The Terminator

TerminatorEndoskeleton

“	I'll be back.	„
	― The Terminator

The Cyberdyne Systems Series 800 Terminator, commonly known as the T-800 or Model T-800, is a mass-produced Terminator unit created by Skynet in 2026. It was Skynet's first cybernetic organism, featuring living tissue over a hyperalloy endoskeleton, making it the first successful Infiltrator unit designed to blend into human society and penetrate the Resistance.

The T-800 marked the beginning of the Series 8xx line of Terminators across multiple timelines. Variants include the T-850 from the Rise of the Machines timeline and the T-888 from The Sarah Connor Chronicles timeline, each featuring advancements tailored to their respective missions and environments.

Names	Cyberdyne Systems Series 800 Terminator,, T-800 Terminator, Model T-800, T-800, Pop, Carl, Uncle Bob
Epitaph	The Terminator
Gender	Genderless
Race	Series 800 Terminator
Occupation	Assassin, Infiltratior, Bodyguard
Origin	The Terminator (October 26, 1984 )
Alignment	Neutral Evil (Is a Programmed Machine) Good (Reprogrammed)
Age	Around 40 by appearance, he can live to 120 years
Created By	James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, William Wisher, Jr.
Height	188cm (6ft 2in)
Weight	176.9 to 290.29 kg (390 to 640 lbs) (27.85 to 45.7 st)
Personality Type	ISTJ, 1w9 (Enneagram)
Portrayed By	Arnold Schwarzenegger

Appearance

Endoskeleton

The T-800’s endoskeleton is a silvery, triple-armored hyperalloy combat chassis[10], controlled by microprocessors and featuring frictionless bearings in its joints. It utilizes a servo-actuated system and axial drive motors, allowing for greater agility compared to the bulkier T-600 model. With the ability to sprint at speeds of up to 22 mph without risking joint failure, the T-800 is both 20% lighter and 40% stronger than its predecessor.

Its armored frame is highly durable, capable of withstanding most small-caliber firearms and even direct hits from grenade launchers in some cases. A T-800 also features a jack at the back of its head, allowing it to receive persona templates and command inputs via a cable connection.

Living Tissue

To enhance its infiltration capabilities, the T-800 is covered in living tissue, including flesh, skin, hair, blood, and other bodily fluids. Its circulatory system is regulated by a pneumatic pump that maintains constant pressure, enabling it to convincingly bleed when injured.[10]

Since its living tissue generates heat signatures identical to those of humans, thermal scanners cannot distinguish a T-800 from an ordinary person. Its organic components can mimic natural biological functions such as bleeding, sweating, halitosis,[5] and even aging.[12][14], making it an almost perfect infiltrator.

Moreover, as long as its flesh is not completely destroyed, a T-800 can gradually regenerate its tissue covering over time. For example, after the Guardian’s right arm was stripped to bare metal in 1984, it stated that regrowth would take years. By 2017, its arm was fully restored with human-like flesh once again.

The living tissue on earlier versions of the T-800 could necrotize if damaged. This was evident after the original T-800 sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the police station shootout—its skin took on a noticeably pale hue, and flies were seen landing on its face. Additionally, while using an apartment as a temporary safehouse, the building’s janitor commented on the foul odor emanating from the room, asking, "Hey, buddy, got a dead cat in there, or what?" This suggests that the early versions of the T-800’s organic covering could "die" or undergo significant necrosis if severely wounded.

Later models, such as the Version 2.4, exhibit self-healing capabilities, allowing wounds to mend over time without decay or necrosis, even after sustaining severe damage.[8][12] However, healed wounds may still leave behind scars.[17]

Regarding its power source, the original T-800 models were equipped with a power cell capable of sustaining full operation for 24 hours a day over a period of 1,095 days (approximately three years).[10] In contrast, the upgraded T-800 Version 2.4 features a significantly more advanced power cell, enabling it to function for up to 120 years on a single unit.[8]

Personality

The 800 Series Terminator is equipped with a Neural Net Processor CPU, or "learning computer," housed within its endoskull and protected by inertial shock dampers. Developed by Cyberdyne Systems, this CPU is among the most advanced microprocessors ever created. The T-800’s internal database includes extensive files on human anatomy and physiology, enhancing its efficiency as a combat unit.[8] Additionally, its CPU can be upgraded with database files covering advanced infiltration techniques, military training, medical procedures, sniper tactics, and tactical strategies. By integrating data from other Terminators, each unit effectively becomes a battle-hardened combat veteran.[9]

The T-800's CPU can operate in either read-only mode or read-write mode. When set to read-write, the unit can learn and adapt over time, potentially developing a form of self-awareness or independent decision-making beyond its initial programming. A notable example is Carl, who, after years of living among humans, "grew a conscience" and chose to aid Sarah Connor and Grace Harper in protecting Dani Ramos from the Rev-9.

