Brother Day is one of the main characters of Foundation. He is portrayed by Lee Pace in the Apple TV+ series. Both intimidating and larger than life, Brother Day is the latest in a long line of clones and the current ruling Cleon, Emperor of the Galaxy. He is capable of being charming but also prone to volcanic eruptions of anger.
General Information[]
Brother Day is one of the three clone-emperors of the Galactic Empire. As part of the system of the Genetic Dynasty designed by Cleon2, Brother Day is the regnant ruler of the Empire and occupies the "middle throne" between his immediate predecessor, Brother Dusk, and his successor-in-waiting, Brother Dawn.[1]
In the original dynastic plan, a Cleon ascends to the Brother Day position at age 30 and rules until age 60, at which point he becomes Brother Dusk. Later in the empire, these generational periods were shorted and brought forwards to compensate for the genetic drift, and Brother Day rules from approximately his mid-twenties until his forties or fifties before stepping down (the exact time frames have not been specified).[Source?]
While the other brothers can advise, Brother Day ultimately holds all of the authority.[Source?]
When a Brother Dawn ascends to the Brother Day position, a new infant Dawn is decanted and handed to the new Day to help raise. As the primary Cleon, protocol states that he should never leave Trantor to ensure his safety.[2]
Notable Days[]
Cleon12[]
Brother Day is worried about the predictions made by Hari Seldon as to the fate of the Empire, believing that Hari might be a revolutionary out to destabilize the Empire from within. However, Hari is not Day's only problem. The Outer Reach planets of Anacreon and Thespis are involved in a mining dispute over an asteroid that resulted in the deaths of several Imperial appraisers. Day receives delegations from both planets in an effort to maintain the peace.[1]
After the terrorist attack on the Star Bridge, Day decides to exile Hari and his Foundation out to Terminus. If the predictions of Psychohistory falter, then the project will be left to wither. If the predictions are accurate, then Imperial support will ensure that the successes of the Foundation can be used to bolster the Emperor's regime.[1]
Evidence comes to light that the bombers came from both Anacreon and Thespis, forcing Day to interrogate the diplomatic delegations from each planet. Despite their protestations of innocence, and Jerril's belief that their hate each other more than their hate Empire would not lead them to working together, Day decides to punish them. In a public ceremony, Day executes the delegations aside from the primary ambassadors, and orders Imperial ships to bomb both planets.[3]
Eventually, Cleon12 ascended to the position of Brother Dusk upon the ascension of Cleon11.[4]
Cleon13[]
Cleon13 is primarily a diplomat. As Brother Day, Cleon13 oversaw an Empire beset by turmoil; religious disagreement rising from Luminism, homegrown insurgency on Trantor, and the Outer Reach planets defying the Empire. Day firmly believed the blame for this was the impulsive actions on his predecessor, Cleon12, who allowed Hari Seldon to enter exile and ordered the bombing of the planets Anacreon and Thespis. In an attempt to steady the Empire, Day resolved to travel to the funeral of Proxima Opal to install a favored successor as her replacement, breaking with protocol that the primary Cleon should never leave Trantor.[2]
Cleon16[]
While Cleon16 ruled as Day, the Empire experienced many issues and conflicts which had not been seen for a century. Rather than stepping forwards as a proactive and effective ruler, Cleon16 confesses he did none of it and left Demerzel to handle everything while he enjoyed himself. This lead Cleon16 being viewed with disdain by his successor, Cleon17, who openly called Day a coward and grew up neglected as a result of Day's delegation of duty.[5] Cleon16 also took up tending to the murals while he was still Day, a task general reserved as Dusk's duty.[6]
Cleon17[]
Ruling in 12,240 Era Imperial, Cleon17 intended to correct the issues being caused by corruption to the Genetic Dynasty by effectively ending it. Cleon17 intends to wed, and proposed the prospect of marriage to Queen Sareth I of Cloud Dominion. He views himself as an individual soul, and hopes that by bearing natural children, he can extend his own legacy as the Cleons drifted further from Cleon1.[Source?]
Day is highly athletic and well trained in martial arts, which is unusual, given the aura removes the need for fighting, and shows excitement and enjoyment when fighting others. Cleon17 views himself as a brilliant tactician and statesmen, however, he is largely self taught from books[7] and practice,[6] (due first to his neglect while he was Dawn, and later from his refusal to consult Dusk or Dawn) and cannot stand being embarrassed, killing or arresting those who harm his self-image.[8]
As an adult Day, he began in a sexual relationship with Demerzel, something which deeply disturbs brothers Dusk and Dawn. Cleon17 does not trust his brothers, Dusk or Dawn, and believes them capable of trying to kill him, and his desire for family he can trust is another factor in Cleon17 desiring his own children. One of his greatest fears is that he will die and be replaced by a decanted copy.[9]
Cleon24[]
In 12,392 Era Imperial, Cleon24 was the main emperor of the Genetic Dynasty. However, he had long abrogated the responsibility and spent his time gambling and taking drugs, and spending his time in the Gossamer Court.[10] Cleon is smarter than he lets on, and has a deep distrust and fear of Demerzel, whom he refers to as "it" and avoids.[Source?]
From the Foundation Books[]
While Brother Day is an original creation for the Foundation television series, he does have a counterpart in the Foundation series -- Emperor Cleon1. Last Galactic Emperor of the Entun dynasty, Cleon I ruled from the planet Trantor. Amiable and not enthusiastic about his position as Emperor, Cleon I relied on his Chief of Staff, Eto Demerzel, to conduct the day to day business of running the Empire.
Cleon I was insulated from his own Empire, confined to the grounds of the Imperial Palace on Trantor. He eventually learned of Hari Seldon and his new science of Psychohistory and took an immediate interest. The Emperor used Seldon’s predictions as a tool to prevent unrest within the Empire, eventually installing him as his new Chief of Staff upon Demerzel’s retirement.
Behind the Scenes[]
Brother Day is an original creation for the Foundation series. In the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, the Emperor at the time of events depicted in the series was Cleon I.
Appearances[]
- Season One
- "The Emperor's Peace" (First appearance)
- "Preparing to Live"
- "The Mathematician's Ghost"
- "Barbarians at the Gate"
- "Death and the Maiden"
- "Mysteries and Martyrs"
- "The Missing Piece"
- "The First Crisis"
- "The Leap"
- Season Two
- Season Three
External Links[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "The Emperor's Peace"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Barbarians at the Gate"
- ↑ "Preparing to Live"
- ↑ "The Mathematician's Ghost"
- ↑ "The Sighted and the Seen"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Why the Gods Made Wine"
- ↑ "A Necessary Death"
- ↑ "King and Commoner"
- ↑ "In Seldon's Shadow"
- ↑ "A Song for the End of Everything"