Cleon I

The revolving trio of clones who personify the Empire's unchanging permanence while facing unprecedented decay.

In the 2021 Apple TV+ series Foundation, 'Cleon' refers not to a single individual but to a Genetic Dynasty of clones ruling the Galactic Empire. For approximately 400 years following Cleon I's death, this revolving trio of his copies—Brother Day in his prime, Brother Dusk as an aging advisor, and Brother Dawn being trained for succession—has maintained the illusion of a constant, unchanging ruler over the 12,000-year-old Empire. Portrayed by Lee Pace, Terrence Mann, and Cassian Bilton respectively, these characters are a TV invention by executive producer David S. Goyer to provide continuity across centuries, as cloning does not exist in Isaac Asimov's original novels where only Cleon I and II appear as supporting figures.

Lore & Background

The Genetic Dynasty serves as the 'personification of the Empire's permanency,' secretly administered for centuries by Lady Demerzel, an ageless robot acting as the true power behind the throne. In this version of history, the Cleon clones are not identical; in Season 1, Brother Dawn conceals his color blindness, an anomaly among the Cleons, while both he and Day exhibit unprecedented emotions that Dusk believes will spell their doom. It is eventually revealed that the rebel movement has tampered with the Cleon genetics, so that the bloodline is tainted and has irrevocably diverged from the original Cleon.

Demerzel, recognizing the danger Dawn poses to the dynasty, kills him in Season 1 even though Day has decided to spare him. At the end of Season 2, after Day is killed and Demerzel has killed Dusk, she decants three new Cleon clones. A subsequent Day attempts to halt the degradation by marrying Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion, though Demerzel schemes to prevent this union.

Reader's Guide

The Cleon clones are portrayed by Lee Pace (Brother Day), Terrence Mann (Brother Dusk), and Cassian Bilton (Brother Dawn), with Cooper Carter playing a child Dawn in Season 1. Critics have praised the casting extensively: Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com called Pace's performance 'magnetic,' while Sean O'Neal of Texas Monthly described it as 'bombastic,' noting Pace was 'simply born to play a tyrant.' Chase Hutchinson of Collider highlighted how Pace captures the character's 'petulance' and 'insecurities,' making him a villain worth building a show around.

Daniel Fienberg noted the 'strong theatrical energy' between Mann and Pace, while Sean T. Collins described Mann's command of diverse emotions in "The Last Empress" as 'deeply impressive.' The concept itself is lauded by Rafael Motamayor of IGN as 'arguably the most fascinating addition to the show,' creating a unique political unit that raises questions about individuality and progress.

Did You Know?

The concept of the Genetic Dynasty was invented by showrunner David S. Goyer to provide some continuity to a story that takes place over a thousand years.
Lee Pace was cast in October 2019, while Terrence Mann and Cassian Bilton were cast two months later in December 2019.
Early trailers led online fans to refer to Lee Pace as 'Intergalactic Emperor Daddy'.