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SPECULATION Equal Parts Light and Dark

Discussion in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' started by robotical712, Sep 14, 2017.

  1. robotical712

    robotical712 Rebel Commander

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    One unknown I've been grappling with in my background theory is why Snoke would want Rey taken to Jakku in the first place. It obviously had to do with what the Emperor was so interested in there, but it wasn't clear beyond that.

    The most recent Vader comic has provided inspiration. In the comic, the Emperor has Vader go to Mustafar and use the Dark Side nexus located there to corrupt the Kyber crystal Vader had recently 'won'. What's particularly interesting about this nexus is it's analogous to what Rax did in Empire's End on Jakku with the planetary essence. By throwing Yupe and several Sith objects into it, the entire essence was corrupted - creating a massive dark side nexus. This nexus was powerful enough to tear the planet apart if left unchecked. However, there was a means of stopping it built into the observatory - suggesting destroying the planet wasn't the original plan (and probably never was) - creating a massive artificial dark-side nexus was.

    In Rey's Survival Guide there's a rumor that the Emperor had secretly built a throne room on Jakku to rule the rest of the galaxy. The means of corrupting the essence lends credence to this rumor as it would give the Emperor a massive source of power to tap into. However, given Jakku's location and the mapping device located there it's likely this was a means of accessing an even greater power - the power the Emperor sensed in the Unknown Regions:

    Aftermath Page 114.

    Empire's End

    Based on this, I conjecture the Emperor (and now Snoke) ultimately planned to use the corrupted essence on Jakku as a means of harnessing this dark power to achieve his goal of controlling reality itself. However, Tarkin suggests harnessing such power requires two people - the power has to be directed by one into the other. This is where the Chosen One and his descendants come in:

    Snoke demurred. "It is far more than that. It is where you are from. What you are made of. The dark side-and the light. The finest sculptor cannot fashion a masterpiece from poor materials. He must have something pure, something strong, something unbreakable, with which to work. I have-you." He paused, reminiscing.

    Using such power is extremely dangerous if it's not being channeled through a or into a medium with the right qualities - much like a Kyber crystal. The Skywalkers, being descended from the Force itself, are made of the right 'stuff' to do this properly - if shaped correctly. If this is correct, this is what the Emperor intended with Vader and Luke and Snoke with Ben. However, the need for proper shaping may not have been apparent. This is where Rey comes in.

    At the time Ben was born, Snoke was not in a position to risk detection by Luke and worked to subtlely corrupt the boy. This was a long term project with an uncertain payoff, so when a new opportunity presented itself - the birth of Luke's daughter - Snoke shifted his efforts to kidnapping her outright. After succeeding in grabbing her, Snoke wasted no time and had his agents bring her directly to Jakku. Snoke hoped she alone would be enough to properly channel or store the power and wanted to act before Luke could find her (as this was a rather dangerous experiment, it's likely one of Snoke's apprentices conducted it rather than Snoke himself). The process was incredibly traumatic for young Rey and she did something no one expected - she created a mental shield. For those present the result was possibly catastrophic. Much like an improperly faceted Kyber, the energy went everywhere - possibly killing or driving anyone in the vicinity insane. While Rey herself wasn't directly affected, her block had the side-effect of making it appear that she had died to anyone connected to her. A few of Snoke's agents survived to make it back and inform him of what happened.

    With one Skywalker child apparently lost to him, Snoke was forced to turn back to Ben. Further, he was also now aware that Ben had to be both willing and properly prepared for his plan to work.

    Notes:

    1) In the past, Jakku was once a living world. Given the anomolies in the Unknown Regions and Jakku's location, it's possible the essence was once used to stop something that threatened the galaxy. An unfortunate side-effect was life was scoured from the planet.

    2) I've previously discussed that the research facility's purpose was tied to the essence. It's possible it was researching using Force sensitives captured by the Inquisitors to channel the energy there. That the Empire defended the facility for a time before destroying it suggests there was some important work that could only be done after the essence was corrupted.

    3) There are other Observatories throughout the galaxy. It's possible others contain a borehole like the one on Jakku.

    4) Who's supposed to function as the 'bait' and who is the 'vessel' and what they even mean isn't clear.