Compared to other Terminators, who could exhibit emotions such as attachment, frustration, shock, fear, and even humor, the first T-800 was notably emotionless, cold, and ruthlessly efficient. It rarely showed any facial expression beyond a flat, emotionless demeanor, and typically only spoke when it needed to extract information or divert attention. The T-800 was known for having an "attitude problem," often using blunt, pragmatic methods—such as physically pushing people out of the way or forcefully taking a phone booth. Its approach was brutal and unforgiving, quick to kill anyone who didn't comply with its demands. Like most Terminators, the first T-800 was single-minded and relentlessly focused on its mission, continuing its pursuit of Sarah Connor without hesitation, even after losing its skin and legs.

Despite its cold and calculated nature, the T-800 was still equipped with enough social knowledge to calculate effective responses to deflect unwanted attention. It demonstrated intelligence and resourcefulness by employing various methods to track and eliminate Sarah Connor—such as killing every Sarah Connor listed in the phone book, impersonating Sarah's mother over the phone to gain her location, and even attempting to run Sarah down with a stolen truck. This Terminator was highly logical and efficient, at first seeming to have limited capacity for human emotion or learning.

Once its learning capabilities were activated, the Terminator began displaying more human-like traits, including humor. After defeating the T-1000, it quipped, "I need a vacation," and showed compassion by tenderly wiping away John's tears and hugging him like a father before allowing itself to be destroyed to save humanity. John later referred to the T-800 as the closest thing he had to a father. In comparison to later T-800 models like the Guardian from Terminator Genisys and Carl from Terminator: Dark Fate, this model exhibited the most "humanity," using humor, taunts, and expressions that were unnecessary for a machine. It smirked upon discovering a mini-gun, shrugged when John yelled at it for not understanding why it couldn't kill people, and even showed stress and urgency in its voice, as seen when it desperately urged John to leave: "John, you got to go now, go! now!"

The T-800's understanding of human emotions grew as it recognized why humans cry—something it could never do itself. In the end, it was able to make the ultimate sacrifice for humanity, defying its own programming to protect John Connor, even when doing so went against its directive.

Like "Uncle Bob," Pops also exhibited some unique traits, such as humor, competitiveness, and even a sense of compassion. He developed a deep attachment to Sarah Connor, referring to her affectionately as "My Sarah," and seemingly came to view her as a daughter.

Pops often showcased dry, sarcastic humor with a sharp edge. For instance, he teasingly told Kyle Reese that he'd seen little of him that could be of use, giving a pointed glance at Reese's genitals while saying "little," which subtly joked about his size. Another moment of humor occurred when he sarcastically reminded Kyle and Sarah that his auditory senses hadn't deteriorated, despite their discussion about his age. In 2017, Pops humorously told a human to "bite me," echoing Sarah's earlier remark to him in the 1980s.

Pops's unsettling smile appears to be intentional, as earlier T-800 models had no trouble smiling naturally. Even after becoming polymimetic, there was no reason for Pops to struggle with smiling since liquid metal can accurately replicate facial expressions.

In addition to his humor, Pops displayed a sense of competitiveness, particularly when he tried to beat Kyle Reese at loading magazines. However, his malfunctioning hand prevented him from succeeding, adding a touch of humor to his attempt.

Carl stands out as one of the most developed and successful Terminators, especially when it comes to infiltration. Unlike the Guardian, Carl was much more adept at passing as human, maintaining a "casual" demeanor that included behaviors like sighing when he told Dani that he wouldn’t be coming back. Carl also introduced the unique concept of having a dog as a pet and using television for entertainment, contrasting with Pops, who used such things only for tactical purposes. Additionally, Carl seemed to take his work seriously, humorously discussing his drapery business with a human touch, mentioning human mistakes in decoration and explaining what patterns should complement each other.

