Interesting theory among all of the others
My personal theory is Snoke is a sith holocron or some sort of stasis chamber corpse ghost and we're going to see him resurrected or possessing Kylo Ren. This doesn't negate the theory in the article but I think it could be a nice way to tie the old republic / Darth Bane rule-of-two stuff into the mainstream.
Forcible possession? That sounds hella Sith. I'd dig it. New big boss: Kysnoke Ren. Also now with 100% more mindwipe/subjugation/death of the boy who could have been the next Luke Skywalker.
Seems my reply earlier didn't post, so the brief version is: Expect next movie to focus on Kylo leading Knights of Ren and getting training from Snoke, then episode IX will surely parallel ROTJ and have Snoke as the big bad (hopefully as possession). May have this wrong but I think there was a legends comic with a Sith who wore this big heavy helmet that tortured him and broke down his will. He used it to convert / imprison a Jedi. I got that vibe from Kylos helmet as they made a point of showing how heavy it was several times in TFA, though maybe that was just as a metaphor for the burden he has for "what he has to do"?
I really like the possession angle, and think it would be a refreshing spin on the "sith master" archetype. I'm interested in seeing how big of a pushover the average Knight of Ren is, and how easy Rey starts carving through them relative to how fast she becomes perfect at doing things she shouldn't be able to do. SEE: Out "Millenium Falconing" Han, instant JedMaster ForcePersuasion ability on 2nd ever try with a violently opposed enemy on a blatantly overt suggestion infinitely contrary to the subject's personality, ability to best a dark Jedi with years of training from Luke Skywalker and some amount of training from an obvious Sith Lord, Besting of Pro Tie Fighter Pilots while flying the Milennium Falcon, a CUSTOM freighter with a nonstandard cockpit layout and tons of modifications on how it operates, when she is only ever established as using flight simulators and never a real flying situation... Take your pick. okay, endrant. Let's just say I'm already sick of MUH STRONG WOMYN Rey already.
I can't remember where I read it but there was a very compelling article about how Star Wars is a modern epic, so there's a natural power distinction between everyday folk and the godtier heroes and villians. Then there's the magical artifacts, like Luke's lightsabre, that can grant power and mean that even the common soldier can go toe to toe, see Finn. I just realised luke should still have his green lightsabre, I really want EP VIII to start with Luke and Rey in battle.
Whoa. Looking at the title of this thread I burst out laughing. But after reading the article I'm impressed with how well that would fit in. I feel like SUDDENLY A NEW SITH LORD OUT OF NOWHERE is a really tart way to get a new villain. And the fact that RotJ gave off the impression that the dark side of the force being routed only makes it more cringy if they just have them crawl out of the woodwork without a good explanation. It's just as bad as the "OH YOU EVADED ORDER 66 AND SURVIVED THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE EMPIRICAL RULE TOO? AND YOU ALSO CONVENIENTLY POP OUT IN FRINGE LORE WITHOUT HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE REBELLION AND THE BATTLE OF ENDOR/HOTH/YAVIN4? OH WELL SO HAVE I! THERE ARE ACTUALLY 4-500 JEDI JUST CHILLING ALL OVER THE PLACE!" I know its a very appetizing thought for a writer authoring lore on the fringe, but it still gets me every time. cough AHSOKA cough
I'm half-hoping he turns out to be a deformed Jar Jar. #DarthDarthBinks