How do you interpret Snoke's existence?

I guess that’s an interesting question to ponder until it’s explained in some novel or comic (if they ever bother to explain it).

At the outset of TROS they show clones of Snoke in “growth tanks”. So he seems to be a composite clone for unspecified purposes. But it’s clear he was used as a puppet Darkside dictator.

It’s really tough to say whether he was an empty shell or not. The fact that he knew everything Palpatine could’ve possibly known is an argument in favor of him being an empty shell. And Palpatine tells Kylo that he’s been every voice inside of his head. And Snoke’s voice is included in that. But the thing that argues against it is I think it would be pretty difficult to do with a clone. They always have a measure of independent thought.

But I honestly don’t think that was the original plan for Snoke. I think he was originally intended to be a powerful Darksider who was not Sith. But he had special knowledge of all the events of the previous movies. And he was seizing on an opportunity to take over where Palpatine left off.

Unfortunately, despite Snoke being a refreshingly original creation by Abrams - I don’t think his backstory was ever really fleshed out. This was likely more of JJ Abrams notorious “mystery box”. A character with compelling questions he didn’t have answers to.

There was that ominous head wound on Snoke. That’s not something you would associate with an empty shell “puppet” (like, say, the Great Oz in the Wizard of Oz). There was probably some intention to make a story around that in the future. Something very important in Snoke’s past.

But Snoke has become a retcon hack job twice over.