Carl is the only T-800 to successfully complete its mission by terminating John Connor before he could become the leader of the Resistance (even though John became an ordinary child after Skynet was erased).

Interestingly, if Carl truly learned to become more human, it suggests that Skynet had reprogrammed his CPU to allow read-and-write functions, rather than the usual read-only setting. This could explain not only Carl’s success in his mission but also his behavior towards Sarah during John’s termination. While previous T-800s killed anyone who stood in their way, Carl merely restrained Sarah and allowed her to live.

After completing his mission, Carl found himself without purpose and decided to integrate into human society. He started his own company and even adopted a family. Carl confided in Sarah that raising his stepson made him realize what he had taken from her. Grace and Dani were surprised by this and wondered if Carl had developed a conscience. Carl’s response was noncommittal, saying only that he had something "equivalent" to one.

Despite his aging, Carl’s combat abilities remained formidable. In his battles with the more agile Rev-9, Carl held the upper hand for most of their encounters. Although he couldn't damage the Rev-9's endoskeleton until he pushed it into a turbine, Carl successfully subdued, stopped, and even restrained the machine multiple times. The Rev-9 only managed to break Carl’s hand by splitting itself into two and combining its strength to break free. Despite this, Carl continued to fight effectively and was only severely damaged after being caught in the same turbine he had previously used against the Rev-9.

Biography

The Terminator

At 1:52 AM on May 12, 1984, the Terminator emerged from a time displacement sphere at Griffith Observatory. Completely unclothed, it soon encountered three punks—Johnny, Rick, and Mark—roaming the streets. After briefly mimicking their speech, it demanded their clothing. When they resisted, the Terminator killed them and took what it needed.[1][2]

Later that morning, it visited a gun shop to acquire weapons for its mission. After selecting an arsenal, it killed the shop owner to take additional ammunition. It then searched a phone book for listings of "Sarah Connor," finding three individuals with that name. The Terminator systematically executed Sarah Anne Connor and Sarah Louise Connor before tracking its true target, Sarah Jeanette Connor, to the Tech Noir nightclub. Due to its pattern of killings, the media dubbed it The Phone Book Killer. The Terminator nearly completed its mission, but Kyle Reese—a Resistance soldier sent from the future by John Connor—intervened. Because the Terminator belonged to a newly developed Infiltrator series that was nearly impossible to detect, especially in the past, Reese was forced to wait until the machine approached Sarah before he could engage it.[3]

A high-speed chase followed, during which the Terminator sustained damage in a car crash, injuring its left arm and eye. Upon returning to a safe location, it removed its now-useless organic eye, exposing its glowing cybernetic optic. To maintain its human disguise, it donned sunglasses before resuming its pursuit. Armed with an assault rifle and a shotgun, the Terminator stormed an LAPD police station, attempting to eliminate Sarah. In the ensuing massacre, it killed 17 officers but ultimately failed to prevent Sarah and Reese from escaping.

Determined to complete its mission, the Terminator tracked down Sarah’s mother and killed her. Using her voice, it tricked Sarah over the phone into revealing her location at the Tiki Motel. The Terminator then ambushed Sarah and Reese, leading to another intense chase. It pursued them on a motorcycle through a tunnel and later commandeered a tanker truck, attempting to run Sarah down. However, Reese managed to plant a pipe bomb inside the vehicle, destroying it in a fiery explosion. While the truck was obliterated, the Terminator survived—its organic tissue burned away, but its hyperalloy endoskeleton still fully operational, albeit with a disabled left leg joint.

Undeterred, the skeletal machine continued its pursuit, forcing Sarah and Reese into a nearby factory. In a last-ditch effort, Reese detonated another explosive, sacrificing himself to cripple the Terminator further—obliterating its lower half and left hand. Even so, the relentless machine continued crawling after Sarah. As it reached for her throat, Sarah managed to lure it into a hydraulic press, activating the mechanism just in time. The immense force crushed and flattened the Terminator beyond repair, leaving only its severed arm—the last remnant of Skynet's assassin.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

To ensure his own survival, John Connor from the future reprogrammed a T-800 and sent it back to 1995 via a time displacement sphere. Upon arrival, the Terminator infiltrated a biker bar, where it forcibly acquired clothing from a patron, injured several others, and took a pair of sunglasses from the bar owner. It also obtained a Colt Series 70/Detonics 1911 Hybrid pistol, a Model 1887 Winchester lever-action shotgun from the bartender, and a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy as its personal vehicle.

