Emperor Snoke
Played by Andy Serkis in motion-capture, Emperor Snoke is a terrifying figure. Seen only in projection, he is vast in form – towering over his apprentices General Hux and Kylo Ren during their audiences. His voice is a deep, resonating rumble, and his face is disfigured – particularly around the eyes – and semi-skeletal in nature. This unsettling visage is enhanced by the pale, ethereal appearance of the projection.
The true identity of Emperor Snoke remains a mystery, as does his real location. Some fans have speculated that he is, in fact, Darth Plagueis – the ancient Sith Lord who trained Emperor Palpatine, and whose quest for immortality was the subject of some discussion between Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker in the prequel film Revenge Of The Sith. If that is indeed the case, then the stage is set for an epic showdown, as the mythical Plagueis is arguably the most powerful being in existence – with the power to both destroy and resurrect life itself.
[zergpaid]As a character within The Force Awakens, Snoke can be seen continuing to manipulate Kylo Ren – tightening his hold on his apprentice as the young man allows doubts to creep into his mind. He can also be seen to be playing Ren and General Hux against each other – encouraging a sense of competition between them in order to maintain control and a desire to exhibit obedience.
His end-game and intentions are unclear however. While he allows General Hux to use Kylo Ren’s obsession with locating Luke Skywalker as an argument against him, the influential Snoke does little to discourage Ren’s efforts himself. This calls into question whether it is actually the corruption of Luke Skywalker that Snoke desires – as Palpatine did before him – and that the leader of The First Order still believes that having that Skywalker within the ranks of the organisation will guarantee perpetual power.
In this way, Snoke would indeed be creating a relationship with Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the image of the relationship between Palpatine and Vader. Unfortunately, in that instance, the relationship did not end very well.