There’s literally nothing we’re told about clones that preclude them from still being around or even just a possibility.
Other than that they were once common enough to fight a war over, and nowhere to be found today. Agreed that there’s a chance they may have all collectively decided to do a post-war retreat to Ceti Alpha V and not sign the required release forms allowing them to appear in any films. Same probability as there might really have been a Battle of Wigglypants, or that Vader has a third arm you never see because it’s under his cape. Not mathematically impossible.
Again, it’s a big galaxy.
It’s a big cape.
That’s a completely reasonable assumption to make but it is not the only possibility.
I’m just saving this for later.
Going back, your Alderaan analogy doesn’t really make sense at all.
There’s two cities named Portland, there can’t be two planets named Alderaan?
We see pretty much all of Vader so it’d be pretty silly to say he has a third arm
We never see what’s under the cape. It could also be a second mouth, or a third ear. I’m starting to wonder about wings.
the filmmakers shouldn’t feel beholden to the random assumptions of fans on the internet.
I think working with the completely reasonable assumptions is okay, though. Also, keep in mind through this discussion–Switching around Luke’s father advanced a plot point. Switching around Luke’s sister advanced a plot point. Something was gained in trade for the something that was lost. These things? Throwaway lines, as you said. Nothing was gained in exchange for the dissonance–which I’m freely admitting you did not feel.