I really just think think this clone operative is nothing more than a rival for crosshair. It represents his past and struggles. We get a ton of character information especially for crosshairs in this episode. That last fight especially ingrained the purpose of the operative in the story for crosshair.

Rip fireball, nemec, gerer, and samson.

Guys guys he’s clearly Jar Jar Binks.

I have to say, Crosshair facing his literal demon was well done this episode.

I was so hyped for that 187th clone and he was alive for like 5 minutes bruh 💀💀💀

I'm calling it now that shadow clone will be nobody but is important as he will be the one that kills one of the squad

I couldn't care less who it is as long as it's not Tech. If they are going in thst direction it would destroy his arc and the emotion behind it.

Can’t wait to see more of the Shadow Clone since he’s alive.

I hope it's not tech, it's too easy of a twist

This theory has crossed my mind, but I'm not sure he can be a clone of Crosshair, unless there's some sort of additional accelerated growth happening. Crosshair wasn't at Tantiss long enough for a clone reproduction of him to take place and mature enough. Plus, it's established that cloning of clones has significant degradation. But, I do think Crosshair's enhanced abilities may have been extracted from him somehow and given to other clones, maybe explaining his unsteady hand. I personally think that shadow clone he fought may be Commander Cody, he knows Crosshair personally, and he hasn't been seen but briefly in the show. Either that, or like the shadow cloned captured, they recognize Crosshair as the source of their marksmanship.

I wonder if it could be Cody? He’s been missing for a while, we never learned his fate, no one knows where he went, and he would have been easy to nab and blame it on him leaving the empire. He also used a knife just like Cody used in that one episode and they are focusing a lot on him.

If they’re gonna do a reveal it has to be Cody or a Crosshair clone. No other reveal would have narrative weight to it

it would make sense. Crosshair does have a skinnier body frame. If you look at the Imperial Operative from the majority of the episode, from certain shots, the Operative's armor is a lot skinnier than other clone armor.

Really nobody noticing that the operative has the same body as Tech, his style of running & movement, and also his desire of falling.

Back during season one I theorised that the empire wanted the bad batch to clone enhanced versions of the clones, not just in a specific function like the bad batch but in all ways using the DNA of each individual member of the bad batch to breed a new form of clone like a first gen dark trooper but since they were only able to hold onto crosshair they had to settle for using him solely as the base for the new clones

I think its either Cody, or maybe tec. But that is a good theory and I'll keep it in mind

It makes no sense that he's Tech. It's probably just another clone assassin who will become a bigger problem to them than the rest. I just hope Crosshair is gonna get back his aimbot that is his right hand, that really needs some fixing immediately. It almost got him killed multiple times.

I don’t think the producers are sophisticated enough to make this shadow a Crosshair clone. I genuinely think he’s just another Normal shadow clone with good sniper training

My first thought was it's Tech, but now I think the he could be the real Crosshair and the one with the Bad Batch is the clone.

I was at the 3 episode release at Lucasfilm before the release of the season. They brought out the EPs Brad Rau and Jennifer Corbett. Many questions were asked, one asking about Asajj and what the deal with her was, they wouldn't say anything about her other then her haircut. When asked about Tech, they flat out said hes dead. I believe the EPs when they said it.

I think these shadow clones are a mix of clone DNA between Crosshair and Tech as we know Hemlock retrieved Techs body

On a side note Howtzers new look is dope. The tactical gear on the clones looks soo cool

I thought he was a droid. His first words were “why have I been activated

The cody theory IS a good shout. Hes using the same knife as cody did in season 2 , and the 'conditioning' is not just training but that thing where they put electricity in their brain like they did to crosshaie as we saw in season 1 or 2 but it didnt work on him but it wouldve worked on cody if they recaptured him. Remember that officer guy got arrested at palpatines speech so they mightve not known what to do with cody after he said to track him down and sent him to hemlock. The cloned crosshair theory is likely better though because his aim was insane. Besides a new clone/shadow clone who else could it be? I have a few ideas

What if that clone is actually Crosshair that they reconditioned to be a loyal soldier to the Empire and the Crosshair we've been following is the clone, hence his shooting being off? (Just food for thought)

Watch this guy die like the “Marrok is Starkiller!” Theory

The shadow clones have similar themes to whenever crosshair did something evil

Domino Squad did not die for this!

