CX-2

CX-2, also known as Sniper CloneX2, was a Clone X trooper that served under the Galactic Empire around 18 BBY. He was deployed to Teth in a mission to eliminate another clone assassin, CX-1. While his mission was successful, he also discovered the presence of the Imperial priority target Omega, and began pursuing a secondary directive to apprehend her. To do so, the assassin continually disregarded orders provided by Imperial Clone Commander Wolffe and managed to track Clone Force 99 and the Clone Underground's remnants through Teth's jungles. After nearly drowning rogue clone Crosshair, he was stunned by another rogue clone, Howzer, and fell down a waterfall, defeated. However, he survived the fall and climbed out of the river following the escape of Omega and her protectors.
CX-2 would eventually track down Omega by hacking into Phee Genoa's ship and discovering Pabu. He led an invasion of the planet when he found Omega there, forcing her to surrender and be taken back to Mount Tantiss. Clone Force 99 would infiltrate the mountain base in hopes of freeing her and the other clone prisoners, but they were captured by the newly activated CX squad, including CX-2, who used a electrosword to chop Crosshair's hand off. However, after the prisoners were freed by Omega and Echo and attacked the operatives, CX-2 would be killed by Hunter, who impaled him with an electrospear.
==Biography==
===Deployment===
Originally a clone of the bounty hunter Jango Fett that had at some point ended up in Imperial custody, the clone who would be given the designation CX-2, otherwise identified as Sniper CloneX2, had his identity wiped and conditioned to become a Clone X trooper by around 18 BBY. He was activated and deployed by clone commando Scorch to an abandoned B'omarr Order Monastery on the planet Teth to eliminate fellow Clone X trooper CX-1 after he was rendered unable to commit suicide as per protocol. While carrying out his mission, he notified Clone Commander Scorch that the primary target of Doctor Royce Hemlock, the clone Omega, was also present on Teth. He then accomplished his mission to assassinate CX-1 then began an attempt to capture Omega, prompting the escape of Clone Force 99 and the Clone Underground forces present. After an explosion caused by the detonation of several thermal detonators shook the facility, CX-2 was pinned under rubble, injuring his arm and leg in the process. 
After the assassin escaped the rubble, a Recovery Strike Team led by Clone Commander Wolffe and clone commando Lieutenant Hilo soon deployed to and arrived on Teth, upon which Wolffe informed the Clone X Trooper that he was now in charge and reprimanded him for risking the safety of Omega, who Hemlock wanted alive.
Despite Wolffe's assertion, the assassin continued to independently pursue the rogue clones and Omega, tracking them through secret passages below the base and eventually shooting down their shuttle as they attempted to flee from the monastery. Upon regrouping with Wolffe's forces, he was reprimanded once again by the Clone Commander for risking Omega's life. CX-2 then accompanied Wolffe's forces into Teth's jungle to track down the rogue clones. Upon reaching the shuttle's crash site, the clone assassin once again split away from Wolffe's group to independently track Omega. Eventually tracking the rogue clones to a waterfall, the assassin was led away from Omega by Clone Force 99 member Crosshair, who began to fight the assassin. 
Crosshair and the assassin's fight eventually devolved into a fistfight upon which they fell into the river and down part of the waterfall. After landing, their fight continued, and the assassin berated Crosshair for abandoning the Empire and failing to become a clone assassin. He nearly drowned Crosshair but was subsequently stunned by the rogue clone Captain Howzer, upon which he fell further down the waterfall, unconscious. Following the escape of Clone Force 99 and the Clone Underground's remaining forces—due to Wolffe opting not to apprehend Omega—the assassin climbed out of the river, having survived his fall.
===Invasion of Pabu===
Some time later, CX-2 was still trying to find and capture Omega. In an effort to deduce her location, snuck onto pirate Phee Genoa's ship, the Providence, and planted a computer spike into the ship's navigation computer, allowing him to discover that she frequently visited Pabu, which he discerned was where Omega was hiding. Upon infiltrating the planet, he was able to confirm that Omega was in hiding there along with Clone Force 99 and informed Commander Scorch, who ordered him to capture the girl unharmed, sternly warning him not to repeat his mistakes of disobeying orders and authorized him to eliminate anyone who interfered. Scorch then dispatched a force to invade Pabu and ensure CX-2 succeeded. To prevent Clone Force 99 from leaving the planet, CX-2 destroyed their ship, the Marauder, by launching three explosives on it. As TK stormtroopers were deployed onto the island from LAAT/i gunships, he ordered them to destroy all of the docks and skiffs and then begin searching the island's homes, which led to mayor Shep Hazard confronting him for the seemingly unprovoked attack and destruction of the local's livelihoods. CX-2 told the mayor that he knew that they were harboring a fugitive, and threatened that the island would burn until Omega was found.
