From Ah-nuld to McG’s Salvation, witness the evolution of those cybernetic killing machines known as the Terminators …
T-1
First Appearance: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Specs: The “missing link” between conventional war machines and the Terminators to come, the Series T-1 was created by Cyberdyne’s successors as an “autonomous ground offensive system,” with maneuverable tank treads, a laser targeting system, hear and motion sensors, a durable body and 50-caliber chainguns that fire thousands of rounds per minute. Their weakness: a vulnerable “head” unit – a design flaw that appears remedied by the time of Terminator Salvation.
KEEP READING: ‘T’ Is for Terrifying
[PAGEBREAK]T-600
First Appearance: The Terminator (mentioned); Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (human design); Terminator Salvation (redesign).
Specs: Designed by Skynet to infiltrate human Resistance cells, the 600s are dismissed by Kyle Reese as easy to spot due to their rubber skin. In T:SCC they are revealed as early-model Terminators having powerful endoskeletons capable of great strength and speed – until their servos are overly taxed – but are obvious to human eyes and relatively simple to disable. By Terminator Salvation, they’ve been reworked as hulking, eight-foot-tall monstrosities armed with a powerful cannon in place of their right arms, roaming on search-and-destroy missions.
[PAGEBREAK]Harvester
First Appearance: Terminator Salvation
Specs: Enormous, 80-foot-tall robotic giants with devastating shoulder-mounted cannons, the Harvesters fall somewhere between Terminators and the Hunter-Killer mechanisms employed by Skynet. The Harvesters, which work in concert with Moto-Terminators and Transports, roam the devastated environment of the future in search of human refugees, capturing them for a top-secret experiment.
KEEP READING: Termination on Wheels
[PAGEBREAK]Moto-Terminator
First Appearance: Terminator Salvation
Specs: Moto-Terminators are non-humanoid constructs in the form of automated high-speed motorcycles, equipped with advanced sensors and side-mounted miniguns. They work in concert with the Harvester to effectively capture or kill humans.
KEEP READING: Dangerous Waters
[PAGEBREAK]Hydrobot
First Appearance: Terminator Salvation
Specs: Articulated, eel-shaped and equipped with a sharp, claw-like head unit, the Hydobots are aquatic Hunter-Killers that infest and patrol the waters of the post-Judgment Day future.
[PAGEBREAK]T-800
First Appearance: The Terminator; Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Played by: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Specs: The ORIGINAL Big Bad of the Terminator mythology – the relentless, seemingly unstoppable killing machine. Using living tissue and biological characteristics – skin, hair, blood, sweat, even bad breath – layered on top of a nearly indestructible endoskeleton, the 800s are cunning infiltrators programmed in the use of every known military weapon, outfitted with extensive sensors and visual enhancements, and able to mimic any human voice it hears. But the most crucial bit of code in its CPU is the command to pursue and terminate its target no matter what kind of damage it suffers. Still don’t get it? Let Kyle Reese enlighten: “He’ll find her! That’s what he does! It’s ALL he does!!” One notable T-800 was captured and reprogrammed by John Connor to time travel into the past to protect his younger self from termination, and – soon demonstrating a capacity to learn and even understand human emotion – proved to be as unshakeable is its commitment to protecting as its counterparts were to killing.
[PAGEBREAK]T-850
First Appearance: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Played by: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Specs: An upgrade of the 800s constructed in the same image, the 850s were equipped with an increased ability to withstand punishment, improved power cells, internal programming on human emotion and psychology and self-regenerating flesh easily removed for more efficient repairs. The T-850 which ultimately killed John Connor in the future was reprogrammed by Conner’s wife Kate Brewster and sent back into the past to protect him from termination by the T-X.
KEEP READING: Merciless Metal Man
[PAGEBREAK]T-1000
First Appearance: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Played by: Robert Patrick
Specs: Displaying the characteristic relentlessness of all Terminators combined with a mimetic polyalloy — or “liquid metal” – shape-shifting ability, the Series 1000 is able to perfectly imitate not only human form but any specific individuals and objects that it touched, as well as an array of spiked and bladed solid metal weapon-limbs. The 1000s proved most difficult to destroy due to its extensive ability to self-recover – when damaged, even the tiniest drop of its liquid metal form was compelled to rejoin its main body. Its only apparent vulnerability: exposure to extreme temperatures.
[PAGEBREAK]T-X
First Appearance: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Played by: Kristana Lokken
Specs: Combining the powerful endoskeleton of the early Terminators – in a lithe female form – with the shape-changing liquid metal sheath of the T-1000s, the T-X also added a few new twists, literally, with its ability to rotate its joints 360 degrees. T-Xs also sport an onboard weapons system – effectively carrying armaments through time travel unlike other Terminator models – reconfiguring its limbs into plasma cannons, flamethrowers, and various caliber firearms. Other enhancements include a titanium fingertip drill, diamond-hard teeth, DNA analysis and the ability to link with electronic systems. But perhaps the most unique weapon in its arsenal – emotions, including the ability to get angry.
KEEP READING: A Terminator Learns to Feel
[PAGEBREAK]“Cameron Phillips”
First Appearance: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Played by: Summer Glau
Specs: Cameron is a unique, possibly one-of-a-kind model cast in the form of his Resistance fighter Allison Young for infiltration but reprogrammed by John Connor and sent to the past to protect his younger self. Though she does contain programming allowing her to effectively mimic a full range of human emotions, Cameron – nicknamed “Tin-Miss” – typically acts cold and emotionless, but appears to be slowly gaining an understanding of what it’s like to be human.
KEEP READING: This ‘Bot Ain’t No Garbage
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T-1001
First Appearance: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Played by: Shirley Manson
Specs: A slight advancement of the morphing liquid metal T-1000 series, the most prominent of the 1001s is the Terminator sent to the past to assume the identity of ZeiraCorp CEO Catherine Weaver on a mysterious mission that seemingly opposes Skynet – the first known Terminator to travel backward without the apparent intent of killing OR protecting John Connor.
