Cyberpunk 2077’s Coolest Gang Has A Tragic Origin Story
08.01.2024 - 13:22
/ screenrant.com
's Night City is the home to many gangs, each with its own rich history and lore. While gangs such as Maelstrom were formed out of the remains of a former gang, the Metal Warriors, and the Tyger Claws employed methods of Asian crime syndicates such as the Yakuza or the Triads, one of the coolest gangs in the city, the Mox, has an origin steeped in tragedy.
Trigger Warning: The following story contains references to sexual assault and suicide.
The Mox didn't appear in any of the tabletop games and made its debut in as one of the youngest established in Night City, being formed only ten years prior to the events of CD Projekt Red's game. Unlike the other gangs who have claimed huge territories in Night City, The Mox mostly keep to themselves and work around Lizzie's Bar, which also serves as the gang's headquarters, protecting their own.
The Mox was formed due to the death of Elizabeth «Lizzie» Borden, a former prostitute and well-known strip club owner in Kabuki, Watson. Borden was considered to be fair with her treatment of her Joytoy workers and would defend them from violent clients, even if it meant losing their business in the process, which made her a popular figure in the community.
When one of Lizzie's Joytoys was brutally raped and murdered by Tyger Claw members in her club, Lizzie avenged her by killing three of the assailants with an axe. She then went on to display their bodies in front of her club, proclaiming that the same would happen to anyone else who hurt a sex worker.
The character Lizzie Borden was named after a woman tried and acquitted for axe murders in 1892.
Unfortunately, the Tyger Claws returned later that night, destroyed Lizzie's business, and murdered her in retaliation. Lizzie's death led to massive riots throughout Night City, with many of its protesters targeting the Tyger Claws' members and businesses. The Mox was formed in the process by bringing together those who felt threatened and oppressed, especially among sex workers and sexual minorities.
Following the riots, The Mox then took up the role of the protector of Night City’s sex workers, using Lizzie's principles as their own. Several of Borden's former workers and supporters rebuilt the strip club alongside the newly-formed gang to serve as The Mox's headquarters. The club was then named "" to honor its former owner.
Lizzie's Bar has a neon light in the shape of a woman holding an axe at its entrance, referencing the weapon Borden used to kill the Tiger Claws.
The Mox's name derives from the old slang term «moxie» due to the gang's determination and perseverance when standing up against their oppressors, as Borden once did. The Roman numeral for «five» and the number «13» are displayed below the Mox logo tattooed