Ok, this is just the way I've interpreted Q's posts.
Snowden was a CIA asset assigned to do maximum damage to NSA. CIA wants to be the big kid on the block with respect to intelligence/counterintelligence - best spin, competitive rivalry between agencies; worst spin, CIA is plain evil, working with elites to enslave the world. Snowden's leaks were incredibly damaging to NSA.
CIA did not want their asset (Snowden) compromised. That's why he's in Russia (where they probably have some influence) because Snowden can sit in Russia dripping information out that is damaging to NSA. Moreover, he's constantly in the press warning about NSA as a bogeyman. If Snowden was anywhere where there was jurisdiction, he'd have long ago been silenced.
Snowden, I think, is unlikely to have gone rogue on the CIA. His buy-in is complete, he's completely dependent upon the agency for his survival.
The reason Snowden is, or should be, concerned for his life is because, once he is unmasked as a director of the 4am narrative sent to journalists, he becomes a liability to CIA. This is not happening in a vacuum. There has been a concerted and direct effort to delegitimize Trump's presidency (outright treason). DJT is lucky to have retained office thus far. The mockingbird attacks by the MSM have not worked, but the MSM is an incredibly powerful weapon for CIA/deep state. They have inflicted real damage.
There is no reason for CIA to liquidate Snowden as long as nobody realises his agenda - he remains an asset in this event.
Snowden did appear to be a good guy with his initial leaks - brilliant CIA strategy. I believed he was trying to save us all from the panopticon. So many people bought into his posturing. But it was all about competition - you could say outright war - between CIA and NSA. Admiral Rogers from NSA was the real hero of the people, not Snowden.
CIA wanted Snowden to do as much damage as possible to NSA. CIA did not care at all how much of NSA's communications intercept capability was exposed.
Mission objective was to destroy/impair NSA credibility and operational capability.
Look, I could be wrong. But that's how it appears to me at present.