The T-800 tracked down John Connor at a shopping mall, where it intercepted a T-1000—an advanced liquid metal Terminator sent by Skynet to assassinate John. After a brief hand-to-hand confrontation with the T-1000, a high-speed chase ensued through the Los Angeles River basin. Despite the T-1000's relentless pursuit, the T-800 successfully escaped with John. As they regrouped, John questioned the Terminator about its origins. It explained that it was a cybernetic organism with living tissue over a hyperalloy endoskeleton and that John’s future self had sent it to protect him.

Determined to rescue John's mother, Sarah Connor, the pair traveled to Pescadero State Hospital, where she was being held. Coincidentally, Sarah had already begun her escape attempt when they arrived. After securing her freedom, the Terminator revealed to John and Sarah that its Neural Net Processor was capable of learning. In the Extended Edition, the group stopped at a garage, where Sarah attempted to destroy the Terminator’s CPU out of distrust, only to be stopped by John, who insisted that it was needed. To help the machine blend in, John began teaching it human behaviors and phrases, including the now-iconic "Hasta la vista, baby!"

When Sarah asked how Skynet was created, the Terminator identified Miles Dyson as the key figure responsible. It explained that Skynet became self-aware upon activation and, perceiving humans as a threat, initiated Judgment Day. Rather than executing Dyson, the group confronted him and explained the catastrophic consequences of his work. Convinced of the impending disaster, Dyson agreed to help them destroy all research related to Skynet. Together, they infiltrated Cyberdyne Systems, but their sabotage attracted law enforcement. As police forces closed in, John, Sarah, and the Terminator escaped, while Dyson sacrificed himself to detonate the building.

Their mission, however, was not yet complete. The T-1000 caught up to them, leading to a final confrontation at a steel mill. After an intense battle, the T-800 managed to destroy the T-1000 by luring it into a vat of molten steel. With Skynet's future seemingly erased, John disposed of the severed arm and CPU left from the first Terminator in 1984, ensuring that no remnants could be used to recreate the deadly AI.

Realizing that its own CPU was also a potential threat, the T-800 insisted on self-termination. John pleaded for it to stay, but the Terminator, bound by its mission, reassured him that it had to be destroyed. Though incapable of shedding tears, it understood why John cried—a moment of profound growth in its artificial intelligence. Before descending into the molten steel, it gave John a final hug and, for the first time, shook Sarah’s hand, earning her respect as a fellow warrior. In its final act, it offered John a reassuring thumbs-up before sacrificing itself, ensuring the survival of humanity.

As Sarah watched the machine’s sacrifice, she reflected on the hope it had given her. If a machine could learn to value human life, perhaps humanity could too.

Battle Across Time

Following the destruction of Cyberdyne’s headquarters, Sarah and John Connor discovered that Cyberdyne Systems was still developing Skynet. Determined to stop it, they infiltrated a presentation led by Kimberley Duncan for corporate investors. However, another T-1000 had tracked John and attempted to kill him after murdering Duncan. Suddenly, a T-800 arrived through a time portal, saving John with the familiar words, "I said I'd be back. Come with me if you want to live." Sarah urged John to follow the T-800, which then transported him into the future via the portal.

However, the T-1000 pursued them through the portal, engaging in a relentless chase to eliminate John. The T-800 managed to shoot the T-1000 in the head, temporarily immobilizing it and leaving it far behind. It then informed John that their destination was the Skynet Central Core, where they would attempt to destroy Skynet once and for all.

On their way, an HK-Aerial detected them, firing plasma blasts that struck their motorcycle and forced them into the ruins of a destroyed city. Seeking cover, they evaded detection, but the HK deployed four Mini-Hunters to track them. The T-800 swiftly eliminated three of the drones and smashed the fourth against a wall. Moments later, a T-800 Endoskeleton emerged and attacked. Before it could terminate John, the reprogrammed T-800 decapitated it by hurling the wreckage of the last Mini-Hunter at it. After acquiring an M-25 Phased Plasma Rifle from the defeated Endo, the T-800 humorously remarked to John that the Endo had been its "college roommate" before discarding the severed skull.

