[CaptainCrunch]

So some background into Snoke was given in the Visual Dictionary

https://www.cbr.com/last-jedi-visual...-snoke-origin/

Spoiler!

“Snoke’s retinue includes mute alien navigators who originated in the Unknown Regions,” reads the passage that appears beneath a photo of Snoke’s purple-robed attendants. “Were it not for the ancient hyperspace trails blazed by these towering servants, the Imperial survivors who fled into this uncharted realm would certainly have perished. These navigators designed and operated the oculus viewing scope in Snoke’s throne room.”
Admittedly, this isn’t a whole lot to go off of, but the fact that this excerpt mentions the Unknown Regions is of particular interest. After the fall of the Galactic Empire, former members of the Imperial Military convened in the Unknown Regions to plot their inevitable resurgence. Inspired by the Empire’s ideals, the group sought to overcome the flaws of their predecessors, and as such, they formed the First Order, which would eventually emerge in the known galaxy with Supreme Leader Snoke as its figurehead.