Syaoran begins as an emotionless clone engineered by Fei Wong Reed to retrieve Princess Sakura's dispersed memory feathers. He gains the capacity for feeling when the original Syaoran Li seals his own left eye, containing half his heart, into the clone's right eye. This implant allows the clone to develop genuine emotions, particularly love for Sakura, though his vision in that eye remains impaired by the seal. He travels across dimensions with Sakura, Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona, sacrificing his relationship with Sakura as payment to Yūko Ichihara for dimensional travel. His core purpose is protecting Sakura, aware she will never remember him if they succeed. The clone's personality undergoes a drastic shift when the seal on his eye breaks. He becomes cold, emotionless, and singularly obsessed with gathering feathers, disregarding companion safety and causing world destruction. This change results from the loss of the implanted heart fragment removing his capacity for empathy. He abandons Sakura, aligns with Fei Wong Reed's objectives, and stabs Sakura during a confrontation. He later betrays Fei Wong by faking his death, leading to his demise at Fei Wong's hands. The original Syaoran Li, true name Tsubasa, is a direct Clow Reed descendant. Fei Wong imprisoned him to create the clone. Before capture, he orchestrated transferring his eye and heart fragment to the clone. After escaping imprisonment, he joins the group to protect Sakura and stop Fei Wong. His childhood mirrors the clone's: arriving in Clow Country at age seven, failing to prevent Sakura's curse, and wishing to rewind time to save her. This wish cost him his freedom and led to Kimihiro Watanuki's creation as his timeline replacement. He wields his father's sword and uses lightning-based magic, including the "Raitei Shourai" technique. In the "Spring Thunder Chronicle" OVA, the emotionless clone relentlessly pursues feathers. He battles the original Syaoran, displaying enhanced combat abilities and ruthless determination to destroy obstacles. This confrontation follows Kurogane losing an arm rescuing Fai and Seishiro's reemergence. Concurrently, the original Syaoran contends with Sakura's emotional distance due to a prophetic vision. The clone's actions underscore his transformation into a mission-driven antagonist. Both Syaorans share a defining connection to Sakura. The clone's love persists despite emotional degradation, while the original's guilt over failing to protect her motivates his actions. After Fei Wong's defeat, the clone and a cloned Sakura reincarnate into another dimension, becoming the original Syaoran's parents, creating a cyclical timeline. Both Syaorans ultimately vanish, leaving feathers absorbed by the original. The clone augments his combat abilities by consuming Fai D. Fluorite's left eye, gaining magical power to devastate worlds during his feather quest. After returning Fai's magic, Fai acknowledges the clone's responsible use of the power. The original Syaoran inherits his father's sword and magical expertise, specializing in barrier spells and detection techniques.