been rampant. Indeed, much of Ben’s early life likely involved his parents running to extinguish one fire after another. All Snoke had to do was cultivate Ben’s resentment towards his family and his indignation at the ‘ineffective’ New Republic government. It would also take little effort to suggest Ben and his family not only had a right to rule, but a duty to. The fact his family was squandering its power and right to bring order would just breed further resentment.
Ben’s attitude and resultant behavior would have become more and more distressing to Leia who sensed something was wrong, but didn’t know what. She further worsened the situation by attempting to resolve it by herself, playing right into Snoke’s hands. After every intervention she tried failed, she finally made the desperate decision to send Ben to Luke. To Ben, it must have felt like abandonment.
Away from Snoke’s influence and with people who really understood what he had, Ben improved for a time. He became close to his uncle and even closer to his young cousin after she was born. For Snoke, it was a significant setback, but not an irrecoverable one.
At some point, Snoke somehow learned Luke had a daughter. He could not get close to her as he had Ben, so he waited for the right opportunity to abduct her. When that opportunity came, Snoke’s thugs succeed in kidnapping Rey and bring her to Jakku to turn her over to the First Order. The attempt ends in disaster and Rey is presumed to be killed (something happens which leads to her accidentally blocking her own connection to the Force). This incident is devastating for everyone involved. Luke is emotionally devastated and never fully recovers while Ben is left with overwhelming anger and guilt. His family has refused to do what needs to be done and now the chaos gripping the galaxy has taken one of its own. Ben is further angry at Luke’s refusal to use all options to find his daughter and seemingly abandoning his own family, but the most intense anger is aimed at himself for not being strong enough to save Rey. He resolves to become strong enough that he will never fail to protect those he loves again (3).
With the loss of his daughter and the revelation of a new dark power, Luke dedicates himself to rebuilding the Jedi Order to confront this new threat. As the sole heir to the Skywalker legacy, Luke becomes determined to shape Ben into the Jedi he needs to be. In applying such pressure on Ben, Luke loses sight of how Ben actually is rather than how Luke wants him to be. In the face of the wide rift that has formed between him and his uncle, Ben secretly reaches out to Snoke after this incident for guidance. This result was completely unexpected to Snoke and he takes full advantage of it. He carefully works to further undermine Ben and Luke’s bond and starts to hint at Ben’s true lineage and encourages him to embrace his ancestor’s goals.
At some point, Luke learns of Snoke and moves to confront him. Around this time, Ben learns that what Snoke had been telling him is true; he is the grandson of Darth Vader. That his own family would keep this from him completely destroys his trust in them and cements his belief Snoke is his only true friend.
When Ben and Luke find and confront Snoke, Ben is shocked to find the person Luke wants to destroy is the only true mentor and friend Ben ever had. While Snoke tries to defend himself against Luke, the Jedi Master easily overpowers him and inflicts severe injuries. Snoke is beaten and Luke prepares to strike the final blow, but is stunned as Ben intervenes. Caught off guard, Luke is driven off and Ben leaves with Snoke. Fully believing that Luke and his nascent order are the true enemy, Ben doesn’t hesitate when Snoke tells him to destroy Luke’s order. Luke manages to escape his temporary imprisonment, but arrives too late to stop Ben and finds his students dead.
Luke is left in shock as a Jedi’s attempt to destroy the darkness forever has led to the fall of a Skywalker a second time. Realizing that seeking to destroy the darkness only led to it growing stronger, Luke resolves to study how the Jedi and Sith came to be and find a way to break the cycle (he obviously learned something on Ahch-To that broke him completely). Ben, in the meantime, assumes the identity of Kylo Ren and resolves to destroy all traces of Ben Solo and become what he needs to be return order to a broken galaxy.
Notes: 1: In Clone Wars, Sidious abducts several Force-Sensitive children to turn them into Sith spies. He further states he envisions a network of loyal acolytes who use the Force to peer into any corner of the galaxy. In Rebels, one of the functions of the Inquisitors is to find and forcibly recruit Force Sensitives. It’s possible Snoke was tasked with overseeing the creation and operation of this network. 2: There is a notable difference in how Leia views the Force in Life Debt and Bloodline. In the former, she’s interested and actively exploring her connection. By the latter, she seems to view her connection with suspicion and abandoned any attempts at developing her abilities. 3: In his moment of vulnerability on the bridge in TFA, Kylo states he wants to stop the pain. I think this may be one of the things he’s referring to.
