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Clone trooper
Clone trooper
from Wikipedia
Clone trooper
Star Wars characters
104th Battalion Clone Troopers cosplay at San Diego Comic-Con 2012
First appearanceAttack of the Clones (2002)
Created byGeorge Lucas
Portrayed by
Voiced by
In-universe information
NicknamesCalled "Regs" by Republic Commandos, some have their individual nickname
SpeciesHuman (cloned)
GenderMale
OccupationSoldiers
Security guards
Affiliation
WeaponDC-15A Blaster Rifle, DC-15S Blaster Carbine, DC-17 Hand Blaster, Z-6 Rotary Blaster Cannon, DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System, Westar-M5 Blaster Rifle
FamilyJango Fett (Giving his DNA for cloning)
OriginKamino

Clone troopers are fictional characters from the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. First introduced in the live-action film Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), they have since appeared in various other Star Wars media, including Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2014; 2020), Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021–2024), and Tales of the Jedi (2022–present) as well as comics, novels, and video games set in both the Star Wars Legends expanded universe and the current canon.

The clone troopers were soldiers who fought for the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars and during the early rise of the Empire. All clone troopers are artificially produced soldiers, created at special cloning facilities on the planet Kamino from the DNA of bounty hunter Jango Fett to serve as the military of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, which takes its name from the troopers. They are genetically engineered to age at twice the rate of a normal human in order to be ready for deployment much quicker, and be unquestionably loyal to the higher chain of command. During the Clone Wars, the clone troopers served under the command of the Jedi Order as they fought against the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS), a movement organized by numerous planets that sought to secede from the Republic. At the end of the war, Sheev Palpatine, the Republic's leader and secretly a Sith Lord who orchestrated the conflict to gain political power, issues Order 66, which brands the Jedi as traitors and forcibly compels the clone troopers, under the control of inhibitor chips implanted in their brains, to execute them. Following the formation of the Galactic Empire and the destruction of the cloning facilities on Kamino, clone troopers are slowly replaced by Imperial stormtroopers, non-clone human recruits.

During the development of The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas initially conceived a planet of clones, which is why the Clone Wars was mentioned for the first time in the original Star Wars (1977) film. The clone trooper armor was designed to suggest an evolution into the stormtroopers of the original trilogy, and it incorporated features from both the armor of stormtroopers and Boba Fett, revealed in Attack of the Clones to be an unaltered clone of Jango Fett. The armored troopers in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith are computer-generated images voiced by Temuera Morrison, who played Jango Fett. Younger clones were played by Bodie Taylor and Daniel Logan, who played the younger Boba. Clones not wearing helmets were played by both Morrison and Taylor, who wore chroma key body suits to isolate their heads, and some clone troopers featured a blend of the actors' features. Beginning with The Clone Wars film that launched the animated series of the same name, adult clone troopers are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker and young clone troopers are voiced by Logan. In Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005), all clones were voiced by André Sogiluzzo.

Upon their debut in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, clone troopers received a mixed response from critics and audiences, due to their limited screen time and the films never explicitly stating that they were distinct from the original trilogy's stormtroopers; some felt that the implication of stormtroopers being soldiers created solely for war took away from the impact of the conflict. Reception of the clone troopers improved significantly with their portrayal in The Clone Wars, which introduced numerous clones with distinctive traits and personalities and made an effort to humanize them, exploring their relationships with the Jedi and fellow clones and their thoughts and feelings about the Clone Wars and their own existence. Since then, numerous Star Wars works set during the Clone Wars era have featured clone troopers as main characters, with many going on to become fan favorites. Clone troopers have become cultural icons, and a widely recognized element of the Star Wars franchise.

Concept and creation

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Development and design

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Evolution of clone trooper & stormtrooper armour, illustrated by cosplayers. Left to right:
  1. Modern Mandalorian (Jango Fett)
  2. Phase I clone commando (RC-1140 "Fixer")
  3. Phase II clone trooper (Commander Gree)
  4. Imperial stormtrooper sergeant
  5. First Order stormtrooper

In writing The Empire Strikes Back, Leigh Brackett's first draft of the film initially developed Lando Calrissian as a clone from a planet of clones involved in the Clone Wars mentioned in A New Hope and were nearly made extinct by the war,[1] but this concept was not featured in the final film. George Lucas later came up with the alternate concept of an army of clone shock troops from a remote planet used by the Republic in the war that followed. Lucas intended for the prequel trilogy to depict the evolution of the galaxy's fighting forces, and the clone troopers were the step after flawed battle droids.[2]

Clone troopers were designed to strongly suggest the army's evolution into the Empire's stormtrooper army. Concept artist Jay Shuster said of the armor design, "It follows the formula for a lot of the prequel trilogy. Take something pre-conceived in the existing trilogy and de-generate it." Design Director Doug Chiang incorporated both features of the Boba Fett and stormtrooper armor into the design, acknowledging the "vague assertion in Star Wars lore" that Fett's armor was connected to those of the stormtroopers. Initial concept models implied that the first generation armor was thicker and bulkier than stormtrooper armor, and this characteristic was retained by the art department for Revenge of the Sith. Lucas expressed a desire for individualized trooper armor from the beginning of art development for Revenge of the Sith. Several variations were largely dictated by environmental needs, but others were influenced of the 2003 Clone Wars animated series and the desert stormtroopers of A New Hope.[3] The clone trooper designs "progressed" closer toward the stormtrooper designs, and the film included variant designs similar to the sandtrooper, scout trooper, and snowtrooper armor of the original trilogy.[2]

The designs of clone trooper in snow and cold weather gear, seen in season one of The Clone Wars, are heavily inspired by early concept and costume by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and John Mollo for The Empire Strikes Back.[4]

Portrayal

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In Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, all clone troopers are computer-generated images and are voiced by Temuera Morrison, who played the clone template Jango Fett.[5] The child clone troopers were played by Daniel Logan, who also played Jango's clone son Boba Fett, and the clone troopers as young men were played by Bodie Taylor, who was cast for his resemblance to a younger Morrison. Taylor was filmed multiple times and composited to fill out crowded shots set in Tipoca City, and in some cases, such as for distant shots, he was entirely digital.[2][6]

Commander Cody, seen in armor without his helmet in Revenge of the Sith, was played by Morrison. He wore a blue bodysuit and only footage of his head was used for Cody; he held a stormtrooper helmet to approximate the digital clone trooper helmet Cody carries.[5] Like Morrison, Taylor also played armored and clones without helmets in Revenge of the Sith, wearing a blue bodysuit that isolated his head. Some clone troopers were entirely digital and featured a digital blend of Morrison's and Taylor's facial features. The armor was match-animated to the actors' bodies.[2]

The clone troopers are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker in the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars and its related animated television series of the same name. Baker attempted to give each clone trooper a unique voice, taking into account personality, age, and position within the unit, sometimes describing the clone in a single adjective and focusing on that descriptor for the voice work. Each clone was voiced individually, with all the clone's lines for the episode recorded at one time before moving to another character, and the dialogue was edited together.[7]

Logan voiced the young clone troopers in seasons two and three of the 2008 television series. Baker reprises his role in the 2014 Rebels and 2021 The Bad Batch animated series.

Appearances

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Film

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In Attack of the Clones (2002), Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers the clone army on Kamino. He is told by the Kaminoans that Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas ordered the army on the Republic's behalf ten years prior; however, Sifo-Dyas' apparent death shortly before that timeframe leads the Jedi Order to doubt this. The clone troopers are cloned from Jango Fett, a bounty hunter hired by a man named Tyranus, later revealed to be Sith Lord Count Dooku. The clone troopers' genetics are altered so that they age at twice the normal rate and are more loyal and easier to command. The clone army is deployed to Geonosis under the command of the Jedi to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala from execution by the Separatists. The ensuing battle becomes the first one in the Clone Wars. Although the clone army emerges victorious, Dooku and many other Separatist leaders escape, meaning that the war has only just begun.[8]

In Revenge of the Sith (2005), set three years later, the clone army continues to fight in the Clone Wars against the Separatist battle droid armies. However, just as it appears that the Republic will win the war, Chancellor Palpatine, secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, orders the clone army to execute Order 66, a command for the Clone Troopers to kill their Jedi Generals due to the latter being labeled as traitors to the Republic. Due to them being compelled to turn against the Jedi, The clone troopers betray and kill their Jedi commanders, although a few manage to escape. Meanwhile the 501st Legion, led by the newly christened Darth Vader, storms the Jedi Temple, burning it and killing the vast majority of the Jedi inside, effectively ending the Jedi Order. Following Vader's assassination of the remaining Separatist leaders, under the orders of Sidious, Palpatine transforms the Republic into the Galactic Empire and the clone army becomes the basis of the Imperial Army.[9]

Clone troopers are referenced in The Force Awakens (2015) when Kylo Ren chides General Hux for the betrayal of rogue stormtrooper FN-2187 and suggests that Supreme Leader Snoke should consider a clone army.[10][11]

Animation

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The Clone Wars

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Clone troopers are heavily featured in the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars, which spawned an animated series of the same name that lasted until 2014, with a final season released in 2020. Both the film and series are set between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith". Many named clone troopers are introduced and given individual personalities, serving as the focus of several story arcs. During the 6th season, more of the nature of "Order 66" is revealed when a clone trooper named Fives discovers that he and his brothers have chips implanted into their brains that would compel them to kill Jedi when "Order 66" is uttered. Unfortunately, the Jedi remained unaware of this as Fives was executed by a clone shock trooper ordered by Palpatine to conceal the existence of the contingency order. When Order 66 is issued by Sidious during the series finale, the activated inhibitor chips forcibly brainwash the Clone Troopers into believing their Jedi generals as traitors to the Republic and subsequently executing them.

Rebels

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The 2014 animated series Star Wars Rebels features a group of former clone troopers, including Rex from the preceding cartoon, who had their chips removed and therefore did not carry out Order 66. They are first introduced in the second season, about 16 years after Revenge of the Sith. These clones help the crew of the Ghost in their fight against the Empire, and eventually join the Rebel Alliance. Rebels established that in the years after the Clone Wars, the Empire gradually replaced the aging clones with the less effective but more numerous stormtroopers. The clones were not purged, but simply cast aside over time, and without familial or social networks to fall back onto it was difficult for them to integrate into civilian life.

In a behind-the-scenes Q&A for episode 2.2, when asked what happened to the clone troopers after the Clone Wars ended, producer Pablo Hidalgo explained: "A lot of different things happened to them. Some of them had pretty sad situations. In many ways, the Clone Troopers are sort of this "Lost Generation" of unappreciated veterans who helped save the galaxy and were then discarded."[12] He went on to explain that a small handful of clone troopers were kept in service as instructors at Imperial academies across the galaxy, training up the next generation of non-clone soldiers as the new stormtroopers.

