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This is the official biography page for a 16 year-old John Connor. Specifically, it covers his journey of self-discovery as he begins to embrace his destiny, from the year 2007 onwards.

November 14th 2007 Onwards[]

2.01[]

John watches Sarkissian

John is caught by Sarkissian

"She knows everything... Bank accounts. Contingency plans. Weapons stash... How we run, where we'll go. Who we've been, who we'll be. She's... stronger and faster."
- John Connor. ("Samson & Delilah")

Following the explosion, John and Sarah rush to the front door, only for Sarah to be knocked to the floor by Sarkissian's henchman. John turns back through the kitchen and tries to escape through the back door, but is held at gunpoint by Sarkissian himself. John and Sarah are then tied up and dragged upstairs where Sarkissian interrogates them whilst his thug searches the house for the hard drive. Sarkissian viciously beats Sarah, and John watches with pure hatred in his eyes, desperately trying to break free of his restraints.

Sarkissian spots John trying to free himself and delivers a kick to his ribs before going back to Sarah and trying to strangle her. John manages to cut his bonds on a radiator and attacks Sarkissian, violently strangling him to death whilst Sarah cuts herself free. Moments later, Cameron arrives, the sight of whom fills John with relief. Things quickly spiral, however, as Cameron points a gun at him, poised to shoot. Luckily, the stairwell explodes, knocking Cameron off her feet and allowing the Connors to escape out of the window.

John Cameron S&D1

John tries to remove Cameron's chip

They then steal a car and speed away from the scene. John remains unresponsive to Sarah's questions, causing her to accidently crash into another car. They get out, revealing that John's leg is bleeding profusely, and run down the street. After wandering the streets for awhile, they find a small church where they seek sanctuary from the reverend there. John refuses to speak about what happened at the house and has a violent outburst when Sarah suggests they destroy Cameron.

Knowing that she would find them eventually, John sets up a trap for Cameron by placing a radio in the holy water basin and switching on the power when she reaches for it. The blast knocks her out for 120 seconds, during which John tries and fails to remove her chip, due to possessing the wrong-sized screwdriver. As Cameron reboots, John and Sarah flee the church and steal another car, with Cameron not far behind.

As they speed down a levee tunnel, the Connors are horrified to find Cameron ahead of them, and are sent flying when she overturns their car. John comes to his senses and fears the worst when Sarah doesn't immediately respond to him. Seeing Cameron limp towards them, Sarah orders John to run, despite his reluctance to leave her. He does as he's told, however, and leaves Sarah to be tortured by Cameron, hearing her screams as he limps to a nearby warehouse.

John Cameron S&D2

John hesitates to disable Cameron

John tries to hotwire a truck as Cameron searches the warehouse for him, the sound of a starting engine alerting her to his presence. John is forced to duck when Cameron throws a wrench at him and tries to drive away, only for Sarah to suddenly arrive in another car and sandwich Cameron between her car and John's truck. With Cameron trapped, John smashes through the windscreen and tries to remove her chip, all the while listening to her plead with him not to do it, claiming that she is good now.

When John manages to remove the shielded tab, Cameron starts crying and begs him not to kill her, proclaiming her love for him. Despite this, John removes the chip and lets out a sigh of relief as she becomes inert. John's injuries are later patched up by Charley and Derek tries to convince him that Cameron, like all Terminators, are nothing more than harbingers of death. John opposes this opinion, saying that Cameron saved his life and always will. Sarah manages to talk John out of trying to repair Cameron and they take her to a remote location where they prepare to destroy her with thermite.

John S&D3

John sheds his past self

En route, Sarah reminds John that machines cannot feel emotions, least of all love. John simply replies that he knows this, whilst carefully cleaning Cameron's chip. As John is about to set Cameron alight he suddenly has a change of heart and re-inserts her chip, despite the dangers. When Derek tries to stop him, John points a gun at him and the others before aiming at a now-active Cameron.

He asks her if she is going to kill him and gives Cameron his gun to prove that she can be trusted. Cameron hands it back, promising not to harm him, and John helps her out the burnt-out car before throwing the gun to Sarah and setting the car alight. John, Cameron, Sarah, and Derek then return to the church where John cuts his hair whilst listening to his mother apologize for not being able to help him with his trauma.

2.02[]

SCC 202 AutomaticForThePeople2

John brings Riley home

"Well, when is the time? For me, I mean, to live my life."
- John Connor. ("Automatic for the People")

The next day, John checks up on Cameron who tells him that his actions the previous day have made him untrustworthy in her eyes. John doesn't know what to make of this and is exasperated when Sarah suggests he go to school and have a "boring" day. At school, John goes to his locker to retrieve some books and experiences a moment of detachment from those around him, during which he takes note of several couples, possibly with Cameron in mind. He loses all enthusiasm for his lessons and skips class, choosing to sit outside and lose himself in his thoughts instead. He is later approached by a girl called Riley, who comments on his absence and convinces him to go with her to a taco van.

Here she tells him about her last school, from which she was booted due to her getting a star tattoo on her right arm. She notices his cuts and asks him about them, prompting John to half-lie about being in an accident whilst teaching his sister to drive. He then invites her over to his new house and is incredulous when he discovers that Sarah has allocated the cramped nursery as his bedroom. When Sarah, Derek, and Cameron later return home, John is taken aside by his mother, who is displeased by his bringing Riley home. John argues that he has the right to live his life the way he wants and takes Riley upstairs to his bedroom, where they lie on his bed and discuss the future.

Riley stays the night and John wakes up in the morning to find her building him a toy robot out of lego blocks. He then expresses his desire to miss class again and enters his number into Riley's phone, telling her to state the date and month whenever she rings (this being a safety code to let him know that it isn't someone impersonating her). Later that day, John is confronted by Cameron, who suspects Riley as a possible threat. John recalls her earlier warning in the church and tells Cameron that he doesn't have to prove himself to anyone, least of all her.

2.03[]

John Kacy

John and Kacy watch the TV, spotting George Laszlo's B-Movie

"I'm not a child anymore. I can go to the store, or see a friend, or do whatever the hell else people like me do."
- John Connor. ("The Mousetrap")

As a favour to their pregnant landlady, John fixes her TV and even hooks her up with free cable, discovering one of George Laszlo's movies in the process. Sarah later warns John not to get Kacy in trouble, to which he replies that network TV is bad for the baby. Sarah replies that he knows nothing about children, to which he pointedly comments that children grow up, referring to his recent rebellions. John then receives a call from Charley, who asks to talk to Sarah. Once the conversation between her and Charley is over, Sarah berates John for giving Charley his number.

Whilst his mother and Derek go on a mission to rescue Charley's wife, John and Cameron visit the local mall to buy a new computer. John is called by Riley, who asks him to meet her at the Promenade. Cameron opposes this, however, as she was ordered by Sarah to keep John within her sight at all times. John manages to give her the slip and meets up with Riley, later spotting Cameron watching them, causing him and Riley to run away from her. They visit a store where Riley tries on an assortment of dresses to impress John, who is distracted by a call from his mother, telling him to stick close to Cameron.

Moments later, John receives another call from Sarah, this time being instructed to meet her at the pier. John is forced to abandon his and Riley's plan to go to the movies, upsetting the latter and resulting in her accusing him of being afraid of Sarah. Annoyed, John promises to call her later and goes to the pier where he spots Cromartie. John steals some sunglasses and a hat to disguise himself, but Cromartie spots him regardless and John is forced to run through the crowd, eventually becoming cornered amongst a group of fishermen.