From last week.
swshadowcouncil reblogged
The Fall of Ben Solo
Written by robotical712.
Originally posted on the Star Wars Shadow Council weblog.
I would like to say up front that I don’t think JJ’s statement in the commentary that Rey and Kylo haven’t met before TFA should be taken absolutely. So please don’t reply as though I’m not aware of what he said. Second, it does make some leaps that aren’t predicated on any information we currently have. It’s based on where I think the ST is going thematically. This incorporates ideas developed in the previous three sections.
This is part of my full background theory:
- The Emperor and His Goals
- Secrets of the Emperor and Snoke
- Descendants of the Chosen One and Rey
- The Fall of Ben Solo (Today)
We have been given very little about Ben’s fall to the dark side. Based on the conversation between Han and Leia in TFA, it’s very likely the two knew Snoke personally. Leia’s statement that Snoke had been influencing Ben ‘from the beginning’ suggests the relationship started close to Ben’s birth. She further states Snoke knew he would be strong in the Force early on. For Snoke to target Ben so early, he must have somehow known Luke, Leia and Ben were the descendants of Anakin/Vader. This presents a problem, as the only people outside Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie to know of the Skywalker heritage were dead and we know the secret was kept until the events of Bloodline. We know Kenobi, Yoda and Bail never told anyone, which leaves the Emperor and Vader. Therefore, the probable way Snoke learned of the Skywalker heritage is through the Emperor. I posit above that Snoke was a secret apprentice and agent of the Emperor (1). As an apprentice and confidant, he would have been in a position to know the Emperor’s plans regarding the Force in general and the Skywalkers in particular. From there, it’s simply a matter of learning Leia was Luke’s sister to know Ben was Vader’s grandson. He is also the person the Emperor secretly selected as his successor in the event of his death.
In all likelihood, he infiltrated the Republic as a move to plant the seeds for the First Order within the nascent Republic and sabotage Luke, but once he learned Ben was Vader’s grandson, he likely refocused on Leia and her son. As the Emperor’s apprentice, Snoke would have known why the Chosen One and his bloodline were so important and it would prove invaluable if he could corrupt and recruit a descendant. As a child, Ben would have been especially susceptible to Snoke’s influence.
Snoke’s first goal would have been to emotionally isolate Ben while posing as his friend and mentor. Ben would have already been especially vulnerable due to his extreme Force Sensitivity. While secretly encouraging Ben’s exploration of his powers, Snoke would need to see to it that there was no one to give him the guidance he desperately needed. With Luke rarely around (and Snoke probably did what he could to keep him busy), the only other person who could give Ben real guidance was Leia. By subtly undermining Leia’s trust in herself and the Force, Snoke managed to make Leia forsake and even fear that part of her (2). His own mother’s fear and abandonment of the amazing power they both shared must have caused considerable confusion and distress for the young Ben. So, Ben befriended the only person who seemed to understand and encourage his gift. Snoke took full advantage of this and began to suggest that not only was Ben different, but superior. Ben’s father’s lack of sensitivity made him inferior and someone to be scorned. His mother had the gift, but was too emotionally weak to embrace it as she should.
At the same time as isolating him, Snoke would ensure he Ben had a front row seat to the chaos following the fall of the Empire. Even under the best of leadership, the New Republic would have struggled to fill the vacuum left by the defunct Empire and lawlessness would have been rampant. Indeed, much of Ben’s early life likely involved his parents running to extinguish one fire after another. All Snoke had to do was cultivate Ben’s resentment towards his family and his indignation at the ‘ineffective’ New Republic government. It would also take little effort to suggest Ben and his family not only had a right to rule, but a duty to. The fact his family was squandering its power and right to bring order would just breed further resentment.
Ben’s attitude and resultant behavior would have become more and more distressing to Leia who sensed something was wrong, but didn’t know what. She further worsened the situation by attempting to resolve it by herself, playing right into Snoke’s hands. After every intervention she tried failed, she finally made the desperate decision to send Ben to Luke. To Ben, it must have felt like abandonment.