The Bad Batch

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The 2021 animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch focuses on Clone Force 99, (named for a clone trooper who was disfigured and couldn't fight so he was part of the maintenance crew) nicknamed "The Bad Batch", a squad of clone commandos with deliberately modified genetic traits granting them mildly superhuman abilities. The first season begins during Order 66 and its aftermath, as the Republic transitions into the Empire. Most of the squad evades the effects of Order 66 due to their unique genetic alterations that prevent their inhibitor chips from functioning, except for Crosshair, who is reprogrammed by Admiral Tarkin to serve the Empire. The Bad Batch also ends up taking in a young female clone named Omega, who is, like them, a genetic deviant and therefore feels a kinship with them. In the first season, Tarkin directly explains the switchover from clone troopers to stormtroopers, citing that a recruitment-based army of non-clones costs half as much as the clones. While recruits are not as well trained, there is a vast supply of them, and they are meant more for pacification duty than wartime combat. In the second season, a defense recruitment bill enacts the transition from clone troopers to stormtroopers for good, and much of the new Imperial personnel is shown taking a dislike to the clone troopers. Clone troopers themselves react negatively towards the change as they were bred and raised to fight in combat but now are forced to defend isolated bases or retire indefinitely.

Video Games

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Star Wars: Republic Commando

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The 2005 tactical first-person shooter game Star Wars: Republic Commando introduced a new variant of elite clone troopers called Clone Commandos. In the game, the player leads a team of Commandos named Delta Squad who utilize elite weapons, tactics, and equipment to accomplish missions for the Galactic Republic. The game garnered a cult following and some consider it to be one of the best Star Wars video games ever made. Clone Commandos have appeared in other Star Wars video games and media as a result of the popularity of the game, such as the 2017 release of Star Wars Battlefront II.

Star Wars: Battlefront

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Clone troopers are playable characters in both Pandemic Studios' and DICE's Battlefront series. The 2005 Battlefront II's campaign follows the 501st as they transition into working for the Galactic Empire. Clone troopers were not playable in DICE's 2015 release, but were added to the 2017 sequel.

In other media

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In the 2022 live-action TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi, during the first season Obi-Wan (played by Ewan McGregor reprising his role) is walking through a city on the planet Daiyu, where he encounters a former clone trooper (again played by Temuera Morrison), now a disheveled homeless veteran begging on the streets.[13] This is in keeping with Pablo Hidalgo's explanation during his Star Wars Rebels of what happened to most clone troopers after the Clone Wars ended.

In a flashback sequence in the first season of the live-action TV series Andor, a regiment of clone troopers is sent to enforce Imperial authority over Ferrix, quelling angry protesters demanding the Imperials leave and for the return of the former Galactic Republic.[14]

In the novels Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp, and Tarkin by James Luceno, several clone troopers are still in active service during the early years of the Empire's reign, such as among stormtroopers serving Darth Vader, and even among the Emperor's elite Imperial Guard.

Individual clone troopers

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Coruscant Guard

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The Coruscant Guard is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic tasked with internal security and peacekeeping operations on Coruscant, protecting "soft target" public spaces and important "hard target" buildings, and serving as escorts and guards on diplomatic missions.[15][16] They first appear in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, where they search for Yoda's body in the Senate building after his duel with Darth Sidious and later help Sidious recover Darth Vader's body on Mustafar.[15] The Coruscant Guard appears in The Clone Wars film and television series, led by Commander Fox.[16][17] They hunt Jedi fugitive Ahsoka Tano when she is framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple and for murder in season five, and they search for ARC trooper Fives when he is framed for an assassination attempt on Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in season six. In season seven, a skirmish broke out onboard former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano's Venator-class Star Destroyer during the final days of the Clone Wars when clone troopers of the 332nd Company and Coruscant Guard received Order 66 from Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. Members of the Coruscant Guard wear armor with red markings, and are often known as shock troopers.[15]

Commander Fox

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Marshal Commander Fox, CC-1010, led the Coruscant Guard, an elite clone trooper unit assigned to serve as peace-keepers on the Galactic Republic capital. Following the Battle on Teth, Fox's squad rescued Senator Padmé Amidala from Ziro the Hutt. Fox stormed Ziro's Palace, took out his battle droids, and freed Amidala. Ziro was taken to the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. When Cad Bane entered the Senate building and held a number of Senators and the Supreme Chancellor hostage, Fox led a company of the Coruscant Guard to cut off his escape. Unfortunately, Bane had rigged the chamber and the hostages with explosives. Seeing this, Fox ordered his men to stand down and allowed the bounty hunter and his team to leave the Senate building.

Like every other clone trooper in the Guard, Fox was bound by honor and duty to protect and serve the Supreme Chancellor and the members of the Galactic Senate. Utterly fearless, he was always the first to lead the charge into battle, even in the most perilous combat situations. His unquestionable loyalty meant he would carry out his orders without question, even if it meant killing a Jedi or another "brother". An example of this devotion to orders is seen as he shot ARC Trooper "Fives" with his DC-17. His exemplary performance has made him one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Republic army. Additional sources state that Fox continued his duty on Coruscant, until an error on his part led Darth Vader to execute him by force snapping his neck.[18]

Commander Thire

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Lieutenant (Until Phase 2) Thire, CC-4477, is a Coruscant Guard clone shock trooper who served as a commander in the Coruscant Guard of the Grand Army of the Republic. During the Clone Wars, he accompanied Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order on a diplomatic assignment to meet with King Katuunko of Toydaria. In the course of their mission Yoda inspired his clone troopers to take strength from their individual traits, such as Thire's patience.

Following the initiation of Order 66 and the subsequent confrontation between Yoda and Darth Sidious in 19 BBY, Thire and his troopers were ordered to hunt the Jedi Master. The failure to locate his body convinced Mas Amedda that Yoda was still alive, leading the Emperor to order Thire to resume the search. However, Yoda succeeded in escaping from Coruscant with the aid of Senator Bail Organa. Thire later accompanied Sidious to Mustafar to recover the critically wounded Darth Vader.

501st Legion

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The 501st Legion is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Padawan Commander Ahsoka Tano. The 501st fought against the droid forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) throughout the Clone Wars.

The 501st originally appeared unnamed in Revenge of the Sith under the leadership of Clone Commander Appo, and they assault the Jedi Temple on Coruscant under Order 66. The 501st Legion also appears extensively throughout Star Wars Battlefront video game franchise and The Clone Wars television series, under the leadership of Captain Rex of Torrent Company. In the Star Wars Legends expanded universe, after the conversion of the Republic into the Galactic Empire, the 501st Legion (nicknamed "Vader's Fist") is placed under the command of General Maximilian Veers that serves as Darth Vader's personal battalion. In current Canon media, the 501st still remain under the command of Vader, however a new group named the First Legion is established as his personal task force, which recruits only from 501st ranks. Members of the 501st Legion wear armor with blue markings. The unit is named after the 501st Legion costuming group.

Notable sub-divisions within the 501st Legion include:

  • 332nd Division, which was created when former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano returned to assist the Republic's invasion force of Mandalore as a "tactical advisor". Upon her arrival, Captain Rex was promoted to commander and some of the troopers in the division painted their helmets orange with white markings in her likeness. After Order 66 was issued, the 332nd's Venator crash landed on the surface of an unnamed moon, killing all except Ahsoka, Rex, and Maul, who managed to escape. Before leaving, Ahsoka and Rex dug graves for the fallen soldiers as a memorial to them.
  • Torrent Company, featured heavily in the Clone Wars series and led by Captain Rex until the seventh season. The company is distinguished for their engagements against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, including the Battle of Christophsis, the Battle of Teth, and the Battle of Horain. Notable members include ARC Lieutenant Jesse, ARC Troopers Fives and Echo, troopers Hardcase, Tup, and Dogma, and medic Kix. After Captain Rex's promotion to Commander, clone Captain Vaughn led the company.

During Star Wars Celebration 2016, Dave Filoni stated that in a planned story arc for The Clone Wars, Ahsoka, who has left the Jedi Order, is given (honorary) command of part of the 501st Legion, 332nd Company, including Captain Rex; those under her command repaint their helmets orange and adorn them with Ahsoka's togruta (lekku) markings. She leads them at the siege of Mandalore, which takes place at the same time as the beginning of Revenge of the Sith (19BBY).[19] It would later be a part of the new Season 7 episodes on Disney+.

Commander Rex

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Commander Rex, CT-7567, leads Torrent Company of the 501st Legion, often under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano.[20] He first appears with the rank of captain in The Clone Wars film and its related television series, and he is the primary recurring clone trooper protagonist of the series. In the seventh season of the series (which overlaps with Revenge of the Sith), Rex is promoted to commander and leads part of the 501st Legion, called the 332nd Company (Ahsoka's Clone Troopers) in the Siege of Mandalore alongside Ahsoka. When Order 66 is issued, he attempts to execute Ahsoka, but she removes his chip and restores his free will, causing him to be demoted to captain when he refuses to execute Ahsoka. Rex later appears in the Rebels television series, set fourteen years after Revenge of the Sith. Now a much older man because of his accelerated aging, he lives on the wasteland planet Seelos and hunted worm-like joopa with fellow clones Wolffe and Gregor before they are offered a place in the Rebel Alliance, which leads to Rex reuniting with Ahsoka. In the series' epilogue, it is mentioned that Rex fought in several battles throughout the Galactic Civil War, most notably the Battle of Endor as part of Han Solo's strike team.

Commander Appo

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Commander Appo, CC-1119, served in the 501st Legion under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. He first appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, in which he and other members of the 501st carry out Order 66 and follow Anakin, now Darth Vader, in attacking the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.[21] He stops Senator Bail Organa from entering the Temple.[9] Appo later appears in season four of The Clone Wars television series as a sergeant in the 501st serving under clone Captain Rex. His armor bears blue markings. In The Clone Wars television series, his helmet is adorned with a white arrow in reference to Appa of the Avatar: The Last Airbender television series, on which The Clone Wars supervising director Dave Filoni worked and who, like the clone commander, is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.[22]

Corporal Echo

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Corporal Echo cosplay

Corporal Echo, CT-21-0408,[23] sometimes CT-1409,[24] serves alongside fellow ARC trooper Fives. He first appears in The Clone Wars season one episode "Rookies" as a regular trooper. He and his unit are assigned to the remote listening outpost on Rishi moon that is invaded by Separatist droids. Though the invasion is successfully repelled, only Echo and Fives survive, and they are reassigned to the 501st Legion.[25] The season three episode "Clone Cadets" depicts Echo and his unit as cadets in training on Kamino. The unit, called Domino squad, is initially unable to work together to pass their final test. Echo and Fives feel weighed down by the others in the squad and ask to be reassigned, but the request is denied. Under the advice of Jedi General Shaak Ti, Echo and Fives recommit themselves to Domino, and the squad is able to pass. Echo and Fives are eventually promoted to ARC troopers together for their actions while defending Kamino and continue serving with the 501st. Echo is apparently killed in an explosion during a rescue operation in the season three episode "Counter Attack".

