If there’s one thing that we know about the Star Wars sequel movies, it’s that Snoke was a character that was barely used or explored as he was killed right in the middle of the events of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Of course, the one responsible for Snoke’s death was none other than his apprentice, Kylo Ren, who used a deceptive way to kill him. But why did Kylo Ren kill Snoke?
Kylo Ren killed Snoke because his master wanted him to kill Rey. He had already become attached to Rey due to their connection with the Force. That was why Kylo Ren needed to choose between Snoke and Rey, and he chose Rey because he understood that his master was only using him.
Kylo Ren killing Snoke was one of the biggest surprises of the sequel trilogy, as it looked like Snoke would be a threat on the Palpatine level. Nevertheless, Snoke’s death allowed the storyline to progress on Kylo Ren’s part, as he now stepped up to the plate as the new leader of the First Order. Now, let’s look at why Kylo killed his master.
Kylo Ren Had Feelings for Rey
Ever since Kylo Ren and Rey met during the events of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it was clear that there was some sort of romantic tension between them. It might be true that Kylo killed his father, Han Solo, who Rey saw as the father figure she never had. But Rey still thought that Kylo had some good in him. And when Snoke opened up a Force connection between them, they started to get to know each other more despite the clear animosity between them and their groups.
kylo ren and rey
Snoke allowed Kylo Ren and Rey to connect with one another so that Rey would seek him. That was when Rey decided to seek Kylo, as he believed he was not totally evil and only turned to the dark side due to Luke’s attempt to kill him years ago. And Rey thought Kylo’s redemption was the key to saving the galaxy.
Kylo was not about to return to the light side of the Force as he took Rey to Snoke, who could use the Force to pin her down and even disarm her. That was when Snoke ordered Kylo Ren to kill Rey as he saw a vision of him striking down his enemy. At that point, Kylo Ren was placed in a position that made it difficult to decide between his master and the only person still believing in him.
The enemy that Snoke thought Kylo was going to kill was actually himself. Kylo Ren used Rey’s lightsaber, which was right beside Snoke, and ignited it to kill his master. As such, it was clear that Kylo Ren chose Rey over Snoke because he had feelings for her. And he even asked Rey to join him as the new ruler of the First Order right after he killed Snoke.
Kylo Ren Knew That Snoke Was Only Using Him
As mentioned, the one that opened the two-way connection between Kylo Ren and Rey was Snoke. This connection already existed because Kylo and Rey were known as The Dyad. However, Snoke was the one that allowed this connection to become stronger when he used the Force to open up a pathway that allowed them to see each other through their innate connection. But neither Kylo Ren nor Rey was aware that Snoke was the one that opened this connection up.
After Kylo took Rey to Snoke, that was when the Supreme Leader of the First Order admitted that he was the one that established this connection between the two. He did it to draw Rey to them, as he believed that she would eventually seek Kylo Ren out. In a way, Snoke used Kylo to lure Rey to them.
Ever since he started working for Snoke, it was clear that Kylo Ren wasn’t exactly someone the Supreme Leader cared for. He was only using Kylo as a pawn to further his plans, as that was always the case when it came to the users of the dark side of the Force.
snoke attacks kylo
Snoke only used Kylo as the enforcer he needed to defeat the Resistance and kill Luke Skywalker because he knew he deeply hated his former Jedi Master. And through Kylo, Snoke had the opportunity to get to Rey and kill one of the biggest threats to his reign of terror.
When Kylo eventually understood that he was merely a pawn that Snoke was using the entire time, he decided to put matters into his own hands by killing the Supreme Leader. And by killing Snoke, he could ensure his place as the new Supreme Leader of the First Order.
Kylo Ren Completed His Training
One of the things that we know about the Sith is that there has always been a trend of apprentices killing their own masters. That was how the Sith Order survived for centuries, as the Rule of Two ensured that there would only be two Sith Lords at any point in time. And the apprentice almost always killed the master to become the new master to complete their training.
Palpatine vs. Snoke: Who Would Win in a Fight of the Dark Side?
While we don’t know that Kylo Ren wasn’t a Sith Lord because Snoke wasn’t a Sith Lord as well, we know that he was a practitioner of the dark side and followed some of the teachings of the Sith. To complete his training, he had to kill his master, who happened to be Snoke.
The fact that Kylo killed Snoke was a symbolic way of him completing his training as a user of the dark side of the Force. Of course, we know that he eventually redeemed himself to prove he had not fully turned to the dark side. But the act of killing Snoke allowed him to show that he was now ready to take on the mantle as the new master. And he did take this mantle by force when he became the new Supreme Leader of the First Order upon his master’s death.
