We claim $X_1 = +\infty$. Proof \hfil\break We have $x_1=\sqrt{2}$ and $x_{n+1}=x_n^{\sqrt{2}}$; thus $$\log x_{n+1}=\sqrt{2}\,\log x_n, \quad \log x_1 = \log \sqrt{2}.$$ Thus $$\log x_{n+1} = \big(\sqrt{2}\big)^n\log \sqrt{2},$$ and as $\log x_n \to +\infty$ as $n\to \infty$, we see that $x_n\to +\infty$. We now claim that $X_2=2$. First we show that $x_n < 2$ for all $n$, and the proof is by induction. Clearly $x_1 < 2$. Now suppose that $x_n < 2$ and consider $x_{n+1}$. We have $$x_{n+1} = \big(\sqrt{2}\big)^{x_n} < \big(\sqrt{2}\big)^2 = 2$$ as required. Hence (by induction) $x_n < 2$ for all $n$. Next, we show by induction that $x_n < x_{n+1}$. It is clear that $$x_1 = \sqrt{2} < (\sqrt{2})^{\sqrt{2}} = x_2.$$ Now suppose that $x_{n-1} < x_n$. Then $${x_{n+1}\over x_n} = {\sqrt{2}^{x_n}\over \sqrt{2}^{x_{n-1}}} =\sqrt{2}^{x_n-x_{n-1}}.$$ Thus, as $x_n-x_{n-1}>0$, we have $x_{n+1}/x_n > 1$ and hence $x_{n+1}> x_n$. This shows that $x_n$ is increasing with $n$, and that $x_n <2$, and this is enough to see that $x_n$ converges to some number $X_2$, where $X_2\leq 2$. As $x_{n+1}=({\sqrt 2})^{x_n}$, if we let $n$ tend to infinity we see that $X_2$ is a solution of the equation $x=({\sqrt{2}})^x$. If we now plot the graphs of $y=x$ and $y=(\sqrt{2})^x$, we see that these two graphs meet at only two points, namely $(2,2)$ and $(4,4)$. Thus $X_2$ is either $2$ or $4$, and so it must be 2.