Story reels for a previously unfinished four-episode arc called "Bad Batch" (initially part of The Clone Wars Legacy project, the episodes were later released on Disney+ in their completed state) revealed that Echo survived and was captured by the Separatists. He was modified into a cyborg able to communicate directly to computers and tasked with decoding the Republic strategy algorithm. Echo is rescued by Captain Rex, and with his ability to understand Separatist transmissions, he plays a key role in the Battle of Anaxes, earning a victory against the Separatists and the title "The Hero of Anaxes". After the mission, the former ARC trooper Echo decided to join Clone Force 99. He remained with them beyond the end of the Clone Wars and avoided obeying Order 66 like most of them, though this was mainly due to his inhibitor chip being damaged during Separatist captivity, rather than their mutations allowing them to resist it. He followed Clone Force 99 loyally as they deserted from the Empire, protected the unaccelerated female clone Omega, confronted the rogue squadmate Crosshair who submitted to the Empire and survived the destruction of Tipoca City, capital of Kamino.

Echo's armor bears blue markings, and a blue handprint adorns his chest-plate, created when Rex touched it while covered in eel blood during Echo's first mission. After his promotion to ARC trooper, Echo also wears light gray pauldrons on his shoulders and a kilt-like kama painted in an asymmetrical white and blue design. Later, after his rescue from Separatist capture, he is visibly a cyborg, with various apparatus protruding from his head and a droid plug in place of his right hand; post-rescue, he takes to wearing what appears to be a stripped-down variant on standard Phase II armor. Throughout his appearances, he is characterized as one who strictly follows orders, regulations, and protocol. Echo's name is given to him by Domino squad on Kamino as a sarcastic reference to his tendency to immediately repeat orders, even if his squad already heard.[25]

ARC Trooper Fives

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ARC Trooper Fives, CT-27-5555, serves alongside fellow ARC Trooper Echo.[26] He first appears in The Clone Wars season one episode "Rookies" as a regular trooper. He and his unit are assigned to a remote listening outpost that is invaded by Separatist droids. Though the invasion is successfully repelled, only Fives and Echo survive, and they are reassigned to the 501st Legion.[25] The season three episode "Clone Cadets" depicts Fives and his unit as cadets in training on Kamino. The unit, called Domino squad, consists also of cadets Cutup, Droidbait, and Hevy. They are initially unable to work together to pass their final test. Fives and Echo feel weighed down by the others in the squad and ask to be reassigned, but the request is denied. Under the advice of Jedi General Shaak Ti, Fives and Echo recommit themselves to Domino, and the squad is able to pass. Fives and Echo are eventually promoted to ARC troopers together for their actions while defending Kamino and continue serving with the 501st. When assigned to the command of Jedi General Pong Krell during the campaign on Umbara, Fives finds Krell's disregard for clone trooper lives appalling and openly disagrees with Krell and with Captain Rex, who is insistent on following orders. After discovering how to pilot Umbaran fighters, Fives, along with fellow clones Jesse and Hardcase disobey direct orders and destroy Umbaran supply ships delivering arms to the Umbaran Capital using the starfighters, with Hardcase sacrificing himself in the process. Though their actions allow a Republic victory, Krell, without process of a court-martial, finds Fives and Jesse guilty of treason and sentences them to execution by firing squad. However, Fives urges his fellow troopers to see this as an injustice, and the firing squad refuses to execute him. After Krell is ousted as a Republic Traitor, Fives is freed from custody and aids Rex and the 501st in arresting Krell, with clone trooper Dogma eventually using Fives' blaster to execute Krell.

In season six, during a battle over Ringo Vinda, Fives and the 501st are winning the battle until fellow clone Tup mysteriously executes Jedi General Tiplar, forcing the 501st to retreat. After rescuing Tup from Separatists and delivering him to Kamino for a medical investigation, Fives discovers a mysterious tumour in Tup's head before the latter dies. After realising the Kaminoans intend to wipe his mind, Fives launches his own investigation and realises the "tumour" in Tup's head is an inhibitor chip implanted in every clone from a young stage. Jedi Master Shaak Ti brings him to inform Palpatine about the chips, where Palpatine, being the true mastermind behind the conspiracy, reveals the chips' true purpose to Fives. He frames Fives for an assassination attempt, initiating a manhunt for Fives. With the help of 501st medic Kix, Fives is able to contact Rex and Anakin Skywalker, and he attempts to warn them of the conspiracy and of Palpatine's involvement. He is ultimately killed by Commander Fox of the Coruscant Guard and dies in Rex's arms.

Fives' name is derived from his designation number (CT-27-5555), which features fives in sequence.[25] He is distinguished by a goatee and a stylized numeral five tattoo on his right temple. His armor bears blue markings, and a stylized worm creature adorns his helmets; after his promotion to ARC trooper, he also wears light gray pauldrons on his shoulders and kilt-like kama painted with blue stripes. He regards duty and honor above orders and protocol, feeling that there is no honor in following foolish orders and marching to his death. He insists that clone troopers be referred to by name, not number, and that they are soldiers, not units, and should be treated as such. He is a close friend of Rex and, after the apparent death of Echo, considers his best friend to be fellow trooper Tup, who aids Fives against Krell and is one of the first to refuse executing Fives when given the order by Krell. When Tup begins behaving abnormally due to his inhibitor chip malfunctioning, Fives goes to great lengths and disregards order to attempt to save Tup's life and, later, discover the true cause of Tup's death. With his dying words, he describes attempting to expose the conspiracy to have been his duty.

ARC Lieutenant Jesse

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Lieutenant Jesse, CT-5597, is a member in the 501st Legion. In season four's Battle of Umbara, Jesse, like Fives comes to consider General Pong Krell to be ruthless and reckless (mainly over the casualty numbers). He later helps Fives and Hardcase on a rogue mission to destroy a Separatist supply ship, which succeeds at the cost of Hardcase's life. In season seven, he takes part in the Siege of Mandalore, during which he is captured and interrogated by Maul, and later attempts to execute Ahsoka Tano when Order 66 is issued. After Commander Rex has his chip removed and sides with Ahsoka, Jesse accuses him of treason and tries to kill him as well, but dies along with all the troopers aboard when the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tribunal they are on crashes on a small moon, and is buried by Ahsoka and Rex.

Jesse is distinguished by his shaved hair with the Republic symbol tattooed on most of his head. His armor bears blue markings with the Republic symbol on the center.

Trooper Kix

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Trooper Kix, CT-6116, is a medic serving in the 501st Legion. In season six, Kix aids Fives, a fugitive because he discovered the inhibitor chip conspiracy. The short story "The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku" reveals that this action prompted Count Dooku to capture Kix, who discovered the conspiracy himself by the time of his capture. With droids failing to secure a confession, Kix was frozen in stasis for delivery to Dooku. The ship crashed into a planet during a randomized hyperspace jump to escape a Republic attack and protect "Dooku's prize". Fifty years later, Kix is released from stasis by pirates searching for "the lost treasure of Count Dooku". Kix is taken aboard the Corsair's ship and welcomed to their endeavor of raiding forgotten Separatist bases.[27]

Kix is distinguished by his shaved hair and a phrase translating to "a good droid is a dead one" tattooed across his head. His armor bears blue markings, and his Phase II armor bears a red insignia marking him as a medic. He is "dedicated to preserving the life of his brothers", and he even tells an injured Captain Rex, "As the team medic, when it comes to the health of the men, including you, I outrank everyone." However, he still has "no qualms about fighting the enemy".

Trooper Tup

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Trooper Tup, CT-5385, was part of the 501st legion under Captain Rex. He served in the Umbara campaign and was key to the capture of treasonous Jedi General Pong Krell, supporting and siding with his friend Fives even after Fives had been condemned to death by Krell and stunning the Jedi after a fierce battle with mutinous 501st clones led by Rex. In the sixth season, Tup suffered a malfunction in a biotechnical chip implanted in his brain shortly after his creation by the Kaminoans. Intended to ensure that the clones obeyed Order 66, the chip caused Tup to shoot and kill Jedi General Tiplar despite not having been ordered to. As Tup was being shipped back to Kamino for evaluation, he was kidnapped by the Separatists (who wanted to know why his chip had malfunctioned), only to be recovered shortly afterwards. Tup's actions led to the discovery of the chips by both the Jedi and the clones themselves, but Tup died of medical complications soon afterwards. Though Fives attempted to avenge Tup's death by finding the truth behind the chips, he was killed by Commander Fox, before he could reveal what he had learned; Tup's actions and death were officially declared the results of a locally acquired virus.

Tup's armor featured the blue markings common in the 501st, as well as an image of a single blue teardrop underneath the right eye of his helmet; this matched a tattoo on his face.

212th Attack Battalion

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Cosplay of a 212th Attack Battalion Clone Airborne Trooper

The 212th Attack Battalion is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic under the command of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his subordinate, Clone Marshal Commander Cody. The 212th fought against the droid forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems throughout the Clone Wars. A component of the 7th Sky Corps of the Third Systems Army,[28] it consisted of both standard clone infantry and clone paratroopers. The battalion fought on a multitude of worlds throughout the Clone Wars, including early campaigns on Christophsis, Teth, Ryloth, Saleucami and Geonosis, to later battles on Kiros, Sarrish, Moorjhone and Umbara. The 212th was also involved in numerous special operations missions; which included an infiltration mission on Lola Sayu.

By the third and last year of the conflict, the 212th led an invasion of the Separatist-controlled worlds, including Anaxes and Utapau. During the latter battle, Kenobi killed General Grievous, marking a major loss for the Separatists and bringing the Republic one step closer to winning the war. However, Kenobi was ultimately betrayed by his soldiers upon the activation of Order 66, which led to the Clone's inhibitor chips forcibly compelling them to view him as a traitor to the Republic that needed to be executed. The clones failed to execute their former leader, however. Following the proclamation of the New Order, the 212th was folded into the armed forces of the Galactic Empire. During their days in service to the new government, with General Kahdah as the commanding officer, the battalion was dispatched to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk where they suppressed an indigenous uprising.