John Cromartie sea

John is almost drowned by Cromartie

He cleverly gives one of the fishermen his jacket and stolen sunglasses and hat, tricking Cromartie into attacking the wrong person. John uses the temporary distraction to burst out from his hiding place and sprint to safety, and is forced to jump into the sea. Cromartie follows suite and tries to drag John down with him as he sinks to the sea bed, but John manages to get free of the Triple-8 and returns to the surface, where Cameron is waiting for him. He asks her for help but she simply replies that she can't swim. They later rendezvous with Sarah and Derek and John discovers blood in the van they've stolen.

This blood belongs to Michelle Dixon, who later dies in hospital after being injured in a trap left by Cromartie. John finds an overwhelmed Charley at the hospital and comforts him. At home, John, Sarah, and Derek grieve around the dining room table, while Cameron remains as stoic as ever (if a little out of place) over Charley's loss.

2.04[]

John AllisonFromPalmdale1

John finds a forgetful Cameron

John AllisonFromPalmdale2

John drives Cameron home

"You're not Allison. You're not from Palmdale. You're from the future. You're a machine... Your chip is messed up again, but I can fix you."
- John Connor. ("Allison from Palmdale")

John dropped Cameron off at the grocery store, promising to meet her in 30 minutes. When he came back, however, John discovered that something had happened to Cameron in the store and that she was arrested. He reluctantly entered the police station and enquired about Cameron. The desk officer told him that Cameron had been released and was last seen in the company of a girl called Jody. John then scoured the streets, stopping people at random and asking them if they knew this Jody. At one point, whilst walking through a disreputable neighbourhood, John received a call from Sarah, who informed him that she was at the hospital with their landlady, Kacy.

John eventually came across a guy who knew Jody and learned that she frequents a local halfway house. At the house, John witnessed a joyful Cameron playing miniature football with her new friend and was both surprised and startled by her human behaviour. While Jody went to get a soda, John confronted Cameron and tried to take her home, but she insisted that she was "Allison from Palmdale". He then told Cameron that she was a machine from the future, which disturbs her considerably. When Jody returns, John reveals that he is her "brother", but Cameron claims to have no memory of him and accuses him of hurting her. John loses patience and tries to force Cameron to leave but she shoves him against the wall and he is subsequently escorted off the premises.

John sits in his truck outside the halfway house, waiting for the amnesiac Cameron to emerge, eventually following her and Jody to the latter's expensive house. He bursts in to find that Cameron has injured Jody and has regained her memories. As they drive home, John is visibly furious with her actions and enquires about the necklace she is wearing, receiving a blatant lie in response.

2.05[]

John 205 01

John meets Martin Bedell

"Hey! Look over here! It’s me! Connor! John Connor!"
- John Connor. ("Goodbye to All That")

One morning, Derek shows John and Sarah a news headline detailing the murder of a man called Martin Bedell, and tells them that Bedell was an experienced soldier who taught John how to organize the Resistance in the future. John checks the phone book and discovers two other Bedells in the city, guessing that the Terminator would target them next. He then remembers something written on the wall in their basement, "P Alto", which he identifies as meaning Presidio Alto military academy. John expresses the desire to infiltrate the academy with Derek, an idea that Sarah opposes but reluctantly allows.

John and Derek load up the Dodge Ram and drive away, leaving a concerned Sarah and stoic Cameron to track down the other Bedell. On the way, Derek comments on John’s silence, asking if he is either worried or simply thinking. John states the latter and wonders where they are going to hide Martin when they find him. Derek dismisses this idea, pointing out that a Bedell in hiding might just as well be dead for all the good it would do. They reach the academy and John enlists as a new recruit with Derek as a replacement instructor. At the firing range, John shows off his skill with rifles by teaching a fellow cadet how to prepare his weapon, citing a mnemonic: S-P-O-R-T-S, meaning Slap-Pull-Observe-Release-Tap-Shoot, before making a perfect shot.

John is commended by the cadet leader, who turns out to be Martin, and goes on a run with him through the woodlands where they encounter Derek, who discreetly scolds John for being out in the open. After an awkward team meeting with his uncle, John sits with Martin for lunch and learns that he is considering leaving the academy to pursue a relationship with a girl he met. John shares his understanding of what it means to want to detach himself from everything around him, to never look back at the life ahead of him.

John 205 02

John reveals himself to the T-888

John is later found by Derek, who informs him that he is leaving himself exposed. John tells him about Martin’s decision to leave and dismisses the belief that his fate is set in stone. He then debunks Derek’s fear that he isn’t taking his safety seriously by stating the nearby exits and an unlocked car he marked in case the Triple-8 came for him. John then joins Derek in the woodlands and helps set up a trap for the Triple-8. John asks about Kyle and is told a story about how Derek killed a deer for food once, but it upset Kyle, convincing him to bury it instead.

During a march, John tries to subtly undermine Martin in order to make him feel guilty about "abandoning" his team. Martin is undeterred, however, and leads the team into the woods where he presents a rescue drill but is overridden by Derek, who presents a new task. John, Derek, and Martin place the cadets in several hideouts as the T-888 arrives in the night. The Triple-8 ignores the cadets and proceeds through the woods, eventually coming across Derek, who provokes it into chasing him to Martin and John’s position where it is caught in an explosive trap.

John 205 03

John and Derek destroy the T-888

Martin slips and falls into the open and is spotted by the recovering Terminator. But before it can act, John jumps out from his hiding place and identifies himself to the Triple-8, making it follow him instead. John leads it across a tar pit and waits on the other side as it crosses to get to him. Before it can reach John, however, Derek blasts the Triple-8 several times with a .50 calibre sniper rifle, knocking it into the tar before blasting its skull open with a close range shot. John then lights a thermite bomb and throws it at the machine, melting its endoskeleton as it sinks into the tar, unaware that he is being watched by Cameron.

Having seen the Terminator, Martin is pre-informed about Judgment Day and the subsequent war against the machines. John tells him of his role in the future and is upset by the fact that he has forced another to experience the same sense of foreboding that he goes through every day. On the journey back home, John learns from Derek that Martin died saving Future John and several others from Skynet, and is told that "we" (the Resistance fighters) all die for John Connor. John is brought to tears by the selfless acts that are made in his name, feeling undeserving of their sacrifices. When they arrive home, Sarah observes her son's sadness.

2.06[]

John 206

John seeks councilling

"My family, safe...? Safe is the last thing she wants me to feel... Well I'm sure she's right... She's always right. Fear can be a good thing. On a bad day it'll keep you alive."
- John Connor. ("The Tower Is Tall But the Fall Is Short")

John, Sarah, and Cameron decide to follow up on a lead left to them by Wells, the injured Resistance fighter. Sarah and Cameron search the residence of Dr. Boyd Sherman, looking for his patient files, but their search comes to an abrupt end when Sherman wakes up and investigates. John drives them back home, stating that they need to protect every name on the list, but Cameron points out that not everyone needs protection. The next day, all three of them visit Dr. Sherman at his practice, under the pretence of seeking councilling. Sherman brings up the subject of Kyle Reese and offers to book them in for an appointment the next day, which John eagerly accepts, despite Sarah's hesitance.

