Anakin Skywalker (dark clone)

The dark clone of Anakin Skywalker was a human male cloned by Starkiller from the genetic material of his former master, Darth Vader. Following Vader's death, Starkiller embarked on a quest to create a perfect, obedient duplicate of the man to take as an apprentice. Within the cloning facilities of Kamino, several failures were produced before the Dark Lord of the Sith succeeded in creating a clone of the deceased apprentice that was able to overcome his template's emotions and submit himself entirely to the dark side of the Force. As his training progressed, the dark clone surpassed all those who had come before him; he was able to store Skywalker's memories independent from his own and suppress the dead man's feelings. Starkiller planned to have the apprentice face a final test against a rogue clone of Vader during the Rebel attack on Kamino, which the clone passed.

Five years later, the clone was still in the service of Starkiller, who had the clone eliminate the Rebel forces attempting to sabotage the shield generator of the second Death Star above the planet of Endor.

Biography Training "There is no doubt. This is the one. Stable where the others fail, perfectly in control." —The leading cloning expert of the Timira City facility Created on the ocean-covered world of Kamino around 1 BBY, the dark clone was a clone of Darth Vader, the deceased master of the Sith Lord Starkiller, grown as part of Starkiller's endeavor to create a perfect and obedient Force-user to take as an apprentice. Several clones had come before him, all of which had been trained using memory flashes from the original Skywalker's life. These predecessors had failed to meet expectations in one way or another, either due to defects or succumbing to their template's emotions, and were subsequently discarded.

Upon his awakening, presided over by Starkiller, the dark clone was confronted with Vader's memories, specifically the man's feelings for his deceased wife, Padme Amidala. Immediately, he asked about her whereabouts, but Starkiller announced that she was dead and that all that mattered was what needed to be done. This, however, did not prevent the dark clone from inquiring about who Vader was in the future. When questioned, Starkiller repeatedly found it unnecessary to answer directly—rather, he stated the clone had inherited the memories, thoughts, and dreams of a broken man, one far less powerful than the dark clone. As a side effect of the cloning process, he possessed both the skills and weaknesses of his genetic template.

The dark clone was trained in lightsaber combat against several Sith Training Droids. The clone was determined to surpass all the others, but he was curious as to know how many had preceded him. Starkiller disregarded the question; instead, he told the dark clone that the only number that mattered was the quantity of clones that would be needed if he failed like the rest. Starkiller warned him that if he could not overcome Vader's emotions for his wife, he would fail like his predecessors. Over time, the lead cloning technician noted that the dark clone was able to compartmentalize the memory imprints used to train him, thereby succeeding where all others had failed—the clone was able to store Vader's memories independently from his own, freeing him from his template's emotions.

With the apprentice free of Vader's memories, Starkiller brought him to a chamber where his template's lifeless body was kept. The clone understood the significance of the act, and his Master believed that he, unlike all the others before him, would prove successful. In a training match against the holodroids, the dark clone was able to rise above Vader's emotions, striking down a droid bearing the appearance of Amidala. To Starkiller, the clone revealed his disgust and hatred for his template's weaknesses, and his pride for being able to overcome them when those before him had failed.

Battle of Kamino "You have faced your final test. " " What is thy bidding, my master? " " Take his starfighter. Scour the far reaches of the galaxy. Find the last of the Rebels and destroy them. " " As you wish." —Starkiller and the dark clone During the final stages of the dark clone's training, a renegade clone of Vader, who had previously fled Kamino, joined with the Rebel Alliance in an attack on Kamino's cloning facilities. Starkiller intended to use the battle as a final test for the dark clone by drawing Skywalker into a trap atop the cloning spire. Before leaving to confront Skywalker, Starkiller instructed the dark clone to wait until his assistance was required. The apprentice announced that he was ready to fulfill the purpose of his creation. The trap did not go as planned, however. Skywalker bested Starkiller in a lightsaber duel and raised his lightsaber with the intention of killing Starkiller. Before this could happen, however, a lightsaber blade suddenly appeared through Skywalker's chest. A hooded figure, having concealed himself to get near the clone, was revealed to be the wielder of the blade; he proceeded to best Jedi General Rahm Kota in a brief duel before Force-choking the General and pushing him and several Rebel troopers into the ocean below as Terror Troopers dealt with the remaining Rebel soldiers. Starkiller stood and approached the dying Skywalker, announcing that he lied about the failure of the cloning project as the hooded figure revealed himself to be the dark clone, a perfect clone of Darth Vader.

With the Rebel attack repelled, Starkiller commended the dark clone for succeeding in his final challenge. The obedient clone knelt before Starkiller, who tasked him with taking the Rogue Shadow II to find and eliminate the surviving Rebels scattered throughout the galaxy. As he departed, the dark clone took a moment to glance at the lifeless holodroid that was still flickering between its true form and that of Padme Amidala. Feeling no emotions for the image of Vader's wife, he raised his hood and continued on his way. Accompanied by a group of TIE fighters, the dark clone left Kamino in the Rogue Shadow II and entered hyperspace to fulfill his orders.

Battle of Endor "The Rebels must be stopped before they can destroy the shield generator. Leave no survivors. " " Understood, my master. " " There will be no one to stop us this time. " " Yes, my master." —Starkiller briefs his apprentice In 4 ABY, Starkiller dispatched the dark clone to the Forest Moon of Endor to put an end to the Rebellion once and for all. As the Alliance mounted a desperate attempt to destroy the Empire's second Death Star, the apprentice landed the Rogue Shadow II on Endor while the Imperial shield generator bunker was under attack by the Rebels and their Ewok allies. In accordance with his Master's instruction to leave no survivors, the clone killed all who stood in his path, until finally encountering Han Solo and Chewbacca, both of whom died in combat against Starkiller's disciple.

Inside the bunker, the dark clone fought his way through waves of resistance, killing Rebels and Imperials alike. He finally encountered Leia Organa, who revealed that she had been trained as a Jedi after Luke Skywalker had been killed by Starkiller on the planet Hoth. Though the apprentice remarked that Leia had considerable potential, she proved to be no where near his equal in combat skills and raw power in the Force. In the end, Leia was killed by Starkiller's merciless apprentice, thus marking the death of the last offspring of the real Anakin Skywalker, and the galaxy's final hope.

With the bunker secured and the shield generator intact, Emperor Palpatine declared the end of the Alliance and a new age for the Galactic Empire. While Starkiller stood at his side, the Emperor also revealed that he knew all along about the existence of the original Skywalker's perfect clone, which he referred to as a "pathetic" asset in Starkiller's pitiful schemes. With his treachery exposed, Starkiller moved to strike down his Master once and for all. But Palpatine easily defeated Starkiller by utilizing Force lightning. With Starkiller on his knees in defeat, the Emperor ordered his Imperial forces to kill the clone. On Endor, the dark clone sat in meditation near Leia's dead body. As several Star Destroyers converged on his location, the clone opened his eyes and prepared to deal with the latest threat to himself and his Master's plans.