Clone troopers, also known as Republic troopers, Republic troops, Republic soldiers, Regs, and nicknamed the "Boys in White," were highly trained soldiers in the Grand Army of the Republic. Representing the future of galactic warfare, clones were designed to be far superior to battle droids. During the last years of the Galactic Republic, clones formed the backbone of the Republic Military, which waged war against the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Clone Wars were named after the Republic's clone army, which became symbolic of the conflict that had spread throughout the galaxy after a millennium of peace.

Clone troopers were grown on the planet Kamino at the request of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, who commissioned the Kaminoans to build an army for the Republic. After Sifo Dyas' death, the project was taken over by the Sith. Clones were modeled on a human template, the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, although their genetic structure was modified to make them less independent and more docile than their progenitor. They were also designed to age at twice the rate of natural humans, accelerating their growth and making them ready for combat in a decade's time. As the Separatist Crisis gave way to open war, the Galactic Senate empowered Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine to call the clone troopers into action, leading to their debut on the battlefield of Geonosis. For three years, clones fought the Separatist droids on all fronts across the galaxy. They were loyal to their Jedi Generals and the Supreme Chancellor; though some clones questioned their service, leading to isolated cases of desertion and treason, most were proud to serve the Republic as it was the only life they had ever known.

Galactic history was forever changed by a hidden behavioral modification biochip implanted in every clone, which was part of the Sith's plot to destroy the Jedi. Chancellor Palpatine, discovered by the Jedi to be the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, as well as the reason behind the Clone Wars, branded the Jedi as the enemies of the state and issued Order 66, with the latter being a call for the annihilation of the Jedi Order. All across the galaxy, the clones turned against their generals, slaughtering them and storming the Jedi Temple on Coruscant under the stewardship of the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Sidious subsequently assumed absolute power as the self-proclaimed Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Clones initially served as Imperial stormtroopers in the New Order but were eventually replaced by human recruits and conscripts. Their armor, weapons, and training inspired generations of white-armored warriors, especially the First Order stormtroopers, who were also trained from early childhood to become super-soldiers.

History[]

Origin[]

Years before the Invasion of Naboo, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas came to believe that the galaxy would soon become engulfed by war. He therefore advocated for the creation of an army to ensure the defense of the Galactic Republic, but his views were ultimately rejected by his peers and he was cast out of the Jedi High Council. Undeterred by the lack of support from the other Jedi, Sifo-Dyas secretly contacted the Kaminoans^[9]—a species of experts in cloning, native to the planet Kamino^[3]—and commissioned them to create an army of clone soldiers for the Republic without authorization from either High Council or the Galactic Senate.^[9] Dyas personally met with the Kaminoan Prime Minister, Lama Su.^[10] However, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious learned of Dyas' order through unknown means.^[11]

The Sith apprentice Darth Tyranus, who was actually Sifo Dyas' friend and the former Jedi Master Dooku, later claimed Dyas had worked with him to create the clone army.^[12] Shortly afterward, Sifo-Dyas was killed by the Pyke Syndicate at the behest of the Sith, resulting in the Sith's takeover of the clone trooper project.^[9] Tyranus betrayed and orchestrated Sifo Dyas' death, and subsequently recruited the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett to become the genetic template of the clone army. Various modifications were made to the Fett genome so that the clones would grow faster and be more susceptible to following orders. Hyper-aggressive and volatile tendencies were tailored; the Kaminoans resorted to growth acceleration in order to create mature clones in half the time a human took to reach maturity. Fett's genetic structure was further modified to make the clones less independent and more docile than their template. However, the clones were also designed to be capable of creative thinking,^[3] making them far superior to battle droids.^[1] After being created on Kamino,^[13] some clones were secretly raised on Coruscant to become the shock troopers of the Coruscant Guard.^[10] Fett became a near-mythologized figure to his clones, who regarded him as their father figure.^[14] Fett himself, however, did not feel a sense of pride in his clones, instead seeing them as "livestock" made to be "cannon fodder." As such, he considered them to be the Kaminoans' creations instead of his.^[15]

Fett was paid a considerable amount of credits^[3] for allowing the Kaminoans to use his genetic material as the clone army's template;^[16] his only other demand was the creation of an unaltered clone of himself, which the Kaminoans found unusual but nevertheless obliged. Whereas the clone army was genetically modified for growth acceleration and enhanced docility,^[3] Alpha^[17] was an example of "pure genetic replication"^[3] and therefore possessed "pure, first generation Fett DNA."^[16] The only other clone like Alpha^[17] was an adolescent female known as Omega.^[18] Fett took Alpha to raise as his son, renaming the clone "Boba Fett."^[3] Omega remained in the custody of the Kaminoans and was serving as an aide^[18] of the Chief Medical Scientist^[19] Doctor Nala Se by the end of the Clone Wars.^[18] Like the rest of the Fett clones, they were regarded as Kaminoan property by Lama Su.^[20]

Although the Kaminoans believed that the army was meant to serve the Republic,^[3] the Sith intended to use the clone troopers as their secret weapon against the Jedi Order. The clone army's true purpose was to exterminate the Jedi,^[1] and to that end, an organic inhibitor chip was implanted into the brain of every clone trooper at the third stage of their development. Sifo-Dyas, who had originally thought of the chip, intended for it to be a safeguard against rogue Jedi, but following his death, Sidious and Tyranus retooled the chip to ensure the Jedi's destruction. Upon the activation of the retooled chip,^[21] the clones would be brainwashed^[22] into believing that Jedi were traitors to the Republic, forcing the clones to execute the Jedi. Tyranus, who posed as a Jedi, tricked the Kaminoans into believing Sifo Dyas' intention. One chip failed in the case of Tup, causing him to betray and kill a Jedi before the order was given. Officially, the chips were supposed to make the clones less aggressive and independent than Jango Fett.^[21] The significance of the inhibitor chip was supported by the assertion that a clone would become mentally unstable and dangerous to everyone around him if his chip was damaged or surgically removed.^[23] The chips were, in fact, created to compel the clone troopers to execute Order 66^[21][23]—a secret protocol that authorized the destruction of the Jedi Order.^[2]

Each clone trooper had an identifying code inserted in his left wrist. During the Clone Wars, the codes were linked to the file of every individual trooper in the Republic's military database. The files, which could be accessed by an astromech droid via the scanning of a clone's identifying code, contained the clones' designation, rank and overall service record, as well as any specialized training and the units that he was affiliated with.^[24] Most clones also shared their template's dark-brown eyes, black hair, and olive skin. While there were some genetic variations, most of these clones would ultimately remain confined to Kamino, being embarrassments or case studies.^[14] Only five clone anomalies remained by the end of the war, including Nala Se's assistant Omega, an enhanced female clone. The other four clones formed the original lineup of Clone Force 99. Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair were genetically enhanced clones who possessed unique combat skills, setting them apart from the standard "reg" clone troopers as well as each other.^[18]

The term "generation one" designated the first group of clones who were created from^[25] the Jango Fett genotype,^[21] including Clone Captain Rex^[25] of the 501st Legion^[26] and Clone Sergeant Slick.^[27] Rex's service in the Clone Wars came to make him a legend amongst the troopers, with the captain eventually being regarded as the hero of the clone army.^[28] The first two-hundred thousand units were ready a decade after Sifo-Dyas commissioned the creation of the clone army. In addition to the first units, a million clones were being developed^[3] in the facilities spread across Kamino^[29] at the time of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi's arrival.^[3]

Kenobi discovered the clone project on Kamino and duly informed the Jedi High Council. By then, the galaxy was on the verge of a civil war between the Republic and a secessionist movement that ultimately formed the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Since the Jedi lacked sufficient manpower to guard the entire Republic, the Senate resolved to grant emergency powers to the executive branch. As a result, the clone troopers were formally organized into the Grand Army of the Republic by Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine^[3]—the elected leader of the Senate^[2] and public persona of Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith.^[30] With war imminent, Grand Master Yoda traveled to Kamino to personally inspect the clone army while Jedi Master Mace Windu led the vanguard against the Separatists on Geonosis.^[3]

Clone Wars[]

Soldiers of the Republic[]

Clone troopers were deployed into battle for the first time on the planet Geonosis, where twelve Acclamator-class assault ships supplied by Kamino were loaded with two battle armies,^[14] or 192,000 troops.^[29] Under the leadership of the Jedi, the Grand Army of the Republic forced the Separatist Droid Army into full retreat and consequently won the first battle of the Clone Wars.^[2] Clone production on Kamino continued during the war due to the Republic's need for more soldiers.^[31] In the wake of the Republic victory on Geonosis, Count Dooku—the alter ego of Darth Tyranus—rallied a growing number of dissenting worlds to the Separatist cause, further dividing the Republic and forcing the clone troopers to fight the war on all fronts across the galaxy.^[32]