Away from Snoke’s influence and with people who really understood what he had, Ben improved for a time. He became close to his uncle and even closer to his young cousin after she was born. For Snoke, it was a significant setback, but not an irrecoverable one.
At some point, Snoke somehow learned Luke had a daughter. He could not get close to her as he had Ben, so he waited for the right opportunity to abduct her. When that opportunity came, Snoke’s thugs succeed in kidnapping Rey and bring her to Jakku to turn her over to the First Order. The attempt ends in disaster and Rey is presumed to be killed (something happens which leads to her accidentally blocking her own connection to the Force). This incident is devastating for everyone involved. Luke is emotionally devastated and never fully recovers while Ben is left with overwhelming anger and guilt. His family has refused to do what needs to be done and now the chaos gripping the galaxy has taken one of its own. Ben is further angry at Luke’s refusal to use all options to find his daughter and seemingly abandoning his own family, but the most intense anger is aimed at himself for not being strong enough to save Rey. He resolves to become strong enough that he will never fail to protect those he loves again (3).
With the loss of his daughter and the revelation of a new dark power, Luke dedicates himself to rebuilding the Jedi Order to confront this new threat. As the sole heir to the Skywalker legacy, Luke becomes determined to shape Ben into the Jedi he needs to be. In applying such pressure on Ben, Luke loses sight of how Ben actually is rather than how Luke wants him to be. In the face of the wide rift that has formed between him and his uncle, Ben secretly reaches out to Snoke after this incident for guidance. This result was completely unexpected to Snoke and he takes full advantage of it. He carefully works to further undermine Ben and Luke’s bond and starts to hint at Ben’s true lineage and encourages him to embrace his ancestor’s goals.
At some point, Luke learns of Snoke and moves to confront him. Around this time, Ben learns that what Snoke had been telling him is true; he is the grandson of Darth Vader. That his own family would keep this from him completely destroys his trust in them and cements his belief Snoke is his only true friend.
When Ben and Luke find and confront Snoke, Ben is shocked to find the person Luke wants to destroy is the only true mentor and friend Ben ever had. While Snoke tries to defend himself against Luke, the Jedi Master easily overpowers him and inflicts severe injuries. Snoke is beaten and Luke prepares to strike the final blow, but is stunned as Ben intervenes. Caught off guard, Luke is driven off and Ben leaves with Snoke. Fully believing that Luke and his nascent order are the true enemy, Ben doesn’t hesitate when Snoke tells him to destroy Luke’s order. Luke manages to escape his temporary imprisonment, but arrives too late to stop Ben and finds his students dead.
Luke is left in shock as a Jedi’s attempt to destroy the darkness forever has led to the fall of a Skywalker a second time. Realizing that seeking to destroy the darkness only led to it growing stronger, Luke resolves to study how the Jedi and Sith came to be and find a way to break the cycle (he obviously learned something on Ahch-To that broke him completely). Ben, in the meantime, assumes the identity of Kylo Ren and resolves to destroy all traces of Ben Solo and become what he needs to be return order to a broken galaxy.
Notes: 1: In Clone Wars, Sidious abducts several Force-Sensitive children to turn them into Sith spies. He further states he envisions a network of loyal acolytes who use the Force to peer into any corner of the galaxy. In Rebels, one of the functions of the Inquisitors is to find and forcibly recruit Force Sensitives. It’s possible Snoke was tasked with overseeing the creation and operation of this network. 2: There is a notable difference in how Leia views the Force in Life Debt and Bloodline. In the former, she’s interested and actively exploring her connection. By the latter, she seems to view her connection with suspicion and abandoned any attempts at developing her abilities. 3: In his moment of vulnerability on the bridge in TFA, Kylo states he wants to stop the pain. I think this may be one of the things he’s referring to.
The Fall of Ben Solo
Written by robotical712.
Originally posted on the Star Wars Shadow Council weblog.
I would like to say up front that I don’t think JJ’s statement in the commentary that Rey and Kylo haven’t met before TFA should be taken absolutely. So please don’t reply as though I’m not aware of what he said. Second, it does make some leaps that aren’t predicated on any information we currently have. It’s based on where I think the ST is going thematically. This incorporates ideas developed in the previous three sections.
