Terminator
From Terminator Wiki
A terminator is a robot or cybernetic organism, typically humanoid in form, built to infiltrate, seek out and kill human beings. The robots were developed, created and produced by Cyberdyne Systems, Cyber Research Systems, and Skynet. There are two types of machines: the Humanoid Hunter Killer Units which are the T-series (also called terminators) and the Non-Humanoid Hunter Killers which are known as the HK-series (Hunter Killer). The terminator can either be autonomous or controlled by Skynet. They track your enemies with Laser-Scan and when are more than 3 machines turned on,they can't track the enemies,as seen in The Terminator when Kyle Reese turn on every machine in the industrial district.
Due to the changing timelines, caused by the robots and others being sent back in time, the future is changing and the creation date of the terminators is changing as well.
Skynet is the core defense system which was created by Cyber Research Systems. After Skynet became self-aware, it started to make new robots. While most robots are autonomous, which means they can work by themselves, some models may also be controlled directly from Skynet.
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Development of the terminators
According to the films, the terminators were created by an artificially intelligent computer, Skynet, to wipe out the remains of humanity. Some models are designed to look exactly like humans in order to infiltrate their bases, progressing from fake rubber skin, to cloned human flesh over their electronics, to mimetic polyalloy able to mimic any person or object.
According to the first two films, terminators were Cyberdyne Systems models created after the war between man and machines started. In the altered timeline of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines created by the destruction of Cyberdyne in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, terminators were created by the Cyber Research Systems division of the Air Force to replace soldiers on the battlefield prior to Judgment Day, starting with the Series T-1.
We don't know how the first terminators were built, but we know from the second film that Cyberdyne was able to reverse-engineer and develop robots from the scavenged hand and CPU of the destroyed T-101 from the first movie. This was an essential plot point in the sequel, even though it was a deleted scene.
Terminator Classification
There are five sub-types of Terminators: Hunter-Killers, Early Infiltrators, Modern Infiltrators, Advanced Infiltrators, and Specialist Infiltrators.
Hunter-Killers: Series 001, Series 070,Series 90, Series 400, Series 500.
Early Infiltrators: Series 600, Series 700.
Modern Infiltrators: Series RIP, Series 800, Series 850, Series 888.
Advanced Infiltrators: Series 900, Series 950, Series 1000, Series 1001, Series 1002, Series X.
Specialist Infiltrators: Series I-950, Series TS-300, Class TOK715, Marcus Wright.
Others: Series 1000000, Series Infinity.
Series 001: a large battle unit armed with twin-linked miniguns.
Series 070: a tall and basic Terminator model designed as a basic foot soldier.
Series 090: the most basic terminator model and with a massive production.
Series 400: a multi-purpose unit designed for close-quarters combat.
Series 500: the first true Terminator and the most successful machine of its time.
Series 600: the first infiltrator model that possesses a rubber skin sheath.
Series 700: a more compact variant of the previous model with a more detailed rubber sheath.
Marcus Wright: an experimental infiltrator created to aid in the perfection of the T-800s.
Series RIP: a prototype of the T-800 series and the first Model 101 Terminator.
Series 800: a breakthrough Terminator that uses organic covering for superior infiltration.
Series 850: a variant of the previous model that is hardened against plasma-based attacks.
Series 888: another variant that is faster, stronger, and more resilient that the T-800.
Series 900: a hyper-alloy armored Terminator designed to eliminate other machines.
Series 950: a more advanced variant of the previous model with a superior endoskeleton.
Series 1000: a poly-mimetic Terminator capable of altering its form and appearance.
Series 1001: a variant of the previous model that possesses superior interpersonal skills.
Series 1002: another variant of the standard T-1000 that is more adaptive in combat.
Series 1000000: a larger poly-alloy construct created to guard the Skynet Core.
Series X: a hyper-advanced endoskeleton that possesses poly-alloy and onboard weaponry.
Series I-950: a cybernetically enhanced human designed to be the ultimate infiltrator.
Series TS-300: a ceramic Terminator designed to replace specific individuals.
Class TOK715: a Terminator created specifically to gain John Connor's trust.
Series Infinity: a multi-phasic machine armed with an onboard TDE device.
