Cyborg
From Terminator Wiki
A cyborg (cybernetic organism) is an organism that is a self-regulating integration of artificial and natural systems.
Terminators made up of living tissue over metal endoskeletons often wrongly describe themselves as being "cybernetic organisms". Both terminators and Resistance fighters have also occasionally used the phrase "cyborg" interchangeably with "cybernetic organism".[1][2]
Definition
Common usage of the term cyborg often implies that the biological components are human, although the term is not specifically that limited, a cyborg can consist of biological components of any living origin.
Strictly speaking a cyborg is amalgamate of cybernetic and biological components, both of which are required in order for the cyborg to be functional. Thus the 800 series, while describing itself as a cyborg, is in fact not one at all, as it is still fully functional if its living tissue is removed.
Androids are robots that are designed to resemble humans in appearance, and often in behavior. That said, androids do not necessarily have to have biological components at all.
With the exception of human-based cyborgs such as I825.M, the I-950 and Marcus Wright, all terminators are robots. Since the T-70 design they have arguably been androids, and definitely so since the 600 series with its rubber skin.
Beginning with the 800 series, terminators used living tissue over the robot endoskeleton. The Terminators that have described themselves have preferred the more specific term "cybernetic organism" over the broader term "robot". While technically speaking the living tissue exterior is not required for the robotic endoskeleton to function and therefore falls short of meeting the precise and correct definition of the term, the units would not be able to fulfill their infiltration programming without it so perhaps this is why the term is deemed appropriate.
The T-1000 and T-X, both use mimetic polyalloy rather than human tissue for their exterior (and interior in the case of the T-1000). Therefore most traditional definitions would make them advanced androids, not cyborgs.
Quotes
- Kyle Reese: The Terminator's an infiltration unit, part man, part machine. Underneath, it's a hyperalloy combat chassis - micro processor-controlled, fully armored. Very tough. But outside, it's living human tissue - flesh, skin, hair, blood, grown for the cyborgs...
- The Terminator
- Kyle Reese: (after Sarah Connor tries to escape from him and bites his arm) Cyborgs don't feel pain. I do. Don't do that again.
- The Terminator
- T-800: I'm a cybernetic organism: living tissue over a metal endoskeleton
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- T-850: You cannot self-terminate.
- John Connor: No, you can't. I can do anything I want. I'm a human being, not some god-damn robot.
- T-850: (correcting him) Cybernetic organism.
- John Connor: Whatever!
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
- T-888: (looking at Cameron through its HUD, which analyzes her body and displays, "SUBJECT: UNKNOWN CYBORG ACTION: EVADE")
- The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Gnothi Seauton
- Charley: You know little girl, you freak me the hell out. On the outside you're just pretty as a picture. But on the inside... you're a...
- Cameron: Hyper-alloy combat chassis.
- Charley: Is that a complicated way of saying robot?
- Cameron: Cybernetic organism. Living tissue over a metal endoskeleton.
- The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dungeons & Dragons
- Cameron: We're not built to be cruel.
- John Connor: Yeah, that's one for cyborgs.
- Cameron: Yes. That's one for us.
- The Sarah Connor Chronicles, "Complications"
References
- ↑ Kyle Reese quote in The Terminator
- ↑ Unknown T-888 quote in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Gnothi Seauton
