Why Snoke Would Ve Been Better Than Palpatine In The Rise Of Skywalker

Okay, so let's chat about Star Wars for a sec. Specifically, The Rise of Skywalker. I know, I know, it was… a movie. And it wrapped up a saga that pretty much defined a generation (or two!). But as we all picked apart the ending, one thing kept bugging me: Snoke. Remember him? The creepy holographic guy who popped up in the new trilogy?

He was this big, shadowy figure, right? Built up to be this ultimate evil, the guy pulling the strings behind the First Order. And then… poof. Kylo Ren just casually stabs him. Kind of anticlimactic, wouldn't you say? It felt like a mic drop that was quickly followed by a tumbleweed rolling across the stage. And then, BAM, Palpatine’s back. Like an old relative you thought was out of town suddenly showing up at your doorstep with way too much luggage.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Palpatine is the OG evil emperor. He’s got history, he’s got that chilling cackle, he’s the guy who made the Death Star happen (twice!). He’s the ultimate bad guy. But was bringing him back the best way to end this new story? I’m not so sure. And honestly, I think Snoke, in his own weird, mysterious way, could have offered something way cooler.

The Mystery of Snoke

Think about it. Snoke was a total enigma. We knew next to nothing about him. Where did he come from? How did he get so powerful? What was his deal with the Sith? He was this giant question mark, a dark cloud looming over everything. And in storytelling, mystery can be a really powerful tool, right? It makes you lean in, makes you want to know more. It’s like a perfectly wrapped gift – you just have to see what’s inside.

Palpatine, on the other hand? We’ve seen his whole origin story. We know his playbook. He’s the familiar villain, the one you expect. While that’s comforting in a way, it doesn’t really surprise you. It’s like ordering your favorite pizza for the hundredth time. Delicious, sure, but not exactly groundbreaking.

Snoke, with his scarred face and booming voice, felt like a new threat. He was the next step in the evolution of evil for the galaxy. He wasn’t just rehashing old grudges. He was something fresh, something different. And that, to me, is way more exciting.

The Kylo Ren Connection

And then there’s the whole Kylo Ren situation. Snoke was his mentor, his “master.” He was the one who tempted Kylo to the dark side, whispered promises of power. That relationship, the manipulation, the psychological warfare – that’s some dark stuff. It’s like watching a really intense therapy session, but with lightsabers involved.

If Snoke had stuck around, imagine the drama! We could have seen Kylo Ren really wrestle with that influence. We could have explored the nuances of his turn, the genuine struggle between good and evil within him. Was he a victim? A willing participant? Snoke being there to push him, to torment him, would have made Kylo’s arc so much richer. It would have felt earned, you know? Not just a sudden flip-flop.

Instead, we got Palpatine. And while Palpatine is a master manipulator, his whole thing with Kylo felt a bit… tacked on. It was like, "Oh yeah, remember this guy? He's back to do the evil influencing thing again!" It lost some of that personal, twisted connection that Snoke offered.

The Potential for New Lore

Honestly, Snoke was a blank canvas. Think of all the cool new lore we could have explored! Was he a fallen Jedi? A forgotten Sith Lord? Did he have some connection to the Force that was totally outside the usual Jedi/Sith binary? The possibilities were endless! We could have gone down rabbit holes of ancient history, discovered new Force abilities, learned about cosmic forces we never even imagined.

It would have been like discovering a whole new continent on a map you thought you knew inside and out. Instead, we went back to the same old haunted house. Familiar, yes, but also a bit predictable. Palpatine’s story is already told. We know what he’s capable of. Snoke? He was a mystery box, and those are always the most fun to open.

Imagine Snoke revealing his true power, not just through holograms, but in a full-on confrontation. What would that have looked like? What abilities would he have unleashed? It could have been something truly awe-inspiring and terrifying, a true test for Rey and Finn and Poe. We wouldn’t have been comparing it to Emperor Palpatine’s past victories; it would have been a brand new benchmark of evil.

A Different Kind of Threat

Palpatine’s return, while iconic, also felt a little like a narrative shortcut. It was a way to tie everything back to the original trilogy, to give the fanservice a good old-fashioned shake. But it also, in a way, diminished the stakes that had been built up by Snoke and the First Order. They were presented as this new, terrifying force, a real successor to the Empire. And then, with a flick of a wrist, the ultimate old threat was back.

Snoke, on the other hand, offered a new kind of threat. He wasn’t just about galactic domination in the same way the Empire was. His motivations felt… different. More personal, perhaps? Or maybe more insidious? He was the architect of Kylo Ren’s downfall, the sculptor of a new generation of dark side users. That’s a chilling legacy all its own.

Having Snoke survive, or even have his return be more central, would have felt like a true evolution of the Star Wars saga. It would have shown that the galaxy could face new terrors, that the fight against the dark side wasn’t just about rehashing the same old battles. It would have been a bold step forward, a testament to the idea that new stories can be just as compelling as the old ones.

The "What If" Factor

Ultimately, it’s the "what if" factor that makes me think Snoke could have been the better choice. What if Snoke had survived that encounter with Kylo? What if he had revealed his true power and his motivations? We would have had a completely different ending, a potentially more surprising and impactful one. It’s like choosing to explore an uncharted island versus revisiting a place you’ve been a thousand times. Both can be enjoyable, but one definitely offers more adventure.

Palpatine’s return gave us closure in a way, a neat bow on the Skywalker saga. But Snoke? He offered potential. He offered mystery. He offered a chance for something truly new. And sometimes, in a galaxy far, far away, a little bit of the unknown can be the most exciting thing of all. Don’t you think?