Why not Just Clone a Skywalker?

[Nick Lancaster]

My impression is that, since anger is a factor in the Dark Side, a clone of Anakin without Anakin's specific upbringings, would not necessarily be as powerful, in that anger is relative (i.e. some things make you more angry than others).

Palpatine DID take a role in training Anakin. It is implied in AOTC that Palps has been giving Anakin advice - and unless Anakin is a weak-willed patsy, it's been long enough for resentments to be fostered and nurtured. (Resentment against Obi-Wan always holding him back, against the Council for never letting him go see Mom. We see that Anakin already has this intellectual curiousity - he'll find a way to keep someone from dying, because he failed his mother, and that opens the door to the line in the trailer.)

[Spartan]

Junghalli wrote:

Palpatine wanted his servants to be weak, because that way they wouldn't be a threat to him. Full-power Anakin might have been too strong for him to be completely confident in his ability to control him.

The ROTS novelization and script refutes this. Vader was never intended to be weaker. Indeed the fact is he was chosen for his strength.

[Spartan]

Conner wrote:

Consider the situation. Palpy has just fished his prized pupil (and one of the major targets of his ambitions for over a decade) out of a lava pit after getting his ass kicked by someone who is supposed to be weaker than he is. I imagine Palpy was none too pleased (even given his intentions with Anakin).

I would consider that unlikly since Anakin had just saved him from Mace. Add to that the newly mented Emperor personally rushed to Anakin's aid, without even ensuring that Yoda had been put down. He personall went down and fished him out of that hell hole. The fact that he called him Anakin and not Vader is telling. Palpatine as much as he was capable cared about Anakin.

Given that, he would likely have "punished" Anakin by disallowing cloned limb replacements or by turning him into that machine/monster (possibly by the time Anakin realizes what has happened, its too late to remove the machines and regrow his limbs without killing him.)

I seriously doubt that he would punish Anakin for a failure that wasn't his fault, and one that Palpatine had fore seen.

In fact, Anakin's failure might very well have signaled a change of heart (and plans) for Palpy where Anakin was concerned - he became simply another puppet or tool, rather than the desired and hoped-for "apprentice." (Which in turn leads to Palpy's "body snatcher" tactics.) Hell, he WAS going to drop Anakin for Luke after all.

I agree Palpatine did love his toys, and Vader being damaged could not have sat well with him.

Of course, ,we know Palpy could probably have transferred Anakin's spirt to a new clone body (out of the old), but again, Anakin fucked up so why should he be rewarded? But he probably would have told Anakin about it and held it out as a reward for faithful service (and as another way ot keep Anakin from betraying and killing him.)

Palpatine did not know the clone/life exchange thing until years, perhaps decades later. There also the fact that Vader never truly accepted the darkside, as per SOE. it might not have been possible for him to switch bodies.