John 206

John ties Savannah's shoe laces

At home, John cleans a gun, apparently not realising that a round was still chambered, and it goes off. Luckily, John only suffers a minor burn on the side of his face from the discarded shell casing. Sarah, Derek, and Cameron quickly arrive after hearing the gunshot, all of them (including Cameron) clearly concerned. John is visibly shook up by the near miss and dismisses Sarah's concerns. Upon returning to the practice the next day, John sits in the waiting room where he observes Savannah Weaver trying to tie up her shoe laces. He teaches her the "squirrel and the tree" technique and barely avoids a confrontation with Catherine Weaver as she calls for Savannah to leave with her.

During their session, Dr. Sherman questions John about his father and likens his behavior (checking all the exits of a room) to that of Vietnam war veterans. When asked as to his place in the family, John recalls his capture by Sarkissian and his desperate attempt to help his mom. Sherman enquires about the burn on his face, to which John replies that he was boiling water at the time and burned himself. Sherman tries to get John to talk about his mother and the protection she provides, but John simply states that he never feels safe, and expresses his belief that that is how Sarah wants him to feel.

Later that night, John finds Sarah in the garage, exercising her punches on a bag. She tells him that Sherman is a dead end and that he can't be trusted. John insists that he go back and try to get more out of him. Cameron appears and posits that maybe Sherman is meant to help John with his trauma. Sarah asks why John would need help, to which he replies: "What makes you think I don't?" Sarah tells him that he can talk to her, that he always has, but John refuses to share, upsetting her.

John 206

John inspects Victoria's chip

John re-visits Sherman the following morning, removing the bug Cameron placed so he can speak without fear of being monitored. He tells Sherman about Sarkissian's attack on their old house, but leaves out the part where he kills him, lying that Sarkissian got away with what he wanted. Sherman assures him that it isn't his place to protect his parents, which John has trouble accepting. Back at home, Cameron shows him, Sarah, and Derek the Terminator she disabled in the practice.

John inspects its chip, learning that Skynet has started modifying newer models to include a self-destruct function to prevent reprogramming in the future.

2.07[]

"Riley? She's never tried to kill me. And you know that this has nothing to do with Riley. Or the rules. Or the security of this house. You're pissed off because I found someone I actually like spending time with and it's not you."
- John Connor. ("Brothers of Nablus")
John 207

John hides from Cromartie

John, Sarah, and Cameron arrive home one day to find the house looted by thieves and all of their money and possessions taken. Sarah wonders why the security alarm didn't go off and Cameron reveals that John and Riley had spent the previous night watching TV. Sarah scolds him for giving Riley the code to their alarms and he defends himself and her, but Sarah doesn't want to hear it and reminds him that the thieves took their fake IDs, to which Cameron randomly suggests they move to Canada. Sarah then demands he clean the place up while she and Cameron track down the thieves.

John and Riley go to the local store (the same one where Cameron suffered a memory glitch) to restock on food and supplies. She apologizes for her carelessness and he forgives her, narrowly avoiding a run-in with Cromartie. Upon returning home, John receives a call from Kacy, warning him about Cromartie's imminent arrival. John tries to get Riley to leave with him but she ignorantly insists that she can get Cromartie to leave and answers the door. John retrieves a shotgun from under the kitchen sink and hides behind a bookcase as Cromartie searches the house, eventually leaving when Riley convinces him that she is alone in the house.

John then drives Riley home, during which he tells Riley that Cromartie is a very dangerous criminal who is after Cameron. Riley is elated by her bravery and quick thinking and playfully gets John to acknowledge it, after which she kisses him on the cheek. Back at home, John tidies the house and fixes the broken porch door. Sarah and Cameron return and confront him about Riley, demanding that she stay away from the house in the future. John angrily opposes their opinions and reminds Cameron of her attempted murder of him, as well as accusing Sarah of not wanting him to live a normal life. He blames her for his murder of Sarkissian and storms off to his bedroom.

2.08[]

John 208

John and Cameron talk about Riley

"Riley, you need to listen to me. No matter what happens; if you see daylight, you run, okay. Don’t wait for me, just run... If you see daylight, you run!"
- John Connor. ("Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today")

Late one evening, and after having her over for the day, John says goodnight to Riley and promises to call her soon. Once she leaves on her bike, John drops in on Sarah, who is building a safe in the garage. He tells her that he bought Riley a cycle helmet, but Sarah points out that it won't protect her from bullets, which is more than likely to happen around them. She asks him if he really cares about Riley, to which he says "yes", prompting Sarah to advise him to let Riley go. John refuses and goes to his room for some time alone.

A little while later, he is visited by Cameron and does a double-take as he takes note of her amorous appearance, Cameron having removed her shirt prior to entering. He questions her on this, to which she replies that the heat was bothering her. John is surprised by this, as he previously believed her incapable of feeling anything. Cameron lies close to him on his bed and he posits that she is trying to scare Riley with the image of them in bed together.

Cameron warns him about the danger he poses to Riley, which he claims to be aware of, though he remains defiant about their relationship. She then tells him that she understands how lonely being John Connor can be and allows him a small insight into her and Future John's relationship. She informs him that they (in the future) often discuss his loneliness, which makes John uncomfortable. He asks her to leave, assuring Cameron that he has taken her warning to heart.

John 208

John takes Riley to Mexico

Determined to pull further away from his life, John immediately packs a bag and calls Riley before sneaking out of the house. In the morning, he and Riley take a bus into Mexico, to a small village called Dejalo (where he and Sarah lived during his youth). En route, Riley is irked by his constant staring and jokingly threatens him with her "rape whistle" unless he takes it down a notch. She also questions his motives when he implies that he and Sarah had a fight the previous night, suggesting that his taking her to Mexico was just part of some revenge fantasy.

He assures her that his intentions are honorable, but on the flipside mentions that he booked the honeymoon suite for their stay. Upon arriving in Mexico, John shows her around the village, which is preparing for the "Day of the Dead" celebrations. In their suite, John fixes the Jakuuzi and briefly argues with Riley over his reluctance to discuss his past. They put this aside, however, and Riley jumps into the Jakuuzi without bothering to change first, making John laugh.

The following evening, John takes Riley out for dinner, but their date is cut short when a man takes their picture and recognises John as a kid. He blackmails John, offering to delete the photo so long as he gives the man all of his cash. Riley snatches the camera from his hand, however, and deletes the photos, but both are arrested in the subsequent scuffle. They are taken to the local jail where John pleads their innocence. The cops offer him a chance to leave with just a warning, but on the condition that he call his parents to pick him up.

John 208

John tells Riley to run

John calls Derek and leaves a rescue code on his voicemail and then calls Sarah, but realises that she is being impersonated and hangs up. He is then thrown into a cell with Riley and angrily bashes the wall. In the morning, Riley convinces the guard to let her out for fear of John, whom she pretends is trying to make moves on her. As the guard unlocks the cell door, John grabs him by the collar and knocks him unconscious, apologising in Spanish as he handcuffs the guard to the bars.

Gunfire suddenly erupts from the next room and John warns Riley to run at the first chance and to not wait for him. They bolt for the exit, and John is grabbed by James Ellison, who offers his help to him. John and Ellison leave the jail to find Cromartie shooting at the police, with Riley in the crossfire. John shouts at Riley to get in Cromartie's car, which Ellison drives away from the scene, John shielding Riley with his own body from Cromartie's assault.

