Not everybody needs to be related to everybody else. Snoke should just be a separate character. There's no reason to introduce any crazy time travel shenanigans. He's a guy who took advantage of the power vacuum left by the Emperor.
I agree. If both Rey and Finn are related to characters we already know then, along with Ren, things are starting to feel a little incestuous in terms of the storyline.
I know there's all sorts of speculation, but I'd really prefer Rey not be related to anyone either. The movie is called "The Force Awakens." I'd like to think that it's awakening in brand new people, not just in people who share a bloodline with Anakin Skywalker.
Although, if you accept that the core of Star Wars is that it's the story of the Skywalker family, then it makes sense Rey would be Luke's daughter.
I imagine this will be explored in the sequels, but I'm guessing Lor San Tekka was likely on Jakku at Luke's request to keep an on Rey, much like Ob-Wan did on Tatooine while Luke was growing up. Granted, Luke was left with family, maybe orphans are just unfortunately common on Jakku?
From what little we've seen of Snoke the word wantabe comes to mind. The First Order doesn't apear to have the resources of the Empire and I hope they don't have a second Starkiller base out there. I would be very surprised if the First Order survives this trilogy and if they don't we'll go though all of this again and again.
I saw an interesting thing on Facebook suggesting that Snoke is the S1 Inquisitor from Rebels. Their face is actually pretty similar (the explosion he fell into at the end of S1 deformed him and that's why the lines aren't there). Also, that he looks like the Son from the Clone Wars Mortis Trilogy.
Could be, but I don't think so. I'm calling more a Crazy Random Happenstance. Tekka probably was on the other side of the planet. Not remotely close to Rey. I'm trying to get information about that, so its not said with certainty. Rey was left with Unbar Plutt for a some of money and probably abandoned her not to long after the ship left. I doubt Luke would have left Rey with Plutt, if Tekka was on the planet. Obi-Wan left Luke with Uncle Owen because they were family. I doubt that Plutt is family.
Talking about it, my friend and I came to one conclusion, there must be something about his form/species that makes it impossible for a human to play him in costume. Most likely stature, size, body build, or something. Otherwise it seems odd for him to presented to us as a CGI creation when nothing about the appearance we see is beyond the reach of makeup effects.
In TFA soundtack, a title named SNOKE re-uses the same choral theme used in RotS when Palpatine is telling Anakin of Plaguis's and his attempts to preserve life with the Force. Before TFA, it seemed to me that same choral theme during that scene was part of the performance they were watching on stage... but now, it serves as (possibly) musical foreshadowing the eventual re-emergence of Plaguis as Snoke. If true - Brilliant, John Williams, simply brilliant! But yeah, Palpatine was trying to make Luke "strike me down" so that he could "become more powerful than you could ever imagine". Maybe the two of them became One - Plagitine or Palgueis = SNOKE That'd be a real twist on the always two of them, there are. Only now it would be in the best interest of them both not to assassinate the other.
My speculation is that Snoke is actually about two inches tall, and deals with everybody via the giant hologram to make himself seem larger than life, kind of like the Wizard of Oz. When he finally reveals himself for the ultimate showdown with the good guys, he will get accidentally smooshed by BB-8. Kor
While that tends to be my thought too, keep in mind we don't know what Luke's role will be. If it's just a Yoda-like role, than I think the need for another Skywalker is greater. If his role is more prominent, I think it's reasonable to say it can also be his story. I doubt it was the other side of the planet. BB-8 doesn't travel that fast.