Throughout the conflict, clone troopers continuously demonstrated extreme loyalty to the Galactic Republic, especially their Jedi Generals and the Supreme Chancellor.^[1] The clones developed signs of individuality quickly, with the soldiers already showing themselves to be unique people during the first weeks of the conflict. Despite the Kaminoans claiming it would hamper their effectiveness, Jedi General Plo Koon realized that the clones worked better as a unit when they were able to live out their individuality.^[31] Clones were expected by their brethren to be obedient to the chain of command, believing that their compliance reflected their commitment to the Republic. The Advanced Recon Commando Fives supported the system,^[33] and was driven by his sense of duty^[23] as a loyal soldier of the Republic.^[34]

Fives also believed that clone troopers were not disposable "numbers" and as such he opposed complying with orders that he considered to be wrong, although Captain Rex maintained that a soldier should obey his commanding officer if he supported the system that they fought for.^[33] However, by the end of the bloody Umbara Campaign, Rex agreed with Fives, feeling that clones sometimes needed to disobey their orders in order to do what was right.^[34] While the clones were conditioned to be absolutely obedient,^[3] every clone developed his own unique identity. Insufficient or rushed field care led some clone veterans to have deep, physical scars. These soldiers wore their scars with pride, and some refused rehabilitative treatment to remove them.^[35]

The distinction between each clone ranged from loyal units,^[1] such as Clone Commander Cody^[36] and Captain Rex,^[26] to a minority of clones who proved to be disloyal or uncommitted to the Republic's cause, such as Sergeant Slick. Regarding service as slavery, Slick betrayed the Republic by accepting bribes from the Separatists and was therefore arrested as a traitor by the Grand Army.^[37]

Another clone trooper displayed aberrant behavior by deserting the Grand Army and becoming a farmer under the name Cut Lawquane, joining a family on the planet Saleucami.^[38] Another clone deserter, Muzzle, became head of the Aurodium Sword mercenary group. Through it, the clone continued to work with the Republic in a way, as the Aurodium Sword often took jobs as a security deal for Republic-aligned corporate personnel.^[35] Another clone deserted the military and took up a life that led them to a forest, where they wielded a rifle.^[39] For the most part, however, the clones found pride in their purpose as soldiers, and many continued to sacrifice their lives for the Republic as the war wore on.^[1]

Many of the clones that remained loyal throughout their service looked down on their brothers that had deserted, thinking them to be cowards or traitors. However, there were clones that were able to redeem themselves and willingly re-enter the ranks alongside their brothers. When a squad of deserters were given the opportunity to leave the army after completing one last mission together, the group came together and decided to remain in the army with their brothers.^[40] Alternatively, Rex decided against bringing Lawquane back to the Republic when they met face-to-face during the Battle of Saleucami^[38] in 21 BBY.^[41] While he admitted it was supposed to be his duty to bring Lawquane in, he had fought beside the deserter and realized he was no coward, instead realizing that Lawquane was a man driven by a devotion to his family instead of the Republic.^[38] As such, Rex kept the secret of Lawquane's desertion to himself for the entire war.^[42]

In addition to fighting alongside the Jedi and each other, the clone troopers viewed each other as brothers.^[37] While admirable, this quality could keep them from seeing the bigger picture and make them willfully ignorant of the Republic's politics,^[35] but such a feeling also made the clones family to each other,^[37][43] with troopers even using the word when talking to a fellow clone they had never met before.^[44] To show her that she belonged among them, the clones who served alongside a trans female clone gave her the name Sister.^[31] Troopers also tended to see their barracks or starships as places of work.^[14] In addition, the clones viewed Kamino as their homeworld. During the Battle of Kamino, the clones fought bravely to prevent the Separatists from destroying the clone hatcheries as well as the remaining supply of their donor's genetic material. Their efforts resulted in a Republic victory, ensuring the continued production of clone troopers for the duration of the Clone Wars.^[7]

As the Clone Wars dragged on, the stress of combat and high casualties caused cracks and strains among the ranks of the clone soldiers. Personality quirks, once considered harmless or even essential to their mental development, began to express themselves in extreme and polarizing ways. Each unit created their own rituals, small ways to identify squad mates, those from the same company, and veterans of specific campaigns. A soldier that talked about "cracking that crystal" identified themselves as a veteran of Christophsis and the assault on Crystal City, while an officer calling targets "bugs" revealed he fought in the hives on Geonosis. While many clones respected a soldier with a different background, some felt separated by time, space, and the unique aspects of their struggle.^[35]

Though the vast majority of clones remained loyal to the Republic over the course of the three-year conflict, as time progressed a small number began to question their strict obedience. Naïve new clones found themselves fighting alongside veterans with years of combat experience that included the deaths of comrades, objectives gained and failed, and the often-ineffectual civilian Republic leadership. Consequently, some veterans developed a skepticism of Republic bureaucracy that shocked even the most cynical of rookie clones. Unlike most natural species where youth questioned their elders, it was the older clones of the Grand Army of the Republic who found themselves questioning their values and traditions. These clones still found comfort in the company of their brothers, but life no longer seemed as cut and dried to them.^[35]

Many clones realized that they were not held in high regard among the Republic and were treated as expendable soldiers who did not have personal feelings. This would help clones grow closer to each other and those who went against this convention, notably Jedi Generals Plo Koon^[45] and Obi-Wan Kenobi.^[46] Although a divide of sorts existed between clones and Jedi, which was widened in the aftermath of General Pong Krell's massacre of clone troopers during the Umbara Campaign,^[47] clones remained very loyal to their leaders and generally considered them to be among their closest friends.^[23] Indeed, the troops were known to form friendships with their Jedi officers,^[48] especially those that demonstrated loyalty back to them. Among the Jedi who were highly respected was Padawan Ahsoka Tano,^[49] who believed all clones sounded different despite their genetic sameness; Yoda told her that was because she took the time needed to actually listen to them.^[44] Yoda also saw the clones as individuals, seeing that every trooper was different in the Force.^[50]

Public image[]

Throughout the Clone Wars, clone troopers featured prominently in propaganda sponsored by both the Republic and Separatist media. The populist organization known as the Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) portrayed clones as the public face of the Republic's war effort, resulting in the publication of patriotic artwork such as Unite and Support the Boys in White. The posters expressed patriotism and civic duty to the citizens of the Republic. Part of a large outreach campaign, clone troopers became the symbol of the war effort, largely replacing the Jedi of previous years. Projecting strength and unity, they reminded citizens that their sacrifices were funding peace through military might.^[51] Action figures of the clones were sold for children.^[52]

With there being significant debate amongst the public about the morality of sending living beings against an army of droids at the start of the war,^[31] COMPOR's messages were intended to ingrain the image of the clone trooper as brave soldiers risking all for freedom, democracy and the Republic. Although COMPOR also wanted to use the Jedi Order as a tool for propaganda, Chancellor Palpatine advised against this course of action, citing sympathy for the Jedi's reluctant acceptance of their new role during wartime. As a result, very few examples of pro-Jedi messages exist as COMPOR devoted their full attention to promoting support for the clone troopers as well as loyalty to the Republic and, in particular, Chancellor Palpatine.^[51]

By contrast, the Confederacy of Independent Systems decried the clone army as a biological abomination—an inhumane practice in which weaponized embryos were carried to artificial term and turned into disposable killing machines. The Separatist cause was, therefore, portrayed as the more "humane" approach due to the Confederacy's use of battle droids.^[51] In some way, this dehumanizing sentiment was shared in the Republic. Under Republic law, clone troopers were property of the Galactic Republic. However, Nala Se took the position that the clones were Kaminoan property, as they had been created in the laboratories of Kamino.^[21] Senator Christo of the Galactic Senate considered the clones disposable, supported increasing the cloning production, and rationalized their deaths as the fulfillment of their purpose.^[53]

Galactic citizens could also be unaware of the friendships that could grow between clones and Jedi; farmer Kaeden Larte believed clones only followed Jedi like Ahsoka Tano because they were superior officers, unaware of how^[44] Jedi like Tano had truly earned the troopers' respect.^[49] As the war carried on, more Republic citizens became disillusioned with the seemingly endless conflict, allowing Separatist and antiwar propaganda to take root in the Republic's territory. Widespread discontent began to erode the clones' public image despite COMPOR's efforts; even their civilian-coined nickname "Boys in White" backfired as antiwar activists pointed to the fact that the clones were barely thirteen years old by the third year of the Clone Wars.^[51]

Order 66[]

Sith conspiracy[]

