In Attack of the Clones, we see the first clone batch ready for deployment. I figure that they're around 20 years old which means they age twice as fast as normal humans because the order for the clones came 10 years prior. But three years later, according to the Revenge of the Sith DVD audio commentary, the oldest clones are around 35 years old. That means that the clones are aging more and more quickly. So it's safe to say that within the next 5-10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, many of the Clones have died or are reaching old age. This is the central part of my question: Were the clones aware that they would become old?. Most of us when we're young don't think about old age but we know that it's looming over the horizon. The clones, on the other hand, grew up in a sterile environment and didn't have really any contact with other human beings. So could they clue two and two together when they encountered old humans during the Clone Wars or did it come as a surprise when they couldn't keep up with the younger clones or when the armour started feeling a bit tight around the stomach? Think about the psychological effect that could've had on a clone when he realized that he'd passed his prime without even being aware of when his prime was.

Or did they know and were prepared for it? Inevitably, this begs another question: Did the clones look forward to anything? Did they want something? Did they have dreams and aspirations? Did they think that "Maybe after the war I'll settle down somewhere, find a wife and maybe one day there be the patter of small clones running about the house"? Or was war their only reality? If you're brought up to consider war as your job, do you ever look forward to peace?

And to my final question: What happened to the clones once they were too old?. Did the Empire unceremoniously dispose of them when they couldn't fight anymore or did they grant them retirement? I think it's accepted fact that the Imperial army consisted of both clones and volunteers so I guess that the production of Jango clones must've been taken down a notch after the Clone Wars.

Here's my take on it. Even though the clones are genetically modified and grew up in a sterile environment, they are still humans and therefore must've figured out that sooner or later they would be old. How they handled this however, I'm not sure. Some might have despaired over the inevitable gradual loss of their strength and stamina other might have tried to prevent it. One cannot help to think what a clone feels like when he knows that in the future his services might not be needed. Having lived with the military ones whole life, I'm pretty sure that some clones must've felt lost with the prospect of not being a part of it anymore.

I also believe they had desires and dreams, but it's hard to say what an impact such an upbringing can have on someone. However, I'm sure the same forces that urge us to dream and strive after what we want existed in the clones too.

In the end however, I believe the Empire disposed of the clones that were of no longer use. Why? No proof really, it's just that the Empire shows little concern or gratitude for those who fight for them and even less for those that are unable. But it is hinted in an earlier draft of The Empire Strikes Back that Lando was a clone and led a colony of clones, so maybe Lucas wanted the clones to live on somewhere. I know that a part of me wants to think that the clones got their retirement credits and sped of somewhere to spend the last months of their lives in peace or striving for their dreams.

This entry was supposed to answer the first question but left more unanswered and it kinda swayed off topic (that happens when you think too much) but it is question worth thinking of.