Holy shit that description reads like the journalist who "got ptsd" from shooting a rifle...
It creates a shockwave, and since the big boom is a big fireball, it uses up all the oxygen.
In other words, "This bomb explodes, big BIGGER"
I'm being hyperbolic for comedic effect, but I found it funny how they worded it.
It was actually XT-15 that started drawing on the next clone, he had a bit of a rebellious phase in the vat he never quite grew out of.
He just told 16 that it was tradition and his just faded over time. It's not like the guy fresh out of the jar knows tattoos are permanent... Yet.