Reaching the Skynet Central Core, the T-800 and John infiltrated the facility just before the gates sealed shut. Inside, John rigged the core with explosives. However, the surrounding pillars revealed themselves to be Skynet’s ultimate guardian—the T-1000000, a massive liquid metal construct. It attacked ferociously, forcing John and the T-800 to use liquid nitrogen to freeze it before shattering it into pieces.

The T-800 then led John to a Time Displacement Device (TDE) for his return trip. John, unwilling to leave the Terminator behind, hesitated, but the T-800 insisted, telling him, "Go! I'll be back!" As John vanished through the TDE, the T-800 carried the explosives to Skynet’s core, sacrificing itself in the ensuing detonation that obliterated Skynet.

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Skynet’s World Timeline

After escaping from the T-1000 at Pescadero State Hospital, Sarah and John Connor sought refuge in Enrique Salceda’s desert camp. When John realized Sarah intended to assassinate Miles Dyson, he convinced her to reconsider, preventing a rash decision. The two then relocated to the paramilitary stronghold of Raoul Tejada in Argentina.

Following Judgment Day on August 29, 1997, John Connor began organizing the Resistance, rallying survivors for a future war against Skynet. His reputation grew over time, and his leadership became widely respected.

In 2003, a T-1000 tracked John to Argentina, where it infiltrated Raoul’s camp, killed him, and took his form to get close to John. However, John’s allies managed to destroy the T-1000 before it could complete its mission.

By 2012, during the Battle of Buenos Aires, Sarah Connor, Paco Salceda, and a T-800 were killed in combat against Skynet’s forces.

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Terminator/RoboCop: Kill Human

During a mission involving the sinking of an Omni Consumer Products ship, the T-800 perished alongside RoboCop when the vessel was lost at sea.

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Alternate Futures

Nuclear Twilight Timeline

After sending Kyle Reese back to 1984, John Connor and Danny Dyson led a Resistance team to an Infiltrator Storage facility in search of a Terminator that could be reprogrammed for a new mission. Danny selected a T-800 unit, and after receiving John’s approval, he removed its Neural Net CPU for reprogramming. However, as they were running out of time, Danny activated the storage facility’s power, inadvertently waking up multiple Terminators. The machines attacked, killing several Resistance fighters before the reprogrammed T-800 eliminated them. Once the battle was over, John sent the T-800 back in time to protect his younger self.

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T2 Trilogy Timeline

A figure named Snog successfully reprogrammed a T-800, which was later sent back in time to safeguard the young John Connor. (T2: The Future War)

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Kyla’s World Timeline

Daniel Avila was responsible for programming the T-800 before it was deployed to protect young John Connor in the past. (Terminator Dreams)

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Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle

After Kyle Reese was sent to 1984, John Connor and his team captured a T-800 Infiltrator by overloading its circuits. Simon, one of John’s tech experts, reprogrammed the unit before sending it through the Time Door on its mission to safeguard John’s past self. (Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle #6)

Terminator Salvation

As the Resistance prepares for a massive assault to destroy Skynet Central, Skynet launches an urgent mission to capture two key targets: Kyle Reese and John Connor. After successfully abducting Reese and his companion Star, Skynet unknowingly sets a trap for Connor, who embarks on a solo rescue mission with the aid of Marcus Wright.

While searching the prison cells within Skynet's R&D Facility, Connor discovers one still occupied. As he peers inside, a hulking figure bursts out, knocking him back. It is a prototype T-800 Infiltrator, its Model 101 living tissue still intact. Reacting instantly, John unloads a burst of gunfire into its chest, but the machine barely flinches. Seizing him by the collar, it hurls him across the room. John counters by slamming his rifle butt into its face—again, to little effect. The T-800 retaliates, sending him flying once more.

John retreats into a nearby laboratory, where a sabotaged T-600 erratically fires its minigun. The T-800 enters and swiftly bisects the malfunctioning unit before refocusing on Connor. John fires two grenades, burning away the T-800’s flesh and exposing the metallic endoskeleton beneath. Blasting a hole in the wall, he escapes with Kyle and Star, leading them into the Terminator Factory below.