Near the end of the war, Order 66 was nearly discovered by the Jedi. Tup was a clone trooper in the 501st Legion who became mentally unstable when his inhibitor chip malfunctioned during the Battle of Ringo Vinda, causing him to betray and kill Jedi General Tiplar.^[54] This premature execution of Order 66 resulted in an investigation by the Republic, the Jedi, and the Kaminoans. The Sith also took an interest in the matter; Count Dooku—whom Lama Su and Nala Se knew only as "Tyranus," their secret benefactor—instructed the Kaminoans to prevent the Jedi from discovering the true purpose of the inhibitor chips.^[19] Tyranus was also disturbed by the degree of individuality that the clones displayed in spite of their psychological conditioning; Nala Se believed that the Jedi were responsible for encouraging greater creative thinking in the clones. Nevertheless, she was certain that, with the exception of Tup's damaged chip, the rest of the chips would function according to their design.^[21]

During the investigation, the ARC trooper Fives became increasingly convinced that the inhibitor chip was part of a conspiracy against the Republic and the Jedi.^[19][21] Against Nala Se's advice, he was allowed to plead his case to Chancellor Palpatine. However, their meeting led the ARC trooper to believe that the Chancellor was involved in the conspiracy, although he was unaware of to what extent. Jedi Master Shaak Ti witnessed Fives' attempt to assassinate the Chancellor and prevented him from succeeding. Although Fives escaped from the Grand Republic Medical Facility, he was confronted by a group of Coruscant shock troopers led by Clone Commander Fox while attempting to warn Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex. After Fives was killed by Fox, Palpatine convinced the Jedi that a rare parasite from Ringo Vinda was responsible for the malfunction in Tup and Fives, and that the clone troopers had to be inoculated to prevent their inhibitor chips from malfunctioning.^[23]

Shortly before dying, Tup and Fives—both of whom had their chips removed—described Order 66 as a mission that they repeatedly experienced in their nightmares.^[19][23] With their deaths and the removal of any evidence that could alert the Jedi to the existence of Order 66, the Chancellor convinced the Jedi Council that the clone troopers did require their inhibitor chips. Still, Rex, who had held Fives as he died,^[23] submitted a grievance report, where he stated the inhibitor chips could have an alternate purpose. While he was not sure if he believed it and knew the report would be ignored, Rex believed he owed it to Fives to record what he had learned.^[8]

The death of Fives did not completely ensure the secrecy of Order 66, however. The Jedi Council began inquiring into the specific circumstances regarding the mysterious death of Sifo-Dyas, the founder of the clone army. Alarmed by the Jedi's interest in the matter, Darth Sidious tasked his apprentice with the responsibility of eliminating any remaining loose ends that could connect the Sith with the creation of the clones. Darth Tyranus journeyed to the planet Oba Diah and killed Minister Lom Pyke of the Pyke Syndicate, but not before the Pyke revealed to the Jedi that Tyranus and Dooku were one and the same.^[12]

The Jedi Council was disturbed by the revelation of the Sith Order's involvement in the creation of the clones. Yet in spite of their suspicions regarding the reasons the Sith would provide the Jedi with an army, the Council ultimately chose to conceal their findings from the public and the government, fearing that such a discovery would undermine public confidence in the war. Grand Master Yoda insisted that their priority remained the same, to end the war as swiftly as possible before the Sith's plans came to fruition. Moreover, the Grand Master believed that the clones were genuinely loyal to their Jedi leaders, having saved them on numerous occasions throughout the war.^[12]

Fall of the Jedi[]

After three years of constant warfare,^[1] the Separatist forces attacked^[2] the Republic capital world^[55] of Coruscant and managed to abduct Chancellor Palpatine in the process, a plan which was organized by Sidious in order to bring Anakin to the dark side and make him his apprentice.^[1] By the time of the battle, a full third of the original deployment of clones had been killed in action. Those who survived wore armor that had been dirtied and dented by conflict.^[56] The clone troopers rallied to Coruscant's defense while the Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker rescued the Chancellor. During the battle, Darth Tyranus was betrayed by Sidious, who swayed Skywalker to killing him. With Dooku dead, this brought the Clone Wars closer to a successful conclusion for the Republic. The Jedi Council moved to capitalize on the momentum gained by Tyranus' death in the hope of ending the war.^[2]

The Grand Army continued to fight the war on various worlds across the galaxy, including Mygeeto, Felucia, Cato Neimoidia, and Saleucami. New fronts were opened as clone troopers were deployed to Kashyyyk and Utapau; and other planets as part of the Outer Rim Sieges. Gree and the 41st Elite Corps fought side-by-side with the Wookiees in the Battle of Kashyyyk, under the command of Yoda, while Kenobi and Cody oversaw the Battle of Utapau between the 212th Attack Battalion and General Grievous's droid army.^[2] By this time, the 332nd Division had been formed out of Skywalker's 501st Legion in order to participate in the Siege of Mandalore. The new division was placed under the command of Rex, who was promoted to the rank of Clone Commander, while Skywalker's former Padawan, the Force-Sensitive Outcast Tano, accompanied the 332nd as an advisor.^[49]

As the Republic drew closer to achieving total victory in the Clone Wars, Chancellor Palpatine revealed his deception and true identity as Darth Sidious to the Jedi, provoking an immediate response from the Jedi Council. The consequent confrontation between the Council and the Dark Lord ended in the deaths of several Jedi Masters, including Mace Windu, and Skywalker's fall to the dark side of the Force. Now anointed as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, Sidious' new apprentice participated in the 501st Legion's assault on the Jedi Temple. Under the influence of Order 66, the 501st clone troopers stormed the Temple and exterminated the Jedi within. None of the Jedi were spared, including the younglings.^[2]

Around the same time, Darth Sidious issued Order 66 to the clone troopers throughout the galaxy—declaring every Jedi an enemy of the Republic. Order 66 triggered the hidden chips within the clones,^[1] erasing their loyalty to the Jedi^[18] and brainwashing them^[22] into believing that the Jedi were traitors to the Republic who deserved execution.^[18] Losing their freewill and identities with the mere activation of a chip through a voice command,^[44] the overwhelming majority of the clones suddenly turned on their unsuspecting allies; caught off guard by their own troops betraying them, the Jedi across numerous worlds were largely slaughtered by their clone troopers. However, there were a handful of clones that resisted the command by removing their biochips. The members of Clone Force 99, excluding Crosshair, did not obey the command as well, as their genetic enhancements made them immune to their chips.^[18] With the exception of a few survivors, the Jedi were all but extinct in the aftermath of the initial execution of Order 66.^[2] In addition, this protocol did not end with members of the Jedi Order, as clone troopers who failed to comply with the order were to be killed as well.^[8]

Aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tribunal,^[57] Tano and the rogue Sith Lord Darth Maul were also targeted by the clones of the 332nd Division shortly after their victory on Mandalore. Commander Rex managed to resist his chip's control for long enough to tell Tano to find Fives. When Rex finally fell victim to its control, Tano escaped the troopers and released Maul from captivity, intending to have him be a distraction. Tano then looked into Fives, finding Rex's grievance report on the chips. With the help of astromech droids R7-A7, CH-33P, and RG-G1, Tano incapacitated Rex in order to remove his chip, which restored his loyalty to Ahsoka.^[8]

Freed from the influence of the control chip, Rex informed Tano that the entire Grand Army had turned against the Jedi.^[8] The former Jedi, the Clone Commander, and the astromech droids planned to steal a shuttle from the Venator's main hangar; Rex complied with Tano's wishes to only stun the clones in their path, despite knowing that his brethren fully intended to execute them as traitors to the state. Elsewhere, Maul continued to move through the warship, ultimately entering and destroying the hyperdrive room. This pulled the Star Destroyer out of hyperspace and into the gravitational field of a moon, but the 332nd remained determined to kill Tano, even if it would result in their own deaths. Even though the clone troopers blocked their path to a Nu-class attack/transport shuttle, Tano did not want to harm the soldiers, but Rex, who shed a tear, informed her that the clones were willing to die executing Order 66.^[43]

Tano was still unwilling to take their lives and devised a plan to stall the troops; while R7 prepared to drop parts of the floor, Rex distracted Clone Lieutenant Jesse, and the other clones by bringing Tano at gunpoint before them. He argued that while Order 66 called for the execution of all Jedi, Tano had not been a Jedi for some time. Jesse was not dissuaded from his task, however, stating to Rex that they were under direct orders from Darth Sidious to kill the former Jedi as well as any clone who refused to comply with their protocol. When Rex made a final plea to Jesse, the ARC trooper accused his former friend as a traitor to the Republic, and subsequently demoted him in rank from Commander, and sentenced him to die alongside Tano via firing squad in accordance with Order 66.^[43]

The clone troopers destroyed the astromechs in the ensuing firefight, which Maul used as a distraction to escape from the doomed Star Destroyer. Jesse and the remaining clones were killed when their warship crashed into the moon, while Tano and Rex escaped using a BTL-B Y-wing starfighter/bomber before the Tribunal entered the atmosphere. They recovered the clones' bodies and buried them at the crash site, using their helmets to mark each clone's grave. Tano then abandoned her^[43] lightsabers^[58] at the gravesite^[43] and eventually parted ways with Rex, both agreeing to leave for the Outer Rim Territories.^[44]

