Clone

A clone is a biological duplicate of a living organism down to the genetic level. The cultivated organism is developed using macromolecular DNA that originates from the source. The science and study of clone structure is called cloning. The clone organism may be something as small as a strand of DNA, an organ, a limb and up to and including entire life forms such as people and animals. In many cases, clones are genetically modified so that they age at an accelerated rate. In other examples, clones may be created by mixing genetic material from what would otherwise be considered incompatible sources. Clones are a popular storytelling convention in science fiction and have been used in nearly all aspects of the medium.

In the 1997 film Alien: Resurrection, scientists aboard the space vessel USM Auriga used genetic samples taken from Ellen Ripley from two-hundred years earlier to create a clone hybrid of a human with Xenomorph DNA. Seven such clones were created, all of which were failures, resulting in hideous monstrosities kept inside of a lab, but the eighth iteration, dubbed Ripley-8, proved to be a success. The project was overseen by an obsessive scientist named Doctor Jonathan Gediman. In addition to enhanced physical traits, Ripley-8 also had preternatural instincts, acidic blood and shared an empathic bond with other Xenomorphs.

Clones eventually found their way into the Resident Evil multimedia franchise as well. In the 2012 movie, Resident Evil: Retribution, it is revealed that the Umbrella Corporation made clones of several Umbrella Security Service personnel, most notably, the ass-kicker Alice Abernathy, as well as Rain Ocampo and unit commander James Shade.

Clones don't always have to be humans. In the "Curiosity Killed the Cravitz" episode of She-Wolf of London, Randi Wallace discovers a race of trolls living below the surface who have been killing people and supplanting them with clone duplicates.