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"Skynet doesn't know you're here. There's no directive to hunt you."
Cameron

Sarah, John and Cameron infiltrate a resistance safe house and discover they are not alone. Agent Ellison realizes that Sarah is still alive. A dangerous person from Sarah's past reawakens.

Synopsis[]

A Terminator poses as the dead body of a Resistance fighter for a surprise attack. Three days have passed since Sarah, John and Cameron traveled through the time-warp, which has brought them from 1999 to 2007. John is clearly impatient with all the waiting and expresses the simple desire to be himself for once and not go through another extensive re-imagining of himself, which he and Sarah have gone through more than 23 times.

102SCC Vick identified Cameron Cyborg

Vick Deep-scans Cameron

Sarah and Cameron drive out to the resistance safe house to meet up with the soldiers who have been sent back in time by the future John Connor. They intend to ask the fighters to forge IDs for them. They arrive at the safe house to find all the resistance fighters dead. Cameron and Sarah inspect the bodies, checking their wrists for barcodes that identify them as former inmates at Skynet Work Camps. As they check the dead bodies, an unknown T-888 is discovered to be posing as a corpse. Cameron and the Terminator fight for a few moments before they both force each other out a window. The Terminator identifies Cameron as a fellow cyborg of unknown make and flees. Cameron gives pursuit while Sarah hijacks a motorcycle and later uses it to strike the fleeing Terminator with Cameron only several meters away. However, a car strikes Cameron as she crosses the road and the Terminator escapes.

Sarah and Cameron drive home, during which Sarah, like her son, expresses some mild doubt in her abilities. Earlier, Cameron had revealed to Sarah that she was meant to die in 2005. Sarah asks, if she is such a great warrior, what killed her? Cameron's response is "cancer." With no place left to go, Sarah suggests they visit an old friend of hers, Enrique, who is an expert at forging identities, among other things. Enrique informs them that he has retired, and that his nephew, Carlos, has taken over that business.

Gnothi Seauton Footage of Bank Heist

Footage of the 1999 bank heist.

Back at home, John becomes impatient with waiting and ventures outside. He travels to a mall and is instantly taken with all the advanced technology he sees, since he has traveled eight years in time. Checking an internet cafe who's address happens to be 1337, he finds a laptop and checks for news on the events in the bank back in 1999. He discovers that Sarah and himself are listed as dead. He also gets the name of the FBI agent who's been pursuing Sarah, James Ellison. He also finds out that Charley Dixon, Sarah's fiance back in 1999, was involved with this as well. A cafe employee, bemused at his lack of recent computer knowledge, tells him that other patrons can see what he's looking at via a screen behind him, and that he should clear his search history to prevent others from seeing what he was doing. After this, John travels to Charley's house and finds that the paramedic has married.

Charley Dixon comes home at this point and instantly recognizes John. Understandably, Charley is incredulous at seeing John apparently unchanged since 1999. In spite of the circumstances, Charley isn't angry. He approaches John, with open arms, saying that he just wants to talk. John, overwhelmed by his conflicting emotions, incapacitates Charley when he gets too close. Dismayed by his own behavior, John apologizes to Charley, as he flees the scene.

Gnothi Seauton Cameron and Chola

Cameron imitates Chola while waiting for Sarah.

Sarah and Cameron go to Carlos' house. Cameron leaves quickly when dogs begin barking furiously at her, as is their common behavior towards Terminators. Carlos tells Sarah that he needs $20,000 for the IDs she needs, and goes on to explain to her the events of September 11 have caused ID forgery prices to skyrocket. Sarah asks what happened on September 11 and Carlos looks at her incredulously. Meanwhile, a police officer confronts Cameron and accosts her for being in gang territory and clearly suspects her of buying drugs from Carlos' group. However, Sarah quickly returns and prevents Cameron from nearly killing him.

They return home shortly after John comes back himself. Both instantly suspect that he has been out, but say nothing. They decide to return to the resistance safe house to find the stash of money. They express concern around the Terminator that was there last time, but someone says that he was not waiting for them last time; he was waiting for the fourth freedom fighter to return to the safe house.