Notable sub-divisions within the 212th Attack Battalion include:

  • Ghost Company — participated in several battles and campaigns. Most Ghost Company clone troopers bore orange markings on their standard clone trooper armor. Many also had customized helmet coloration designs.
  • Foxtrot Group — an elite commando unit, led by Clone Captain Gregor, within the Special Operations Brigade of the Grand Army of the Republic. It was attached in direct support to the 212th Attack Battalion and was deployed during the Battle of Sarrish, though many of its troopers perished in that battle.[29]

Marshal Commander Cody

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Commander Cody (Phase II armor) cosplay

Marshal Commander Cody, CC-2224, leads the 212th Attack Battalion under the command of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi.[30] He first appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith during the Battle of Utapau, aiding Obi-Wan against General Grievous on the planet Utapau. He is the first clone trooper to receive Order 66 on-screen, and he obediently commands his troopers to shoot down Obi-Wan and to locate his body to confirm the kill.[9] Cody later appears in The Clone Wars film and its related television series,[17][30] as well as in season 2 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Cody is distinguished by a scar on the left side of his face. His armor bears orange markings, and he wears visors on his helmets. He is characterized as a cautious but "natural and practical leader" whose "keen ability to strategize, combined with his fierce combat style in the heat of battle, earned him the respect of the Jedi, and of his fellow clones".[30] He is also noted to adhere to standard procedures and protocol.[25] Cody is particularly loyal to Obi-Wan, whom he complemented well, and their relationship is characterized by a mutual camaraderie and trust, though this did not prevent Cody from attempting to kill Kenobi as part of Order 66. Cody is also friends with Captain Rex, having completed many missions together.[30]

Captain Gregor

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Captain Gregor, CC-5576-39, is the former leader of Foxtrot Group, an elite commando unit within the Special Operations Brigade of the Grand Army of the Republic, attached in direct support to the 212th Attack Battalion.[31] He is introduced in the season five episode "Missing in Action"—suffering amnesia and living on the distant planet Abafar, where a stranded D-Squad—a Republic covert-ops unit consisting of droids looking for a Separatist decoding chip—discovers him working as a dishwasher in a diner. It is revealed that he lost his memories and sense of identity after a shuttle crash during the devastating Battle of Sarrish. He was rescued by his employer, who keeps Gregor's true identity from him to prevent him from leaving, but Gregor is able to regain his sense of duty and his armor to help the Republic. Gregor holds off Separatist droids to allow the Republic mission to escape, and despite his promise to make his way home, he is seemingly killed in an explosion of rhydonium. He later appears in Star Wars, the Bad Batch where he has run away from the Empire. The Bad Batch is asked by Rex to rescue him, and they obey. He is rescued and taken to CID while the Bad Batch goes to rescue Hunter.[32] He later appears in the Rebels television series, set fourteen years after Revenge of the Sith. He is revealed to have removed his inhibitor chip, preventing him from carrying out Order 66. Now a much older man because of his accelerated aging, he lives on the wasteland planet Seelos and hunts worm-like joopa with Captain Rex (CT-7567) and Commander Wolffe (CT-3636).[33] Sometime after the Clone Wars, he suffered a brain injury, causing him to suffer brief periods of apparent insanity. When the Spectres, a team of rebels from the planet Lothal, arrive on Seelos to ask for help, Gregor initially declines, but eventually assists them in fending off an Imperial attack after Wolffe inadvertently exposes them to the Empire. He later took part in a final battle to free Lothal from Imperial control, where he was fatally wounded by an Imperial technician.

Gregor's commando armor bears yellow markings and an off-white camouflage pattern, and his helmet is adorned with hash-marks modeled after those on Gerry Cheevers' hockey mask.[34]

91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps

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The 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic. Though officially led by Jedi General Adi Gallia and her subordinate, Clone Marshal Commander Neyo, other Jedi Generals such as Mace Windu, Oppo Rancisis and Stass Allie led the 91st during key missions. As a deep reconnaissance-expeditionary division, it was their job to scout ahead and send back critical info to GAR leadership before a large deployment. As a corps, it was made up of roughly 37,000 clone troopers, BARC troopers, and ARF troopers, organised into 16 regiments. The 91st was easily distinguishable by the red colour on their armour, as well as their signature crest, which was a small red circle with a white sword pointing upside down through it. The 91st led the assault in the Battle of Ryloth and the Siege of Saleucami.

Notable sub-divisions within the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps include:

  • Lightning Squadron — a military cavalry squadron in the Grand Army of the Republic, composed of Advanced Recon Force clone troopers. During the Clone Wars, Lightning Squadron served under the leadership of Clone Commander CT-411 "Ponds," who reported directly to Jedi General Mace Windu. In 22 BBY the squadron deployed to Ryloth as part of a military campaign to liberate the Twi'lek homeworld from Separatist occupation.

Marshal Commander Neyo

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Marshal Commander Neyo, CC-8826, leads the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps, with initial-command given to Jedi General Mace Windu in the Battle of Ryloth and Battle of Anaxes; command was later transferred to Jedi Generals Adi Gallia and Stass Allie. Aside from BARC speeders, the corps utilized AT-AP walkers, and AT-RT walkers. The elite cavalry unit Lightning Squadron was part of the 91st Reconnaissance Corps. As the war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems progressed, in 20 BBY, the Republic Military formed a special covert-ops team of droids known as D-Squad which consisted of four astromech droids, R2-D2, QT-KT, U9-C4, M5-BZ, and Neyo's DUM-series pit droid, designated WAC-47, and was placed under the command of Colonel Meebur Gascon. D-Squad's primary objective was to infiltrate a Separatist Providence-class carrier/destroyer and steal an encryption module that was housed aboard, which was successful. Later, the commander attended a Republic strategy conference at the Valor space station located in the Carida system. During the conference, a Separatist attack on the station was thwarted by the members of D-Squad. Neyo and his troops were stationed on the Outer Rim world of Saleucami, under the command of Jedi General Stass Allie, in the waning days of the Clone Wars. While patrolling the planet's surface, he received a message from Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine instructing him to execute Order 66. Neyo fired his BARC speeder's laser cannons on the general, adding Allie to the list of Jedi who perished. After the transformation of the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire, 91st Recon Corps was folded into the Imperial Army. Neyo had a specialized helmet similar to that of Commander Wolffe, and sported a sash on his armor, and a small, grey, shoulder pauldron over his right shoulder as well.

Commander Ponds

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Commander Ponds, CT-411, leads the Advanced Recon Force Lightning Squadron of the GAR 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. During the Battle of Geonosis, Commander Ponds arranged for five special commando units to follow Windu's orders during the first battle of the war.[35]

104th Battalion

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The 104th "Wolf Pack" Battalion is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic, led by Jedi General Plo Koon and his subordinate, Clone Marshal Commander Wolffe, during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Notable sub-divisions within the 104th Battalion include:

  • Wolfpack Squad - the infamous Wolfpack appeared in 12 episodes of the Clone Wars animated series. The Wolfpack was a clone trooper squad in the 104th Battalion of the Grand Army of the Republic. Members included Clone Sergeant "Sinker," Clone Corporal "Comet," and CT-4860 "Boost."

Commander Wolffe

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Commander Wolffe,CT-3636, leads the 104th Battalion under the command of Jedi General Plo Koon.[36][37] He is introduced in The Clone Wars season one episode "Rising Malevolence". He is the first officer aboard Plo's flagship Triumphant when it is destroyed by General Grievous and is one of three clones to survive.[36] Afterward, he appears with a redesigned character model, including a cybernetic eye implant caused by a fight with Separatist assassin Asajj Ventress, and leads a tight-knit unit nicknamed Wolfpack on the battlefield. He later appears in the Rebels television series, set fourteen years after Revenge of the Sith. Wolffe is revealed to have removed his inhibitor chip, preventing him from carrying out Order 66. Now a much older man because of his accelerated aging, he lives on the wasteland planet Seelos and hunts worm-like joopa with Rex and Gregor. When they are sought by the rebel protagonists, Wolffe is suspicious of their motives and contacts the Empire to protect himself, Rex, and Gregor. Rex convinces him that the rebels can be trusted, and Wolffe regrets his actions. He then thwarts an incoming attack from the Empire to save the rebels, and later on helps them free their planet from Imperial occupation once and for all.

Wolffe is distinguished by a scar running through his eye and a silver cybernetic eye implant. His armor is adorned with a gray stylized likeness of a wolf, and he wears a kilt-like kama. He is characterized as detail-oriented and as having "a sense of strategy superior to that of most clone officers, making him a highly effective complement to Plo."[36] He is impatient with missions that send him away from the battlefield and becomes quickly exasperated with garrulous protocol droid C-3PO.[38]

327th Star Corps

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The 327th Star Corps is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic, led by Jedi General Aayla Secura and her subordinate, Clone Marshal Commander Bly, during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

The 327th Star Corps was a detachment of the 2nd Sector Army, one of the six Sector Armies based in the Core Worlds. Since its own territory was relatively insulated from Separatist attack, many of the 2nd Sector Army's component units were deployed to reinforce the beleaguered Sector Armies fighting in the Outer Rim. The 327th was one such unit, frequently dispatched to hot zones to stem the bleeding. The 327th had an extremely long combat history; it was one of the five full corps that fought on Battle of Geonosis, where it suffered heavy casualties. The 327th component unit Hawkbat Battalion was almost completely wiped out in a clash with a column of homing spider droids. Despite the many casualties sustained at Geonosis, however, the battle ended in a Republic victory, and the 327th Star Corps limped off to the next battlefield.

Secura and Bly made for a great team; Bly's unwavering focus on the mission contrasted well with Secura's unorthodox tactics and ingenuity, allowing the 327th to overcome any situation. By the end of the war, the clones of the 327th were among the most skilled in the Grand Army of the Republic. The unit's veterans were well known for their expertise at fighting in hostile environments, and many of the 327th's elite cadre had ARC Trooper training. Most of the clones within the 327th Star Corps wore armor with yellow stripes, a trend that appears to have been started by Commander Bly, who kept his yellow commander's stripes after the transition between Phase I and Phase II armor.

Marshal Commander Bly

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Commander Bly (Phase II armor) cosplay (right)

Marshal Commander Bly, CC-5052, leads the 327th Star Corps under the command of Jedi General Aayla Secura.[39] He first appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, in which he and his men carry out Order 66 and shoot Aayla in the back, killing her.[9] He later appears in season one of The Clone Wars television series alongside Aayla. Bly is distinguished by his close-shaved hair and yellow rectangular tattoos on his cheeks. His armor bears yellow markings, and he wears a brown pauldron on his left shoulder, a kilt-like kama, and binocular attachments on his helmet. He is known as a dependable soldier who greatly values the success of the mission,[40] and he has a "close working relationship" with Aayla and respects her dedication to achieving her objectives.[39][40]

41st Elite Corps

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The 41st Elite Corps is a division of the Grand Army of the Republic, led by Jedi General Luminara Unduli and her subordinate, Clone Commander Gree, during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Roughly the size of the division consisting of nine thousand two hundred and sixteen clone troopers, the 41st earned its name being recognized as not only the best division within the ninth assault Corps but also within the entire Third Army; the army intended to be a reserve unit for all mid rim operations. The 41st Elite specialized in missions upon alien planets within hostile and grueling terrain. The Legion would often serve as alien recruitment and counter insurgency against the separatists as a byproduct of their deployment locations.