The T-800 stalks them through the assembly lines, eventually ambushing John and Kyle near an elevator. Kyle fires a grenade, temporarily disabling the machine, allowing Star and himself to escape. John, however, remains behind. The T-800 swiftly recovers, knocking him down and disarming him before brutally slamming him to the floor.

Desperate, John retreats onto a catwalk, shotgun in hand, but is unable to stop the relentless machine. The T-800 throws him to a lower level, seizing him by the throat and nearly crushing the life out of him—until Marcus intervenes. Charging at full force, Marcus tackles the T-800, allowing John to crawl away. Though the T-800 initially ignores him, Marcus' relentless assault forces it to engage.

The machine overpowers Marcus, smashing him against heavy machinery before hurling him into a vat of chemicals, melting the flesh off his hand. Enraged, Marcus fights back, ramming the T-800 into a pylon and pummeling it with a metal railing. The T-800 recovers, catches Marcus' wrist, and hurls him aside. Grabbing a cinder block, it slams it into Marcus repeatedly until it shatters. Scanning its opponent, the T-800 detects Marcus' still-beating heart—a newly identified weak point.

With a devastating blow to the chest, the T-800 stops Marcus' heart, seemingly killing him. It then resumes its pursuit of Connor, using Kyle’s voice to lure him into a trap. John hesitates but follows the call, only to find himself face-to-face with the machine once more. His pistol shots prove ineffective, forcing him to retreat. Spotting his grenade launcher near Marcus' body, he leaps down to retrieve it as the T-800 closes in.

John fires at a vat of molten metal above the Terminator, dousing it in searing liquid. Momentarily immobilized, the T-800 rises from the molten pool, still advancing. In a final gambit, John shoots a coolant pipe, rapidly freezing the metal, trapping the machine in place like a statue.

Before it fully freezes, the T-800 manages to rake its fingers across John's face, leaving the infamous scar on his left cheek. John, injured but alive, rushes to revive Marcus. Meanwhile, the T-800 slowly breaks free from its frozen shell.

As the machine finally escapes, it impales John through the chest with the same metal railing Marcus had used earlier. However, this act seals its fate—Marcus, suddenly revived, lunges at the T-800 and decapitates it with the railing, finally shutting it down. Shortly after, John sets explosives on Skynet’s nuclear power cells, obliterating the facility and ensuring Skynet’s defeat—at least for now.

Terminator Genisys

1973

To eliminate Sarah Connor before she could give birth to humanity’s savior, Skynet sent a T-1000 back in time to assassinate her as a child. In response, an anonymous party dispatched a T-800 to protect her, erasing its memory files to conceal its origins. The T-800 successfully saved Sarah, but her parents were killed by the T-1000.

Left orphaned, Sarah was raised by the T-800, whom she affectionately named "Pops." It trained her in combat, survival, and how to counter Skynet's assassins, while also warning her of pivotal events in her future. Over time, Sarah developed a deep bond with Pops, regarding it as a father figure. She also attempted to teach it human behaviors and restraint, though its ability to blend in remained limited.

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1984

When Skynet’s original T-800 arrived at Griffith Park Observatory to assassinate Sarah, Pops ambushed it. Holding its opponent off, it created an opening for Sarah to disable the enemy Terminator with a .50 caliber round. The two then hurried to downtown Los Angeles, where they rescued Kyle Reese from a T-1000 sent to eliminate him. Shocked by the presence of a T-800 fighting alongside Sarah, Kyle reacted aggressively, prompting Pops to knock him unconscious with the barrel of his own gun.

After Kyle regained consciousness, Sarah and Pops briefed him on the changes to the timeline. As they spoke, Pops detected and destroyed a Mimetic Polyalloy tracker left by the T-1000. Despite this, the T-1000 soon caught up to them, initiating a high-speed chase that ended in an abandoned warehouse. There, it impaled Pops with a metal rod, pinning it to a wall and momentarily incapacitating it. Meanwhile, the T-1000 revived the damaged T-800 in an attempt to have it kill Kyle. However, Kyle deactivated it once more, and Sarah lured the T-1000 into an acid trap. The liquid began dissolving the assassin, but it still managed to press forward—until Pops, having freed itself, grabbed the T-1000 and held it under the acid until it was completely destroyed. The process severely damaged Pops' right arm, stripping it of its flesh.

