Cloning Gambit: Difference between revisions

A [[Cloning Gambit]] is a scheme involving a character cloning themselves, by [[Applied Phlebotinum|any means]], and using said clone to last out multiple deaths. Maybe they send clones out on suicide missions that they don't want to give to anyone else. Maybe they can [[Body Surf]] and transfer their mind from clone to clone. Maybe they ''can't'' [[Body Surf]], but each clone in a succession of them activates with their memories and personality. In any of the above, there's always a version of them out making trouble or [[Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated|appearing, in person, to crash the enemies' celebration party]].

 

 

The genetic duplicate to [[Backup Twin]]. Either trope can easily turn into an [[Ass Pull]], if not properly foreshadowed, and often results in [[Opening a Can of Clones]]. Compare [[Actually a Doombot]].

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* The series ''[[Akumetsu]]'' is almost entirely based off of this.

* [[Naruto]] only uses short-lived clones, but he is very good at this.

* A variant is used in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'': when Gendo cloned his wife Yui to create Rei, he also created dozens of clones he keeps in a tank of LCL somewhere around Central Dogma. In the event she dies (happened twice so far), a new clone is pulled out and uploaded with [[Laser-Guided Amnesia|some]] of her memories. Rei knows that she's replaceable so she lets herself be used by the Commander since she would be killed and replaced at the first sign of defiance. [[Complete Monster|He knows she knows this and uses it as leverage against her]]... until Ritsuko destroys the clones in [[The Reveal|episode 23]]. One could only wonder how far Gendo took this leverage...

** What screwed up Gendo's plans was that even though Rei [[Sugar and Ice Personality|doesn't associate with anyone]] due to the fact that she's going to die anyway, she does eventually falls in love with Shinji so when Third Impact comes, Rei instantly betrays Gendo since [[Hoist by His Own Petard|after she took Adam from his body, she no longer needs him]] to [[Assimilation Plot|trigger Instrumentality and give control over mankind's souls to Shinji instead]]. Tons of [[Mind Screw]], I know.

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* The Avengers' robot enemy Ultron does this routinely. He always has hidden equipment set up to rebuild him from a backed-up copy of his memories if he is destroyed. Amusingly, this happened when he was ''presumed'' dead during the original ''[[Secret Wars]].'' When that Ultron finally returned to Earth, he found that not only had his machines built an improved replacement copy, but he was horrified to find that the "improvements" made the copy ''[[Heel Face Turn|nice.]]'' They fought and evil Ultron won, [[Status Quo Is God|naturally.]]

* Any time you see someone or something kill [[Nick Fury]], it was actually a Life Model Decoy.

 

 

 

 

** The Vorta have several clones on standby at all times, all of whom share their predecessor's memories (including how they died), and can be restocked almost instantly. The main Vorta of the series, Weyoun, was actually the fourth one when he first appeared. {{spoiler|He was on his eighth life when the base holding his clones was destroyed, and was finally [[Killed Off for Real]] in the [[Grand Finale]].}}

* In [[Smallville]], {{spoiler|Lana Lang does this to get away from Lex Luthor.}}

 

== [[Tabletop RPG]] ==

* Sort of used in ''[[Tales of the Abyss]]'': {{spoiler|[[Big Bad]] Van needs Ashe's powers for his [[End of the World Special]], but a prophecy had dictated that Ashe was going to die at the age of 17. So Van creates a clone to take Ashe's place in the world, including his death. Of course, things get complicated when the clone actually ''survives'' the event that would have killed him...}}

** Another example is in the case of {{spoiler|the original Fon Master Ion, who was also prophesied to die. So Ion creates a bunch of clones in the hope that one of ''them'' will die instead (or that their mere existence will be enough to throw off the prophecy). Unfortunately for him, it doesn't work}}.

* This also explains respawning in [[Destroy All Humans!]].

* The clones P.B. Winterbottom makes in ''[[The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom]]'' so he can get all of his pie.

 

 

* In ''Schlock Mercenary'', F'sherl-Ganni wormgate technology can be used to make a very quick (perfect) copy of whatever passes through it. When threatened with murder by a sinister military force, three scientists decide to escape using the gate-copy technology. One of them figured out how to turn that same technology into a small WMD, leading to [http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20020720.html this line]:

{{quote|'''Gav-0:''' That begs a question: Does it count as selfless sacrifice if you clone yourself before your suicide mission?

'''Kevyn:''' I'm putting it in my resume and hoping nobody asks. }}

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* In the second season of ''[[Exo Squad]]'', [[Big Bad]] Phaeton sends a clone of himself to fight in the Battle for Venus. The clone is betrayed and left for dead by treacherous General Draconis who, in turn, is executed by the real Phaeton.

* In the ''[[Men in Black (animation)|Men in Black]]'' [[Animated Adaptation]], this is the most second most common use of the Quick-clones, behind being simple decoys. The clones only last for a few hours anyway before [[Clone Degeneration|melting]], so [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|NBD]]. In one episode, a bunch of Quick-clones play a basketball game once their job was done, since their lifespan isn't long enough to worry about much.

** Another episode had an alien criminal clone himself before being captured, so that the clone could free him from custody.

 

{{reflist}}