The first stormtroopers[]

Main article: Stormtrooper

The future of clone trooper program[]

The destruction of the Jedi Order allowed the Sith to reclaim control of the galaxy through Sidious,^[2] having used the clone troopers as their secret weapon.^[1] With the government and the military under his control, Sidious reorganized the Republic into the First Galactic Empire and assumed the mantle of Galactic Emperor.^[2] This was followed by sweeping alterations that distinguished the New Order from the old system.^[60] When the conflict ended,^[61] the clone troopers who survived the Clone Wars went on to serve the Empire^[7] as the first generation of Imperial stormtroopers^[6] on the decree of the Emperor.^[62] They formed the backbone of the Imperial Army^[7] during the early years of the Imperial Era.^[63]

As elite shock troops, clones were responsible for projecting the Emperor's will over the galaxy and destroying threats to his reign.^[6] Without the Jedi^[64] who encouraged their soldiers to think as individuals instead of only adhering to protocol,^[65] the clone troopers became fully obedient^[64] as a result of the programming enforced by their control chips.^[18] Changing their armor^[66] to its basic, blank white state,^[64] the clones became cold and unfriendly,^[66] focusing solely on their protocol and orders. While the clones retained a degree of individuality, such as a sense of humor, when off-duty, the troopers by and large^[18] adopted uniformity, which was symbolized by the sudden lack of personalization amongst their armor,^[66] and were forced to despise their former Jedi friends.^[67]

Under Imperial orders, clones carried out the Senatorial arrests^[68] and were deployed to clear out former Jedi bases.^[59] They also enforced order by arresting civilians for actions as small as engaging in fights, which confused the smuggler Has Obitt; according to Obitt, during the war the clones would have been the people that started a bar fight, yet the troops were now breaking them up.^[69] Despite the their role in the formation and enforcement of the early Empire,^[59] the value of all clone troopers was called into question by officials like Governor Wilhuff Tarkin^[18] and Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart, Imperial officers who believed that a service conscription and recruitment force was more affordable and reliable than the cloning operation on Kamino.^[20]

Furthermore, the clones were originally bred to be soldiers of the Republic and not the Empire:^[70] to a number of high ranking Imperials, clone troopers remained a reminder of the past and, like that past, needed to be swept away.^[71] While the activation of their control chips held the clones loyalty firmly in place to the new regime,^[18] the founders of War-Mantle knew recruited soldiers would be able to swear loyalty to the new Empire alone^[70] and do so of their own free will.^[20] Tarkin also disliked the level of individuality the clones had come to develop under the leadership of the Jedi.^[72] Tarkin visited Kamino in the aftermath of Order 66 to inspect the clones and determine whether the Empire had any further use of them.^[18]

Prime Minister Lama Su was surprised to learn the purpose of the admiral's visit, having long counted on the support of Chancellor Palpatine in the past. Tarkin informed the Kaminoan politician that Palpatine's priorities had changed following the end of the Clone Wars and his ascension as the Emperor. Lama Su opposed the shutdown of the cloning facilities, citing the Kaminoans' contracts which stipulated the continued production of clone troopers. The Admiral countered that this agreement had been made between Kamino and the Empire's predecessor, the Republic, which no longer existed. While he agreed with the Prime Minister's point that the newly risen Empire needed more soldiers to maintain order in the galaxy, Tarkin believed that this objective could be achieved through a service conscription force.^[18]

The Prime Minister dismissed the notion of replacing clone soldiers with recruits which he regarded as inherently inferior to his creations, but Tarkin was concerned that the clone trooper program was too expensive to maintain. He therefore considered conscription and recruitment a cost effective solution to the Empire's need for increased manpower.^[18] Although cloning operations would continue for a short while longer,^[20] rumors spread across the clone ranks during the early Imperial Era that the Empire had already halted the Kamino operations, making clones such as Ding and Kicker ponder the Empire's future and the fate of their kind. Knowing that the clone army had only one generation left in its future, older clones dreaded the notion of retirement and, therefore, sought ways to remain on active duty, such as joining the Emperor's Royal Guard.^[59]

With clones beginning to be dispatched to secure Jedi sites instead of active combat, Ding and Kicker were part of the clone force sent to a Mid Rim way station named the Brighthome, which the former trooper feared represented the overall future of their kind; while new soldiers would be able to fight the enemies of the Empire, he feared the clones would be reduced to clean up operations. Nevertheless, the two thought they had a chance to prove themselves when an individual believed to be a surviving Jedi attacked the station. In reality, the intruder was Darth Vader, who had elected to not send out his clearance codes to fight the clones aboard. Vader slaughtered the majority of the troops who came against him, and, although Ding and Kicker briefly gained an advantage over the Sith Lord, Vader killed both with a Force choke, allowing him to leave for the moon of Al'doleem.^[59]

With the exception of Crosshair, the defective clones of Clone Force 99, meanwhile, remained largely unaffected by their inhibitor biochips. Sent back to Kamino to listen to Palpatine's proclamation of the Empire, they also met the young female clone Omega, who was still kept on Kamino^[18] should the Kaminoans need a backup of Jango Fett's genetic information.^[17] While Tarkin was interested in welcoming Clone Force 99 into the Imperial Army for their skills, he was concerned by their individuality and willingness to go against orders. Dispatching on a mission to wipe out supposed Separatist insurgents as a test, Clone Force 99 instead encountered civilians being protected by former Republic fighter Saw Gerrera, convincing most of the squad to abandon the Empire. With the squad returning to Kamino to rescue Omega, Crosshair was welcomed into the Empire after his chip was amplified. Crosshair led the effort to kill his former squadmates as they escaped, failing when Se secretly overrode the hangar door controls to give Omega a chance to escape with Clone Force 99.^[18]

As the Empire spread, clone stormtroopers carried out the occupation and subjugation of former Separatist worlds^[73] and worlds ravaged by the Clone Wars.^[74] Rex, meanwhile, decided he needed to fight in the name of the Republic against the growing Imperial regime. Presumed dead by the Empire,^[25] he took to working from the shadows^[26] to strike against the Empire^[75] and to help any of his clone brothers who were outside the reach of the Imperial Military.^[26] First, he traveled to Saleucami and warned clone deserter Cut Lawquane of the rising might of the Empire, leaving a mere day before Force 99 and Omega arrived to meet with Lawquane. Meanwhile, clone stormtroopers enforced the early Empire's introduction of the chain code, which contained the biometric details and criminal history of the Empire's citizens. Force 99 helped Lawquane and his family escape the Imperial-occupied Saleucami before departing themselves.^[42]

During the early Imperial period, clone shock troopers continued to patrol the upper levels of Coruscant^[76] and even supported Darth Vader in his efforts to capture Jedi Master Jocasta Nu, the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives.^[77] In 19 BBY,^[78] Cassian Jeron Andor witnessed clone stormtroopers occupy his home planet of Ferrix, where the troopers were pelted with rocks by angry civilians. In retaliation, an Imperial officer ordered a rank of clones to aim their weapons in the direction of the protestors. As a result of the incident, Cassian's adoptive father, Clem Andor, was publicly hanged despite his efforts to deescalate the situation.^[79]

Moving to terminate the program[]

Main article: Project War-Mantle

Despite Lama Su's continued insistence that clone troopers were superior to recruited soldiers, possessing superior skills as a result of their training, Tarkin still considered the Kaminoan cloning operation a costly endeavor. While Tarkin was concerned with the cost quality of clones, Rampart's interest lied in the loyalty of recruits who voluntarily joined the Imperial Military. Tarkin sanctioned the formation of a team of Elite Squad Troopers; four non-clone volunteers recruited from across the galaxy, they were placed under the command of Crosshair, who remained loyal to the Empire. Rampart believed that Crosshair's Elite Squad could be trained to be just as effective as the clone troopers who served the Republic if given proper instruction by experienced clones. Their first mission as a unit was against Gerrera's fighters, the same mission Clone Force 99 had refused to carry out, as an opportunity to prove the project's usefulness to Tarkin.^[20]

The Elite Squad returned to Kamino after killing the group of insurgents and civilians they found on Onderon. Despite the death of ES-01, who was executed for refusing to comply with the clone's order to kill unarmed prisoners, Tarkin considered the mission a success not only for the Empire, but Project War-Mantle as well. The Imperial officers' determination to replace clones with volunteer and conscripted soldiers caused Lama Su to fear for the future of Kamino and its cloning facilities. Their situation was compounded by the degradation of the last genetic samples of Jango Fett; therefore, Lama Su instructed Nala Se to continue her experiments in the hope of yielding a superior clone. He believed that the Kaminoans' relationship with the Empire hinged on the fate of the clone trooper program.^[20] At some point, Crosshair also had his inhibitor chip removed but continued to serve the Empire, having decided it was what he truly believed in.^[80]

