Spaarti cloning cylinder



Spaarti cloning cylinders were devices used for the creation of personal clone armies by those wealthy and/or well-connected enough to acquire them.

History
They were built by Spaarti Creations, on the planet Cartao. They seem to have their origins in Khommite cloning technology, which had for a millennium been developed to a level far surpassing that of the rest of the Galaxy.

Cloning cylinders were thought to have been destroyed during the Battle of Cartao, but many units survived. The Galactic Republic used Spaarti clones to complement the Kaminoan clone army. Emperor Palpatine also kept several private stores of these devices, which he used both to clone dark versions of powerful Jedi and to clone new vessels for his dark essence. Grand Admiral Thrawn discovered thousands of cylinders in the Emperor's secret storehouse in Mount Tantiss on Wayland and used them to create an army of clones to man his Dreadnaught fleet. Grappa the Hutt also used Spaarti cylinders as part of his plan with Black Sun to replace members of the Imperial Interim Ruling Council with clones.

With a Spaarti cloning cylinder, a fully grown adult Human could be grown in a staggeringly quick one standard year. Anything sooner had the dangerous side effect of possible clone madness. However, Thrawn discovered that using ysalamiri to cut off the clone's connection to the Force would enable the creation of the clone in 21 standard days. To create clones from Spaarti cylinders was the fastest known form of cloning. Kaminoan cloning had a single clone grown safely at maturity in ten years, Spaarti cloning in one year. However, Kaminoan cloning was much more effective, creating perfect warriors despite the long wait.

Known sites of Spaarti cloning facilities

 * Annoo
 * Byss
 * Genon
 * Khomm
 * Smarck
 * Wayland

Behind the scenes
The word "Spaarti" is probably in reference to the Greek myth of Cadmus, the legendary founder of Thebes. After Cadmus had slain a water-dragon that had been guarding a spring, the goddess Athena told him to sow the dragon's teeth in the ground. Soon, a race of armed men grew out of the soil, the Spartes ("sown"). Cadmus threw a stone among them, and they began to fight until only five remained, and these five became the ancestors of the ruling class of Thebes.

The names "Cartao" and "Spaarti" could also have been inspired by Carthage (in Latin languages) and Sparta.

Appearances

 * Hero of Cartao
 * Star Wars: Droids
 * "The Trigon Unleashed"
 * Only Droids Serve the Maker
 * Heir to the Empire
 * Dark Force Rising
 * The Last Command
 * Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood
 * Dark Apprentice
 * Darksaber
 * Specter of the Past
 * Vision of the Future