Snoke's First Order in the Star Wars sequel trilogy could've theoretically taken direct inspiration from BioWare's acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic video game (including The Old Republic sequel MMO). Shortly after the fall of the Empire in the original Star Wars trilogy, specifically with the death of the Emperor in Return of the Jedi, the galaxy came together once again to form the New Republic, which was spearheaded by Mon Mothma, one of the Rebellion's first leaders.
But it didn't take long for the Empire - or, at least, the remnants of the fallen Empire - to resurge in the wake of the new galactic governing body. Once Mon Mothma declared all Imperial officials to be war criminals, they fled to the Unknown Regions (an area of uncharted territory beyond the Outer Rim) in order to escape prosecution. One of the reasons no one had traveled into the Unknown Regions is because of how difficult it is to navigate through the storm clusters (think: Solo: A Star Wars Story's Kessel Run). But the Imperials discovered a map on Jakku that allowed them to flee there through a series of small hyperspace jumps.
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Eventually, they returned to known space, ultimately annihilating the New Republic and bringing the Resistance down to its knees. Of course, there's more to the story, including how Snoke's unforeseen influence on rescuing the Empire's soldiers eventually led to his rise in power as the First Order's Supreme Leader. While it's been questioned how a seemingly crushed establishment could return to the fold with so much power - and so fast, for that matter - there are potential answers lying in the expansive backstory created in the Knights of the Old Republic game.
- This Page: The First Order & Snoke's Origins
- Next Page: First Order's True Origin Comes From KOTOR
How The First Order Became So Powerful So Fast
Early in the First Order's genesis, former Imperial commanders and officials used whatever knowledge and blueprints they had from their days in the Empire's military to breed a new armed force, one that was in vein of what the Empire's army (and Stormtrooper Corps, for that matter) was, but also somewhat removed from that ideology in order to be better. Combining their knowledge with technology from corrupt corporations, and establishing bases on the outskirts of the Outer Rim, the First Order was able to quickly rebuild the Empire's military might in just a few short years.
Sure, the First Order wasn't as galactically expansive as the Empire was in its heyday, but that didn't stop them from ultimately overcoming the New Republic. In addition to multiple successful operations, the First Order made a swift move towards victory over the New Republic by wiping out the Hosnian System in J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which included the galactic senate's headquarters on Hosnian Prime. And they did that by using their unmatched superweapon on Starkiller Base.
Since Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the first movie to introduce the First Order into canon as well as its Starkiller Base, there was a lot that remained unclear about its power and how it was able to harness dark energy and transform it into phantom energy to destroy planets on the other side of the galaxy almost instantaneously. While it's been explained that the First Order crafted Starkiller Base's superweapon by using old research from the Empire, perhaps a more logical and understandable reason is that it was Snoke's idea all along.
Snoke Became Supreme Leader Because Of His Influence (& Power)
It's revealed in Star Wars: The Last Jedi's visual dictionary that Snoke's Attendants were partly responsible for guiding the remaining Imperial officers into the Unknown Regions. Ever since then, he's had at least some amount of influence in their survival and rise as the First Order. But it all came to a head when he was named Supreme Leader. It took the First Order's leadership by surprise and not too much is known about how it all happened, but it's clear that his connection to the dark side of the Force was among the primary reasons for his ascension as Supreme Leader.
Related: Theory: Snoke IS Darth Plagueis (And Star Wars 9's Real Villain)
However, it's important to note that Snoke is not a Sith, but that doesn't mean he isn't well-versed in the ways of the dark side of the Force. Some of the powers that Snoke displayed in Star Wars: The Last Jedi were new to the Star Wars franchise, the key one being a play on Force Meld - particularly the ability to bridge two minds together from across the galaxy. That, coupled with the fact that he could perform abilities only previously displayed by Darth Sidious, means he was as (if not more) powerful than the Emperor in the eyes of the First Order.
Combining his knowledge of the dark side of the Force with his knowledge obtained from the Unknown Regions made him a strong candidate to lead the First Order. But what truly made the First Order a force to be reckoned with was Starkiller Base. If anyone knew how to draw power from a nearby star or planet, it would be Snoke. Looking beyond canon and into Star Wars Legends, particularly the Knights of the Old Republic video game, it's theoretically possible that Snoke obtained knowledge about the use of dark energy/phantom energy to power a superweapon like the one on Starkiller Base. Giving the First Order that much power would make him untouchable, too.
Page 2 of 2: First Order's True Origin Comes From KOTOR
The First Order's True Power Came From The Rakata
So far, it's known that Snoke is from the Unknown Regions of the Star Wars galaxy and that he's extremely powerful in the dark side of the Force. Taking that into account, as well as the foundation for the Starkiller Base superweapon, it's theoretically possible that Snoke learned everything he knows about the dark side of the Force from the Rakata, an ancient species from the Knights of the Old Republic video game who existed in the Unknown Regions and created the Star Forge - a space-based shipyard - which combined unique technology with dark side Force powers.
The Rakata were immensely powerful beings who managed to create a galactic empire that rivals that of Palpatine's. In Knights of the Old Republic, the Rakata were eventually defeated and the Star Forge destroyed, much of their teachings survived and were later discovered by canonical Sith beings like Darth Plagueis. Since the Rakata and the Star Forge aren't canon anymore (thanks to the 2014 Disney/Star Wars canon reboot), it's possible that they - or, at least, part of their teachings - could become canonized in Star Wars: Episode IX, which would explain where Snoke learned about the dark side of the Force, how he became so powerful without Sith teachings, and where the First Order's true power came from.
Snoke could've stumbled upon the Rakata's homeworld of Lehon and seen the remnants of the Star Forge. But rather than use the space station's ability to convert energy from a nearby star to create the ultimate spaceships, Snoke could've taken things a step further, based on what he saw the Empire do with the Death Star, and use the technology, as well as dark side Force powers, to harness the energy to destroy entire systems.
How Snoke's KOTOR Origin Could Become Star Wars Canon
Using the backstory established by BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic video game, Snoke's unique connection to the dark side of the Force and the First Order's quick rise to power, not to mention the creation of Starkiller Base, can all be explained by the Supreme Leader acquiring his knowledge from the Rakata, and then sharing that knowledge with his generals. Of course, the big problem here, again, is that Knights of the Old Republic isn't canon anymore. However, there's always a chance that could change down the line.
Related: Is Star Wars Finally Adapting Knights Of The Old Republic?
Over the past few years, Lucasfilm's Story Group has been slowly but surely reintroducing elements from Knights of the Old Republic back into canon. Sometimes those changes have come in the TV shows or comics, but occasionally in the movies as well. One of the most prominent and sudden inclusions of Knights of the Old Republic elements was when the Hammerhead Corvette was used in a key moment in Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sure, that's a far cry from giving someone like Supreme Leader Snoke an Old Republic backstory, but... baby steps.
Since there's only one more movie left in the Skywalker saga, the perfect opportunity to introduce the Rakata (possibly via flashbacks or through dialogue) would be in Star Wars: Episode IX. It would flesh out Snoke's backstory and allow the First Order to stand apart from the Empire, rather than continue on in its shadow. If that doesn't happen, then perhaps the Star Wars movies coming from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss can take on that responsibility. It's just too good of a story.