Behind the scenes
Inspirations
James Cameron asserts that he came up with the concept of the terminator characters on his own. However, several works of science fiction predating his film have similar concepts, including "Soldier", "Demon with a Glass Hand", "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream", "Second Variety", "Jon's World", Cyborg, La Jetée, and Cyborg 2087.
Nomenclature
The end credits of all three films list Arnold Schwarzenegger's character as simply the "Terminator". Later films credit the newer Terminators by their Series and/or Model numbers (T-1000, T-X, etc.)
In the Terminator 2 DVD commentary, James Cameron states that the Model 101s all look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, with a Model 102 looking like someone else. By extrapolation, Model refer to the outer appearance, while Series refers to the endoskeleton common to many types.
Those being chased by a Terminator, will often simply call it the "Terminator" (as Reese does throughout the first film). If more than one type of Terminator is involved more specific names may be used; ranging from an official designation to a variety of nicknames. The most common seems to be to add "T-" to the beginning of the Series number
Not included in the table below is the I-950. This was not a Terminator in the conventional senses, but a brainwashed human female modified by cybernetic implants as described in T2: Infiltrator.
| Official Designation | Common Name † | Other Names ‡ |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberdyne future (The Terminator, Terminator 2, and T2 3-D) | ||
| Cyberdyne Systems Series 70 [1] | T-70 [2] | — |
| Cyberdyne Systems Series 600 [1] | T-600 [1] |
|
| Cyberdyne Systems Series 800 Model 101 [1] | T-800 [1][4] | |
| Cyberdyne Systems Series 800 Model 101 Version 2.4 [10] | ||
| Cyberdyne Systems Series 1000 [1] | T-1000 [11] |
|
| Cyberdyne Systems ??? | T-Meg [12] | |
| Cyber Research future (Terminator 3) | ||
| Cyber Research Systems ??? # | T1 [11] | |
| Cyber Research Systems Model 101 Series 850 [13] (The T3 DVD Extras swap the order of Series & Model for all references, not just the new ones.) | T-850 [13] | |
| Cyber Research Systems Model T-X[15] (Series (if any) unspecified.) | T-X [11] | |
| Third future (Sarah Connor Chronicles) | ||
| (company unknown) Series 600 [1] | T-600 [1] |
|
| (company unknown) Series 888 [1] (Model numbers have not yet been mentioned.) | T triple eight [18] | |
| Notes: † The most common descriptive name used in-universe to refer to the type in general. ‡ Short names, and nicknames used rarely. etc. # The T3 DVD extras imply that the "T1" is actually a Hunter Killer Tank proto-type, not the first Infiltration (I.E. humanoid) Terminator. | ||
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Extrapolation based on usage for other Terminator types as shown in the Nomenclature table.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Reported by viewers of T2 3-D: Battle Across Time.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Used once by Kyle Reese in dialog from The Terminator.
- ↑ Used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the DVD commentary for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Used by itself in dialog from the film.
- ↑ Reflected on the Terminator's sunglasses in the poster for The Terminator, and flashed briefly in schematics used as DVD extras for Terminator 2.
- ↑ Flashed briefly in schematics used as DVD extras for Terminator 2
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Used by James Cameron in the interview included on the Terminator 2 DVD
- ↑ Used by the Model 101 from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Shown on screen in its HUD.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Used throughout the film.
- ↑ Used by James Cameron in the Making of T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (T2 DVD)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Shown on screen in the extras included on the Terminator 3 DVD
- ↑ Dialog from the "Sgt. Candy" scene included on the Terminator 3 DVD
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A scan from another terminator display this. Terminator 3: The Redemption
- ↑ Used by John Connor once in dialog from Terminator 3
- ↑ Used by Cameron. SCC: "Heavy Metal"
- ↑ Used by Derek Reese in SCC: "Queen's Gambit"
- ↑ Official episode summaries for the Sarah Connor Chronicles
- ↑ Displayed in the HUD when identifying another terminator. SCC: "Heavy Metal"
Notes
- There are two notable examples of a predestination paradox in The Terminator movie.
- If the original Terminator wasn't destroyed in the Cyberdyne building, Skynet, Judgment Day, the war and the three billion deaths never would have occurred.
- If the Tech-Com army and the Skynet army had never sent soldiers back in time, John Connor and Skynet would never have existed.