As they escape, Riley alerts them to a noise within the trunk, so they stop to investigate, finding Sarah tied up inside. They then return to the suite where John convinces Riley to leave and return home, promising to meet her when the coast is clear. She refuses to leave at first, but he eventually convinces her to go. John, Sarah and Ellison then meet up with Cameron and Derek, and together they set up an ambush for the Triple-8. Ellison lures Cromartie to a church where Cameron neutralizes him with several shotgun blasts to his head.

The End of Cromartie

John then arrives and performs the coup-de-grace with a Desert Eagle round to Cromartie's head. Cameron removes his chip and they bury his remains in the sand, intending to come back and destroy it completely with thermite. Sarah personally destroys Cromartie's chip and breaks down, the past overwhelming her. John comforts his mother, with Cameron and Derek looking on.

2.09[]

John 209

John learns that Cameron can feel

"If by feelings you mean emotions, I’m pretty sure you still don’t have any of those. And if by feeling you mean what it feels like to have the wind blow through your toes or your hair... I’m pretty sure you can’t feel that either."
- John Connor. ("Complications")

Whilst driving back from Mexico, Sarah declares the need to be sick and John quickly pulls over, allowing her to vomit all over the verge. Cameron randomly posits that she might be pregnant, having seen Kacy behave similarly. John loses his patience with her and tells her to shut up before helping his mother back into the car, stopping only to allow Sarah to move an overturned tortoise from the road. At home, John brings a bed-bound Sarah some medicine and tries to reassure her that, with Cromartie dead, they are safe now. Cameron repeats Sarah's concerns and insists they return to Mexico to destroy Cromartie's remains.

John 209

John explains empathy to a cyborg

En route to Mexico, John is baffled when Cameron spontaneously sticks her bare foot out of the window to feel the air between her toes. John openly states his belief that she cannot feel emotions and physical sensations, but Cameron holds her hand out of the window and claims otherwise. They reach Mexico by nightfall and dig up Cromartie's grave, only to find his body is missing. John angrily accuses Ellison of being behind the disappearance and they drive back to LA to find him. Along the way, Cameron flicks through the radio stations, settling on a girly song that she appears to enjoy. She then receives a call from Derek, but when John enquires about it, she simply smiles and tells him not to worry.

They stake out Ellison's house, waiting for him to return, and Cameron asks about the tortoise Sarah saved and why she did it. John explains to her that humans naturally feel the need to help others when they are in obvious pain or distress, animals included. Cameron points out that some humans would not have cared to move the tortoise and that they would've just crushed it. John asks her what she would've done, to which she replies that the tortoise was hardly a threat and that Terminators aren't built to be cruel.

John 209

John finds Sarah's snap

John compliments her by saying "that's one [point] for cyborgs", to which she smiles appreciatively. Once Ellison arrives, they sneak into his house and Cameron proceeds to beat Ellison and pins him to the floor. John demands he tell them what happened to Cromartie, but Ellison pleads his innocence and begs for mercy. John considers him for a long moment before ordering Cameron to let him go and is surprised when she turns the unconscious agent over on his front, mirroring Sarah's treatment of the tortoise.

Before leaving, John finds Sarah's photo amongst Ellison's possessions and recovers it. Upon returning home, he finds Sarah resting on the couch and informs her of Cromartie's disappearance. She shows him the three dots she'd repeatedly seen in her dreams/nightmares and confesses to inadvertently leading Cromartie to John by not killing the boy at the bowling alley. John defends her actions, reminding her that she is not a murderer.

Sarah's Dreams:
Sarah has several fevered dreams in which John plays a prominent role. In her first dream, John is surrounded by a trio of metal cacti that embrace him in a hugging manner. In the second, he appears to be represented by a tortoise who is nursed by Cameron and then given to Cromartie. Both dreams appear to reflect Sarah's fear for Cameron's hold over John.

2.10[]

John 210

John hacks Dakara's hard drives

"Dakara Systems is a start-up, okay; so was Cyberdyne once. Andy Goode was building a chess program. Barbara Chamberlain was trying to solve a traffic problem. It always starts small."
- John Connor. ("Strange Things Happen at the One Two Point")

After having raided the offices of Dakara Systems, Sarah brings back a set of hard drives and has John hack into them, revealing that they contain plans for an A.I. platform. He also notes that Dakara lacks sufficient resources and funds to fully test their platform, meaning that it will never become a threat. Sarah is persistent, however, and denies Derek's suggestion that they let it drop. John decides to stay up all night and makes Sarah an appointment with Dakara, writing her up as a potential investor. In the morning, he tells Sarah that everything (Cyberdyne, The Turk, ARTIE) started out as something small and should never be overlooked.

He later visits Riley and is surprised by her home life, finding her living in a foster home with foster parents and foster siblings. Riley is visibly shaken and somewhat disturbed, which John attributes to the trauma she suffered in Mexico. He tries to explain the reasons behind it all, but finds himself unable to do so and leaves. He and Derek later unload some weapons from the Dodge Ram and Derek asks if he is keeping a clear head, which angers John, who feels like his resolve is being questioned. He later meets up with Derek, Sarah, and Cameron after their raid on a lead's apartment and witnesses the extent of his mother's grim determination. The next day, John is visited by Riley, who asks him out for a walk, to which he agrees.

2.11[]

"I shouldn't be around people."
- John Connor. ("Self Made Man")

Upon Sarah's insistence, John stays up late to search the internet for companies that use three dots as their logo. His efforts prove fruitless, however, as he uncovers hundreds of companies, joking that: "Nothing screams Skynet like baby wipes and ice cream." Sarah tells him to keep at it, but he calls it a night and closes the laptop just as Cameron enters the room. Sarah tells Cameron to do the laundry, prompting John to quip about her mundane task, which in turn causes Sarah to dump the laundry on him instead. Once she goes to bed, John gives the basket back to Cameron, smiling at her mockingly as he leaves her in the dark, likely out of bitterness for declaring him untrustworthy.

John 211

John and Riley kiss

As he tries to get some sleep, John receives a call from a distraught Riley, asking him to pick her up from a party. Upon arriving at the party, John is confronted by a youth from his old school and is annoyed when Riley asks him to stay for a while. He is later challenged to a game of Gears of War, which he loses, after which he decides he's had enough and tries to leave. The youth stops them, however, convinced that Riley has stolen his lighter and tries to frisk her to get it back. John snaps and punches the youth from behind, grabbing him around the head and slamming him to the floor where he then proceeds to punch the boy repeatedly.

They then leave and John drives Riley to an overlook of the city where he tells her about his foster parents and Charley Dixon, who left LA after his wife's death. Riley responds by kissing John, who reciprocates after a moment of hesitation, possibly thinking about Cameron in his moment of relucatance. He stays out all night with Riley and returns home in the morning where he is confronted by Cameron over his whereabouts. She finds lipstick on his neck and realises what he's been up to, which makes her visibly jealous, though she remains silent and brooding. John shares a long look with her before going back upstairs, likely made aware of her jealousy by her reaction.

2.13[]

"Stay away from her!"
- John Connor. ("Earthlings Welcome Here")

With his mom out of the house, John finally decides to strip the wallpaper in his room and Riley arrives to help him, bringing him a chocolate smoothie. He quickly senses that something is up and asks her what is wrong, to which Riley tells him she had an outburst on her foster parents. Before he can probe her further, Cameron arrives, and he tries to subtlely get rid of her, but Cameron makes it clear that she is going to remain close by before returning to her room.