    5) I'm well aware this is stretching the limits of what we know. This is conjectural and an attempt at making sense of the disparate pieces of information we have. It's meant to be a potential staring point.

    6) It's possible Snoke thought the process might corrupt her similar to making a Kyber 'bleed'.
     
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  2. TheBBP

    TheBBP Jedi Commander

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    Wow, that is some great info and speculation. I'm not sure if I have anything to add to it.
     
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  3. McDiarmid

    McDiarmid Force Sensitive

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    Just to add to this a canonized fact from Aftermath Life Debt, that Force should be understood as a river, or flow, and all things flow down that river.

    It is said however that Dark siders actually manage to use the Force for themselves. In this way they corrupt the Force by "catching" it to suite themselves taking from the" river of the Force".

    Like they are making a localized stagnating lakes of the Force .

    New concept of the Force.
     
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  4. TheBBP

    TheBBP Jedi Commander

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    Or as a dam harnessing the river and/or controlling/redirecting it's flow.
     
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  5. McDiarmid

    McDiarmid Force Sensitive

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    Exactly.
     
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  6. master_shaitan

    master_shaitan Jedi General

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    This makes a lot of sense...
    I'd be interested to hear your view on who Snoke is and where he came from?
     
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  7. McDiarmid

    McDiarmid Force Sensitive

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    .".... all living things. All are caught in the river of power that is the Force, trapped by its currents. Only those who wield the dark side of the Force are capable of changing those currents; they are riverbreakers. They do not surrender to fate. They are its foes"

    Chuck Wendig:Aftermath Empire's end.
     
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  8. robotical712

    robotical712 Rebel Commander

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    I lay out who I believe Snoke to be in my full background theory.

    That's actually just one interpretation of it. But it is a good way to describe it.
     
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  9. robotical712

    robotical712 Rebel Commander

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    Follow up post:
    After writing my post, it occurred to me the theory fits very well with the saga's examination of choice and gives a possible blueprint for how Snoke might be defeated.
    A little while ago, reddit user JoseyFish (aka JoJoPanelli) pointed out to some of us in conversation that 'Chosen One' could actually mean 'One Who Chooses' which fits with Kylo Ren having equal potential for light and dark, like the rest of his family. It's not so much that he's made of both, but he can choose one over the other. In my post from yesterday, Snoke needs him to channel the dark side directly to Snoke. The catch is Kylo must choose to do so (much as Anakin and Luke had to choose to join Sidious).
    This is in contrast to what Snoke attempted with Rey. He tried to force her into acting as a channel and the result was catastrophic (not unlike Vader physically thrown back after his first attempt to 'bleed' a Kyber failed). Snoke has learned he can't shortcut the process and must make sure Kylo is completely committed or risk his own destruction. Further, other Skywalkers pose a risk in that they can interrupt or distract Kylo by the connections they share. Thus is vitally important that Kylo is entirely alienated from his family.
    This is what brings us to IX. In my screenplay prediction for TLJ, Rey surrenders herself to Kylo who brings her to Snoke. Snoke will be very interested in the prospect of having two Skywalkers under his influence and particularly thrilled to have leverage over what he sees as the greatest threat to him - Luke. In any case, Rey will eventually make a different choice than Ben once made and turn away from Snoke. Feeling vulnerable, Snoke will likely move to achieve what Palpatine once sought - becoming a living god - using the power of the Chosen One's line. It's during the process that Rey must reach Kylo and convince him that there is another path. By doing so, Kylo can choose the light and, with Rey give Snoke all the power he wants - from the light side - ending in Snoke's destruction.
     
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  10. rak mal

    rak mal Clone

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    great info
     
  11. TheGreyandTheRed

    TheGreyandTheRed Rebel General

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    This info is fantastic and brilliantly researched. However.... And I don't mean to p*ss on your bonfire but I dont think this would make it into the movie. There'd be far too much exposition. Its too convoluted to explain in a movie where 90% of the viewers would have no idea what was being explained.
     
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  12. DarthPilkington

    DarthPilkington Rebel Official

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    i like the idea that the "Chosen One" could be interpreted as the "One Who Chooses."
     
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