The novelized version of The Last Jedi is living up to its promise of being the “extended edition.” While the book will officially release on March 6th, a few lucky Star Wars fans have landed advanced copies and have shared some of the most fascinating bits of information. One such revelation in the book is about Supreme Leader Snoke’s history and how he rose to power with the First Order.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Last Jedi Novel. Read at your own risk!
Quoting The Last Jedi novel, written by Jason Fry with assistance from Rian Johnson, Snoke was the surprise leader of the First Order. The last Imperial leadership comprising of Gallius Rax, Sloane, the political madman Ormes Apolin and Brendol Hux, who had survived past the Battle of Jakku didn’t see Snoke’s ascendance and were surprised when it happened. They were either killed by Snoke, or he got others to kill them, barring Hux who was used by Snoke as a tool and it is not as if he had planned to rise within the First Order, it happened by a stroke of fortune.
Emperor Palpatine had devised a contingency called ‘Operation Cinder’ which was aimed at the destruction of the empire after his death and to recreate it, in a stronger than ever manner. Snoke was aware of it and benefitted from it, with Darth Sidious being in the dark about Snoke being the one to take on the First Order, although the Force made him aware of Snoke before he died. Darth Sidious couldn’t figure out Snoke’s plans until it was too late.
Post the Battle of Jakku and Empire’s destruction, the First Order started amassing weapons and set up laboratories in the Unknown Regions and also in shipyards and storehouses. It can’t be said for sure when Snoke upped his game and took charge or whether he was in charge from the outset, but, The Last Jedi novel mentions that Snoke protected the First Order from a number of enemies. It is also revealed that Snoke discovered a lot of Force truths in the Unknown Regions which were supposedly “waiting to be found.” The book further mentions that Snoke had earlier met Luke Skywalker, but, it was not known whether Luke was aware of Snoke’s plans. Luke wanted to know more about the Jedi myth, and Snoke apparently respected his quest for truth.
It seems as if Snoke was also searching for his truth in the Force and wasn’t evil at all times. At a younger age, Snoke had learned that the “future is always in motion” and stated, “Be careful or die.” Snoke also realized that the Force visions happened to be “often incomplete.” Further, the book reveals that Snoke had initially wanted Rey as his apprentice and not for his power the way Emperor Palpatine had a need for Luke Skywalker. It is also disclosed that Snoke thought about killing Kylo Ren, despite his belief that Ben Solo was capable of great deeds. Overall, there is a great deal about Snoke which we didn’t know earlier, and it would help those fans who had become disappointed due to the absence of Snoke’s backstory in The Last Jedi. Go ahead and find out more about Snoke at Dork Side of the Force.
