WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 1, Episode 1, "Aftermath," which is streaming on Disney+.
One of the scariest things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier. After Hydra found Bucky Barnes and reprogrammed his mind, fitting him with a bionic arm and a version of the Super Soldier Serum, he became the ultimate killer and took out many targets during his tenure, including the Starks. It took Bucky a while to regain his memory, with Wakanda, therapy and some big moments in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier making it clear that he could leave the past behind after scrubbing out the mind-control. Now, with Star Wars: The Bad Batch, George Lucas' galaxy gets its own Winter Soldier and he's terrifying.
This is none other than the defective clone, Crosshair, from Clone Force 99. It shows up early in the premiere, when all the other clones in the group aren't affected by Order 66. Crosshair, however, tries to kill the young Jedi, Caleb, and is constantly hating on Hunter's orders to find out more, as all of this seems fishy. It seems like his inhibitor chip is still messing with his mind and the kill order is making him more violent than usual.
He eventually sells out that he thinks Caleb is alive when they get to their Kamino base, with further red flags being raised in how he once more goes berserk when they're tasked with killing Saw Gerrera's team. When they get back in, though, it comes to a head when they're arrested for being disobedient traitors, which leads to Crosshair being taken and rebooted thanks to his still-functioning inhibitor chip.
From here, his loyalty to the Empire and Palpatine only intensifies. In fact, it becomes pure rage as he's given a black suit and weapons to go after his former colleagues. Luckily, they escape but he's going to be hunting them down, which will surely evoke the same kind of drama as when Steve Rogers had to fight his childhood-friend-turned-enemy, Bucky.
The clones will probably be torn on whether or not they can save or defrag Crosshair's mind, but he might be beyond salvation since his hatred might have been there all along in his code. This creates a bounty hunter that has more depth and emotional connection than Boba Fett did initially, and what'll make it worse is that Crosshair has no problem killing men, women or children to complete the mission.
It places the young girl, Omega, in danger too, considering she shot at him and screwed his plan up, just like Black Widow did in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And ultimately, seeing as Crosshair has impeccable aim, an improved arsenal, lackeys at his disposal and knowledge of the Bad Batch's flaws and personalities, he's definitely an alpha like Hydra's killer was. Except in his case, there might not be a redemption because Crosshair actually wants to be a company man.
Created by Dave Filoni, Star Wars: The Bad Batch stars Dee Bradley Baker, Andrew Kishino and Ming-Na Wen. New episodes premiere every Friday on Disney+.