This is part of my full background theory:
- The Emperor and His Goals
- Secrets of the Emperor and Snoke
- Descendants of the Chosen One and Rey
- The Fall of Ben Solo (Today)
We have been given very little about Ben’s fall to the dark side. Based on the conversation between Han and Leia in TFA, it’s very likely the two knew Snoke personally. Leia’s statement that Snoke had been influencing Ben ‘from the beginning’ suggests the relationship started close to Ben’s birth. She further states Snoke knew he would be strong in the Force early on. For Snoke to target Ben so early, he must have somehow known Luke, Leia and Ben were the descendants of Anakin/Vader. This presents a problem, as the only people outside Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie to know of the Skywalker heritage were dead and we know the secret was kept until the events of Bloodline. We know Kenobi, Yoda and Bail never told anyone, which leaves the Emperor and Vader. Therefore, the probable way Snoke learned of the Skywalker heritage is through the Emperor. I posit above that Snoke was a secret apprentice and agent of the Emperor (1). As an apprentice and confidant, he would have been in a position to know the Emperor’s plans regarding the Force in general and the Skywalkers in particular. From there, it’s simply a matter of learning Leia was Luke’s sister to know Ben was Vader’s grandson. He is also the person the Emperor secretly selected as his successor in the event of his death.
In all likelihood, he infiltrated the Republic as a move to plant the seeds for the First Order within the nascent Republic and sabotage Luke, but once he learned Ben was Vader’s grandson, he likely refocused on Leia and her son. As the Emperor’s apprentice, Snoke would have known why the Chosen One and his bloodline were so important and it would prove invaluable if he could corrupt and recruit a descendant. As a child, Ben would have been especially susceptible to Snoke’s influence.
Snoke’s first goal would have been to emotionally isolate Ben while posing as his friend and mentor. Ben would have already been especially vulnerable due to his extreme Force Sensitivity. While secretly encouraging Ben’s exploration of his powers, Snoke would need to see to it that there was no one to give him the guidance he desperately needed. With Luke rarely around (and Snoke probably did what he could to keep him busy), the only other person who could give Ben real guidance was Leia. By subtly undermining Leia’s trust in herself and the Force, Snoke managed to make Leia forsake and even fear that part of her (2). His own mother’s fear and abandonment of the amazing power they both shared must have caused considerable confusion and distress for the young Ben. So, Ben befriended the only person who seemed to understand and encourage his gift. Snoke took full advantage of this and began to suggest that not only was Ben different, but superior. Ben’s father’s lack of sensitivity made him inferior and someone to be scorned. His mother had the gift, but was too emotionally weak to embrace it as she should.
At the same time as isolating him, Snoke would ensure he Ben had a front row seat to the chaos following the fall of the Empire. Even under the best of leadership, the New Republic would have struggled to fill the vacuum left by the defunct Empire and lawlessness would have been rampant. Indeed, much of Ben’s early life likely involved his parents running to extinguish one fire after another. All Snoke had to do was cultivate Ben’s resentment towards his family and his indignation at the ‘ineffective’ New Republic government. It would also take little effort to suggest Ben and his family not only had a right to rule, but a duty to. The fact his family was squandering its power and right to bring order would just breed further resentment.
Ben’s attitude and resultant behavior would have become more and more distressing to Leia who sensed something was wrong, but didn’t know what. She further worsened the situation by attempting to resolve it by herself, playing right into Snoke’s hands. After every intervention she tried failed, she finally made the desperate decision to send Ben to Luke. To Ben, it must have felt like abandonment.
Away from Snoke’s influence and with people who really understood what he had, Ben improved for a time. He became close to his uncle and even closer to his young cousin after she was born. For Snoke, it was a significant setback, but not an irrecoverable one.
At some point, Snoke somehow learned Luke had a daughter. He could not get close to her as he had Ben, so he waited for the right opportunity to abduct her. When that opportunity came, Snoke’s thugs succeed in kidnapping Rey and bring her to Jakku to turn her over to the First Order. The attempt ends in disaster and Rey is presumed to be killed (something happens which leads to her accidentally blocking her own connection to the Force). This incident is devastating for everyone involved. Luke is emotionally devastated and never fully recovers while Ben is left with overwhelming anger and guilt. His family has refused to do what needs to be done and now the chaos gripping the galaxy has taken one of its own. Ben is further angry at Luke’s refusal to use all options to find his daughter and seemingly abandoning his own family, but the most intense anger is aimed at himself for not being strong enough to save Rey. He resolves to become strong enough that he will never fail to protect those he loves again (3).