The leader of Clone Force 99, Hunter, attempted to hijack a gunship, and when its pilot alerted CX-2 that his gunship had been compromised, CX-2 simply shot the pilot, causing the gunship to crash into the ocean and preventing Hunter from commandeering it. Meanwhile, Omega, aware that the island would continue to be destroyed the longer she hid, proposed to Crosshair that she surrender herself as a distraction for the sharpshooter to plant a tracking beacon on CX-2's CX Dagger vessel. The plan was enacted, during which CX-2 ordered a TK stormtrooper to scan Omega for tracking devices and subsequently confiscated a comlink from her before placing her on his vessel and departing the planet for Wayland. Crosshair ultimately ended up failing to plant the tracker on the ship due to his hand injury. Later, CX-2 arrived on Tantiss Base with Omega and handed her off directly to Hemlock. As Hemlock led Omega inside, CX-2 departed on his vessel.
===Death===
CX-2 was still stationed on Tantiss when he was ordered to help capture the Bad Batch, who had infiltrated the facility in order to save Omega. To assist in the task, Hemlock activated additional clone assassins from stasis. The CX squad confronted Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair in the compromised hanger breached by the escaped Zillo Beast. In the ensuing firefight, one of the assassins tossed CX-2 a vibroblade, which he used to cut off Crosshair's shooting hand. The CX squad then proceeded to escort the incapacitated CT-99s to the training room for reconditioning, passing by Doctor Emerie Karr and a disguised Echo.
CX-2 remained in hiding in the laboratory when Omega attempted to sneak in and free her captured brothers, only to caught by a CX trooper, at which CX-2 and Hemlock entered the room. As they watched the other CX troopers engage Echo and the other escaped clone prisoners as Hemlock's toxin is pumped into the training room, they were unaware that Omega had already unlocked Wrecker's restraints. At the moment, Wrecker threw large piece of metal at the CX troopers, knocking CX-2 down. In the confusion, Hemlock cuffs Omega to himself and takes CX-2's RK-3 blaster and armband remote. Hemlock orders CX-2 to deal with the Bad Batch and flees with Scorch. As CX-2 was attempting to reorient himself, he spots Hunter, who likewise was recuperating, and attempted to shoot him, only for Crosshair to kick his rifle out of the way, causing him to miss. Hunter responded by throwing an electrospear at CX-2, impaling him into a machine and electrocuting him, killing him.
After his death, Hunter passes CX-2's rifle to Crosshair before both go out of the room to rescue Omega. On the landing pad, Hemlock uses CX-2's remote to summon a CX Dagger vessel but the engines were shot down by Crosshair who used CX-2's rifle. Hunter and Crosshair then kill Scorch and later shot Omega's binders and Hemlock himself.
==Personality and traits==
CX-2 was incredibly focused on his directive, disregarding orders given by high-ranking Imperials and even killing subordinates in order to complete his mission. He also looked down upon the rogue clone commando Crosshair for failing to become a clone assassin. CX-2 was willing harm innocent civilians on Pabu and threatened to burn down the island in a cruel attempt to coerce its mayor to give up Omega during the Raid on Pabu. Despite his mission-oriented attitude, CX-2 displayed a twisted sense of humor as seen when he sarcastically suggested that Crosshair be careful with his shooting hand before cutting it off with a vibroblade.
==Skills and abilities==
CX-2 was skilled in sharpshooting, hand-to-hand combat, the usage of various vibroblades, and infiltration. He was capable of exercising his abilities without significant issues even when injured, such as when he had injured both an arm and leg—to the extent of a limp—after being crushed by rubble on Teth.
==Equipment==
As a clone assassin, CX-2 was equipped with specialized black armor with numerous attachments, such as a rangefinder connected to the helmet, and a control panel brace connected to the right bicep for direct control of CX Dagger vessels. He was armed with a 773 Firepuncher sniper rifle, and later made use of a vibroblade captured from the Clone Underground.
==Behind the scenes==
CX-2 was first pictured within the trailer for the third season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. In the season itself, he first appeared simultaneously in "Infiltration" and "Extraction," the sixth and seventh episode, respectively, which both premiered on March 13, 2024 on Disney+. The character was first identified as Sniper CloneX2 via Getty Images before the name CX-2 was used in the StarWars.com episode guide.
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
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Category:Clone X troopers
Category:Individuals of unspecified gender
Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns
Category:Sharpshooters and snipers