S02e13-08

John cradles a bleeding Riley

He later spots a bruise on Riley's head and suspects her foster father is responsible, but Riley denies this and demands he just drop it before storming off. John follows Riley and finds her cornered on the stairs by Cameron, who expresses an interest in getting a wolf or tiger tattoo. She then leads John to the outside balcony where she tells him that Riley is hiding something and offers to get answers out of her. John angrily warns her to stay away from Riley and returns indoors.

Riley is no where to be seen, but John finds the bathroom door locked and suspects she is inside. When she fails to answer his calls, John orders Cameron to force the door open and is horrified to find Riley bleeding to death on the floor, having cut her own wrists. He cradles her body and looks desperately to Cameron for help, but she just looks on in satisfaction.

2.14[]

"I made the call. Live with it."
- John Connor. ("The Good Wound")
John 214

John makes the call

Following Riley's attempted suicide, John called the paramedics and escorted her to the local hospital with Cameron in tow. He called Derek for help and he arrived as requested, scolding John for bringing Riley there. John angrily defended his actions, though he realised the truth of Derek's words when the doctor ran out the list of compromising procedures they would have to go through (regarding Riley's home life).

Derek later had to leave after receiving a phone call from an injured Sarah. Upon learning of his mother's injury, John tried to leave to help her but Derek told him to stay put instead. He and Cameron later visited a conscious Riley in bed, but she refused to explain her actions, though John didn't press her. He kissed her on the brow before leaving her to rest alone.

In the hall, John asked Cameron what his future self would do in his position, to which Cameron replied: "Future you has more important things to do." Riley later disappeared from the hospital, prompting John to order Cameron to look for her, but she refused and walked away.

2.15[]

John 215

John befriends Zoe

John 215

John and Derek at the Wake

John 215

John witnesses the Drone

"You know, there are times that I'd have to say, and this is one of them, where it seems every single logical step we take leads to the most bizarre place."
- John Connor. ("Desert Cantos")

John, Cameron, Sarah, and Derek decide to attend the funeral for the dead employees from the destroyed warehouse, hoping to find some information about what they were working on. Upon arriving, John expresses his dislike of funerals, accusing Sarah of sugar-coating the idea of going there in the first place. He and the others disperse to find people to question about the warehouse and John happens upon a curiously nonchalant girl called Zoe.

He quickly befriends her and tries to discover if she has any useful information, during which he spots Cameron watching him from afar, much like she did with him and Riley in "The Mousetrap". John ignores her, however, and continues his conversation with Zoe, but is cut short once again by Charlie, Zoe's admirer. John and Cameron hitch a ride with Zoe and Charlie as they drive to the cemetery, during which John continues to engratiate himself with Zoe by musing about his and Sarah's trip to the Grand Canyon once.

When Cameron makes a random comment about Charlie's unrequieted feelings for Zoe, the boy slams on the brakes and refuses to drive until she and John leave the car. Spotting a police officer approaching, John pulls Charlie out of the driver's seat and throws him in back while he takes over driving. They make a detour, however, upon Zoe's insistence, and stop at a desert waterhole where they find several cow carcasses.

Zoe tells him about how they inexplicably die and then disappear the next day, to which John suggests that maybe the waterhole is contaminated, but Cameron points out that someone would've picked up on this. They then catch up with the others and attend the burial in the cemetery, after which John angers Zoe by catching her in a lie about her father's remains. She storms off and Cameron notes that she isn't behaving the way a grieving daughter should, to which John agrees.

He, Cameron, and Derek later visit the buffet and muse over the irregular behaviour of Zoe and her mother. Cameron points out that neither of them are looking at the photoboard of their father/husband, suggesting that the man isn't actually dead. Derek isn't convinced at first, until she asks him a rhetorical question that places him in the same position, after which he concedes that the man is still alive somewhere and that Zoe and her mother know this.

John breaks into Zoe's parents' room and searches for clues as to the father's activities, but is caught by Zoe. He offers her his help if she cooperates and Zoe alerts him to a hidden camera overhead. He, she, her mother, and the others then join Sarah in an underground surveillance room where they interrogate the mother and daughter about their husband/father. John draws a gun and threatens to kill Zoe's father unless she tell them the truth, which she does, explaining that he is pretending to be dead so they can claim the insurance money.

John then finds a dirty boot and realises that they might find the man at the waterhole he and Cameron visited earlier. They go there and find the dead body of Mr. Walsh, an agent of Catherine Weaver, after which the bizarre Drone that Sarah witnessed rises out of the pool and flies off to the mountains, leaving the team stunned by this revelation.

2.16[]

"Mom... you're useless like this. Look at yourself; you haven't slept in two weeks. You fell down the stairs. If you don't take care of yourself, something worse might happen. You need to get better. I need you to get better... Please, get some sleep."
- Dream John Connor. ("Some Must Watch, While Some Must Sleep")

Late at home one night, John receives a call from Sarah, annoying him as he'd hoped she'd be catching up on lost sleep. Sarah tells him she's following up on a lead she dug out of the surveillance tapes from the desert town. John agrees to go on the computer to find out what he can about a warehouse she's investigating, after which he hangs up.

Sarah's Dreams:

John 216

Dream John and Dream Cameron visit Sarah at the clinic for breakfast and pancakes

After being captured by the not-so-deceased Ed Winston, Sarah is drugged and falls unconscious, during which she suffers several nightmares in which John plays a prominent role. In her dream, John and Cameron come to visit her at a sleep clinic, the former meeting Sarah in her room. In the dining hall, Cameron gets John a plate of pancakes, to which he comments that they (the pancakes) won't be as good as the ones Cameron had made at home, which causes her to smile appreciatively.

Outside, John and Sarah sit down to talk about why she's in the clinic. Sarah believes that she doesn't belong there, but John stresses that she needs sleep to recover from her trauma. After their conversation, John gets up and leaves with a gloating Cameron. In the next stage of the dream, John and Cameron are in the waiting area of the clinic. Cameron asks him about his dreams and what they're like, to which he answers that all dreams are random and subjective to the dreamer. She then helps him with a faulty vending machine, after which Sarah appears and calls to him.

Outside again, Sarah warns John that the Nurse, Hobson, has been administering drugs to her unconscious roommate. John dismisses her concerns, chalking up her suspicions to Sarah's guilt over killing Winston. In another stage of the dream, Sarah calls John and tells him about the death of her roommate who spontaneously combusted in her sleep. During the call, Cameron walks into John's room wearing only provocative underwear, causing him momentary considerable distraction. John then strongly advises Sarah to come home as soon as possible.

John 216

Dream John shoots Hobson

In the final stage of the dream, John breaks into the clinic and wakes Sarah from her sleep, discovering that she has been inoculated while unconscious. Sarah convinces him to follow her down to the basement where she has him hack the door lock to Hobson's secret room. Inside, they find brain mapping equipment, which convinces Sarah that this is a Skynet facility. She desperately pleads with John to delete her profile from their database, which he succeeds in doing. Before they can leave, however, Hobson returns and confronts Sarah while John hides behind a computer farm.