With Project War-Mantle's effectiveness proven through the victory on Onderon,^[20] an Imperial training facility was established on the planet Daro. The facility contained a thousand non-clone "TK stormtroopers," who were recruited from across the galaxy and trained by the elite clone commandos like commando Gregor. Gregor later commented that, while the TK troopers would not be as skilled as their predecessors, there were many of them, further alleging that the clones were being removed from the Imperial Military because they were created to serve the Republic, not the newly-established Empire.^[70] Aware of Tarkin's promise to soon suspend Kamino's cloning contracts, Kaminoans Lama Su and Nala Se hoped to create a superior clone template to secure their business relationship with the Empire. However, the continued deterioration of Jango Fett's remaining DNA samples convinced Su to point their resources at capturing Omega.^[20] Se hired^[81] the rising bounty hunter Fennec Shand^[82] to hunt Omega,^[81] secretly ordering her to keep Omega safe from Su instead of returning her to Kamino.^[17]

As Project War-Mantle continued, clone stormtroopers and Elite Squad Troopers began to serve alongside each other in certain operations.^[83] When Rex reunited with Clone Force 99 and brought them to the scrap world of Bracca so they could remove their behavioral modification biochips once and for all, members of the Scrapper Guild spotted the rogue clones and reported them to the Empire,^[25] which had branded Clone Force 99 enemies of the state for their defection. Ignoring Su's suggestion to bring Clone Force 99 in alive due to their skill set, Rampart gave Crosshair permission to hunt down his former squad with a combined force of clone troopers and his Elite Squad. Arriving after Rex's departure, the joint-clone and Elite Trooper force nearly wiped out the so-called Bad Batch, but they ultimately managed to escape. However, still believing Se's hunter was working to return Omega to Kamino, Su grew impatient and hired^[83] famed bounty hunter^[84] Cad Bane to bring her in.^[83] Followed by both Shand and Clone Force 99, Bane lost custody of Omega after arriving at the Kaminoans' abandoned cloning facility in the Lido system.^[17]

Escaping Bane and Shand, Omega returned to Clone Force 99.^[17] While the group resumed their mercenary work to make their way in the Imperial-controlled galaxy, they began to use stun shots against the clone stormtroopers they encountered^[73] after their journey with Rex proved to them that the control chips within their brothers forced them to obey the Empire against their will.^[25] Meanwhile, Crosshair and his Elite Squad joined a clone battalion on the former battleground of Ryloth to enforce Imperial control, only for the appearance of Clone Force 99 to destroy an entire Imperial refinery and free political prisoner Cham Syndulla. Convinced that Clone Force 99 was a threat, Rampart once again gave Crosshair permission to hunt down his former squad.^[74]

Decommissioning the program[]

Eventually, commando Gregor decided to desert from the Imperial ranks rather than continuing to serve as an instructor for the clones' replacements on Daro. Pointed to the facility by Rex, Clone Force 99 broke into the base to rescue Gregor. Hunter, the leader of Clone Force 99, was surprised by the TK soldiers' quality given that their instructors were clone commandos. Gregor admitted to not teaching the TK troopers everything he knew, regarding that it was the smart choice to hold back in their training. While he also affirmed TK troopers would not be as skilled as clones, Gregor further noted that the troopers made up for their shortcomings through their great number; numerous galactic citizens were willing to join with the Empire^[70] they believed had saved them from the Clone Wars.^[81] However, Hunter declared that their numbers would not be enough in every situation a soldier encountered.^[70]

Concurrent to the incident on Daro, the Empire terminated Kamino's contracts. Rampart oversaw the operation to remove of all essential personnel and equipment from Tipoca City, including every viable clone developed by the Kaminoans. Nala Se assured a group of clone cadets that they would still fulfill their purpose by becoming soldiers, despite their removal from the cloning facility. While Nala Se had assumed that the Kaminoan government would secure new clients given their success with the clone army, which was known throughout the galaxy, Lama Su reflected on the differences between the Republic and the Empire. He concluded that the operation on Kamino could not survive under the New Order, convinced that the Empire would destroy the Kaminoans rather than allowing them to continue their work without Imperial supervision. The Prime Minister planned his own evacuation from Kamino along with its most skilled scientists in the hope of ensuring their survival and the continuation of their program, but his plan was discovered by Rampart.^[70]

Although the Vice Admiral was not overly impressed by Nala Se's creations, he regarded her as a talented scientist nonetheless, one whose skills made her an asset to the Empire.^[70] As such, Se was taken into Imperial custody,^[80] while Su was left to the mercy of the Elite Squad Troopers when Rampart declared the Empire did not need the politician.^[70] Tipoca City was virtually abandoned by the time Hunter, who was captured on Daro, was taken back to Kamino by Crosshair. Noting the presence of TK troopers carrying out the final stages of the withdrawal instead of clones, Hunter realized that the cloning facility was in the process of being decommissioned, and he warned Crosshair that their brethren would eventually be phased out of service as well. Aware of the Empire's plans, Crosshair was confident that only the "regs" would be replaced, whereas the elite units would continue to serve the Empire as soldiers.^[80]

The other members of Clone Force 99 also returned to Kamino in an effort to rescue their commanding officer, leading to their confrontation with Crosshair. During the firefight, Tarkin authorized the bombardment of the Kaminoan capital after Rampart reported that the cloning technology was firmly under Imperial control. His Venator-class Star Destroyers, still operated by a clone personnel, opened fire on the abandoned facility, resulting in the destruction of Tipoca City.^[80] All other Kaminoan facilities across the planet were targeted as well, resulting in the complete annihilation of the Kaminoan cloning enterprise,^[85] just as Su had predicted.^[70] A clone stormtrooper aboard Rampart's Venator reported the success of the eradication;^[85] despite the control chips within the clones compelling them to obey Imperial orders,^[80] the admission that the clones had destroyed their homes audibly hurt for the trooper to admit.^[85]

Clone Force 99, meanwhile, escaped the devastation of Kamino alive, but they again parted ways with Crosshair when their brother declared he would stay with the Empire, with or without his control chip. Nala Se was escorted from Kamino by an elite detachment of clone commandos^[85] known as the Imperial royal guard,^[86] who were distinct^[85] from the Emperor's red guard that some clones hoped to join to escape decommissioning.^[59] Se was brought to the facility of Mount Tantiss on the planet Wayland, where the Empire hoped to use her cloning expertise for future projects.^[86] Despite the destruction of Kamino and the ongoing arrangements within the Empire for their eventual replacement,^[87] clone stormtroopers continued to serve the Imperial regime.^[88]

The Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill[]

Several months after the destruction of the Kaminoan facilities, which had been covered up as being the result of a cataclysmic storm, the Imperial Senate begun a vote on the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill, which would formalize the Imperial Military's transition from a clone army to a volunteer-based force. While many senators such as Gani Riduli of the InterGalactic Banking Clan greatly supported the idea of the bill, there was stiff opposition to it by several others. Senator Riyo Chuchi chiefly led the opposition to the bill, claiming that the clones did not deserve to be cast aside after their years of military service. While Admiral Rampart assured Chuchi that the clones would be compensated and given pensions for their service after retirement, the senator remained skeptical.^[90]

Alongside rogue Clone Captain Rex and Clone Force 99, Chuchi would begin working to expose Rampart for his involvement with the destruction of the Kaminoan facilities in an effort the stop the bill from passing. As the Bad Batch infiltrated Rampart's personal Venator, which was docked at the Coruscant Imperial Shipyards for maintenance and repairs, to retrieve the vessel's command log, Chuchi attempted to buy the squad time in the Senate Building. After the squad had successfully extracted the command log and delivered it to the Senate Building, Chuchi revealed the footage of Rampart's fleet bombarding Kamino.^[91]

As the Senate erupted into chaos, Emperor Palpatine appeared to denounce Rampart's actions and have him publicly arrested. Despite condemning Rampart before the Senate, Palpatine also expressed shock at the actions of the clones under his command, who blindly followed orders without hesitation. Palpatine further exclaimed that the Empire should be led into a new era under the protection of non-clone Imperial stormtroopers. Following a thunderous applause, the Senate then approved the recruitment bill.^[91] While a number of clone troopers continued to serve the Imperial Military for the time being,^[89] the passage of the bill allowed^[91] a growing number of clones to be decommissioned^[72] by force. Such actions were framed as the clones entering "retirement,"^[89] a term that suggested a far more cozy fate than what awaited.^[71] Having been soldiers all their lives^[90] and then being suddenly ousted from the military,^[89] some clones came to find themselves destitute.^[92] Other clones, meanwhile, found themselves secretly made into test subjects for the Empire's Advanced Science Division upon being forced out of service.^[72]

Further service and eventual retirement[]

