Star Wars finally reveals why and when the Empire made the switch from clones to stormtroopers
The animated arm of the Star Wars franchise has taken on big importance in the current galaxy of offerings. Characters from cartoon series The Clone Wars and Rebels have bled over into live-action shows like The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, and the upcoming Ahsoka. But there are other ways in which the animated shows are creating — or explaining — big, important chunks of canon, including a perfect example of that just this week.
Season 2 of The Bad Batch randomly dropped not one but two installments this week on Disney+, but the episodes filled in a huge gap of missing Star Wars mythology — showing the how, what, when, and where the Empire made the switch from using clones to stormtroopers. We broke it all down on the new episode of EW's weekly Star Wars podcast, Dagobah Dispatch.
Lucasfilm Ltd. Clones on 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'
First off, a little history. Obviously, the clones (born in a test tube and bred with accelerated aging on Kamino) were first introduced in the title-appropriate Attack of the Clones film, helping the Republic and Jedi fight off the Separatists on Geonosis. Then, in Revenge of the Sith, the clones did an about-face, slaughtering Jedi after Order 66 — an embedded protocol that forced the clones to carry out the executions — was implemented.
However, when the action picks up 19 years later in A New Hope, the clones are mysteriously gone, replaced by human stormtroopers. But why? There have been various reasons for this very briefly touched on in expanded universe offerings. One reason being that the clones were too expensive to produce and raise. Another being that getting citizens to sign up to fight for the Empire made those same citizens and their families more loyal to the Empire. There also would seem to be an issue with the clones' rapid aging in that they could only serve for so many years. But the subject has never really been delved into seriously… until The Bad Batch.
Lucasfilm Ltd. Senator Riyo Chuchi and Senator Bail Organa on 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'
Last season's episodes showed conscripted human troopers being trained by clones, the cancellation of the clone contract, and the eventual destruction of the Kamino cloning facility at the hands of Vice Admiral Rampart — all laying the groundwork for what was to come. But this week on The Bad Batch, we saw the transition take center stage.
All season, The Bad Batch has been showing the pangs of regret that some clones feel over actions such as Order 66 and the destruction on Kamino. And this week, two clones who were going to come forward with the truth about Kamino were assassinated.
Meanwhile, Rampart went to the Galactic Senate to propose a new "Defense Recruitment Bill" to do away with the clones and instead create a new conscripted military. This led to lots of senatorial arguing, with one representative voicing that the clones should be slated for decommissioning, and Bail Organa stating that "Shifting to a military of citizens swearing loyalty fundamentally goes against the principles of this body."
Lucasfilm Ltd. Emperor Palpatine on 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch'
Eventually, Senator Riyo Chuchi brought evidence to the Senate showing recordings of Rampart intentionally destroying Kamino. Emperor Palpatine (voiced by Ian McDiarmid himself!) entered the chamber, essentially throwing Rampart under a Star Destroyer by accusing him of treason (even though Rampart was merely following orders). But just when it appeared as if the clones had been saved to literally fight another day, Palpatine dropped the hammer, stealthily twisting the situation to his advantage and telling the Senate, "The fact that the clones under his command so blindly followed orders inflicting such carnage without hesitation gives me pause. Perhaps it is time for a change, now more than ever. Building a strong galaxy requires protection and security."
The sneaky Sith then informed the chamber that the Defense Recruitment Bill legislation was their future and, "With the momentous act we shall usher in a new era, heralded by the imperial stormtrooper." Boom. Done. Over.
"The fate of all the clones is now sealed because of us," said the clone Echo, who helped recover the footage that ultimately doomed the clones. (Oopsie!)
The Bad Batch episodes not only filled in a huge missing blank in the Star Wars timeline but also deftly reflected issues present in our own galaxy. Senator Chuchi's pleas to take care of clones who served the Republic instead of just casting them aside mirrors issues of how countries here treat former members of their own military. Chuchi also fights to create a clone pension plan, while getting into issues of taxation without representation — pointing out the clones have no one that speaks for them and their interests in the Senate.
The abandonment of the clones is an issue that was touched on oh-so-briefly in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, with a scene featuring a disheveled yet still armored clone trooper begging on the streets of Daiyu. Now that the Defense Recruitment Bill has been brought to the floor, we have our answer as to how exactly that clone ended up there, and we have our explanation for how this huge transition in imperial rule took place.
Check out the latest episode of the Dagobah Dispatch for much more discussion on this seismic event and an interview with Bad Batch producers Jennifer Corbett and Brad Rau.
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