so bc im insane, this actually shouldnt be seen as a joke or a goof and should instead be seen as a legit part of mandalorian culture
in the republic commando books one of the clones-turned-mandos had special needs due to a TBI he received in battle. while they didnt modify his helmet, they wrote on his helmet to indicate that he had been injured:
Parja reached up and patted [Fi’s] helmet. She’d painted it with the Mandalorian letters M and S for mir’shupur — brain injury — just like a battlefield medic might do for triage purposes. On Mandalore, the symbol functioned as a blend of a general warning to give the wearer a break, and a medal for combat service.
— Republic Commando: Order 66, pp 39
so mandalorians, as much as they are a warrior people, do not stigmatize, nor misunderstand, mental illness or special needs. they, in fact, do understand that people have their limits, and that not everyone is the same.
anyone can become a mandalorian. no matter your gender or race or limitations. what matters is your dedication to your family, clan, and people. so yes, they would, in-universe, allow modifications for any mandalorians that couldn't wear the classic helmet.
Clone wars AU where the chips never got activated. In the aftermath of Palpatine’s death, the troopers are so horrified by the thought of Order 66 that they go hole up in Kamino. The Jedi let them do it for a few weeks while they’re unfortunately too busy cleaning up the mess, but then they just,,,,, camp outside their front door. For months. The clones will not outstubborn them this time, no sir. They brought umbrellas, food, books, and lots and lots of tea. So much tea. Soon they’re having little mini festival days waiting for the clones to come out already. It is very confusing for the vode.
On one hand, order 66. Chips. Horror. Their life is even more of a lie, they don't want to hurt the jedi, they're ashamed of essentially being a Trojan horse to the Jedi.
On the other hand, apparently the jedi are all idiots who camp out in the ever pouring rain and are they building a mini temple on our front porch??????
The thought that each of them carries a part of the other with him - first Fives when he lost Echo, and then Echo after he was freed from Skako… it kind of possessed me.
Rex was meant to be part of the command batch but he was demoted because of his hair color.
Rex was part of the 212th when Anakin was a padawan. When Anakin was knighted he clang to Rex and refused to have anyone else as his second in command.
Rex dies his eyebrows black.
Rex is named Rex because he is crowned with his golden hair.
Ponds is named Ponds because of his cautious nature and tendency to philosophy (pondering)
Wolffe is named Wolffe because he thinks wolves are really cool.
Fox is named Fox because he is graying at the temples silver fox)
Bly is named Bly after a character in his favorite romance novel.
Gree is a Nerd. He and Luminara have museum dates.
Bly and Aayla are married.
Waxer and Boil are riduure.
Decommissioning.
Clones were raised on nutrimush and rations that are very bland. Generally, they love real food but it takes everyone some time to adapt their palettes. Some clones still prefer nutrimush.
Wolffe, Boost and Sinker are Plo Koon's sons.
Jedi would have a problem with Anakin's marriage to Padme as it contradicts his vows to the order.
CT-1111 and such is actually a shorthand for a much longer designation number each clone has. Kaminoans thought it was an efficient way to address the clones without giving them individuality.
Obi-Wan is biromantic and on the ace spectrum.
Anakin wanted Obi-Wan to be his father figure. Obi-Wan could only be a brother.
Obi-Wan has creeping self-esteem issues.
Qui-Gon Jin A+ parenting.
Count Dooku actually really likes his Grand Padawan.
Corries are abused by some senators.
Fox is severely sleep-deprived and has a person working in customer service energy.
New Mandalorians rejected many traditions among them the tradition of adoption and that anyone can be a Mandalorian if they swear Resol'nare. That's why they are mostly human and blond.
High General is in charge of a System Army that consists of two Sector Armies and has two attached fleets; in times of war the Jedi High Council consists of High Generals. Obi-Wan was promoted to the council due to his prior war experience on Melida/Daan.
Each battalion has ARCs and Commandos attached.
Gregor is head of 212th's commandos.
Jedi are not getting paid for their participation in war efforts.
Due to the nature of their upbringing Jedi's and clones' reference points of normal are very far from the galaxy baseline. Surprisingly they are well positioned to understand each other though.
Clones tend to call children tubies and teenagers cadets.
Clones love water and rain.
Clones tend to think natural pregnancies are extremely weird (why would you put this process into someone's body if there is a perfectly good tube right here.).
Clones are made for Jedi but the Jedi are also made for clones.