The drop in casualties following the end of the war^[35] and the passing of the Defense Recruitment Bill^[91] allowed the Empire to suspend clone production without a major disruption in manpower as new, non-clone recruits would eventually take up the mantle.^[35] Nevertheless, the Empire continued to make use of clones throughout its formative years^[79] as they were gradually phased out of service,^[59] with some units joining the ranks of the Emperor's bodyguards.^[7]

Around a year into the Imperial Era, the Empire had already begun deploying natural-born^[44] conscripts and volunteers into the Stormtrooper Corps,^[20] but former-Jedi Ahsoka Tano assumed that clones would still be part of its ranks.^[44] Around the same year,^[93] a small force of clones stationed on Barton IV were replaced by enlisted stormtroopers after their numbers had been whittled down from insurgent attacks.^[89] The Imperial Advanced Science Division continued to make extensive use of clone commandos, who formed the clandestine organization's elite royal guard, and guarded its assets and facilities.^[94]

Around 15 BBY,^[95] several squads of clone stormtroopers^[96] were deployed on an unidentified planet during an operation in Wild Space, far away from the Core.^[97] The clones were still donned in their Phase II clone trooper armor, but had come to wield E-11 medium blaster rifles and worked alongside non-clone Imperial Navy Troopers.^[96] Nevertheless, as the years passed, the remaining clones were gradually rotated out of military service due to their rapid aging process.^[98] In addition, Imperial propaganda created an influx of non-clone recruits in the Imperial Military, accelerating the replacement of clones in the military. The clones, having fulfilled the main purpose for which they were created and trained to complete, were no longer needed by the Emperor. As a result, most clones quietly retired as they aged, but their legacy endured through the soldiers who replaced them.^[7] No longer using fresh clones to replenish the army due to the shutdown of the cloning hatcheries on Kamino,^[59] the Imperial military transitioned from a clone army to a volunteer and conscription-based force.^[51]

The clone stormtrooper known as Sergeant Crest was still serving the Empire^[99] in 14 BBY,^[100] but Darth Vader initially considered the clone too old to remain on active duty due to his accelerated aging. However, Vader later promoted Crest to the rank of lieutenant.^[99] Imperial clone shock troopers continued to patrol the streets of Coruscant^[101] at least until 14 BBY,^[102] where they assisted Vader in hunting down two rogue Inquisitors.^[101]

By 4 BBY, most clones had been decommissioned and were regarded as obsolete.^[103] A small number of clones remained in Imperial service, acting as training instructors for the next generation of stormtroopers,^[104] but such a position did not guarantee the clones would like their cadets; clone trooper Lassar resented enlisted recruits despite becoming an instructor.^[105] Another clone was Torrent, who worked under the operating number TX-828; as one of the last clones in the Stormtrooper Corps, he was a rare sight by the time of the Battle of Yavin. At that time he was nearing the age of forty due to his accelerated growth process, with strands of gray coloring his black hair. By then the rarity of Torrent's kind was such that ISB Senior Commander Alecia Beck was surprised to encounter a stormtrooper from the original Kaminoan production line.^[106]

An Imperial clone stormtrooper known as Crag remained in military service well into the Empire's reign,^[107] despite his accelerated age.^[3] The old clone had a strong sense of duty, which he believed was maintaining order in the galaxy. However, his personality earned the ire of a fellow trooper, Sardis Ramsin, who regarded Crag as a "relic." Crag was serving as a sandtrooper of Foot Patrol 7 when his team deployed to Mos Eisley on Tatooine,^[107] shortly before the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY.^[5] They had been sent to capture two droids belonging to the Rebellion, C-3PO and R2-D2, but fell under the influence of a Jedi mind trick performed by an old hermit. Unbeknownst to Crag and his team,^[107] the old man with the droids was the Jedi fugitive Obi-Wan Kenobi, who used the Force to dominate the weak-minded troopers in order to move the droids into the city unopposed.^[108]

Legacy[]

Life after retirement[]

During the later years of the Clone Wars, many clones talked about retirement as a reward for their service, but few knew what it entailed. Indeed, the Republic planned to retire the clones, but neither the government nor the clones knew what that meant. If a soldier brought the subject up, their commander would often put an end to the idle chatter. A few forward-looking clones contemplated work in corporate security or consultation with local militaries owing to their lack of civilian job skills, and their accelerated aging process decreased the likelihood of them learning and mastering such job skills before they died. However, strong loyalties to the former Republic created a moral quandary when it came to security work, as retired clones would possibly be fighting some of their former brethren. Before the Republic collapsed, politicians had vetted certain officers about staying in a formalized and permanent Republic military to maintain the peace. A few exceptional clones had even been approached to run for political office.^[35]

Having proven their loyalty to the Republic, and with the civilian population loving military heroes, many clones would have made ideal candidates were it not for the clones' general disdain for politicking.^[35] Before her death at the end of the war, Senator Padmé Amidala had drafted several bills concerning and advocating for clone personhood. The bills were amongst the works she hoped would be part of her legacy and included measures for personhood to be recognized during the war and after it. However, the drafts were effectively left abandoned after her death, although her loyal handmaiden Sabé had copies of the works.^[109] The "retirement" offered by the Empire^[89] ultimately left some of the already-few surviving clones destitute.^[92] A number of veterans of the Clone Wars had a hard life, with the Empire failing to keep up the Crispus Commons housing project on the planet Gorse,^[110] while one 501st trooper was left homeless on the world of Daiyu, where he begged for credits in a city.^[111] A bounty hunter named CT-720 was active during the Imperial Era.^[112]

Psychological impact of Order 66[]

Despite the Kaminoans' attempt at designing the clones to be beyond any form of combat-induced stress,^[54] the troopers ultimately could suffer from post-traumatic stress. Beyond clones developing post-traumatic stress from the war^[113] and the deaths of their brothers,^[114] some clones were left traumatized by the aftereffects of Order 66, leaving them bitter and horrified at their actions.^[115] On one occasion, Grey was dismayed by his own thoughtless execution of Order 66—an experience which he described as being in trance, and therefore, unable to control his actions. Captain Styles did not share his commander's concern over the moral issues of Order 66, however. In an effort to atone for his participation in the Jedi Purge, Grey sacrificed his life to save Caleb Dume, the apprentice of Jedi Master Depa Billaba whom the clone killed while under the influence of Order 66.^[67] Another clone that expressed regret regarding his actions was Cody, who mentioned having difficulty living with his choices in a conversation with Crosshair. Later, Rampart tells Crosshair that Cody has disappeared.

Sometime after the issuing of Order 66^[8] and the removal of Rex's chip, Wolffe and Gregor had their chips removed.^[116] In the years that followed the Clone Wars, Rex and the other two clone veterans lived in retirement on Seelos, where they made a home out of a modified All Terrain Tactical Enforcer. Despite the effects of their accelerated growth, the aging clones decided to oppose the Empire by joining the nascent rebellion, a movement dedicated to the restoration of the Republic that the clones once served. Regarding the clones' view of stormtroopers, Rex was generally dismissive of the humans who replaced his brethren.^[117]

Galactic Empire[]

Although the clone trooper program was decommissioned under the Empire, their service in the Clone Wars inspired a generation of birth-born humans, both throughout the conflict and the years that followed. At the time there was no army to enlist in; save for the clones' Jedi Generals, the Grand Army of the Republic was exclusively based on a single template. The Republic faithful nevertheless wanted to do their part as citizens of the thousand-year democracy; as such, they were encouraged by COMPOR propaganda to purchase war bonds or report acts of sedition to the authorities.^[51]

The Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR) built upon the carefully engineered symbols and messages of its COMPOR predecessor to accelerate the vast military expansion as decreed by Emperor Palpatine. For all of COMPOR's efforts to mythologize the clone troopers, portraying them as gallant heroes of the Republic in a barrage of propaganda, clones remained an abstraction in the public's mind. Yet whereas the Grand Army's ranks were exclusively clone-based, the galactic populace was encouraged by COMPNOR to serve the state by doing more than purchasing bonds, reporting treason or rationing supplies. With the cloning operation on Kamino suspended, ordinary citizens volunteered for military service in the hopes of wearing the armor of the Imperial stormtrooper and becoming heroes like the clone soldiers they idolized.^[51]

The first generation of Dark Trooper created under the Empire's Dark Trooper project were clones given cybernetic augmentations, with over seventy percent of the clone's body being replaced by robotics.^[118] By the later years of the Galactic Empire, clone troopers and the Grand Army of the Republic were virtually forgotten, effectively becoming a lost generation of unappreciated veterans despite their valiant service.^[119] By the war's end, clones had saved billions of lives across the galaxy, while their vehicles and equipment inspired new weapons such as the E-11 medium blaster rifle, based on the common clone weapon the DC-15.^[120]

Clones in the Rebellion[]

