Cleon XIV

**Cleon XIV** is a recurring character in the Apple TV+ series *Foundation*. He is the fourteenth Emperor of the Genetic Dynasty, born nineteen years after the establishment of the Foundation, becoming the junior Emperor as Brother Dawn. Cleon XIV is portrayed by Cassian Bilton, first appearing in the episode "The Mathematician's Ghost" as a baby and later as a young man.

## Biography

Cleon XIV is cloned and born as a baby shortly before Cleon XI ascends as Brother Darkness. Cleon XII becomes the new Brother Dusk, while Cleon XIII becomes the new Brother Day.

As a young man, Cleon XIV jumps from his balcony, apparently trying to end his life, but he is saved by his personal aura. He is spotted by Azura Odili, a palace gardener, though he does not know her identity. Azura runs away when she realizes who Dawn is. Dawn orders Shadowmaster Obrecht to find the identity of the girl, and is given her name. He visits her in the garden to make brief conversation about plants, and begins to fall deeply in love with her.

Dawn grows closer to Azura, and Dusk tries to introduce him to the pastime of hunting Ghillie raptors, which blend into their environment. Dawn manages to kill six of them, but after learning that Dusk's record is only three, bids his aide to hide half the kills. Dusk then has Dawn be introduced to the pleasures of the men and women of the Gossamer Court, who retain no memories of trysts with the Emperor. Dawn chooses a woman who has the same hairstyle as Azura, but does not sleep with her, instead simply choosing to talk to her.

Dawn later invites Azura to his personal rooms, inviting her to stand on the ledge, though she is worried to do so without a forcefield. He offers his to her, but she kindly refuses if he is not wearing one, and he pushes his bracelet down to the garden below. He asks Azura to describe the colors in the garden, and she starts to realize that Dawn is color-blind, which he admits, explaining that no Cleon had ever had the condition before. Azura tells Dawn he can push her if he wants the secret to be kept; Dawn instead tells her she can do the same. Instead, they embrace on the ledge, and share a passionate kiss.

Dawn and Azura continue to meet in secret, and on one meeting Dawn is given color-correction 'hesives by Azura. He declines these as he worries they will indicate to Day and Dusk that he is different. He is given pause for thought from Azura, where she suggests he leave the palace forever. Dawn eventually agrees to the plan and he and Azura devise a way to accomplish it. Dawn is told to go to the Mural of Souls by Dusk and is shown an image of the three ghillie raptors. When Dusk encourages Dawn to inspect the painting more and leaves, Dawn puts on the color-correction 'hesives and discovers three more ghillie raptors are in the picture. He knows Dusk is aware of his differences, and begins his escape.

Escaping through the irrigation system, Dawn is able to make his way through *The Scar* on Trantor and track down Azura. He is a day earlier than expected and is comforted by Azura and told to go and take a shower. He exits soon after as he wants to ask Azura about a new name for him, and sees her pointing a weapon at him which she fires. He is able to eescape to the streets, but he is apprehended by associates of Azura and sedated. He wakes up in Azura's house and finds an exact copy of himself opposite him. This copy reveals to Dawn that the group Azura belongs to were able to smuggle out some Cleon DNA and that they tampered with Dawn's, hence his differences. They used magnetic nanoparticle transfection in order to make Dawn different and make him want to leave the palace. Dawn's nanoparticles are transferred to the copy, and as he is about to be killed Dusk arrives with Imperial troops. Dawn watches as the Cleon XIV copy is killed and Azura is taken away. He talks with Dusk about the ramifications of these events, and despite Dawn saying he is the victim, he is told by Dusk that he is the embodiment of the vulnerabilities of the genetic dynasty. Dawn points out this his fate is to be decided by Brother Day, not Brother Dusk; Dusk reluctantly agrees.

After Day's return to Trantor, Dawn is brought by Demerzel to appear before Day and Dusk for judgement. Dusk argues that Dawn is corrupt and that he would have already killed Dawn if he had his way, but Day explains - to Dusk's great displeasure - that his experiences off-planet have shown him that the Empire must be flexible. Just as Day is about to state the Dawn may live, an outraged Dusk begins screaming at Day and strikes him in the face. Day and Dusk begin to fight each other, and Dawn rushes to and embraces Demerzel, pleading with her "don't let them kill me!" Demerzel embraces Dawn, telling him "I won't". She then snaps Dawn's neck, killing him instantly to the shock of both Day and Dusk. After the event, Dusk orders Demerzel to activate Dawn's replacement clone by breakfast tomorrow.

## Appearances

* Season One
	+ "The Mathematician's Ghost" (First appearance)
	+ "Barbarians at the Gate"
	+ "Death and the Maiden"
	+ "Mysteries and Martyrs"
	+ "The First Crisis"
	+ "The Leap"
* Season Two
	+ "A Necessary Death"

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "The Mathematician's Ghost"
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Leap"
3. ↑ "Barbarians at the Gate"
4. ↑ "Death and the Maiden"
5. ↑ "Mysteries and Martyrs"
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "The First Crisis"