Commander Gree

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Commander Gree (Phase II armor) cosplay

Commander Gree, CC-1004, leads the 41st Elite Corps under the command of Jedi General Luminara Unduli.[41][42] He first appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith aiding Jedi General Yoda on Kashyyyk, to defend the Wookiees from invading Separatists. He attempts to carry out Order 66, but he and another Kashyyyk scout trooper, Captain Jek, are beheaded by Yoda.[9] He later appears in the first and second seasons of The Clone Wars television series serving under Luminara. Gree is distinguished by his dyed red hair shaved into two parallel stripes, in remembrance of fallen clones during his first battle, and eyebrows dyed to match his hair. His armor bears green markings, and he appears in green camouflage armor in Revenge of the Sith.[42]

Special Operations Brigade

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Special Operations Brigade (SOBDE), a.k.a. GAR Special Forces, was a brigade of elite clone troopers in the Grand Army of the Republic under the command of Jedi General Arligan Zey and Jedi General Iri Camas. Within the film series and in the Star Wars expanded universe media, the brigade contained highly specialized elite Republic special forces soldiers enhanced with genetic experimentation, including Clone Commandos, Advanced Reconnaissance Commandos (ARC Troopers), Alpha-class ARCs, Null-class ARCs, clone assassins, clone shadow troopers, covert operations clone troopers, and special operation clone troopers who usually work alone.[43] All clone commandos and ARCs were trained by Mandalorian mercenaries.

The style and color of a clone trooper's armor often varies depending on their rank, specialization, unit, or environment, for example, the clone troopers on Kashyyyk wear camouflage green scout-style armor whereas the 501st legion wears standard white armor with blue accents. Another example is the aquatic SCUBA troopers, who appear in the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars. SCUBA troopers are equipped with high-tech breathing apparatuses and long-range blaster rifles.[44][45]

Clone Force 99

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Clone Force 99—informally known as "the Bad Batch"—was a clone commando squad consisting of four clone troopers with unique genetic mutations that heighten specific skill sets, not possessed by other clones—the result of specially designed genetic experimentation. Named in honor of 99, a defective clone who died in defense of Kamino, the Bad Batch originally consisted of squad leader Clone Sergeant Hunter, a CQC specialist with enhanced sensory abilities and tracking skills; Wrecker, a demolition and heavy ordnance specialist with enhanced muscular form; Tech, a security specialist with enhanced mental capacity and intelligence; and Crosshair, a scout sniper specialist with genetically enhanced eyesight. The squad had maintained an impressive 100 percent mission completion ratio, but were notorious for their insubordination and were known to get into fights with other troopers.[46][47]

The squad was introduced in the seventh season of The Clone Wars animated series, where they came to Anaxes to assist Anakin Skywalker and Rex on their mission to investigate a source of Separatist victories, as well as try to rescue Corporal Echo, the ARC Trooper who was presumed dead on Lola Sayu and is revealed to have been captured by the Techno Union and held on Skako Minor. Following the successful mission, Echo decided to join Clone Force 99, as he was encouraged by Captain Rex to join the team for feeling different from the rest of the standard clones.

In July 2020, it was announced that Clone Force 99 would be receiving their own spin-off series in 2021 on Disney+.The Bad Batch follows their actions in the early days of the Empire.[48]

The series premiered on Star Wars Day, May 4, 2021, where it was revealed that the series was set during and immediately after the events of Revenge of the Sith, beginning with the issuance of clone contingency Order 66 by Emperor Sheev Palpatine.[49] The activation of Order 66 affected the regular clones, but because of Clone Force 99's extensive genetic modifications, they remained in control of their actions, while the regular clones' inhibitor chips caused them to execute their Jedi commanders unquestioningly. Among them, only Crosshair was affected by the inhibitor chip. Clone Force 99, free from the chip's influence, escaped the Empire from the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, Kamino, leaving behind Crosshair, whose chip had been modified by the Empire to make him even more susceptible to its effects, and picking up Omega, the last of the original series of clones that produced Boba Fett and the female clone of Jango Fett.

05 Commando Battalion

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2
Clone Commandos cosplay

05 Commando Battalion was one of 10 units of commando groups within the Grand Army of the Republic's Special Operations Brigade.[50] The unit held five companies, with each consisting of 100 commandos per company, which accounted for 25 squads. Within the battalion, Arca Company was housed, who also held Delta Squad and Omega Squad. Veshok Squad was also housed in a separate company. During the Clone Wars, Jedi General Bardan Jusik was placed in charge of the unit, until he stepped down from the Jedi Order and as a military General.[51] When Jusik stepped down, Jedi General Etain Tur-Mukan was placed in charge.[52]

Notable sub-divisions within the 05 Commando Battalion include:

  • Delta Squad is a unit of four Republic commandos, a type of specialized clone trooper that wore katarn-type armor. The squad is introduced in the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando and featured throughout the Republic Commando novels by Karen Traviss, and its troopers make a brief appearance in The Clone Wars television series. Delta is led by Sergeant Boss, RC-1138 and often referred to as simply 38; he is distinguished by orange markings on his armor, and he is voiced by Temuera Morrison. Scorch, RC-1262 and often referred to as simply 62, is the squad's demolitions expert and has a jocular sense of humor; he is distinguished by yellow and gray markings on his armor, and he is voiced by Raphael Sbarge. Sev, RC-1207 and often referred to as simply 07, is the group's sniper and is characterized as grim. During a mission on Kashyyyk at the end of the Clone Wars, depicted at the end of Republic Commando, Sev's transmission signal is lost, and he is declared missing in action; his ultimate fate is uncertain. Sev is distinguished by red markings on his armor, and he is voiced by Jonathan David Cook. Fixer, RC-1140 and often referred to as simply 40, is the hacker and technical expert and is characterized as distant and stern; he is distinguished by green markings on his armor, and he is voiced by Andrew Chaikin. In the television series Bad Batch, Scorch (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) makes occasional antagonistic appearances working for the Galactic Empire after Order 66.
  • Omega Squad is a unit of four Republic commandos featured in the "Republic Commando" novels. The members wear black armor, and each man is the sole survivor of his previous unit. Omega is led by Sergeant Niner, RC-1309, who is characterized as serious and protective of the other men. Darman, RC-1136, is a demolitions expert; he falls in love with Jedi Etain Tur-Mukan, and they have a child. Fi, RC-8015, is the squad's sniper and medic, and he is described as seemingly easy-going but troubled by the denial of a normal life. Fi suffers a brain injury in True Colors and is declared legally dead when he falls into a coma; medical procedure requires he be euthanized, but he is taken to Mandalore where he eventually makes a full recovery. Atin, RC-3222, is the squad's technical expert, and he is described as quiet but deeply stubborn. Atin was trained by Walon Vau, unlike the others, and he initially harbors deep resentments for Vau. Corr, CT-5108/8843 later RC-5108/8843, joins the squad upon Fi's injury. Corr is a regular trooper who served as a bomb disposal expert; because of an injury, both arms from the elbows are prosthetic.

ARC troopers

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Advanced Recon Commando, also known as ARC troopers, were elite troopers in the army of the Galactic Republic that were selected by their distinction on the battlefield. ARC troopers are mostly referred to as the best soldiers of the Republic, and are the ones that trained the first generation of clone commanders such as CC-2224, Cody, or CT-7567, Captain Rex, and many more. ARC troopers wore parts of phase I and phase II clone armor. Most also wore a double-side pauldron, a kamas (also known as a belt-cape) and a rangefinder (the antenna on their casks). They used DC-17 hand blaster, DC-15a blaster rifles and DC-15x sniper rifles. Some also wore JT-12 jetpacks.

There are many notable ARC types:

  • Null class

The Null class ARC troopers were the very first soldiers created by the Kaminoans.

Reception

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Graeme McMillan of The Hollywood Reporter felt the decision to make an army of clones is a "softening of the Star Wars' own mythology", though the article later corrected that not all troopers in the franchise were clones. Noting that the films never specify that the clone troopers are replaced by regular soldiers by the original trilogy, he believed that the idea of soldiers who are created solely for war and are little more than machines "sanitizes the war of the franchise's title". He praised the decision of The Force Awakens to explicitly move away from clone troopers as bringing "much-needed moral complexity" to the film's conflict.[11] The story arcs and character development of various clone trooper characters in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars: The Bad Batch was met with praise from both fans and critics alike, with many clones such as Captain Rex becoming fan favorite characters.

See also

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References

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Further reading

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Clone troopers were the genetically engineered soldiers who formed the Grand Army of the during the , a galaxy-spanning conflict in the Star Wars universe. Grown on the planet Kamino from the genetic template of bounty hunter , they underwent accelerated aging to mature into combat-ready adults within a decade, ensuring a rapid buildup of military forces superior to the Separatist battle droids. These clones were designed for unwavering loyalty and efficiency, each implanted with an organic inhibitor chip to suppress independent thought and enforce obedience to Republic commands. Organized into specialized units such as the under Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, clone troopers fought alongside Knights against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, debuting in the First Battle of Geonosis that ignited the war. Their standard Phase I armor consisted of white plastoid plates over a black bodysuit, providing protection while allowing identification by colored markings for rank and unit affiliation; this evolved into the more ergonomic Phase II design midway through the conflict. As the Clone Wars concluded, Supreme Chancellor —secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious—activated Order 66 via the inhibitor chips, compelling the clone troopers to turn on and largely exterminate their commanders, facilitating the Republic's transformation into the . Surviving clones, including variants like the elite Clone Force 99, either continued service in the Imperial military or went into hiding, with many phased out in favor of recruited stormtroopers who inherited their armor aesthetic and role as the Empire's primary infantry.

Creation and Development

Concept Origins

George Lucas envisioned the clone troopers as the Grand Army of the Republic, grown from the genetic template of bounty hunter Jango Fett on Kamino. In the development of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), the plot centered on the discovery of this clone army, with early scripts by Lucas and Jonathan Hales introducing the clones as a ready-made force for the Republic. During pre-production from 1999 to 2001, Lucas and the design team incorporated the clones' accelerated aging, allowing maturity in 10 years to fit the saga's timeline. Concept artist Doug Chiang created initial sketches of the clone troopers, emphasizing their uniform armored appearance with allowances for unit markings.