Although the extensive majority of clone troopers were loyal to the Empire, held in place by training, a sense of duty, and established organic programming, a few clones were able to discover how to disconnect or repel their programming. Of those few, even fewer decided to rebel against the Empire, mostly due to their increasingly old age or situations. The rebellious clones brought their combat training and experience to the various resistance groups that they joined and were also knowledgeable in Imperial strategy and military bureaucracy. Although clones active in the growing rebellion operated apart from each other, some instances saw several clones working together.^[122]

At least one Jedi survivor harbored a grudge against the clones. Kanan Jarrus was traumatized by the events of Order 66, including the sudden execution of his Master, Depa Billaba by their own clone troopers, who betrayed and murdered the Jedi Master without hesitation. This experience caused him to develop a strong sense of bitterness toward the clones.^[103] Nonetheless, Jarrus and his apprentice Ezra Bridger helped Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor achieve victory over Imperial forces on Seelos^[117] after Ahsoka Tano urged them to recruit Rex to the rebellion.^[103] Their victory on Seelos forever proved that the clone troopers were superior soldiers to those who had replaced them.^[123] Nonetheless, after Rex joined the rebellion, Jarrus still possessed his grudge for a time, but Jarrus came to respect and view him as a friend after the Captain nearly sacrificed himself for Jarrus. After the mission, Jarrus went as far as to salute the clone, which surprised Rex, but he quickly returned it.^[124] After the Rebellion fully formed into the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Rex continued to serve, later being joined by Gregor and Wolffe for the Liberation of Lothal.^[125]

Additionally, one of Wolffe's former troopers, Wildfire happened to join the rebels, later learning that his former officer was amongst the organization. After learning about Wolffe's involvement with the Rebellion, Wildfire joined a mission to Seelos.^[126] During the Liberation of Lothal, Gregor was fatally shot by an Imperial weapons technician. As he died, he thanked Rex for the chance to fight for a cause that they had chosen to believe in. Although he was saddened by Gregor's death, Rex continued to fight for the Rebels, eventually promoted to the rank of commander in the organization. He served in the Battle of Endor,^[125] which would prove to be a major loss for the Empire because of the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader.^[127]

New Republic Era[]

The clones of Jango Fett were said to have been extinct by the time of the New Republic Era.^[128] Although Boba Fett stood apart from the other Jango Fett clones, being an unmodified clone,^[3] he was still physically identical to them. His voice revealed him as a clone to Bo-Katan Kryze, who recognized Boba's voice inflection and tone as that of his donor, having heard the late Jango through thousands of clone troopers.^[129]

At least one clone trooper was said to have sired a child before dying in the Clone Wars. Sconto, according to his mother, was the son of that clone. Unlike the clone, Sconto aged at a normal rate and was living as a merchant in Utapau's Pau City—the site of one of the final battles in the Clone Wars^[130]—about thirty years^[131] after the Battle of Yavin. Sconto was proud of his heritage and therefore harbored resentment toward the Jedi, whom he held responsible for his father's death.^[130]

Kix, a clone trooper of the 501st Legion, was discovered by the pirate Sidon Ithano over fifty years after the end of the Clone Wars. At the time, Ithano located a downed Separatist vessel and decided to raid it, assuming he would find valuable kyber crystals once belonging to Count Dooku. Instead, he found Kix, who had been frozen in stasis since the late Clone Wars, because he had discovered Order 66. The clone medic was deeply saddened when he learned about the end of the Republic and the loss of his brothers, and ultimately joined Ithano's crew due to his expertise in Clone Wars-era technology and the knowledge he possessed regarding the locations of former military locations.^[132]

First Order[]

Among military circles, the clones were remembered for their effectiveness.^[133] Determined to reclaim the Imperial legacy,^[134] the First Order initiated a clandestine project that centered on conscripting human children into its forces.^[135] Trained in live-fire drills and programmed through First Order propaganda, they became the new generation of stormtroopers.^[136] As the latest iteration of one of the most distinctive symbols of military might in the galaxy,^[137] First Order stormtroopers wore stark white armor derived from that of their Imperial predecessors and the Republic clone troopers who came before them.^[136]

Though General Armitage Hux had complete confidence in his soldiers, convinced they were well trained and programmed, his rival Kylo Ren doubted their loyalty to the First Order and Supreme Leader Snoke. During the Cold War with the New Republic, Ren accused Hux's stormtroopers of harboring the potential for treason after FN-2187 betrayed the First Order. The dark warrior suggested that a clone army would be more reliable, using the rogue trooper as an example of a flaw that was potentially systemic to the stormtrooper program. The general responded to Ren's criticism by assuring him that the stormtroopers were exceptionally reliable in their combat skills and allegiance to the First Order.^[133]

At the height of the First Order-Resistance War, the Sith Eternal cult readied an army of elite soldiers to support the First Order's ultimate push toward galactic conquest. Though they were named after a revived sect of the dark side, Sith troopers were the culmination of decades that the Empire spent attempting to strip individuality from its soldiers. Molding individual beings into fervently loyal extensions of the Emperor's will was a process that experienced much trial and error since the Clone Wars. Darth Sidious was dismayed to discover that clone troopers exhibited disconcerting amounts of free will despite their genetically engineered background and numerous alterations. While the Sith troopers were not clones, they underwent flash-imprinting and loyalty conditioning built upon and advanced beyond the Kaminoan procedures of earlier generations. As a result, they were far more loyal and machine-like than the First Order's trained-from-childhood stormtroopers.^[138]

Training[]

In order to rapidly produce a large army, the clones were subscribed to an accelerated training and aging program. All clones went through painful accelerated growth before reaching maturity, all while enduring nonstop training, simulations, and testing. Letter and number identifications were assigned to the clones to remove any sense of identity, as the cloners and trainers on Kamino viewed them as pieces of a machine, and not people. Endless mental and physical drills bled into the clones' "recreation," where they participated in sports and games that resembled battle situations. Any bouts of anger or rebellion were dealt with by placing clones in retraining pods, essentially isolation tanks. Throughout their time on Kamino, their engineers muttered veiled threats of "disposal" if the clones failed their testing. As the war progressed, the Jedi clamped down on the more egregious attitudes, but the engineers of Kamino maintained their view of the clones as merely a product.^[35]

Clone education was very rapid, and their learning consisted of intense classes that used screens and focus-enhancing helmets to help clones memorize information that might have one day been useful on the battlefield. Young clones were assigned to wear either an "odd-class" or an "even-class" helmet, in order to foster a sense of teamwork and competitiveness. Helmets that had gold-fittings were "odd-class," and helmets that had black fittings were "even-class."^[140]

As trainees, clones held the rank of clone cadet and were organized into multiple squads for the purpose of learning cooperation and teamwork.^[139] Cadets had several kinds of instructors; younger clones were monitored by full-grown clone sergeants^[141] and bounty hunters were hired to supervise the older clones. If a clone was unable to complete training, they could be assigned to maintenance duty. By the time of the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Shaak Ti personally oversaw the training of new generations of clone troopers. ARC troopers were also assigned to inspect the progress of future troopers.^[139] Clones deemed exceptional in comparison to the average, rank-and-file trooper,^[142] were given specialized training in order to become elite soldiers, such as clone commandos^[143] or ARC troopers.^[142]

During the war, Shaak Ti observed how some cadets, such as Domino Squad, struggled to complete their training. Lama Su, who regarded the Domino clones as sub-standard units, believed they were the result of the Kaminoans' need to stretch their remaining supply of Jango Fett's DNA due to the template's untimely demise on Geonosis. The prime minister also opined that a new genotype would have to be selected in order to produce more clones fit for combat.^[139]

The clones lived and trained in Tipoca City, the capital city of Kamino, throughout their time as cadets.^[3] Naturally, clones came to regard Kamino as their homeworld, just as official records did. Training and studying under the soft white lights of the clone facilities, most never saw the rain, oceans, clouds, or sky until they left for combat. Still, from the moment of their birth, the clones received encouragement from their trainers and genetic engineers to leave Kamino, and become soldiers among the stars.^[35]

At least two clone squads were given a tour of the Venator-class Star Destroyer Endurance during the Clone Wars as part of the Clone Youth Brigade. The point of this on-site training exercise was to test the cadets' knowledge regarding the functions and layout of a Star Destroyer. It was also meant to help prepare the cadets for their future as fully trained clone troopers.^[141]

The clones who failed to complete their training were disqualified from becoming soldiers. Instead of military service, failed clones—such as 99—were given janitorial duties and menial work. The cadets who succeeded in their trials were promoted to active duty.^[139] Despite the status of trooper, a novice clone trooper was regarded as a rookie or "shiny" by the older, more battle-experienced clones. If a clone survived his first battle, he was no longer considered a shiny but rather a full-fledged soldier of the Republic.^[144]

