Cleon I

**Cleon I** is a recurring character in the Apple TV+ series *Foundation*. He is the first Emperor of the Genetic Dynasty, ruling some four hundred years before the events on the series. Cleon I is portrayed by mainly by Terrence Mann, with Cobhan O'Brien, Cassian Bilton, and Lee Pace portraying the character at various younger ages. Cleon I first appears in the Season One episode "The Mathematician's Ghost."

## Biography

### Birth of the Genetic Dynasty

Cleon I was the son of Empress Winoset II and Stanel IV. As a child, Cleon liked counting faces and wandering around the Imperial Palace. During his explorations, he stumbled upon a face on the Mural of Souls which he touched. As he did so, it opened a passageway, revealing Demerzel who had been held prisoner for thousands of years. He kept revisiting her over the years, hearing her stories of the Robot wars.

One day, Demerzel asked Cleon to set her free but he said no - she would be freer than him as his mother had just died and he would become Emperor soon and would be chained to the throne. He stormed out of the room after she told a story of her past and why she should be set free. Cleon said he would never return, but he came back regardless. Eventually, he freed her from her trapped state, but still kept her imprisoned in the room. He wanted to hear more stories from her and she tells more and more explicit ones to encourage him to desire.

As Cleon grew older, he had not produced an heir to the throne and called off a wedding at the last minute, ending hopes of that heir. He did this as he wanted Demerzel by his side. He had spent years working out how to safely free Demerzel, until he finally figured it out. Cleon brought her a gift from Earth and set her free. She did not harm him, and he placed a chip in the back of her neck, forcing her to serve Empire as part of her programming and circumventing the Three Laws. She is furious and he says it is a fair compromise to give her some freedom. He outlines his plan to her, how to continue the Genetic Dynasty, by planning for himself to be cloned, with an infant version of himself ruling as a successor, rather than choosing to have a spouse or a biological child. After some hesitation, she says she will love him. During his rule, Cleon and Demerzel engaged in a sexual relationship.

Demerzel supported Cleon's decision to being the Genetic Dynasty, though told him that he could still produce a natural heir if he wished. She told him that his legacy would live on, and he agreed, though he regretted not being able to live to see the completion of the Star Bridge. Soon after, Cleon died, leaving Demerzel to watch over and serve the next Emperor.

### Legacy

Cleon I's body was preserved within the Imperial Palace's Principium Tower, and kept as the source of all genetic material for subsequent clones. He set up a system that his exponents could trigger to activate a digitized version of himself that they could ask for advice in moments of crisis. After his death, Cleon I would be remembered by the epithet "The Dreamer." A hologram of Cleon I in his prime greeted arrivals when they docked at .

## Appearances

* Season One
	+ "The Emperor's Peace" (First mentioned)
	+ "Preparing to Live"
	+ "The Mathematician's Ghost" (First appearance)
* Season Two
	+ "In Seldon's Shadow" (Mentioned only)
	+ "The Sighted and the Seen" (as a digital projection)
	+ "Why the Gods Made Wine"
	+ "A Necessary Death"
	+ "Long Ago, Not Far Away"
	+ "Creation Myths" (Mentioned only)

## External Links

* Learn more about Cleon I on the Isaac Asimov Wiki

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "The Mathematician's Ghost"
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Why the Gods Made Wine"
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Long Ago, Not Far Away"
4. ↑ "In Seldon's Shadow"
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Preparing to Live"
6. ↑ "The Sighted and the Seen"