Design and Biology

Clone troopers were genetically engineered using the DNA template of the human bounty hunter Jango Fett, provided to the Kaminoan cloners as part of a clandestine Republic initiative. This template ensured that each clone was a near-perfect biological replica of Fett, but the Kaminoans introduced targeted genetic modifications to optimize them for military service. These alterations included accelerated growth rates, allowing clones to reach physical and mental maturity in approximately 10 years, twice the speed of standard human development. Additionally, enhancements to strength, endurance, and reflexes made them superior soldiers compared to unmodified humans. To enforce loyalty and prevent independent thought that could undermine command structures, every clone trooper was implanted with an organic inhibitor chip during the embryonic stage. This behavioral modification device, disguised as a safeguard against aggression, was actually a Sith-engineered contingency designed by Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku) to compel the clones to execute Order 66, turning them against the Jedi when activated. The chips' existence and true purpose were uncovered during investigations in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, highlighting their role in overriding the clones' free will. The rapid aging process, while enabling swift army production, resulted in significantly shortened lifespans for clone troopers due to the doubled aging rate post-maturity. This acceleration also contributed to health vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to certain toxins. Clone trooper armor was integral to their design, providing protection tailored to their enhanced physiology. Phase I armor, deployed at the outset of the Clone Wars, consisted of white plastoid plates over a black bodysuit, often marked with blue accents to denote standard infantry units. Evolving into Phase II midway through the conflict, the armor featured refined plastoid construction for greater flexibility and mobility, accommodating the troopers' superior strength and reflexes, while incorporating color-coded markings for unit identification and personalization. Specialized variants, such as cold assault gear with thermal insulation and camouflage for frigid environments, further adapted the design to diverse combat conditions.

Portrayal Techniques

In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), (ILM) employed motion-capture technology to bring clone troopers to life, using stunt performers in Vicon 8 suits captured by 20 high-resolution cameras to record movements for digital models. These performances were stylized with precise, militaristic gestures approved by director , and the data was processed into point clouds for animation cleanup by a single artist, reducing the team from six in Episode I. To balance uniformity with subtle individuality, ILM artists modeled CG heads in Maya and Isculpt, rendering them with RenderMan and to overlay digital faces on the performers, allowing identical appearances alongside nuanced expressions during battle sequences. The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) featured voice actor voicing over 200 clone troopers, employing modulation techniques like pitch shifts, tonal variations, and regional accents to differentiate characters such as the authoritative from the tactical Commander Cody. Baker's approach involved layering subtle vocal inflections to convey personality traits—such as confidence or hesitation—without altering the core cloned , enabling audiences to distinguish individuals amid the troopers' genetic sameness across 133 episodes. This vocal versatility extended to spin-offs like , where Baker simultaneously performed multiple clones in ensemble scenes, enhancing emotional depth through real-time improvisation. Animation styles for clone troopers evolved significantly from the 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series to the main series, shifting from 2D cel-shading to 3D CGI to deepen visual immersion. Directed by , the micro-series used hand-drawn, cel-shaded visuals in short episodes to emphasize the troopers' anonymity via faceless helmets and bold silhouettes, prioritizing dynamic action over facial detail in a stylized, comic-book aesthetic. The 2008 series transitioned to 3D CGI animation produced by , offering richer textures, lighting, and crowd simulations for trooper units while retaining helmet designs to underscore their interchangeable nature, as seen in large-scale battles that highlighted collective movement over individual traits. In live-action depictions beyond the prequels, such as the flashbacks in : A Star Wars Story (2016), clone troopers appeared through a hybrid of practical effects and digital enhancements supervised by ILM. The opening sequence integrated practical sets and pyrotechnics for the environment around young and , with clone cameos achieved by blending new CGI models with archival prequel footage to maintain continuity in armor and movement. This technique ensured seamless insertion of the troopers into the gritty, documentary-style visuals, using motion-captured animations refined for the era's aesthetic without full recasting.

Role in the Star Wars Universe

Origins and Production

The clone trooper program originated from a secret commission placed by Master Sifo-Dyas around 32 BBY, when he contracted the Kaminoans to create a vast army for the in anticipation of future conflict. This initiative was covertly manipulated by the Lord Darth Sidious, who, through his apprentice (Darth Tyranus), influenced Sifo-Dyas to ensure the army would serve the 's long-term plans for galactic domination. Sifo-Dyas was subsequently eliminated on Oba Diah to maintain secrecy, allowing the project to proceed unchecked under oversight. Cloning operations commenced immediately on Kamino's advanced facilities, utilizing the genetic template of Jango Fett, selected for his combat prowess and provided with a substantial payment by Dooku. The Kaminoans employed accelerated growth techniques, enabling clones to reach maturity in just 10 years—half the time of standard human development—resulting in the first viable batches emerging by 22 BBY, just in time for deployment at the Battle of Geonosis. Production scaled to millions of units, with facilities like Tipoca City serving as the primary hubs for gestation, initial conditioning, and output. Politically, the clone army's integration into Republic service was formalized in 22 BBY when the Galactic Senate, amid escalating Separatist threats, granted Supreme Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers through a motion proposed by Senator Padmé Amidala's proxy, . This authorization bypassed prior oversight, officially designating the clones as the Grand Army of the despite the Council's initial shock at the program's undisclosed existence and their ethical reservations regarding the clones' engineered obedience, which bordered on slavery-like conditions without personal autonomy. The , while accepting command roles to lead the army, voiced concerns over its secretive origins and the moral implications of commanding purpose-bred soldiers. From decanting on Kamino, clones underwent an intensive 10-year training regimen designed to instill unwavering loyalty to the and commanders, incorporating simulated combat scenarios, tactical drills, and behavioral conditioning to suppress individuality in favor of unit cohesion. This process, overseen by Kaminoan trainers and later ARC troopers, ensured the clones were combat-ready by age 10, equivalent to early adulthood, with indoctrination emphasizing obedience and sacrifice for the greater good.

Military Organization

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was hierarchically organized to facilitate large-scale galactic operations, consisting of 10 Systems Armies as its primary divisions. Each Systems Army encompassed 2 Sector Armies, 4 Corps, 16 Legions, 80 Regiments, 400 Battalions, 2,000 Companies, 8,000 Platoons, and 40,000 Squads, enabling flexible deployment across multiple fronts. By 22 BBY, at the outset of the Clone Wars, the GAR comprised approximately 3 million clone troopers, with accelerated production on Kamino expanding the force to meet escalating Separatist threats. Clone trooper ranks followed a structured progression from private—the entry-level enlisted position—to clone marshal commander, the highest attainable rank for clones, overseeing corps-level operations. Intermediate ranks included , , and clone commander, with officers distinguished by colored markings on their armor to denote authority and unit affiliation. Specialized roles, such as Advanced Recon Commandos (ARC troopers), represented elite variants trained for high-risk , , and in advanced tactical missions, often bypassing standard rank hierarchies for operational autonomy. Units were tailored for diverse combat roles, with legions (approximately 9,216 troopers) serving as key maneuver elements, such as the 501st Legion; battalions (around 576 troopers) focusing on specialized assaults, exemplified by the 212th Attack Battalion; and corps (about 36,864 troopers) providing overarching coordination, like the 327th Star Corps. These formations were typically integrated with Jedi command, where clone officers reported to Jedi generals—such as Anakin Skywalker leading the 501st or Obi-Wan Kenobi overseeing the 212th—ensuring a blend of Force-guided strategy and disciplined trooper execution.

Service During the Clone Wars

The clone troopers first saw combat during the First Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY, marking the outbreak of the . Deployed en masse to rescue captives and confront the Separatist droid army led by , the clones arrived via LAAT gunships and engaged in intense ground assaults against battle droids and Geonosian warriors. Despite their disciplined formations and superior training, the forces, including the clones, suffered heavy casualties in the arena execution and subsequent factory assaults, with nearly all 212 participating either killed or wounded. Ultimately, the clones' overwhelming numbers and coordination with surviving secured a tactical victory, destroying key Separatist facilities and forcing a retreat, though the battle highlighted the war's ferocity from its inception. Throughout the Clone Wars, clone troopers participated in numerous key campaigns that demonstrated their versatility across diverse theaters. On the Rishi Moon in the Christophsystem, a small detachment of rookie clones defended a critical listening outpost against a Separatist commando droid infiltration in 22 BBY, alerting the to an impending and holding the position until reinforcements arrived, at the cost of several lives. The Umbara campaign saw clones of the navigate the planet's perpetual darkness, conducting infiltration missions against Umbaran forces under the command of General Pong Krell, whose aggressive tactics led to significant internal conflicts and high losses before his betrayal was uncovered. Later, during the Battle of Anaxes in 19 BBY, clone troopers repelled a Separatist aimed at capturing strategic shipyards, employing cyber warfare and direct assaults to dismantle enemy command centers and secure the planet for the . Clone troopers fulfilled a range of tactical roles, adapting from initial rigid, formation-based assaults to more flexible operations influenced by their commanders. Early engagements emphasized massed advances with blaster rifles and heavy support from AT-TE walkers, but clones increasingly specialized in boarding actions to disable enemy vessels from within and patrols to gather on Separatist movements. This evolution allowed units to incorporate Jedi-led , such as guerrilla tactics on forested worlds or zero-gravity maneuvers in space, enhancing their effectiveness against droid hordes despite the clones' standardized . For instance, the exemplified this adaptability in multi-phase operations blending ground assaults with aerial support. The exacted a tremendous toll on clone troopers, with attrition rates exceeding 80% in grueling battles like those on Umbara, where poor leadership amplified losses among otherwise elite squads. Despite their genetic uniformity and programmed loyalty, clones fostered strong camaraderie through shared hardships, often adopting individual names and nicknames to assert amid the dehumanizing scale of the conflict. This morale-building helped sustain their resolve, as seen in outpost defenses where small teams held out against overwhelming odds, though the psychological strain of constant replacement and battlefield deaths underscored the war's brutality on the Republic's soldiers.