When they arrive, John quickly suspects a poster of a kitten to be hiding the stash. They find a safe and quickly decide to let Cameron tear the lid off. However, the resistance fighters were apparently expecting an approach like this and the safe delivers an electric shock to Cameron. While Cameron goes offline, the safe trigger apparently alerts the Terminator from before, who starts up the stairs to investigate. John, thinking quickly, figures out the safe combination: it's the new date of Judgment Day. They quickly flee after this. A man with a barcode on his wrist observes them as they escape; he is presumably the fourth freedom fighter.

Gnothi Seauton Sarah and Enrique

Sarah holding Enrique at gunpoint.

Sarah suspects that Enrique is a traitor and breaks into his house and threatens him at gunpoint. As Sarah realizes that Enrique had possibly not betrayed her, Cameron kills Enrique seconds later, coldly asserting that Sarah wouldn't have. Enrique's house is shown being investigated by the FBI, including James Ellison, and a tape is played revealing that Enrique was attempting to sell information about Sarah to the authorities. The episode ends with John getting into school, and Sarah taking a test at a hospital, shaken at the knowledge that she was supposed to die of cancer.

SCC 102 cromarties skull

Cromartie's head reactivates.

During the course of the episode, Cromartie's skull, bare of human flesh, apparently traveled through time along with the Connors. A garbage man finds the skull and keeps it as a novelty item. However, Cromartie's head re-activates and sends a transmission to its headless body, which goes about the process of murdering two people (the garbage man included) in order to successfully retrieve its skull, thus enabling him to resume his hunt for John Connor.

Nitpicks[]

  • Cameron states in "Pilot" that no technology can travel through the time bubble (unless it's covered by living tissue). Yet in the opening of this episode, Cromartie's head flashes forward in time with the group to 2007.
  • Update: In his Producer's Blog Josh Friedman (Creator/Executive Producer), says "Please be assured that I am VERY familiar with the rules of time travel as explained by Kyle Reese in the first movie. When Cromartie's head goes through the time bubble, THERE IS FLESH ON IT. If you can’t see it, that’s because a) it's burning off very quickly and b) certain people don’t like it when we show burning flesh, cyborg or not." Nevertheless, the skull should not have been able to make the trip as the entire neck would be open and exposed where it used to be connected.
  • They originally did plan to have the head covered in flesh, but Fox network execs found that idea too gruesome to be shown on television, so it was changed to a bare skull.
  • Cameron is slowly crossing the road, still it is hit by a car. As a terminator it should have easily noticed and avoided the car.
  • In the Films, The Terminator has to take orders from John Connor since he is the one that sent him back. In this series, Cameron does not take orders, since he isn't the same John yet.

Continuity notes[]

  • Charley Dixon, Sarah Connor's fiancé from eight years ago (Pilot), is still alive and is now married to a nurse
  • Cromartie's head, blown off by Sarah Connor in the Pilot, re-connects with the body which was somehow thrown away in a junkyard.
  • Sarah meets with Enrique Salceda to ask for fake ID papers. Enrique also appeared in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as Sarah's friend in the desert who provided her with guns and ammo while she was on the run.
  • Cameron describes that if they hadn't jumped forward, Sarah would have died by 2007. (December 4, 2005). Like in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, she is mentioned as having been killed by cancer.

Episode Title[]

  • "Gnothi Seauton" (γνῶθι σεαυτόν) is Greek for "Know thyself".
  • The full saying is quoted extensively in the closing monologue (see below).

Notes[]