A clone getting cloned? LOL! That sounds… whoa! -James M

In the crossing episode in season 2 when a shot needed to be precise Tech was the one who took the shot. He was a marksman too.

I don’t think it’s a clone of Crosshair cause how would they manage to make one of him that fast seeing how the cloning process works

It’s literally the first thing that came to mind when I heard his voice for the first time. He has the same sniper rifle as imperial crosshair aswell as the rangefinder and hissy voice.

MY BOI FIREBAAAAAAAALLLLLL

Plot armor, the most valuable armor of all.

I heard another theory that it's really Tech, saved and brainwashed by the empire. My guess, it's either a different clone who we've seen before, just not recently, or it's an entirely new character we've never seen.

I was literally thinking about this while watching

Then why does it look more like a typical reg then it does crosshair? Wouldn't the clone take crosshairs facial features and voice? And, why would you clone a clone? I'm pretty sure that's not a good idea and would make the clone function even worse. That assassin clone also said that crosshair didn't "Become one of us". The clones probably just gone through special training and harsh reprogramming that crosshair failed. Also, how would they get all those clones of him THAT FAST in a timely manner? And the doctor droid said that his shaking might be mental. I think it would make more sense if they would keep the plot of crosshair going through torture training instead of...damaging his hand.. I Don't remember Jango's abilities being cut in half. I don't know why they would be either. Idk if that's how cloning works.

I don’t think they are crosshairs clones more likely they have his memory’s from a sort of flash training which is why they have similar skills to him

Wolffe getting frustrated with the Operative: The Operative: 🧍

The thing is, though that shadow clones get their memory wiped and basically reprogrammed so it could very well be a reprogrammed Cody

Anyone else feel weird how Rex was only able to recruit 7 clones to his rogue squad?

Other than thematic connections, I think the in-universe connection would be something to do with the research done on Crosshair in season one which they seem to have derived the conditioning techniques mentioned. Those conditioning techniques very likely involve mapping the extreme loyalty Crosshair exemplified at the time and then emphasizes and enhances those traits in the target.

1. I would still like to see Cody as the Operative, as making Rex have to fight him would be a huge moment for Rex’s character and work with the PTSD scene from Rebels. 2. I believe Gerer was a 181st clone that we see in Battlefront 2, simply by just looking at the markings on it and comparing it to the Battlefront 2 skin

we'll know in 2 weeks for the "identity crisis" episode

Hmmm, I thought I was the only person with this theory🤔💭

I personally believe this clone could be Tech, he has very similar equipment to not just crosshair, but the bad batch in general. We never really saw him die, we only saw him falling after his final words of "when have we ever followed orders." These words foreshadowing this trooper not following Wolfe's orders, and with the goggles that were "recovered" by Hemlock and with Hemlock conditioning clones into servitude, it's not far fetched to believe that Tech could've survived the fall but was weak enough to fall under the control of the empire.

"Who is the shadow clone?" Is it me? I bet its me.

Also the other main thing that could make it be true about the clone thing would be the fact that he knew every move crosshair made not to mention he said two things of the top of my head that he has also said first one being you made the wrong choice which he said in season 1 second granted it wasn’t exactly the same but when he’s speaking to scortch he says my orders crosshair also said to rampart when he was cleared for duty what are my orders

I honestly hope the clone assassin is Mayday

I just watched a break down and they talk about how it could be tech, but through out that video I came up with the theory that it is a clone of cross-heir. I looked up x-1 to hear his voice again to see if he sounds right but I found this and was so happy I am not the only one who thought of this.