Ahsoka Tano felt as though the clones knew battle in their very blood,^[44] while trooper Fives once proclaimed that a clone's training was in his blood.^[142] Clones were taught Galactic Basic Standard, the language of the Galactic Republic. Those who spent a lot of time stationed on a specific planet could adopt a patois of the local language. Clones tended to litter their speech with jargon and slang—such as "clankers" for droids—incomprehensible to a civilian or a Jedi unfamiliar with military culture.^[35]

As the war progressed, command allowed clones to pursue hobbies within limited parameters to supplement their off-duty training and improve mental health. This improved morale and recovery; however, it also gave clones insight into the "other side" and how the civilian population lived.^[35]

Equipment[]

Phase I clone trooper armor was the first version in the clone trooper armor series. It was issued to clone troopers on Kamino prior to the Clone Wars,^[3] and was in service until it was rendered obsolete by Phase II around the time of the Battle of Mon Cala.^[145] Both versions of clone trooper armor could be modified with an array of attachments, such as jetpacks^[32] and macrobinoculars.^[2] To better monitor ground movements and coordinate attacks, all clone troopers held a tracking device within their helmets that allowed controllers on Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ships to better monitor the combat zone.^[146]

At first, Phase I armor used color to distinguish clones trained for leadership roles, such as captains and commanders, from each other and the standard troopers in the Grand Army of the Republic.^[3] As the Clone Wars progressed, color gradually became used for the purpose of armor customization and unit identification.^[32] The trend was maintained during the service of Phase II armor,^[2] but was ultimately discarded by the time of the creation of stormtrooper armor after the Clone Wars.^[147] The identifying white armor of both Phases signified an honorable symbol of defense; however, the creation of the stormtrooper skewed this symbolism into one of a faceless icon of conformity.^[148]

Clone troopers were armed with the DC-15A blaster rifle and DC-15A blaster for long ranged combat,^[3] as well as blaster pistols for standard-ranged combat.^[149] They also wielded several types of grenades, including Electro Magnetic Pulse grenades^[150] and thermal detonators.^[151]

With the exception of the Coruscant Guard's red-armored shock troopers,^[18] the clone troopers who served the Galactic Empire restored their Phase II armor to its standard white appearance.^[64] Under the leadership of the Jedi, color was used to distinguish the various units in the Grand Army of the Republic, allowing clones to express their individuality with the Jedi's encouragement.^[65] Returning to a force of white-armored soldiers symbolized the loss of the Jedi's influence and the individualism of the clones, replaced by programmed conformity.^[64]

Specialized clone troopers[]

To fill the demand of the different situations that occur during wartime, various clone troopers received extra or specialized training. The battles took place in many different environments during the Clone Wars and as such, the need for specialized gear also arose.^[152]

• Advanced Recon Commandos — Also known as ARC troopers, elite clone troopers that excel and received further training.^[152]
• Advanced Recon Force Scout Troopers — Also known as ARF troopers, clone troopers who specialized in stealth, and trained to pilot the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport; equipped with light armor.^[152]
• Biker Advanced Recon Commandos — Also known as BARC troopers, clone troopers equipped to use BARC speeders.^[152]
• Clone artillery troopers — Clone troopers that formed three-man teams to operate mortars.^[14]
• Clone cold assault troopers — Clone troopers equipped with cold weather gear to be able to operate in frigid environments.^[152]

• Clone commandos — Clone troopers specially bred by the Kaminoans to be the elite force of the Grand Army; received specialized training and equipment.^[152]
• Clone Comms Technicians — Specialized clones equipped with communications equipment that were responsible for allowing proper communication within a military unit.^[153]
• Clone Engineers — Specialized clone troopers who served as engineers and were responsible for maintaining vehicles in top condition.^[153]
• Clone flametroopers — Specialized clone troopers with fire resistant armor and flamethrowers.^[152]
• Clone gunners — Clone troopers equipped to man AV-7 Anti-vehicle Artillery Cannons^[152] and other artillery pieces, including those aboard starships.^[141]
• Clone jetpack troopers — Clone troopers equipped with a jetpack and missile launcher.^[135]
• Clone trooper officers — Clone troopers that served as officers.^[154]
  • Clone medical officers — Clone trooper officers that have specialized medical roles.^[155]
  • Clone navigation officers — Clone trooper officers who assisted in crewing starships in the Republic Navy.^[32]
• Clone medics — Clone troopers that served as medics.^[38]

  

• Clone ordnance specialists — Clone troopers that have received specialized training in arming and defusing bombs.^[152]
• Clone paratroopers — Clone troopers trained for airborne assaults.^[152]
• Clone riot troopers — Clone troopers with specialized riot control training.^[156]
• Clone scout troopers — Clone troopers with light armor and trained in reconnaissance.^[152]
• Clone SCUBA troopers — Clone troopers equipped with aquatic armor and weaponry.^[152]
• Clone shadow troopers — Clone troopers who were the predecessors of the Imperial shadow troopers.^[157]
• Clone sharpshooters — Clone troopers trained to be snipers.^[158]
• Clone shock troopers — Clone troopers bred especially for the Coruscant Guard.^[159]
• Clone trooper flight crews — Clone troopers that have received specialized training in ship maintenance.^[160]
• Clone trooper pilots — Clone troopers bred to pilot starfighters and other vehicles; equipped with specialized armor.^[152]
  • AT-TE Drivers — Clone pilots who controlled All Terrain Tactical Enforcers.^[161]
• Clone X troopers — Clones who were specialized^[162] commando warriors active during the Imperial Era.^[163]
• Dark Troopers— the original iteration of the Dark Trooper, these cyborg clone troopers had over seventy percent of their body replaced by mechanical components.^[118]
• Heavy weapons clone troopers — Clone troopers equipped with stronger armor and Z-6 rotary blaster cannons^[164]
• Heavy weapons clone troopers — Clone troopers that provided infantry with anti-vehicle support.^[165]
• Maintenance duty clones — Clones who were unable to serve on the frontlines and were instead assigned a maintenance role.^[139]
• Special ops clone troopers — Clone troopers trained for stealth; equipped with advanced gear.^[152]
• Stealth clone pilots — Clone troopers trained to pilot stealth ships; equipped with specialized armor.^[160]

Behind the scenes[]

The Prequel trilogy clone troopers were created through computer-generated imagery. In Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the school-aged clones were played by Daniel Logan, the young adult versions by Bodie Taylor, and the mature versions by Temuera Morrison. Morrison also provided voiceover for all of the adult clone troopers.^[3] For Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Morrison and Taylor both wore blue bodysuits while playing clone troopers with visible faces, such as Cody, Odd Ball, Jag, and three 212th Attack Battalion members present during Obi-Wan Kenobi's briefing (two played by Morrison in a close-up of Kenobi and Cody talking, the other by Taylor). Morrison and Taylor's bodysuits were later digitally replaced with computer-generated clone armor.^[2] In addition to these on-screen appearances, Bodie Taylor is also depicted in a helmetless Phase I clone pilot stock image printed in several encyclopedias. Rather than taking a new photo of Taylor, the image was instead created by cutting Taylor's head from the pre-existing young adult clone stock image, and placing it onto the computer-generated pilot body.^[3]

Dee Bradley Baker voiced all of the clone troopers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars^[154] and Star Wars Rebels,^[117] while Daniel Logan reprised his role as the clone cadets in The Clone Wars episodes "Death Trap"^[141] and "ARC Troopers."^[142] For The Clone Wars, composter Kevin Kiner wrote the clone fanfare that acts as the clone trooper theme.^[166]

A clone trooper by the name of Rattle was intended to appear in the novel Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy by Jason Fry, who described the character as a mentor to series protagonist Zare Leonis. However, Frey was told to remove the character because it was similar to a plot point in the then-upcoming Star Wars Rebels Season Two.^[167] Within Rebels, Rex was re-introduced and became a mentor to the show's own protagonist, Ezra Bridger.^[168]

The 2019 Fantasy Flight Games sourcebook Collapse of the Republic claims that, during their time training on Kamino, clone troopers had no time to form friendships with their cohort beyond a soldier's bond.^[35] However, The Clone Wars episode "Clone Cadets," which depicts Domino Squad during their training on the water world, establishes that clones already view each other as brothers during this time, with cadets Fives and Echo going as far as to look out for each other by requesting a transfer.^[139] As Collapse of the Republic is only a roleplaying sourcebook, this article assumes "Clone Cadets" is correct. Another 2019 FFG sourcebook, Rise of the Separatists, stated that clones tended to view their fellow soldiers as family, fallen comrades as ancestors, and new recruits as descendants.^[14] However, various other sources instead establish all clones view each other as siblings, no matter the age difference between them.^{[44][141][144]} Therefore, this article assumes Rise of the Separatists is incorrect.

Appearances[]

Non-canon appearances[]

• LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Crisis on Coruscant" (In flashback(s))
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (DLC)
• LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "All I Want For Life Day"
• The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
• "Stepping Up" — LEGO Star Wars 109

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Clone trooper on Wikipedia