The Tankers, a specific type of guard, were the result of an extensive cloning effort. They were positioned on Exegol, the Sith planet, with their primary location being the Sith Citadel situated on the planet's surface. These guards were present when the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious, unveiled the mysteries of Exegol and the Sith Eternal to his Sith apprentice, Darth Vader. Subsequently, a group of Sith Eternal guards launched an assault on Vader. Had Vader been defeated in battle, these guards were intended as potential replacements for him in the role of the Emperor's apprentice.
The initial appearance of the Tankers occurred in Darth Vader (2020) 11, a comic book written by Greg Pak and featuring illustrations by Raffaele Ienco. Ienco later verified their designation in a Tweet, also sharing his enthusiasm for Leinil Francis Yu's artistic depiction of the Tankers in Vader.