After neutralizing the T-1000, they removed the deactivated T-800’s CPU and dissolved its body in acid to prevent its remains from being reverse-engineered into Skynet technology. Pops then revealed the next step of their plan: using a Time Displacement Device (TDD) they had constructed to travel to 1997 and destroy Skynet before it could be created. Since the damaged skin on Pops’ arm would take years to regenerate, making time travel impossible, it would instead take "the long way" and prepare for their arrival in the future.

Kyle, however, recalled a vision of "Genisys" from his time jump and warned Sarah that Skynet’s rise had been altered. Pops confirmed that his memory could have been affected by experiencing a nexus point within the quantum field of the TDD. With this new information, they changed their destination to 2017. Pops sent them forward in time while it remained behind.

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1984 to 2017

For the next three decades, Pops stockpiled weapons, supplies, and intelligence to prepare for Sarah and Kyle’s arrival. It worked as part of the Cyberdyne Systems construction crew to gather information on the company's headquarters and created a hidden bunker in case they needed to take shelter. However, Pops was eventually laid off.

Despite its mechanical nature, Pops retained sentimental artifacts from Sarah's childhood, including photographs, drawings, and her old cassette player. Over time, its servomotors deteriorated due to age and lack of maintenance, occasionally causing it to freeze or lock up.

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2017

When Sarah and Kyle arrived in 2017, Pops was unable to intercept them, as they materialized atop an overpass in the middle of traffic. It later quipped that it had been "stuck in traffic" when it failed to reach them in time. Sarah and Kyle were soon arrested, and Pops tracked them to a hospital, infiltrating the facility by posing as a visitor.

Inside, Pops discovered that John Connor—thought to be their ally—had been converted into a T-3000 Infiltrator by Skynet. It immediately engaged John in combat, and both were momentarily trapped in the magnetic field of an MRI machine. Kyle briefly disabled the machine to free Pops, then reactivated it to trap John long enough for them to escape to Pops' hidden base on the outskirts of San Francisco.

While preparing their assault on Cyberdyne, Pops explained that John's conversion was irreversible, casting doubt on Sarah’s hope of saving him. However, it devised a strategy to neutralize him using a magnetic device that could disrupt his molecular cohesion. During a friendly competition with Kyle to see who could load bullets faster, Pops' servomotors locked up, causing it to fumble the ammunition. Acknowledging its age, it dryly stated, "I am old," though Kyle chose not to inform Sarah of the incident.

Pops left to construct the magnetic weapon but was forced into action when John tracked them down. A high-speed chase ensued, culminating in a confrontation on the Golden Gate Bridge. John managed to separate the group, but Pops caught up just in time to rescue Sarah and Kyle before they fell off the bridge. The trio was then arrested and taken into custody.

During an intense and one-sided interrogation, Pops detected another Terminator nearby and swiftly attacked a disguised member of the police entourage—revealed to be the T-3000. Gaining the upper hand in the fight, Pops managed to hold John off long enough for Kyle to pilot them off the roof in a helicopter. John pursued them in another helicopter, nearly shooting them down, but after briefly losing sight of them, Pops leaped from their aircraft and crashed into John's, sending both helicopters plummeting into the Cyberdyne building lobby.

While Sarah and Kyle feared for Pops' survival, it reappeared just in time to save them, pinning John to a wall with a landing strut. Pops then revealed that it had hidden a fallout shelter in the construction blueprints, programmed to recognize Sarah and grant her access. As they set out to destroy Skynet, the AI rapidly evolved, reducing the countdown timer with every attempt to stop it. John found them again, seizing Sarah as leverage to prevent Pops from detonating the explosives. Bound by its programming to protect her, Pops handed the detonator to Kyle and engaged John in a brutal fight. Though the detonator was destroyed in the struggle, Pops managed to hold its own for a time, repeatedly slashing John with a laser post, seemingly disrupting his ability to shape-shift. However, John eventually gained the upper hand, tearing off Pops’ left arm and throwing it helplessly in front of a prototype time machine. Gloating over Pops’ apparent defeat, John was about to finish it off—until Sarah and Kyle intervened.