With the loss of his daughter and the revelation of a new dark power, Luke dedicates himself to rebuilding the Jedi Order to confront this new threat. As the sole heir to the Skywalker legacy, Luke becomes determined to shape Ben into the Jedi he needs to be. In applying such pressure on Ben, Luke loses sight of how Ben actually is rather than how Luke wants him to be. In the face of the wide rift that has formed between him and his uncle, Ben secretly reaches out to Snoke after this incident for guidance. This result was completely unexpected to Snoke and he takes full advantage of it. He carefully works to further undermine Ben and Luke’s bond and starts to hint at Ben’s true lineage and encourages him to embrace his ancestor’s goals.
At some point, Luke learns of Snoke and moves to confront him. Around this time, Ben learns that what Snoke had been telling him is true; he is the grandson of Darth Vader. That his own family would keep this from him completely destroys his trust in them and cements his belief Snoke is his only true friend.
When Ben and Luke find and confront Snoke, Ben is shocked to find the person Luke wants to destroy is the only true mentor and friend Ben ever had. While Snoke tries to defend himself against Luke, the Jedi Master easily overpowers him and inflicts severe injuries. Snoke is beaten and Luke prepares to strike the final blow, but is stunned as Ben intervenes. Caught off guard, Luke is driven off and Ben leaves with Snoke. Fully believing that Luke and his nascent order are the true enemy, Ben doesn’t hesitate when Snoke tells him to destroy Luke’s order. Luke manages to escape his temporary imprisonment, but arrives too late to stop Ben and finds his students dead.
Luke is left in shock as a Jedi’s attempt to destroy the darkness forever has led to the fall of a Skywalker a second time. Realizing that seeking to destroy the darkness only led to it growing stronger, Luke resolves to study how the Jedi and Sith came to be and find a way to break the cycle (he obviously learned something on Ahch-To that broke him completely). Ben, in the meantime, assumes the identity of Kylo Ren and resolves to destroy all traces of Ben Solo and become what he needs to be return order to a broken galaxy.
Notes: 1: In Clone Wars, Sidious abducts several Force-Sensitive children to turn them into Sith spies. He further states he envisions a network of loyal acolytes who use the Force to peer into any corner of the galaxy. In Rebels, one of the functions of the Inquisitors is to find and forcibly recruit Force Sensitives. It’s possible Snoke was tasked with overseeing the creation and operation of this network. 2: There is a notable difference in how Leia views the Force in Life Debt and Bloodline. In the former, she’s interested and actively exploring her connection. By the latter, she seems to view her connection with suspicion and abandoned any attempts at developing her abilities. 3: In his moment of vulnerability on the bridge in TFA, Kylo states he wants to stop the pain. I think this may be one of the things he’s referring to.
swshadowcouncil reblogged
Secrets of the Emperor and Snoke
Written by robotical712
Originally posted on the Shadow Council Weblog
In his quest for domination of the universe itself, the Emperor had many schemes and tools in play. The most visible and prominent was the Death Star. As his rule expanded, resistance inevitably arose which required his attention and delayed him from attaining true power. The Death Star was the answer to these distractions and its completion was to pacify the restive galactic populace so that he might direct his efforts towards more productive ends. It’s destruction was a devastating setback, but it was only one plan among many.
This is part of my full background theory:
- The Emperor and His Goals
- Secrets of the Emperor and Snoke (Today)
- Descendants of the Chosen One and Rey
The Hidden Empire
Previously, I laid out Emperor’s goal of using the dark presence as a means of accessing worlds far outside the realm of the galaxy. To conquer required more than just exploration and he quietly began establishing a staging area for his ships and men. Large amounts of resources were transferred into the unknown regions (including Kyber crystals, as revealed in the Rogue One Rebel Dossier) and the infrastructure of war took shape. The world of Jakku was intended to be a new throne-world, where he would direct his conquest of the rest of the universe. The essence on Jakku was to be corrupted and serve as a dark Force nexus to amplify his power.
