Prime clone A prime clone , also known as a clone template , was the source of genetic material that was essential in the process of cloning . Overview . A prime clone was the designation of an organic subject — the original host — whose genetic code provided the basis for single or multiple clones . The first step in the process of cloning was the extraction of cells from the prime clone . The cells could then be artificially manipulated to grow either an exact or modified version of the original subject . Under a stable and unmodified cloning process , a clone was physically identical to the prime clone . Unstable procedures , however , resulted in physically deformed copies , which were generally termed as genetic failures . A prime clone ' s psychological traits could also be copied and implanted — in the form of memory flash es — into a clone subject . By scanning and duplicating the original host ' s brain patterns , a clone could essentially inherit the identity of its template , although some personality traits could be more dominant than others . According to Ni - Ke - Vanz , an expert on Khommite cloning processes , clones were psychologically different versions of their genetic donor . However , the use of memory flashes could also produce mental instability , ranging from confusion to insanity , thus causing the clone subject to suffer from an identity crisis . A clone could only successfully absorb the memory flashes if it was able to compartmentalize them , thus allowing it to distinguish its own experiences from the genetic template ' s memories . History . The creation of a clone army , programmed with absolute loyalty , was first conceived by the Order of the Sith Lords as part of their agenda to exact vengeance on the Jedi Order and reassert Sith hegemony over the galaxy . The Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Plagueis chose the planet Kamino as the covert site for the new army , mainly because its native species — the Kaminoans — were regarded as expert scientists in the field of cloning . Although Plagueis originally intended to use a Yinchorri host as the basis for the clone army , the Dark Lord was ultimately convinced by the Kaminoans that a Human template was easier to duplicate and modify . After Plagueis was killed and succeeded by Darth Sidious in 32 BBY , the new Sith Master proceeded with the plan for the clone army ' s creation . He instructed his Sith apprentice , Darth Tyranus , to provide a genetic template for the cloners on Kamino . Tyranus invited several of the galaxy ' s most dangerous mercenaries to join a contest ; the objective to capture or kill the Dark Jedi Komari Vosa for the reward of five million credits . The victor of the contest was a former Mandalorian - turned - bounty hunter named Jango Fett , who agreed to become the clone army ' s template in exchange for a considerable amount of money , and under the condition that the first clone would be his to keep . Jango Fett lived on Kamino for roughly a decade where he served as both the prime clone and a close adviser in the training of the clone troopers . Fett was given an unaltered clone — neither modified for growth acceleration or tampered with for greater docility — whom he named Boba Fett . The rest of his clones were engineered to physically grow twice as fast as real Humans , thus allowing them to reach adulthood at a faster rate . By and large , the clones were produced with a diminished sense of individuality to better ensure that they would be loyal to the Galactic Republic ; completely susceptible to executing orders without question . By 22 BBY , two hundred thousand unit s were combat ready , followed by millions more by the near end of the Clone Wars . Fett ' s progeny fulfilled the true purpose behind their creation when Darth Sidious , in his public guise as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine , issued Order 66 , hence causing the clones to betray and execute their Jedi officers . Under the era of the Galactic Empire the successor state of the Old Republic , the Fett template was retained as a source for clone soldiers , although new prime clones were later selected , which in turn led to the production of different clones that supplemented the original Fett - based clone troopers . It was generally assumed that Force - sensitive beings were incapable of becoming clones . Although the exact reason was unknown , experts like Ni - Ke - Vanz believed that the Force somehow interfered with the cloning process , thus making it virtually impossible to create a stable clone from a genetic source with a significantly high percentage in midi - chlorians . The creation of Force - sensitive clones was ultimately achieved by Kaminoan technology on two occasions ; first in the last years of the Republic ; and then during the time of the Empire . The first successful attempt was conducted by the Kaminoans in addition to the production of Jango Fett ' s clone troopers . Genetic samples of the Jedi Knight Falon Grey , taken without his knowledge , were used to produce two prototypes : X1 and X2 . In 1 BBY , the Sith Lord Darth Vader attempted to clone a new secret apprentice after the death of his redeemed disciple , Galen Marek . Although Marek was dead , Vader brought the body to Kamino and preserved it within a cold chamber located in the Timira City Cloning Facility , thus preventing the genetic material from being destroyed by decomposition . Around the same time , Kaminoan technology had been modified by Imperial scientists to create the " accelerated cloning process , " an experimental procedure in which clone subjects could be grown to adulthood in the span of a few weeks . However , the process was highly flawed and led to the production of numerous aberrant monstrosities , both physically deformed and mentally deranged . More stable versions were eventually produced , including a renegade clone who fled from Kamino . Yet they too were dismissed as imperfect because of their inability to successfully absorb the memory flashes . However , such failures ultimately led to the creation of a single clone who exceeded all of the Dark Lord ' s expectations . Vader judged him to be the only perfect clone in the entire endeavor , and thus allowed the clone to see the corpse of his template . After the fragmentation of the Galactic Empire , Grand Admiral Thrawn engineered his own clone army for the purpose of reconquering the galaxy from the New Republic . The Chiss Imperial officer extracted genetic material from multiple templates , including Corporal Terkuss , Lieutenant Creb , Baron Soontir Fel , and General Maximilian Veers . With Spaarti technology at his disposal , Thrawn ' s clone stormtroopers were fully grown and combat ready in roughly a year after their creation . Before Darth Sidious ' s demise at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY , the Dark Lord of the Sith used his own genetic code as a template for a series of Spaarti - generated copies ; clones meant to serve as a vessel for his spirit in the event of his original body ' s destruction . Through the Force , Sidious had the ability to transfer his own essence into another living organism . Without a host , however , his spirit could not remain in the corporeal plain of existence . Furthermore , years of over - reliance on the dark side of the Force caused Sidious ' s soul to have a cancerous effect on his clones , effectively causing them to age at a rapidly accelerated rate . Hence , none of the subjects were able to house their template ' s dark essence for more than a short period of time .