Ch. 1 · The Strandcast Puppet

Supreme Leader Snoke.

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6

In the opening scene of The Force Awakens, a massive hologram projects across a dark throne room. This figure speaks with a deep, resonant voice that fills the chamber. He is Supreme Leader Snoke, the ruler of the First Order and master to Kylo Ren. Within the story's logic, he is not a natural being but a genetic strandcast clone created by Emperor Palpatine. His purpose was to serve as a proxy for the Sith Lord who had returned from death. Snoke remained hidden behind his scarred face and cavernous features until the final moments of the sequel trilogy. He manipulated events from the shadows while appearing to lead the resistance against the New Republic.

Evolving From Maquette To Screen

Principal photography began in early 2014 when Andy Serkis joined the production without knowing what his character would look like. J.J. Abrams challenged the visual effects team to create something entirely new during filming. Senior sculptor Ivan Manzella recalled that Snoke almost became a female at one point before the decision changed. The creative team took a maquette they liked and scaled it up into a full-size version made of plasteline. They did not want him to appear old and decrepit like Emperor Palpatine. Instead, they drew inspiration from Hammer House of Horror films and used Peter Cushing as a reference for the facial structure. This process continued through post-production where the appearance evolved significantly.

The Motion Capture Process

Andy Serkis secretly joined the project in February 2014 before his casting was announced on the 29th of April 2014. He utilized advanced performance-capture technology to bring the CGI character to life across three films. His previous work included playing Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot series and the titular gorilla in King Kong. Lupita Nyong'o noted that Serkis coached her on how to approach motion capture work with understanding. The actor described the scale of the character as one reason why prosthetics could not be used. Chief creature supervisor Neal Scanlan stated that the character is much better executed as a CGI figure due to his height and thin frame. Serkis returned to voice the role briefly in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.

The Apprentice's Betrayal

In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren brings Rey to Snoke who tortures her for information about Luke Skywalker. Snoke reveals he created a psychic bond between Ren and Rey as part of a plan to destroy Luke. He orders Ren to kill Rey but the apprentice turns the lightsaber against him instead. Ren cuts Snoke in half using the Force to end the master-apprentice relationship. This sudden death occurred at the hands of his own student during a confrontation in the throne room. Later, Ren declares himself the new Supreme Leader of the First Order while pinning the murder on Rey.

Gold Robes And Obsidian Rings

Costume designer Michael Kaplan gave Snoke gold robes to contrast with the red and black colors of the throne room. Director Rian Johnson intended the red motif to evoke curtains from The Wizard of Oz where the wizard hides behind fabric. The set was designed to look theatrical rather than utilitarian like Palpatine's lair. Conceptual designers drew inspiration from unused concept art depicting the Emperor's lava-based home under Coruscant. The gold ring Snoke wears is set with obsidian taken from Darth Vader's castle on Mustafar. Glyphs on the ring reference four philosophers Palpatine had statues of in his office from Attack of the Clones.

Mystery And Fan Backlash

Critics described the disfigured Snoke as a sepulchral horror or spectral demonic figure in reviews from 2015. Some viewers felt the character arc remained underdeveloped despite Serkis receiving an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Virtual Performance. Various fan theories claimed he was Darth Plagueis, Palpatine himself, or Ezra Bridger before the final reveal. Rian Johnson's decision to kill the character without further backstory drew criticism from many audiences. Forbes called the lack of exploration into his rise to power a gaping plot hole. Serkis acknowledged that fans found this mystery frustrating but suggested it offered opportunities for future stories.

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Common questions

Who is Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars?

Supreme Leader Snoke is the ruler of the First Order and master to Kylo Ren. He is a genetic strandcast clone created by Emperor Palpatine to serve as a proxy for the Sith Lord.

When was Andy Serkis cast as Supreme Leader Snoke?

Andy Serkis secretly joined the project in February 2014 before his casting was announced on the 29th of April 2014. He utilized advanced performance-capture technology to bring the CGI character to life across three films.

How did Supreme Leader Snoke die in The Last Jedi?

Kylo Ren cuts Snoke in half using the Force during a confrontation in the throne room. This sudden death occurred at the hands of his own student while Ren declared himself the new Supreme Leader of the First Order.

What inspired the design of Supreme Leader Snoke's appearance?

The creative team drew inspiration from Hammer House of Horror films and used Peter Cushing as a reference for the facial structure. They scaled up a maquette into a full-size version made of plasteline without making him appear old and decrepit like Emperor Palpatine.

Where does the gold ring worn by Supreme Leader Snoke come from?

The gold ring is set with obsidian taken from Darth Vader's castle on Mustafar. Glyphs on the ring reference four philosophers Palpatine had statues of in his office from Attack of the Clones.

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