I’m thinking it might be tech

I thought of Sev, the clon commando who was also good with snipers but he may be dead.

I'm more thinking that crosshair knows something or why such a drastic reaction and would the empire really just allow him to resist re conditioning and go about his day as a prisoner

This is way better than the theory that he was tech. Let the man rest in peace. I’d hate to see his death be thrown away by some winter soldier plotline.

A clear rival for Crosshair would be a certain Sniper Commando who went missing in action.

this one probably looks just like the other 2 unmasked

There's also another theory that the Crosshair with the Bad Batch is actually the clone of Crosshair and Clone X is the Real Crosshair. This is why Crosshair hand's shake not because of trauma but rather a defect

What if he is the successful result of all Bad Batch members combined Only that can explain: -excellent sniping skill from Crosshair -proficient vibro knife close combat from Hunter -full of gadgets like Tech The only trait not prominent yet is strength from Wrecker. Make sense if he is one of the final bosses Clone Force 99 has to take down together.

In French, this shadow clone talks like crossair also and we all know crossair’s voice is unique for a clone

I really hope its not cody. They haven't shown his face and he seems more significant than the other clone assassins.

There’s one problem with this. Previous canon lore has established that making a clone of a clone is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Especially given crosshair’s situation. It was flat out, stated one of the primary reasons that omega was kept around, was as a constant source for genetic material and, (with the exception of her being the opposite sex) Omega is stated to be an unaltered template copy of Jango Fett. This very likely means due to the other templates being inaccessible she was the prime source of genetic material for the majority of the clone army. This is also why she can withstand a medichlorian transfusion. It has been infamously established that the force can tell if something is fake or real. the force and the force alone decides who gets to wield it. It’s not genetics and it’s not devotion to an ancient religion.

as soon as I heard those clones talk I was like, they gotta be connected to Crosshair, they have a similar talking cadence, they have similar weapons and abilities and they have similar difficulties following orders, or rather, they go at it alone despite given other orders I'm pretty sure the Imperium was somehow able to clone Crosshair's conscience and transplant it into normal Regs

This is Disney, so it will be Tech. In Clone Wars he has had good aim against the droids, and this agent also has skill in technologies and minings. Or maybe additionally extraction skill Crosshair and loading to Tech. Crosshair meant by the defect his tremulous hand.

Would it even be possible to clone a clone? crosshair doesn't have the same pure dna as Omega has and they were hunting omega (and maybe bobba) because the dna of fett was getting empty. Its an interesting theory, but idk if its possible. Right now they hunting for omega because of her m-count and nala see, but at first because of her dna. Why go trough so much trouble if you can just use an other clone?

I got the same feeling its a clone of crosshair.

My personal thought is this. The shadow clones are specifically said to have once been clones who had their personalities and identifiers wiped; some real MK Ultra kinda stuff. I think the shadow clones are not biological clones, but have crosshair's skills and personality imprinted on these wiped clones and that process is a part of project Necromancer. Cause face it, Palpatine would still need a way to transmit his knowledge and personality to a clone body; even if it perfectly copied his midichlorians. The clone body is the nature and the personality grafting is the nurture component to make a true copy of Palpatine.

Would there have been a way hemlock could have used crosshairs " defect" and input it into a clone

If it were a clone of crosshair, how would it have been grown so quickly?

Yeah also thought about this Theory Yesterday! The Assasin Seems to BE more of an Sharpshooter than The others. The way Crosshair wants to fight the Assasin alone, how Crosshair was afraid of the other captured Assasin and how he called him Brother, also in German, the Voice of the new Assasin Clone Sounds nearly Like Crosshairs. The Armor also reminds of Crosshairs Armor.

I’m betting that he’s Tech, who survived the fall and became brainwashed. Bit of a stretch, but it just feels like something the show would do.

I have a feeling it's actually Tech!