When Hobson is revealed to be a human cyborg and tries to kill Sarah, John comes out of hiding and shoots Hobson three times in the chest, seemingly killing her. While Sarah examines the body, however, Hobson quickly snatches her gun and kills John on the spot, after which she kills Sarah too. Throughout these dreams it is made apparent that Sarah fears and/or is aware of Cameron's hold over John.

2.17[]

"Riley, is there anything you wanna tell me? Because today is the day. Today is the day when you tell me whatever it is you might want to tell me. Today."
- John Connor. ("Ourselves Alone")
Cameron 217

John helps fix Cameron's hand

John 217

John confronts Riley

John 217

Cameron gives her life to John

After many days of absence, John is visited at home by Riley, whom he finds sitting in the kitchen. They talk about her attempted suicide, but neither wish to go too far into details and decide to put it aside. After Riley leaves, John finds Cameron in the garage working on her left arm, which she somehow damaged in a fight. He quickly guesses the fault and comments that he can fix it if they had a replacement for the damaged part, prompting Cameron to show him her secret stash of endoskeleton pieces.

John is angered by this revelation as she had been ordered to burn every piece they captured, though Cameron counters by claiming that Future John ordered her to keep specific pieces for repairs. She then asks him to help fix the new part into place and he agrees, replacing the damaged piston and adjusting her servos accordingly. Once repaired, John asks if she's fixed, but Cameron remained uncertain though she complimented John, telling him that he was ahead of schedule with what he needed to learn, and the two smiled faintly at one another. John later did a little research on his laptop for Derek, during which he was visited by Cameron.

She asked if he was hungry, as John was looking up a restaurant for Derek's mission, and offered to make him a sandwich. John told her not to bother and correctly guessed that her earlier request for help was unnecessary as she was perfectly adept at self-repair. Cameron admitted this was the case but also commented that sometimes it is "nice" to have a little help. John left her to fix his own sandwich and called Riley, encountering Sarah in the dining room, who informed him of Riley's suspicious behaviour.

John learned that Riley had shared her intimate knowledge of the Connors with a school councillor and that she had a violent outburst with her foster parents, during which she screamed about the apocalypse and "bleached skulls". Sarah accused him of telling her about Judgment Day, but John swore that he never told her anything. Deciding to talk to Riley later, Sarah cautioned him to prepare for Cameron's reaction should she find out.

Riley came to visit shortly after and John prepared to talk to her about her actions, but the unexpected arrival of an agent from the Department of Youth and Family Services forced Cameron to hide Riley in the garage out back. The woman questioned John and Sarah on their homelife, bringing up the subject of them possessing guns, though John was able to cleverly deflect her suspicions. Once the agent was gone, John went down to the garage in time to stop Cameron from possibly killing Riley, though the cyborg seemed in two minds about what to do with her.

John warned Cameron to leave Riley alone and wondered what was wrong with her, to which Cameron, with noticeable jealousy and confusion, had no answer. Outside, John tried to get Riley to tell him her secrets, but she refused to answer and turned the question around on him. He learned that she had apparently confided in a friend who betrayed her trust and informed Sarah of this, but before either of them could act on this information, Riley suddenly disappeared from the back porch.

Later that evening, John found Cameron in the garage and asked if she had killed Riley, to which she replied he already knew the answer to that. She then presented him with a gift, a small empty pocket watch, which he was amused with at first until learning its purpose. Inside the watch was a kill switch for a small explosive device Cameron had somehow placed in her CPU port. John was bewildered as to why she thought he'd ever want to kill her, but Cameron made it clear that there may come a time when he would have no other choice. She placed the watch around his neck, effectively putting her life into his hands, after which he left the garage and found the dead body of a bird Cameron had accidentally killed.

2.18[]

"Was it you? Did you kill her..? Don't play games with me. I need the truth... I wanna believe you."
- John Connor. ("Today Is The Day, Part 1")
John 218

John defends Cameron's lies

Following the need to vacate their home, John found Sarah packing up in the dining room and offered to clean out the garage to avoid her discovering Cameron's scavenged endoskeleton parts. In the garage, he found Cameron checking her pieces and offered to help her hide them with the promise that they be destroyed later. In the evening, Sarah arrived and asked to speak to John alone, so Cameron went outside while Sarah informed John of Riley's death.

John came out of the garage, utterly speechless, and stared at Cameron for a long moment before heading for the house. He stood upon the porch in the rain and examined her kill switch contemplatively, opening and closing the watch repeatedly while Cameron offered her condolences. John asked her again if she killed Riley, but Cameron remained adamant she was innocent. John wanted to believe her but was put off by her admittance to lying to him on occasion. Cameron insisted she was telling the truth, however.

John 218

John examines Riley's body

John then visited Sarah in the garage, finding her with the endoskeleton parts he and Cameron had hidden earlier. John defended Cameron's actions at first, lying that they were studying the parts, but Sarah saw through his deception. She insisted that Cameron was to blame for Riley's death, but John told her that he believed in Cameron's innocence. Sarah replied by pointing out all of the things Cameron had lied to him about before, including her declaration of love for him. John is stunned by her mention of this and takes a moment to recover before slamming his fists into the table and angrily declaring; "You don't know anything!"

Knowing that Riley's death would stir trouble with the foster parents, John visited her foster dad under the pretense of looking for Riley. Cameron, sitting in the car outside, called the home and imitated Riley's voice to convince the foster dad that she was okay. To John's surprise, Cameron asked to talk to him and the foster dad gave him the phone. Cameron told John, in Riley's voice, that she loved him. This surprised and shocked John, prompting him to confront her over it outside.

Cameron simply explained it as an effective method to get a believable reaction out of him, but John remained skeptical and walked off, demanding she leave him alone. John visited the morgue and examined Riley's body, finding blood and skin under her fingernails before saying his goodbyes and sealing her body away again.

2.19[]

John 219

John confronts Jesse

John 219

John breaks down

"We owe Riley the truth, don't you think? We owe the dead that much."
- John Connor. ("Today Is The Day, Part 2")

After examining Riley's body, John met with Derek and they sat in the truck for a while, during which John asked him about his chances against Cameron should she ever try to kill him. Derek replied that he would die, simple as that, especially if unarmed. John then questioned Derek about his future, after which he returned home to find Sarah in the kitchen. She tried to comfort him, but John remained defiant, and apologized to Cameron for ever doubting her, much to Sarah's ire.

Whilst leaving the house, John and Sarah recalled their move to a hippy town when he was a kid, where John used to get into fights with the other kids every day. He then left took a gun and went with Derek to Jesse's apartment where John waited for her to arrive. When she did, John took her gun, knowing she would never kill him anyway. He then explained, to Jesse's surprise, that he'd known about her for quite some time.

From the first day John met Riley, his suspicions were aroused. Her words and phrases, combined with the incident in Mexico with Cromartie, convinced him that Riley was not all she appeared to be, so he started following her (thereby finding Jesse's apartment). John explained all of this to Jesse, and blamed himself for Riley's death, as he knew she was in trouble and did nothing to help her. John told her that he always wondered why his future self had sent a machine to protect him, knowing that it might backfire, but now he no longer questions that decision.

He did not kill Jesse, however, and gave her a bag full of her stuff instead, telling her to leave immediately. When Jesse asked him if her plan had worked, would he have destroyed Cameron, John replied "no". After Jesse left, Derek came up to the apartment and spotted John fiddling with the kill switch Cameron gave him. He pocketed it, however, and asked Derek for the Resistance's opinion of him in the future, to which Derek explained that though many disagree with his choices, they all recognise that their fate rests in his hands.