Propaganda machine sold the clone troopers as protectors and saviors to the population of the republic and they are widely loved.
That being said clones are not legally recognized as sentients.
During their training on Kamino clones wanted war to come because they regarded it as freedom.
I didn't get the fanart out there Monday so today have these three generations of idiot! From left to right: Kanor, Kian, Spare. Three generations of clones, all brothers now working with Winterfang.
I love the idea that the Clones knew how the war was going to end. Not as in they knew order 66 from the start way but in a 'our existence doesn't make sense' way. They are super intelligent and its mentioned that they were very deliberately taught skills that would help them at war but which would NOT make them understand their position/ see an alternative (no literature or history for the clones) so as soon as they get out in the galaxy and start to learn things that aren't being cherry picked it doesn't take long for them to realise
So I think they'd see this army and they'd see the tenets of the Jedi and they'd just be like yeah no way. Suspicious that Dooku was apparently involved? Suspicious that Jango died just in time to tell nobody anything. They'd see the structure of the GAR and at first it's all they know, but then they start to see how inefficient things are and they are like 'bureaucrats smh' but then they realise that nobody wants it to get better and they CAN'T make any improvements and it just slowly dawns on them that this war is designed as a money sink, its designed to wear out the Jedi. They are just playing pretend.
I think they'd look at the lack of provisions for a life after the war and they'd just see that they clearly aren't intended to survive. They aren't made to be citizens, they've been custom built in ways that would bring up huge ethical dilemmas as soon as anyone even started to consider that they might be citizens. They haven't been trained to fight in ways that'll prevent long term injuries. Everything about the GAR just = disposable. I think they'd consider what it takes to have an army that big and to have no need to consider retirements or long term health care or housing and they'd just realise that something big is coming and it doesn't look good
I think it would become one of those truths that no-one speaks. You don't say it but also, you'll never hear a clone talk about after the war. They'll never talk about what they'll look like when they grow old. Jango didn't make it to old age and neither will they. And I think once they know, it doesn't make a difference at all, and that's the worst thing. They see a war that THEY can never win. The clones won't emerge victorious, they aren't getting out of this at all and they see that and they still carry on fighting like they always would have if they hadn't known. Because what else is there? Because they love each other and want to fight for as long as they can to make sure that each clone gets to survive for as long as possible, they want to make sure that everyone's living the best life possible until that point, living the lives they were made for, their life's purpose. And then they get to know the Jedi and its about fighting for them, so that they can live past the clones
hello just plopping my OCs here for reference and what not
Sarad, who I have already written about! Sarad's pronouns are fae/faer. Fae is a medic for the 212th. Sarad 100% has a crush on Kix but you could not pay faer enough credits to admit that, thank you very much. Check out faer fic here, featuring @flowerparrish's OC Tra!
The bestest agender around, Shocks! Shocks uses they/them pronouns and is on the Coruscant Guard. They are one of Fox's secret favorites, mostly due to the fact that they baked their way into his heart. Shocks also loves dyeing hair. They are definitely Thorn's vod'ika in all the ways.
This is Fleece! She does not care if her goatee makes her masculine, thank you very much. She's a girl and she likes her looks. She got her name because she loves to knit and gives people warm sweaters like. All the time. Please enjoy this thing I wrote about her:
"The 212th needs another trooper," Cody argues.
"Kark that," Rex responds. "Kenobi makes you guys warm sweaters all the time. I want Fleece."
Bly laughs. "I'm pretty sure Aayla's already wooing her with the softest balls of yarn she could find in the galaxy, good luck you guys."
Meanwhile, Fleece: "Can I stay on Kamino and make baby blankets for all the batches being created?"
The Kaminoans, squinting, trying to decide if she's defective or a treasure.
Last but not least, my di'kut trooper, Kar'la. Kar'la got kaysh's name due to Kaysh being an utter asshole. Like, actually. Kar'la means warm-hearted and sincere, so the name was given as a joke... and kaysh kept it. Kaysh will fight anything that moves, which unfortunately include vode. Kar'la is in the 327th much to Bly's dismay. Aayla's convinced she can fix kaysh with love and nail polish. Time will tell.
CREDITS:
For the recurring face picrew: https://picrew.me/ja/image_maker/326758
For the recurring trooper picrew: https://picrew.me/ja/image_maker/1235414
For Fleece's side profile: https://picrew.me/ja/image_maker/1927774