I think it’s Cody I think he will take off his helmet and that’s when in rebels rex has ptsd and says Cody

If it was a clone it would also have the same defects

My guess is that this is Cody still, not Tech as they made a point of Crosshair mentioning that he was defect and the conditioning technique didn't stick for him (so why would it for Tech).

I don't feel like it could be crosshair clone. If anything it could be a defected version of Crosshair that the Kaminoans put into stasis (the activation thing) but even though the clones age rapidly, this clone is too developed to have been created by the Empire.

Oh please, everyone knows that when you make a copy of a copy it's not as sharp as the original! Besides, the captured shadowclone should have called Crosshair 'father' instead of 'brother' if he were his clone.

In the german dub the voice actor does the voice very similar to Corsairs

I'm thinking the same thing.

The "Shadow Clone" is Tech

Here’s an interesting way that it could be Tech but not Tech He’s a Clone that is effectively a combination off all the Members of the bad batch and he looks like Tech under the helmet. It’s not tech but a Clone of Tech

I was thinking Boba Fett, he appeared in previous shows gaining experience trying to hunt down Jedi and such, he ends up using the name Alpha. And in the future gains the reputation of the most dangerous Bounty Hunter in the Galaxy. He could've worked his way in to pretend to be one of those specialized character hunting after Omega but for his own reasons - maybe to exterminate a closely similar clone such as her as he may consider himself to be the only one worthy to be a near perfect clone of Jango. Or maybe some sort of answers, could just be trying to do it for experience and like Crosshair - just following orders. Idk if this theory holds any weight, it just lingered in my mind the whole episode and increasing with how the person was able to survive and was relentless in their pursuit. 🤔

imagine if he was sev. only other clone sniper i know that can make those shots

A more interesting and tragic take on this theory would be that the clone of cross-hair is the one who escaped with Omega and the original cross-hair is the one hunting them down. Puts a twist on what we have perceived as his own developing attachment to omega this season. Especially if his clone believes itself to be the original cross-hair. It could explain his twitching hand as a side effect of not being a perfect clone and would be expected deterioration when you start to make clones of clones.

I don’t think this shadow clone is supposed to be anyone we know, just some shadow clone. We know there’s a division of them afterall

There’s also the theory that it could be Tech

Maybe crosshair is the clone of the clone?

Finally, someone who said it also has this feeling

Maybe it was Ventress because the assassin survived a whole bunch of rocks falling and hitting her hard

I’m pretty sure it was covered in Star Wars the clone wars that they can’t clone a clone. In addition to that any clone would need years to grow even with the accelerated aging

Yea I was thinking exactly the same thing during the episode... Good to see I am not the only one! Then I see others saying he is teck... I reale hope not.

I reckon it's cody, this clone has lived faaar to long as is too lethal to be a side character

he reacted to crosshair because they were being made shadow troopers at the same time, its literally explained in the episode when crosshair says they tried but he was defective

I think that much of Crosshairs problem might be psychological or neurological in nature. All they would have had to do was cut off access to much of his dopamine and he will get Parkinson’s. Early stages of Parkinson’s often start with symptoms like depression and tremors in extremities like the hands

I’d say Cody or Tech before a clone of Crosshair.

I like this theory more than the Tech one!

Theoretically yes, but what if it's Tech? We don't know if he survived the fall.

I feel like these could not have been direct clones of, well, anyone since they would take not more than 4 (or something) years to get THAT old. But I rather think that they were augmented by the blood samples or perhaps some other experiments and samples from the clone prisoners on Tantiss, which makes them pretty much clone captain americas

I think its Cody, in legends Cody became a stage zero Dark trooper. (Cybernetic warrior) I think he was captured and underwent treatment to become this merciless Clone killer. You know how Crosshair showed no mercy to guerreas soldiers. Cody's like that, except for Clones. Mabye the real Tragedy of the show will be rex killing Cody because his programing can't be broken.

I like the Crosshair clone theory, I also think it could be Coday I'm really nervous that it's gonna be Tech

It’s gonna be like the movie Gemini