This hidden empire served a second function: insurance. The Emperor considered it imperative that his goals be accomplished, with or without him and he plotted out a contingency. First, the Empire in the known galaxy was to be disposed of and only those most loyal to him were to be preserved. Second, the secret Empire was to form the nucleus of a resurgence and the eventual reconquest of the rest of the galaxy. The essence on Jakku was corrupted as planned and the research base fulfilled its purpose and was then destroyed before those chosen by Palpatine left the known galaxy. Death was only to be setback.
A Force Sensitive Army
In the Clone Wars episode Children of the Force, Darth Sidious has several Force Sensitive children kidnapped and brought to Mustafar. There Sidious intends to turn them into Sith spies to infiltrate the Jedi Order. At the same time he reveals a much longer term plan:
“I foresee an army of force talented spies in my service. Trained in the dark side to peer into every corner of the galaxy for me from afar; and my enemies will be helpless against such vision”
In that episode he is foiled by Anakin and Ahsoka, but his interest in Force sensitive children continues. In Ahsoka, the Sixth Brother travels to where there had been rumors of a Force sensitive human girl. The girl is able to hide and he ultimately leaves when hears of Ahsoka’s exploits elsewhere. In Rebels we see Inquisitors again attempting to kidnap Force sensitive children and are this time thwarted by Kanan and Ezra. Also in Rebels, Imperial academy instructors on Lothal are shown keeping an eye out for exceptional individuals who are referred to the Inquisitors. Each instance we see was thwarted, but the question is, what happened all the times someone wasn’t around to stop them? The answer is likely that these special children are kidnapped and trained to be agents of the Emperor and his Empire.
There are many functions a cadre of Force sensitive agents could perform:
- Palpatine’s vision above for an army of seers.
- Loyalty enforcers.
- Field agents.
- Exploring and researching Force related artifacts and locations.
We’re actually given a possible hint of the second in Lost Stars:
Her imagination conjured visions of psychological interrogations; they whispered that the questioners could sense the moment anyone began to turn traitor. Had they picked up on her doubt?
Gray, Claudia. Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Lost Stars (Kindle Locations 3842-3843). Disney Book Group. Kindle Edition.
The problem with a cadre of Force sensitives is they can each be extremely dangerous. Indeed, we see the Emperor’s paranoia reflected in the Inquisitors who are given limited training in the dark side. How then, to ensure loyalty? The answer is to find them young and completely indoctrinate them to serve the Emperor. The Inquisitors can fill the initial role of finding the first generation and be dispensed with once an initial capability is established (the Inquisitors are disbanded by the Battle of Yavin).
Snoke’s Role
The Emperor is a busy man and hardly the person to undertake the training of Force sensitive, establishing a second base of power or supervise the exploration of important sites or artifacts. Darth Vader, who is supposed to be plotting to take Emperor’s place, certainly can’t be trusted with any of that. Who, then, can be trusted? Only someone with knowledge of the Force who, like the cadre he trained and directed, was found at a young age and was to raised to devote his life to his ‘father’.
In many ways, Snoke would be Vader’s opposite. He served out of devotion to Palpatine and could be trusted with secrets and tasks others could not. Snoke knew what the Emperor’s intentions regarding the Unknown Regions, the chosen one and understood the many Force related artifacts in ways men like Yupe Tashu could not. Where Vader ran the military and was the public ‘face’, Snoke ran the part of the Empire that worked in the shadows.
While the Emperor intended to rule forever, he was a thorough schemer and made arrangements for his goals to be completed even if he could be the one to do it. He tasked an orphan boy by the name of Galli with seeing that the Empire did not survive its Emperor. At the same time, the Emperor ensured the seeds of a new Empire would be planted. Galli mistakenly believed he was to rule this new Empire, but he was only to prepare the throne for another – one who knew and was committed to the Emperor’s grandest plans. The Emperor had chosen a successor after all.
Notes:
1. The inquisitors are remarkably poorly trained if their purpose is to hunt Jedi. Ahsoka comments on it in her book and has few problems taking on two of them. This strongly suggests finding Jedi isn’t the real primary goal.