John then asked if Derek had killed Jesse, to which he ambiguously replied "John Connor let her go". Upon returning home, John sat on the couch between his mother and Cameron, slowly becoming overwhelmed with the events of the past few days. He first sought comfort in Cameron, but she didn't notice his attention, so he broke down on Sarah's lap and cried without restraint.

2.20[]

"You didn't tell Derek and Cameron we were coming here, did you?"
- John Connor. ("To the Lighthouse")
John 220

John and Charley come under attack

With the house packed up and their belongings crammed into the two trucks, the Connors, Cameron, and Derek were finally ready to leave the old house (and their mistakes) behind. While Cameron and Derek went to the weapons cache to clean it out, John and Sarah drove to the new safe house in the desert, but Sarah decided to take a "detour" instead. En route, she tried to play a childhood game with John, remarking that she was happy to be on the road again.

She drove him to a lighthouse where, to John's surprise, they encountered Charley Dixon, who'd been living there since his wife died. Sarah revealed they'd be spending the night, and so John and Charley went out to fix the boat. John told him about Riley and what happened to her, to which Charley expressed his struggle over Michelle's death. The following morning, John was left with Charley while Sarah went to the hospital and they continued to bond as they once did.

Suddenly, the perimeter alarm went off and John and Charley ran to the boat, dodging bullets from their attackers. John jumped onto the boat and prepped it for launch while Charley kept him covered, resulting in his death by three shots to the chest. John escaped unharmed, however.

2.21[]

"Well there’s no use crying about it, is there? I’m sure Future Me would beat my ass if I did."
- John Connor. ("Adam Raised a Cain")
John 221

John loses his uncle

Having escaped the lighthouse aboard the boat, John called Sarah and the others and later met with them at the gravesite of his father, Kyle Reese. Derek tried to console him over Charley’s death, but he simply replied with a cynical remark on how people tend to die around him. He then showed them a picture of Savannah Weaver on the phone of one of the attackers from the lighthouse, remembering her from his sessions with Dr. Sherman and guessing her to be a Skynet target.

They visited the Weaver residence in time to rescue Savannah from a Terminator, who was soon thrown down a hill and otherwise incapacitated. He, Sarah, and Cameron returned to look for Derek inside, finding him dead on the floor with a bullet in the head. John was horrified by the site of his uncle’s body and speechless for many hours as they hid in an old warehouse with Savannah. Sarah received a call from James Ellison, asking them to hand over Savannah.

Derek's demise

While Sarah and Cameron met with Ellison to negotiate, John spoke with Savannah and learned of John Henry, an artificial intelligence located in the basement of her mother’s company building. Through further probing, John discovered that John Henry was using the endoskeleton of Cromartie as a vessel and that Ellison was teaching him things. John informed the others of this development and suggested the AI might be Skynet, echoing the Cyberdyne incident.

John 221

John accuses Ellison

During a private moment, John apologized to Cameron for his mother’s trickery regarding the lighthouse, though Cameron understood Sarah’s motivations and commented on Derek’s death. John wondered if his future self would beat him for being so affected by his uncle’s death, to which Cameron told him Future John was well accustomed to losing those he loved. Cameron then suggested that Sarah tried to abandon John due to her developing cancer, but was unable to elaborate as Sarah interrupted their conversation.

They took Savannah to a movie theatre where Ellison retrieved the girl and agreed to them meeting with his boss, Catherine Weaver. Before they could follow this course of action, however, Sarah was confronted by armed police and arrested. John, suspecting Ellison to blame, threatened to kill him but was restrained by Cameron. He swore revenge before fleeing the scene and later watching Sarah’s arrival at the police station on shop-window TV sets, after which he and Cameron went to a safe location.

2.22[]

"He's got her chip. He's got her. Mom..."
- John Connor. ("Born to Run")
John 222

John and Cameron meet Chola

Cameron 222

John checks Cameron's cell

John 222

John time travels with Weaver

Escaping the law, John and Cameron fled to a motel where he watched the news reports of Sarah’s arrest. Furious with the situation, John demanded they rescue his mother, but Cameron refused to let him risk his life. He then demands to know if long-time exposure to Terminator energy cells can lead to cancer, suspecting Sarah’s sickness to be Cameron’s unintentional fault. Cameron insists her cell is safe, however, though he remains suspicious and comments on her past glitches, including her attempt to kill him.

Later that evening, they are visited by Chola, who brings them fake passports courtesy of Sarah from the inside. She also delivers Sarah’s message to not come for her and to leave as soon as the coast is clear. After Chola leaves, Cameron spots Ellison outside and brings him inside. Ellison informs John of Catherine Weaver’s desire to meet him, though he refuses to do so without Sarah. John is then confused when Weaver’s message to Cameron causes her visible anxiety, prompting her to kick Ellison out of the room.

He asks her if she was upset, to which she repeats her conjecture that she cannot feel emotions, though he is unconvinced. In the morning, John is startled when he awakes to find Cameron watching over him like his mother used to do. Cameron then explained that she still desires to kill him, due to the nature of what she is, though John remains adamant that she would never harm him again. To his surprise, she suddenly removes her top and brassier before lying half-naked on the bed. She then gave him a knife and instructed him to cut into her skin to check her power cell.

Reluctantly, John agreed, and cut into her chest to gain access to her endoskeleton. Sliding his hand inside, he feels around until he finds her cell, which he describes as being cold. Cameron confirms this to be a good thing, however. They then lay like this for some time, gazing deep into each other's eyes, their lips only inches apart. Later, John and Cameron launch an assault on the police station to rescue Sarah. John waits in the car until Cameron returns, heavily damaged, with Sarah in tow. While driving to Zeira Corp, John asked if she was okay, to which Cameron replied she was no longer 100%.

Upon arriving, Cameron disappeared into the basement to locate and destroy John Henry while John and Sarah waited for Ellison to deliver them to Weaver. John asked Sarah if she was sick, telling her of Cameron’s suspicions, but she shook off his questions. John told her he loved her before they stepped into the elevator with Ellison and went to Weaver’s office. Weaver thanked John for saving her daughter, Savannah, and then informed them of the rogue A.I. bent on destroying John Henry.

Before they could discuss this in detail, the Kaliba HK crashed into the office and Weaver morphed into a shield, protecting the Connors and Ellison. They then hurried to the basement where they found Cameron deactivated and John Henry missing. John checked Cameron’s skull and found her chip missing, distressing him considerably. He then found a message from Cameron being repeated on the interface screen: I’M SORRY JOHN - I’M SORRY JOHN - I’M SORRY JOHN over and over in a loop.

Weaver then activated a TDE and set the arrival date for the future. Sarah stepped out of the sphere and promised to stop Judgment Day while John remained inside, determined to find and recover Cameron’s chip. Moments later, he displaced in the war-torn future with Weaver at his side. To his further dismay, Cameron’s body did not travel with them and remained in the past. John grabbed a nearby jacket and covered himself before venturing out into the open where he was found and held at gunpoint by a Resistance soldier.