  • Just as in Terminator 2, John Connor has extensive knowledge of using computer hardware to hack and steal money.
  • The combination for the safe is the date for Judgment Day. This would be an extremely poor choice for a safe password, given that every Terminator would probably know this date. Then again, most Terminator units would probably try to rip open the safe with their bare hands and receive a shock, putting them offline.
  • The new family pseudonym for the Connor family is Baum. L. Frank Baum was the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the creator of the fictional Tin Man, the mechanical man with no heart.
  • The Tin Man is referenced three times; Sarah calls the terminator Cameron "Tin Man" twice, a reference that Cameron understands because John talks about the Wizard of Oz in the future timeline.
  • Cameron demonstrates the ability to assess if humans are lying by touching them, and assessing their pulse, skin salinity, and surface skin temperature.
  • Cromartie's headless body, presumably found at the scene of a bank robbery and filled with priceless "alien" technology, was somehow thrown away and ended up in a junkyard.
  • When the cat inadvertently activates Cromartie's head, she instantly hisses at it. This clear aversion could be an analog to the intense barking that dogs start when they are near a Terminator.
  • Cameron says "Thank you for explaining" to Sarah; she used the same line on John in the Pilot.
  • The address (or possibly the name the business) that John visits is 1337, AKA LEET.
  • The computer John uses in the store is running Windows Vista Ultimate.
  • When John breaks in to Charley Dixon's house, he picks up a piece of mail. The address reads: Charley and Michelle Dixon 8223 Paper Street Sherman Oaks CA 91372. This is the same fictional street that the "Fight Club" house was located on in the film Fight Club.
  • On July 17, 2008, Joel Kramer received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for this episode. [1]
  • The son of the Tourist couple in this episode was played by director David Nutter's son.
  • Based on the phone number given by John on the answering machine message, they reside for the majority of this episode in Burbank, Los Angeles

Monologue[]

Opening
"A wise man once said, 'Know thyself.' Easier said than done. I’ve had nine aliases, twenty-three jobs, spoken four languages, and spent three years in a mental hospital for speaking the truth. At least when I was there I could use my real name. Through it all I’ve always known who I am and why I’m here. Protect my son. Prepare him for the future. But lately, it’s gotten harder to control. Even as I try to help John find firm ground in this new world, the battlefield shifts beneath our feet. Maybe it’s all catching up to me. Maybe if you spend your life hiding who you are, you might finally end up fooling yourself."

Closing
'Know thyself'. John once told me it’s inscribed on the front of the temple of Apollo. The entire quote is, 'Know thyself and thou shall know all the mysteries of the gods and of the universe.' That’s quite a mouthful. My version is this, 'Know thyself because what else is there to know?' People hide secrets, time is a lie, the material world can disappear in an instant. It has and it will again. Our identities change. Our names, the way we look, how we act and speak. We’re shape-shifters. There is no control, no constant, no shelter but the love of family and the body God gave us. And we can only hope that will always be enough."

Quotes[]

Sarah: Why jump at all? Why not stay in the past. I had seven more years to get ready. To get him ready.
Cameron: No, you wouldn't have.
Sarah: Why not?
Cameron: Because you died. Two years ago. December 4th, 2005. You died.

Sarah: So what I'm getting is these things, they're here... all over I guess. And they - some of them, all of them - are programmed with specific missions.
Cameron: The one at the safe house was sent there for those fighters. Skynet doesn't know you're here. There's no directive to hunt you.
John: So wait, if I was to walk right by one...
Cameron: They'll walk right by you. They don't know what you look like.
John: That's really awesome.
Sarah: And what if they found out who he was. Would they all know what to do then?
Cameron: (nods) They do.
Sarah: Awesome.

Sarah: You all put back together, Tin Man?
Cameron: Tin Man?
Sarah: You ready to go?
Cameron: (with a straight face and no hint of sarcasm) Thank you for explaining.

Sarah: So if I'm such a great fighter, how was I killed?
Cameron: Cancer

Cameron: (touches John on the neck briefly, then leaves room to talk to Sarah) John has a high level of stress.
Sarah: Genetics are a bitch.
Cameron: I did a brief analysis. Surface skin temperature high. Salinity high. Pulse abnormal.
Sarah: That's cuz the kid snuck out when we were gone. Won't look me in the eye, his shoes are wet with grass. Don't have to be a Tin Man to figure that one out. Just a Mom.

Cameron: I know what the Tin Man is. He needed a heart. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L Frank Baum in 1900, first published in...
Sarah: (interrupting) I know all about the Wizard of Oz. When John was little, I um... (smiling)
Cameron: (interrupting) You read it to him over and over again. In Spanish. (Sarah looks up in surprise) He never told you, but it was one his favorite things that you did. He used to talk about it a lot.