Order 66 and Legacy

In 19 BBY, as the reached their conclusion, Supreme Chancellor —secretly Darth Sidious—issued Order 66, a clandestine directive compelling all clone troopers to execute their generals without hesitation. This activation triggered the Great Jedi Purge, transforming the clones from loyal soldiers into instruments of betrayal, as they systematically targeted and eliminated across the galaxy. Notable instances included Commander Cody ordering artillery fire on during the Battle of Utapau and clone forces, led by the newly christened , storming the Temple on to massacre its inhabitants. The inhibitor chips implanted in every clone's brain served as the mechanism for this obedience, functioning as behavioral modification biochips programmed to override individual will and enforce loyalty to the 's leadership. While most clones complied unquestioningly, a few—such as , whose chip had been surgically removed—experienced profound internal conflict, enabling acts of resistance and aiding like in evading capture. With the rise of the , clone troopers initially formed the core of the Imperial Military, enforcing the new regime's authoritarian rule in the years immediately following Order 66. However, grew distrustful of the clones' potential unreliability, ordering the destruction of Kamino's cloning facilities and initiating a gradual replacement program with conscripted recruits and non-clone volunteers. By the mid-Imperial era, clone troopers were largely phased out of frontline infantry roles, supplanted by the white-armored stormtrooper legions that symbolized the Empire's shift toward mass recruitment over engineered soldiers. Veteran clones like Commander Wolffe continued brief service under Imperial command before retiring or facing scrutiny, highlighting the transition's tensions. Surviving clones navigated a precarious existence in the post-Clone Wars galaxy, often contending with accelerated aging—twice the rate of natural humans—and the psychological scars of their forced betrayal. Figures such as , Commander Wolffe, and Commander Gregor withdrew to the remote of Seelos, modifying an AT-TE walker into a while hunting massive beasts, until their discovery by Rebel scouts drew them back into the fight against the Empire. ultimately joined the , contributing his tactical expertise to operations against Imperial forces. In the animated series The Bad Batch, the elite Clone Force 99—genetically enhanced "defective" clones immune to Order 66's full effects—embark on missions in the early Empire, wrestling with their engineered identities, loyalty to fallen comrades, and the moral ambiguities of a shifting regime. These narratives extend into later eras, with clone troopers appearing in flashback sequences in the 2023 live-action series Ahsoka. The clones' experiences underscored profound ethical dilemmas surrounding their creation and control, particularly the inhibitor chips' suppression of free will, which stripped them of agency during pivotal moments like Order 66. This legacy of manipulated obedience fueled debates on clone rights and within the broader Star Wars canon. Exemplifying early assertions of , clone trooper Cut Lawquane deserted the Grand Army of the Republic during the , disillusioned by the endless casualties, to forge a civilian life as a farmer on Saleucami with a Twi'lek wife and adopted children. His choice represented a rare path of self-determination among clones, prioritizing family and peace over military duty long before the Empire's rise.

Appearances in Media

Films and Television

Clone troopers first appeared in live-action in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), where they were unveiled as the Grand Army of the Republic, debuting in the climactic Battle of Geonosis against the Separatist droid army. Led by Jedi Generals like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu, the clones emerged from transport ships to overwhelm the droid forces in a massive desert assault, marking the ignition of the Clone Wars. In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), clone troopers played a pivotal role in the 's final campaigns before their sudden betrayal. Under Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's command, they executed Order 66, receiving encrypted instructions via their behavioral inhibitor chips to eliminate their commanders across the galaxy, such as Commander Cody ordering the assault on on Utapau. This purge transformed the clones from loyal soldiers into the foundational stormtroopers of the newly formed . The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) extensively explored clone troopers' narratives across seven seasons, emphasizing their growing individuality amid the war's horrors. Key arcs included the rescue mission in season three, where an elite squad of and clones, including and ARC trooper , infiltrated the impenetrable Separatist prison on Lola Sayu to extract General Even Piell, facing traps, anoobas, and battle droids in a high-stakes escape. The Umbara campaign in season four highlighted the 501st Legion's struggles under the treacherous General Pong Krell, who ordered futile assaults on the shadowy planet's airbase, forcing clones like Rex, , and Jesse to defy orders and execute their commander to survive, underscoring themes of loyalty and moral conflict. Later seasons delved into clone autonomy through ARC trooper ' investigation of a malfunctioning inhibitor chip in clone Tup, uncovering a galaxy-wide conspiracy orchestrated by Chancellor to ensure Order 66's activation, though Fives was ultimately silenced by Kaminoan and authorities. In Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), aging clone troopers like Captain Rex, Commander Wolffe, and Commander Gregor retired to the remote planet Seelos after the Empire's rise, evading detection while grappling with their inhibitor chips' lingering effects. Discovered by the Ghost crew, Rex removed his chip and rejoined the fight against the Empire, aiding Rebel missions such as the Lothal supply run and the Phoenix Squadron's operations, ultimately participating in the Battle of Endor to help destroy the second Death Star. Clone Captain Rex made his live-action debut in the Ahsoka series (2023), appearing in a cameo during "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" to support Ahsoka Tano and the New Republic against Imperial remnants, confirming his survival and continued Rebel allegiance years after the Clone Wars. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021–2024) focused on Clone Force 99, a squad of genetically defective clones—including Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and later Echo—who rejected Order 66 due to their mutations and embarked on post-war adventures evading Imperial purge of the clone army. The series chronicled their efforts to protect a young clone girl named Omega while navigating bounty hunters, Imperial experiments on enhanced "CX" troopers, and the Empire's shift to recruited stormtroopers, spanning three seasons of survival and resistance. The anthology series Tales of the Empire (2024) included Clone Wars-era stories with clone trooper perspectives, such as those intersecting with Padawan Barriss Offee's wartime experiences, highlighting the clones' roles in key battles and the moral toll of the conflict.

Video Games

Clone troopers feature prominently in several , often as playable characters or allies in first-person shooters and action-adventure titles set during the era. These portrayals emphasize their role in squad tactics, large-scale battles, and the transition to the , allowing players to experience the clones' military discipline and loyalty through interactive gameplay mechanics. Star Wars: Republic Commando, released in 2005 by LucasArts, is a squad-based first-person shooter that places players in control of Delta Squad, an elite group of clone commandos led by RC-1138 ("Boss"). The game focuses on tactical combat during key Clone Wars battles, including the initial invasion of Geonosis where the squad infiltrates droid foundries and secures crashed gunships amid intense firefights with battle droids, and later missions on Kashyyyk involving Trandoshan and Separatist forces. Gameplay mechanics revolve around issuing commands to squadmates—such as Sev, Scorch, and Fixer—for coordinated assaults, covering fire, and breaching, which highlight the clones' brotherhood and interdependence as they banter and support each other in high-stakes operations. This emphasis on team dynamics sets the game apart, portraying clones not as disposable soldiers but as individuals with distinct personalities forged through shared training on Kamino. The Star Wars Battlefront series, spanning titles from 2004 to 2017, integrates clone troopers into multiplayer-focused battles recreating conflicts across diverse planets. In the original 2004 Battlefront and its 2005 sequel, players select from clone classes like the heavy trooper equipped with a Z-6 rotary blaster for , or the standard trooper with DC-15 rifles, engaging in conquest modes on maps such as Geonosis' arenas and Felucia's fungal landscapes, where clones deploy in legions to capture command posts against droid armies. The 2015 Battlefront and 2017 Battlefront II expand this with era-specific multiplayer, including content added via updates, featuring specialized units like ARC troopers for reconnaissance; the 2015 game's single-player campaign includes missions where players fight alongside clones in pivotal battles, underscoring their role in Jedi-led assaults. These games prioritize vehicular combat and objective-based gameplay, with clones' phase I and II armor variants providing visual progression through the war's timeline. Tie-in games from the early 2000s, such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2002), offer action-adventure experiences mirroring events from the prequel films and the 2003-2005 animated microseries, with clone troopers serving as protagonists or escorts in select levels. Players often command clone squads to protect Jedi like Anakin Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi during missions on planets like Coruscant and Ryloth, utilizing third-person combat to direct troopers in repelling droid invasions and securing objectives, which reflects the clones' disciplined support role in Republic offensives. These levels blend platforming with squad commands, emphasizing the clones' rapid deployment from gunships to turn the tide in Jedi-focused narratives. In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019), developed by , clone troopers appear briefly in flashback sequences depicting the execution of Order 66, illustrating their tragic shift from allies to Imperial enforcers. During protagonist ' memory of the Bracca shipbreaking yards, players witness 13th Battalion clones turning on their commander Jaro Tapal, with gameplay shifting to defensive combat against former comrades, highlighting the inhibitor chips' influence on their loyalty. These encounters provide contextual depth to the Empire's rise without extensive playable clone segments, focusing instead on the emotional impact of their betrayal.

Novels and Comics

Clone troopers have been prominently featured in Star Wars novels and comics, both in canon and the former Legends continuity, often exploring their tactical roles, psychological depths, and evolving loyalties amid the Clone Wars. These print media expand on the clones' experiences beyond visual depictions, emphasizing individual personalities, ethical conflicts, and unit dynamics in prose and illustrated narratives. The Star Wars: Republic comic series, published by Dark Horse Comics from 2002 to 2006, dedicated numerous arcs to clone troopers as the backbone of Republic forces. Starting with issue #49, the series shifted focus to the Clone Wars era, portraying clones in high-stakes battles alongside Jedi generals. The "The Hunt for Aurra Sing" arc (issues #50–54), for instance, centers on ARC troopers collaborating with Jedi to track the bounty hunter Aurra Sing, highlighting the clones' specialized training and the moral tensions arising from their programmed obedience in Jedi-led operations. Other stories, such as "Show of Force" (issues #55–58), depict clone squads defending key Republic assets against Separatist incursions, underscoring their adaptability and camaraderie within diverse units. These comics, illustrated by artists like Doug Wheatley, provided early visual explorations of clone armor variants and battlefield tactics, influencing later canon designs. In the 2003 Legends novel Shatterpoint by , clone troopers accompany Master on a perilous mission to the jungle world of Haruun Kal, serving as essential auxiliaries in against a separatist led by Windu's former Padawan, Depa Billaba. The narrative follows clones Nick and Private Lesh, who provide and logistical aid in dense, hostile terrain, while Windu grapples with the ethical implications of deploying what he views as "manufactured soldiers" lacking full . Their involvement raises broader questions about clone , as the story contrasts their disciplined efficiency with the chaotic human elements of the conflict, ultimately portraying clones as tragic figures caught in the Republic's militarization of the Order. Published by Del Rey, the novel's introspective tone delves into the philosophical burdens of command over cloned troops. Canon novels have incorporated clone troopers in supporting roles to enrich larger narratives. Christie Golden's 2015 Dark Disciple, adapted from unproduced Star Wars: The Clone Wars scripts, features clone troopers in brief but pivotal cameos during Jedi Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress's covert mission to assassinate . forces, including clone contingents, conduct orbital bombardments and ground assaults on Separatist bases, illustrating the clones' role in sustaining the while Vos navigates moral ambiguity. These appearances reinforce the clones' reliability as soldiers, even as the plot uncovers deeper Jedi-Sith intrigues. Del Rey published the novel, which ties clone operations to the escalating desperation of the late . Novelizations and tie-in works from the animated series further spotlight defective clone troopers in canon. Lamar Giles's 2025 Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel, released by Worlds, follows Clone Force 99—Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and —as they undertake a high-risk heist to fund the reconstruction of the planet after an Imperial disruption. The story emphasizes the Batch's unique genetic mutations and post-Order 66 survival strategies, portraying them as rogue operatives evading Imperial scrutiny while protecting civilians. This narrative bridges gaps in the series' timeline, focusing on the clones' transition from soldiers to independent defenders, with themes of family and amid galactic upheaval. In 2025, the comic miniseries Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch—Rogue Agents by Michael Moreci, beginning in December, explores further adventures of Clone Force 99. In Legends material, Karen Traviss's Republic Commando series (2005–2008), published by Del Rey, offers an in-depth chronicle of elite clone commandos through the lens of Delta Squad. The novels—Hard Contact (2004), Triple Zero (2005), True Colors (2007), and Order 66 (2008)—trace the squad's missions from Geonosis to the war's end, blending covert operations, urban combat, and Mandalorian-influenced training. Clones like Boss, Fixer, Scorch, and Sev navigate betrayals, including their forced service to the after Order 66, while grappling with identity and the disposability of their kind. Traviss's prose highlights the clones' cultural ties to Jango Fett's Mandalorian heritage, providing a gritty, soldier's-eye view of the conflict's toll. The series concludes with the clones' fragmented post-war fates, underscoring themes of loyalty and loss in a shifting .