John is reunited with his father

Weaver had disappeared, leaving him alone to deal with the soldier, who suspected him of being a machine. To John’s amazement, Derek emerged from the shadows with his unit and told the soldier to stand down. John introduced himself to his uncle, who claimed to have never heard of the name John Connor. Derek pointed out that he was wearing Kyle’s jacket, and when John turned around he saw his father for the first time. If this wasn’t enough for John, he also spotted the girl whom Cameron was modelled after, Allison Young, with Kyle.

John smiled with joy at the sight of Allison, initially believing her to be Cameron until he realised she was human as the Dog that Allison was stroking did not bark at her as Dogs are regularly used to detect Terminators, leaving John heartbroken by this realization.

It is unknown if John becomes leader of the Resistance during this time and the story is retold.

Observations[]

  • John is deeply traumatized by the events in "Samson & Delilah" and spends the subsequent three episodes in a state of seclusion, spending less time with his family and more time with Riley. By the fifth episode, however, John takes his first step towards embracing his destiny by electing to help protect Martin Bedell.
  • John's feelings for Cameron have always been rather mixed and confused since first meeting her in the "Pilot" episode, but his growing affection towards her is evident throughout the first season. Complications arise, however, after a trapped Cameron openly calls him on his feelings for her (as part of a self-preservation routine). John is stung by the breach of trust and uses this anger as a motivator in removing her chip, the exact opposite of what Cameron was trying to achieve.
  • Cameron's brief reversion serves as a painful lesson on the faults of blind trust, resulting in John becoming resentful towards her, both for Cameron's "love confession" and the level of dependence he allowed himself to place in her.
  • The death of Sarkissian marks the first time that John has ever killed anybody, and represents the end of his innocence and the start of his journey towards becoming a saviour.
  • John's relationship with his mother has become increasingly strained since "Samson & Delilah" and reaches breaking point in "Brothers of Nablus" when John angrily blames her for not protecting him like she promised. It is shown that John is harbouring a deep resentment of his mother and she herself indicates that he currently hates her and the life she's brought him up in. Their relationship starts to show signs of healing after Cromartie's demise and her subsequent breakdown. John shows his concern for Sarah during her sickness and comforts her for her mistakes.
  • According to the military instructor of Presidio Alto, John looks up to male role models. This perhaps has to do with the fact that he's hardly had a father-figure in his life.
  • It is heavily implied in "The Tower Is Tall But the Fall Is Short" that John attempted suicide by shooting himself, though he insists that it was simply an accident without intent.
  • John finds himself in an uncomfortable position when Cameron uses her subtle wiles to get a civil conversation out of him. Her mild seduction, combined with her reveal about their future relationship, causes another confliction in him. In "Complications" John remains short-tempered and put-off by Cameron but does display an increasing tolerance of her presence, and even shows some slight hints of affection towards her personal development, jokingly mumbling to Sarah; "Oh God, she's starting to sound like you."
  • In "Today Is The Day, Part 2" it is revealed that John has been aware of Riley's agenda for some time prior to her death. Her use of certain phrases ("Carrots and apples"), plus her behaviour in Mexico, and then her overall treatment of him, led John to realise that she wasn't all she showed herself to be. John is unsure when he realised it exactly, but describes it as a "bad day" (possibly occurring in "Strange Things Happen at the One Two Point" due to his unexplained reservation and short-temperament). He then started following her, which led him to Jesse's apartment and revealed her involvement. When asked why he did nothing to help Riley in her predicament, John replied by saying that he wanted to "win", and also implied that a part of him was unwilling to let go of the normality Riley brought into his life. Either way, John has ceased to be "John Baum" and has accepted himself as "John Connor".

See also[]

John Connor (TSCC)

  • John Connor's TSCC Biography/Season 1

Appearances[]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Quotes[]

Episode 201: Samson & Delilah[]

[Whilst hiding in a chapel after escaping from Cameron and Sarkissian's men]
Sarah: I think we need to talk about what happened at the house.
John: [listening to the radio] No we don't.
Sarah: Well maybe I need to talk about it.
John: Maybe you do but I don't, so let's not... please.
Sarah: Then let's talk about her. [John sighes] Something obviously flipped a switch from the explosion. She's reverted or something.
John: She knows everything.
Sarah: I know.
John: Contingency plans. Weapons stash.
Sarah: I know.
John: Where we'll run. Who we'll be. She's stronger and faster.
Sarah: We have to kill her, John.
John: [drives a knife into the table] I KNOW!!! [takes a moment and unplugs the radio] I know.


[Cameron is trapped between two trucks while John tries to extract her chip]
Cameron: John? John, you can't do this. You don't know what you're about to do.
John: Yes I do. You were gonna kill me!
Cameron: No, John. You can't do this. You're not doing the right thing. This is not the right thing, John. Things are good now. Things are fine now. I ran a test. Things are good now. I'm fixed now. You can trust me now. Everything's good now.
Sarah: What are you waiting for?!
Cameron: She doesn't know. She doesn't. I'm good now. I'm good, I ran a test. Everything's perfect. I'm perfect.
Sarah: JOHN!!!
Cameron: I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry. It wasn't me. You have to understand. It wasn't me. That wasn't me. You can't let this happen, John. You can't! [John opens her port cover] Please, listen to me. Listen to me. I don't want to go. Please, John, please. John, listen to me. I don't want to go. Please, John. Please. I'm good now. Listen to me. I don't want to go. I'm sorry. That wasn't me. I'm fixed now. I ran a test. Everything's perfect. You can trust me.
Sarah: John Connor!
Cameron: I love you! I love you, please. I love you, John, and you love me!
[John pauses for a moment before removing her chip and collapsing from exhaustion]


[Derek approaches John to check on how he's handling the day's events]
John: Charlie told me that Cromartie killed twenty FBI guys tonight.
Derek: John...
John: He came for me. They're dead because of me.
Derek: They're dead because some people refuse to accept the reality of the situation.
John: Which is what?
Derek: That they carry death... with them.
John: She's different.
Derek: She's not different, John.
John: I made her. I sent her back. She's different.
Derek: Mmm mmm.
John: I need her. She saved my life. [to Sarah] She saves my life!
[Derek leaves him alone and Sarah takes his place]
Sarah: I know what you saw today. I know what you did and I'm... so very proud of you. I know you think you can fix her. Maybe you can. [reaches out and draws his focus on her] But I can't let you. I just can't. [strokes his hair]
John: [coldly] So burn her. Let's get the hell out of here.


[On the ambulance ride to a secluded spot]
Sarah: [referring to Cameron] Everything she said back there; it was all a trick. You know that, right? [John doesn't answer] They don't feel anything. They don't have feelings. [John continues to clean Cameron's chip] They don't know love.
John: I know that, Mom.


[John is about to light a flare and burn Cameron's body]
John: [to Sarah] I'm sorry.
[John places Cameron's chip back inside her head]
Derek: John! John! Don't do this! John, don't do this!
[John points a gun at Derek and Sarah]
Sarah: Back off! [pushes Derek away] John, she will kill you!
John: There's only one way to find out.
[Cameron reactivates and sits up]
Cameron: Are you here to kill me, John?
John: Are you here to kill me?
Cameron: No.
John: [gives Cameron the gun] Promise.
[Cameron's HUD flashes "Terminate John Connor" for a moment before switching to "Termination Override"]
Cameron: [returning the gun to John] Promise.
[John snatches the gun away and helps her out of the car before lighting the flare and setting the car alight]

Episode 202: Automatic For The People[]

References[]

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