Clone template

Cloning represented the scientific technique of employing a living organism's genetic code as a blueprint to produce one or more clones derived from the original source. Absent alterations to the template, the resulting clone would mirror its progenitor precisely. By modifying the template's genetic composition, a clone's genotype could be tailored for diverse purposes, including accelerated growth and enhanced manageability.

A solitary genetic specimen obtained from an initial organism sufficed to cultivate millions of clones. However, host samples deteriorated over time, underscoring the donor's significance for providing replacement samples. The cloning procedure could persist without the original host, but only through judicious allocation of the remaining viable DNA samples. Ultimately, a fresh template would necessitate selection to facilitate the cultivation of additional clones.

The cloning of a human template remained an imperfect science, notwithstanding the Kaminoans' dedication to refining their skills as cloners. While infrequent, the emergence of genetic and physical anomalies within their specimens remained possible, yielding either advantageous or disadvantageous clone deviations. Furthermore, cloning a Force-sensitive template via Kaminoan methodologies did not assure the clone's manifestation of its source's affinity for the Force. Although the Galactic Empire's Project Necromancer was launched to rectify this deficiency in the Kaminoan cloning process, even by 35 ABY, the Battle of Exegol, and the subsequent termination of the Imperial cloning program, the process never achieved complete perfection, at least not under the auspices of the Galactic Empire. While its scientists could intentionally generate Force-sensitive clones, these clones either exhibited Force-sensitivity but lacked stability, or conversely, demonstrated perfect stability without guaranteed expression of their donor's Force-sensitivity, despite inheriting all of their DNA. Darth Sidious maintained access to his Force powers despite inhabiting a genetically precise yet imperfectly cultivated and assembled cloned iteration of himself, whereas his cloned son, an imperfect strandcast, presented as a robust yet powerless specimen. Nevertheless, even in instances where a strandcast did not manifest inherited power, they retained the potential in a latent state. Consequently, the genetic donor's dormant Force-sensitivity could manifest in subsequent generations within their bloodline, as evidenced by Rey, Sidious' biological granddaughter.

During the concluding years of the Galactic Republic, the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus enlisted Jango Fett—a human bounty hunter—as the genetic foundation for a clandestine army of clone troopers. Fett relocated to the planet Kamino, where the Kaminoans, a species renowned for their cloning expertise, extracted DNA samples to generate the inaugural cohort of clone soldiers for the Republic. In addition to the mercenary's financial remuneration, Fett stipulated the creation of an unadulterated clone of himself, resulting in Boba Fett, whom Jango regarded as his son.

The Kaminoan government's scientists modified Jango Fett's genotype to facilitate the production of loyal clones at an accelerated pace. Save for Boba, who underwent pure genetic replication, the remaining clones of Jango were engineered to age at twice the rate of naturally born humans. To ensure unwavering loyalty and obedience among the clones, the Kaminoans implanted an inhibitor chip within the brain of each Fett clone. Officially, the chip served to mitigate the aggressive tendencies inherent in the clone template, thereby fostering greater compliance with directives. While the Kaminoans believed the chip functioned as a safeguard against rogue Jedi, its true purpose involved compelling the clones to execute Order 66—a covert protocol conceived by the Sith to eradicate the Jedi Order.

Despite Taun We's confidence in the clone army's training, Fett remained indifferent, referring to his cloned progeny as "livestock" bred for combat and destined to become "cannon fodder." He rebuffed the Kaminoan aide's assumption that he would take pride in his clones, reminding Taun We that they were, in fact, the Kaminoans' creations.

During the Separatist Crisis, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered the clone army on Kamino while investigating an assassination plot targeting Senator Padmé Amidala. Prime Minister Lama Su and Taun We escorted him on an inspection of the cloning facility in Tipoca City, believing he had been dispatched at the behest of the Jedi High Council and the Galactic Senate. During the tour, Kenobi ascertained the identity of the clone army's template, Jango Fett, who also happened to be the prospective assassin responsible for attempting to kill Amidala. Kenobi relayed his findings to his superiors, Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Mace Windu, who instructed him to bring the hunter to the Jedi Grand Temple on Coruscant for questioning.

Following the death of Jango Fett in the First Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY, the Kaminoans were compelled to conserve their remaining samples of the Fett genome to produce additional clones for the newly established Grand Army of the Republic. Consequently, the new clones exhibited reduced efficiency, according to Lama Su, who advised Jedi Master Shaak Ti that the Order should acquire an alternative template due to their dwindling supply of Fett DNA. As the Clone Wars persisted across the galaxy, the Confederacy of Independent Systems invaded Kamino with the objective of disrupting the planet's cloning operations. The Republic Military successfully defended Tipoca City against the Separatist Droid Army, while Jedi General Anakin Skywalker thwarted Asajj Ventress's attempt to pilfer the last remaining supply of Fett's genetic samples.

Shortly after the discovery of the Zillo Beast on Malastare, the Republic Military transported the creature to the Republic capital for scientific examination. In the wake of the beast's escape and subsequent demise, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine instructed Doctor Sionver Boll to utilize its remains as a clone template. The Empire's Advanced Science Division later succeeded in leveraging this prime clone to generate a lineage of zillo beast clones, which were housed within the Tantiss Base on Wayland.

A premature execution of Order 66 prompted CT-5555 "Fives," an Advanced Recon Commando belonging to the 501st Legion, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jedi General Tiplar's death at the hands of CT-5385 "Tup." With assistance from the medical droid AZI-345211896246498721347, Fives discovered that the "tumor" within Tup's brain was not part of the original Jango Fett genome; rather, it constituted an artificial construct implanted in every clone during their initial development phase. To safeguard the secrecy of Order 66, Doctor Nala Se asserted that the devices were inhibitor chips designed to ensure the troopers' docility by suppressing their inherent aggression as clones of Fett.

Jango Fett's clones were decommissioned shortly after the proclamation of the Galactic Empire, supplanted as stormtroopers by natural-born recruits during the early Imperial Era. Following the ascent of the New Republic to [power](/article/new_republic_era], the Mandalorian Din Djarin—collaborating with Boba Fett—sought the assistance of Bo-Katan Kryze in his endeavor to rescue the foundling Grogu. Kryze rebuked Fett, asserting that he was not a Mandalorian but a clone who dishonored the Mandalorian armor he donned. Fett informed her that his armor once belonged to his father, Jango, whom Kryze identified as Boba's donor. She recognized Boba's voice as that of the deceased Jango, having heard it countless times through the clone troopers modeled upon the same genetic template.

Darth Sidious—Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor—served as the template for numerous genetically engineered clones created on Exegol by the Sith Eternal. Following Sidious' death in the Battle of Endor, his consciousness was transferred into a cloned iteration of himself. However, his new body proved flawed, as did the transference process, leaving Sidious confined within a frail and deteriorating vessel. The Sith cultists in his service endeavored to create a more stable host for their master's essence, resulting in a series of unsuccessful strandcasts. The Jedi apprentice Rey emerged as a byproduct of the Sith Eternal's experiments, being the natural-born daughter of Sidious' cloned son. Although she inherited her grandfather's connection to the Force, Rey rejected the dark side and played a pivotal role in the destruction of Sidious' cloned vessel during the Battle of Exegol.