Notable Clone Troopers and Units

501st Legion

The 501st Legion served as an elite clone trooper unit within the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars, commanded by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and operationally led by Captain CT-7567, known as Rex. Renowned for their tight-knit camaraderie, combat effectiveness, and loyalty, the legion's troopers often customized their Phase II armor with distinctive blue markings to denote their affiliation with Skywalker's aggressive shock tactics. This unit earned veteran status early in the war through engagements like the Battle of Geonosis and went on to participate in pivotal operations, including the defense of Christophsis and the assault on Teth. As the Clone Wars reached its climax, the was redeployed to , contributing to the Republic's occupation and liberation efforts against Separatist forces during the Battle of Coruscant. Following the issuance of Order 66, the legion—now under the direct command of Skywalker, who had become —launched a devastating assault on the Jedi Temple as part of Operation: Knightfall, resulting in the massacre of numerous , including younglings and masters, and marking a turning point in the rise of the . The surviving troopers of the 501st transitioned into Imperial service, retaining their elite status but shedding their blue markings in favor of standardized stormtrooper armor. Captain Rex exemplified the 501st's valor as a veteran Advanced Recon who led Torrent Company with tactical acumen and personal initiative, fostering strong bonds with his commanders. During the Umbara campaign, Rex navigated treacherous terrain and internal conflicts to secure victory against Umbaran forces, while in the later Anaxes offensive, he coordinated a daring counterattack against Separatist droid armies. Prior to Order 66, Rex's inhibitor chip was surgically removed with assistance from after she discovered evidence of its manipulative purpose, allowing him to resist the command and eventually defect to the , where he continued leading clone defectors against Imperial forces. Among the legion's standout ARC troopers, CT-27-5555, known as , and CT-1409, known as , emerged from the 501st's ranks with roots in the experimental Domino Squad training group that influenced the creation of the elite Clone Force 99, or Bad Batch. Fives, promoted to ARC status after defending Kamino from invasion, uncovered the sinister role of inhibitor chips in a conspiracy and attempted to alert key figures before being framed as a traitor and assassinated by the Coruscant Guard on Palpatine's orders. Echo, also elevated to ARC trooper post-Kamino, endured severe torture and cybernetic reconstruction during a high-risk prison break at on Lola Sayu, emerging as a resilient operative who later integrated into the Bad Batch for . Other prominent 501st members highlighted the unit's diverse roles and individual agency. CT-5597, or Jesse, was a battle-hardened and ARC trooper whose sarcastic wit masked unwavering loyalty to the ; he participated in late-war missions alongside the Bad Batch, ultimately perishing in the line of duty during the Empire's formation. CT-6116, nicknamed Kix, served as the legion's dedicated medic, equipped with medpacs to sustain wounded comrades amid brutal campaigns, and later investigated the inhibitor chip plot, only to be betrayed by Separatists and placed in cryogenic stasis for decades. CT-5385, known as Tup, was a who integrated seamlessly into squads but suffered an early inhibitor chip malfunction during the Battle of Ringo Vinda, compelling him to execute Order 66 prematurely by killing Master Tiplar before succumbing to a .

212th Attack Battalion

The 212th Attack Battalion was a clone trooper unit within the Grand Army of the Republic, serving under Jedi General as part of the 7th Sky Corps during the . Led by Clone Marshal Commander CC-2224, known as Cody, the battalion specialized in assault operations and was identifiable by the orange markings on its troopers' armor. The unit played pivotal roles in major campaigns, including the liberation of the planet Ryloth from Separatist occupation and the ground assault on Utapau that led to the confrontation with . During the Battle of Ryloth, Ghost Company of the 212th conducted reconnaissance and direct assaults to disrupt Separatist forces holding the Twi'lek capital of Lessu, ultimately supporting the planet's liberation by coordinating with local resistance fighters. Clone troopers Waxer and , assigned to the battalion, exemplified the unit's disciplined yet compassionate approach when they discovered a young Twi'lek girl named Numa hiding in the abandoned village of ; the pair protected her, shared a meal, and used her knowledge of underground tunnels to guide forces and evacuate civilians, highlighting the personal connections some clones formed amid the war. In the climactic stages of the Clone Wars, the 212th spearheaded the invasion of Utapau, deploying via gunships to engage droid forces in sinkhole cities and enabling Kenobi to pursue and fatally wound General Grievous. From the command bridge of the Venator-class Star Destroyer Negotiator, Commander Cody orchestrated the assault's phases, but upon receiving Chancellor Palpatine's transmission enacting Order 66—a contingency protocol embedded in clone inhibitor chips that compelled them to execute their Jedi commanders—Cody immediately ordered artillery bombardment on Kenobi's position, attempting to eliminate his longtime general despite their close working relationship. Cody survived the war's end and continued serving in the newly formed Imperial military. Advanced Recon Commando Captain Gregor, an elite ARC trooper attached to the 212th, contributed to the battalion's operations with specialized reconnaissance and combat skills before Order 66. Post-war, Gregor evaded Imperial oversight by going underground on the Outer Rim world of Abafar, where he joined a nascent rebel cell and assisted in hijacking an Imperial shuttle to aid their escape; though an explosion during the mission left him presumed dead, he ultimately survived with lingering neurological effects and later reunited with fellow clones and Commander Wolffe in retirement.

Other Specialized Units

The 104th Battalion, nicknamed , was a mobile armored unit specializing in reconnaissance and rapid deployment operations during the . Led by Clone Commander Wolffe (CC-3636), the battalion's troopers wore distinctive gray-accented Phase I and II armor with wolf motifs on their helmets, enabling them to conduct missions in harsh environments. They participated in key engagements under General Plo Koon, including operations on the frigid ice world of Orto Plutonia, where they assisted Senator Riyo Chuchi in negotiating with the native Talz warriors amid territorial disputes. Wolffe's leadership emphasized tactical precision, and the unit's wolf-helmeted troopers became known for their resilience in cold-climate assaults. Following the execution of Order 66, Wolffe complied by removing Plo Koon from Republic records but later expressed profound regret over the betrayal, reflecting on the moral toll it took on his unit. The 41st Elite Corps served as a versatile force adept in diverse terrains, particularly , under the command of Clone Commander Gree (CC-1004). This elite unit, often deployed for high-stakes reconnaissance and assault missions, featured specialized camouflage armor suited to dense foliage, allowing seamless integration into forested battlefields. Gree oversaw operations alongside like Luminara Unduli and , culminating in the pivotal defense of Kashyyyk against Separatist droid forces, where the corps coordinated with allies to repel invaders. Their expertise in adaptive combat environments made them invaluable for planetary invasions requiring environmental acclimation. During Order 66, Gree received the command while on Kashyyyk and moved to eliminate , but the Master swiftly decapitated him in self-defense, marking the end of the commander's service. The Guard functioned as an elite peacekeeping force responsible for securing the Galactic Republic's capital, patrolling key districts and protecting buildings from internal threats. Commanded primarily by Clone Commander Fox (CC-1010), with support from Commander Thire (CC-4477), the guard's shock troopers wore red-marked armor and operated advanced patrol transports for urban enforcement. Fox's unit maintained order amid 's political intrigue, including high-profile arrests and responses to assassination attempts on senators. Thire, initially seen in early escorts for , rose to prominence in the guard's ranks, contributing to capital defense protocols. Upon Order 66's activation, Fox executed the directive by targeting personnel suspected of sympathies, enforcing the purge on 's elite levels without hesitation. Clone Force 99, known as the Bad Batch, represented a unique commando squad of genetically enhanced clones designed for unconventional warfare, boasting a 100% mission success rate unmatched by standard units. Comprising Sergeant Hunter, with heightened senses for tracking; Wrecker, possessing superhuman strength for heavy demolition; Tech, a tactical genius handling gadgets and strategy; Crosshair, an elite sniper with pinpoint accuracy; and later joined by the young female clone Omega, who brought adaptability and empathy to the team as well as a high midichlorian count that made her a target for Imperial cloning experiments, the unit specialized in high-risk extractions and sabotage. Advanced Recon Commandos (ARCs) like them generally focused on intelligence gathering and leading assaults, but the Bad Batch's mutations allowed for specialized post-war operations against the emerging Empire. After Order 66, they defied inhibitor chips to pursue independent heists, such as infiltrating Imperial facilities for intel and rescuing allies, operating as rogue agents in a galaxy under Imperial control. In the years following the Clone Wars, as depicted in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021–2024), the team undertook numerous missions to evade capture, protect Omega from Project Necromancer—a secret Imperial program aimed at cloning—facing losses including Tech's sacrifice during a mission on Eriadu, before ultimately securing freedom for Omega and continuing their fight against the Empire. The 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps, a swift-strike unit emphasizing speeder bike patrols and forward scouting, was commanded by ARC trooper (CC-8824), whose Phase II armor featured yellow markings for rapid identification in fluid combat zones. 's corps executed daring reconnaissance missions, often piercing enemy lines to disrupt supply chains. During Order 66 on Saleucami, immediately turned on General Stass Allie, gunning her down from behind on a speeder bike chase. In the Imperial era, enforced the new regime's orders with unwavering loyalty, including the high-profile arrest of Senator Fang Zar on at Emperor Palpatine's direct command, solidifying the corps' role in suppressing dissent.

References

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