Expendable Clone: Difference between revisions

* The main plot of [[Parts the Clonus Horror]] revolves around this trope.

** The possible [[Fridge Logic]] of this trope's take on it was discussed during the ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' presentation.

'''Crow:''' "Sorry, we need your liver to keep your clone alive!" }}

* In ''[[The Prestige]]:'' {{spoiler|One of the magicians constantly clones himself and kills one of them in order to perform a magic trick night after night. However, because they are ''perfect'' clones, he has no way of knowing whether the machine teleports him but leaves a copy behind, or if it creates a copy a distance away. He never knows whether the trick kills the clone, or if he kills himself and the clone carries on.}}

** Carol-lite ([[Fan Nickname]]), being a copy of Caroline in a little girl.

** Topher's mind imprinted on the doll Victor:

'''Topher:''' But it wouldn't be a second opinion, it would be the ''same'' opinion twice! }}

* It ain't a [[Tomato in the Mirror]] trope without an [[Outer Limits]] episode devoted to it.

* Later ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'' editions deal away with the issues by making the clone effectively a dead body until the original dies. They also include the simulacrum spell that creates a duplicate (that can't learn or grow and is under perfect command to its creator) that could be used as [[Fighting a Shadow|an expendable distraction]], impersonator and [[Screw Yourself|other uses]]. Due to being a spellcaster under your full control, if the creator has the "circle magic" class features it can burn all of its spell slots to boost the circle leader's casting to an [[Game Breaker|insane level]].

* Played with on the April Fools special [[Penny Arcade]] Witchalok class, which has the following spell description:

* ''[[Changeling: The Lost]]'' features the fetch, a clone made by [[The Fair Folk|the Gentry that abducted you]] out of stray detritus and animated by a piece of your soul. Once you break out of Faerie, you come back and find this thing living your life. The various changeling Courts are somewhat split on how to respond to fetches, but the general inclination seems to be, "Kill the impostor." Thing is, it's ''still'' something that acts human and, up until your return, thought it was you entirely. It could be a pawn of the Gentry... or it could be an innocent bystander. What you want to do with it is entirely your choice...

* In ''[[Paranoia]]'' every character starts with six expendable clones. The Computer recognises the need to have backups in case of accidental loss or erasure. Six is generally insufficient to survive a session.

* Deconstructed in ''[[Tales of the Abyss]]''. {{spoiler|Luke, upon finding out he is a replica of the REAL Luke fon Fabre (now called Asch), begins to view his life as [[Cloning Blues|expendable]] because of his sub-human status.}} His [[True Companions|friends]] however, don't accept such perspectives because they feel he is human based on the time and memories they share together.

* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' (the first US release) features this to almost [[Tear Jerker]] effect in the form of Nergal's Morphs.

* The clones of P.B. Winterbottom in ''[[The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom]]'' which are only there to get him his pie. They disappear once they're done.

* The entire point behind the Replica in ''[[F.E.A.R.]]'' is that they're cloned soldiers {{spoiler|of Paxton Fettel}} who can be quickly grown, trained, and deployed at a substantially reduced cost when compared with normal [[Private Military Contractors]], and their training, conditioning, and psionic control turns them into fearless, highly disciplined and unswervingly loyal troops. This gets turned on its head when the psychic commander who controls the Replica goes bonkers and turns them against the corporation that created them.