Enrique Salceda: (in a voicemail for FBI agent James Ellison) Perhaps you think I was retired, yes? That I did not have my ear to the street? If you return my call, I believe I may have something of interest to you. Mui expensivo but of great interest. El Finito will not disappoint.

Characters[]

Main[]

Recurring[]

Minor[]

  • Highway Guy - Brian Allen
  • Receptionist - Ambrit Milhouse
  • Chola - Sabrina Perez
  • Chet - John Henry Whitaker
  • Sales Assistant - Lisa Wilhoit

Uncredited Co-Stars[]

Q&A[]

To reveal the answer, highlight the "empty" line.

  • Q: The terminator skull from the T-888 in the Pilot time traveled to 2007. How is this possible when Cameron states that dead things can not travel through time?
    • A: Writer of the show, John Friedman explain that the terminator skull had flesh on it when it time traveled. The reason why you see no flesh is because it is burned off fast. Friedman also stated that people usually don't like burning flesh on TV, so they had to do it like this.[1]
  • Q: The headless terminator T-888 has been tossed to a scrap dealer, and has possibly been there since the day Sarah, John and Cameron left 1999. Why didn't any company or person show interest in this futuristic robotic technology?
    • A: The headless body was moved to the junkyard with the rest of the scrap metal from the bank after the explosion that destroyed the building. Nobody probably saw it buried in the rubble. You can see the sign that was on the side of the bank that read "Established in 1963" lying in the scrap yard as well.[2]
  • Q: Short after the terminator skull arrives by the time machine, the eyes glow red and its body start to move towards it. Can the T-888 control its body remotely through a wireless connection? How did the head find its body?
    • A: The CPU of the T-888 can communicate with the rest of the terminator and move it when not attached. The body finds the head possibly through directions from the head or coordinates etc.[citation needed]
      • Counterpoint: If this were true, then the head would have to have a power source as well.
  • Q: Why is Cameron so mysterious? It doesn't tell what kind of terminator it is. It obviously met the Resistance fighters before, but doesn't explain why.
  • Q: How did the terminator find the Resistance fighters?
    • A: This terminator, called Vick Chamberlain, protected Barbara Chamberlain who was working on ARTIE (which is somehow connected to future Skynet). Vick found out that one of the resistance fighters (Sayles) surveyed Barbara, and he followed him back to the safe house.[3]
  • Q: How many Resistance fighters are there in the safe house?
    • A: The first time they visit the house of the Resistance Fighters, Cameron say there are four members.[4]
  • Q: There was one survivor of the Resistance fighters. Who is he?
    • A:The fourth Resistance fighter is discovered by Sarah Connor at a chess master tournament and turns out to be Kyle Reese' brother Derek Reese.[5]
  • Q: What is the name of the four Resistance fighters?
    • A: 1. Derek Reese[6]
    • A: 2. Sayles.[7]
    • A: 3. It is revealed from a report that one of the members was born in 2003. His name is on a Child Identification Database printout as Warren L. Krazcetak.[8]
  • Q: What happened to the terminator who escaped Cameron's and Sarah chase?
    • A: This terminator comes back as it turns itself into a prison where Derek Reese is. It obviously has a mission to preserve the creation of The Turk by killing Derek Reese. It has been looking for him meanwhile.[9]
  • Q: If a terminator weighs a "ton", how were Sarah and John able to lift Cameron up in a chair?
    • A: It is stated that a terminator 800-series weights between 182 and 227 kg.[10] Cameron seems to be a "small" terminator, so it would be enough for two person to carry it.
  • Q: Did Enrique Salceda intend to sell out Sarah, John and Cameron?
    • A1: A stranger visiting Carlos states that Enrique was a FBI informer.[11]
    • A2:Prior to being murdered Enrique contacted Ellison, informing him that he had information for him. It is implied that this information was about Sarah.
  • Q: What is the device John is examining in Charley's house when he is discovered, which Charley is later seen working on when his wife gets home?
  • A: It is a single choke carburetor, most probably taken out form a bike.

External links[]

References[]

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