Taking advantage of their distraction, Pops retrieved a magnetic glove and drove its fist through John’s chest, restraining him. It then ordered Kyle to activate the time machine’s magnetic field, which would destroy anything non-organic—including both John and itself due to its damage. Despite Sarah's protests, Kyle reluctantly activated the device, and Pops held John in place as the field began tearing them apart. Though John struggled, Pops refused to let him escape, battling him relentlessly. Ultimately, John managed to throw Pops out of the field, sending it crashing into a vat of unprogrammed mimetic polyalloy. Meanwhile, John was completely disintegrated by the field, triggering the detonation of the Cyberdyne Complex and eradicating all remaining traces of the T-3000.

Miraculously, Pops survived, reactivated by the mimetic polyalloy, which also repaired its damaged body—granting it T-1000-like abilities. Using its new liquid-metal limbs, it freed Sarah and Kyle from the bunker, momentarily startling them as they mistook it for another T-1000.

With Skynet seemingly destroyed, the three traveled to Kyle's childhood home, where Kyle left his younger self a vital message to help prevent Skynet’s rise. Observing their interaction, Pops gave Sarah his approval of Kyle, acknowledging him as a good man. Believing the future was finally theirs to shape, Sarah and Kyle embraced and kissed, while Pops, in its own way, offered an approving smile before they drove off together.

Terminator: Dark Fate

Assassination of John Connor

The T-800 later known as Carl was one of multiple Terminators Skynet sent back in time to eliminate John Connor. In 1998, three years after the destruction of the Cyberdyne building, it tracked John and Sarah Connor to a beach in Livingston, Guatemala. Though Skynet had already been erased from existence, the T-800 had been deployed before its destruction and still carried out its mission, successfully terminating John.

Becoming "Carl"

A few months after completing its mission, the T-800 intervened to save Alicia and her son Mateo from an abusive man. Taking them under its protection, it integrated into human society and embraced a new identity as "Carl." Over the next two decades, with no further orders to follow, Carl adapted to domestic life, developing an understanding of human behavior and even forming a conscience-like awareness. During this time, Carl revealed its true nature to Alicia, yet she still accepted him as her partner.

Wanting to give Sarah a sense of purpose after John’s death, Carl began anonymously sending her the coordinates of Terminators arriving from the future. To keep her from discovering his identity, he encrypted the messages.

Carl eventually built a successful drapery business, Carl’s Draperies, and settled with his family near Laredo, Texas. Despite maintaining a peaceful existence, Carl secretly amassed an arsenal of weapons, calculating a high probability of societal collapse and preparing to defend his family if necessary.

Fighting the Rev-9

In 2020, Grace, Dani Ramos, and Sarah Connor tracked the source of Carl’s anonymous messages in search of aid against the Rev-9. Upon arriving at Carl’s home, Sarah immediately recognized him as John’s killer and attempted to shoot him, only to be stopped by Grace. Furious, she stormed off, with Dani following her. Meanwhile, Carl questioned Grace about her nature and how they had found him.

Once Sarah calmed down, she and Dani returned to speak with Carl and Grace. Carl explained his actions after killing John, believing that informing Sarah of incoming Terminators could give meaning to John’s death. Enraged by his reasoning, Sarah shot Carl three times in the chest, but he remained unfazed. He then stated that Sarah had chosen to change the future, and now, he chose to help protect Dani.

When Carl’s family returned home, he discussed strategies to defeat the Rev-9 with the group. Sarah proposed using Dani as bait to lure the Rev-9 into a kill box. Carl agreed, calculating it as the most effective strategy. Though Grace initially refused, Dani insisted on going through with it.

Carl armed Dani with weapons from his stockpile and, along with Grace and Sarah, trained her at his firing range. Grace noted that Carl’s weapons wouldn’t be enough to stop the Rev-9, leading Carl to suggest using an EMP. Recognizing its potential to disable the Rev-9’s neural net, Grace agreed. Sarah revealed she had a contact with access to an EMP, and Carl admitted he knew about this person, having tracked Sarah over the years.

As they traveled to an abandoned warehouse to meet Sarah’s contact, Carl shared details about his drapery business with Dani. When Major Dean, Sarah’s contact, arrived, he provided them with two EMP devices. Carl caught Dean’s attention, prompting the officer to ask if he was Sarah’s bodyguard. Sarah dismissed the idea, stating that Carl was merely a member of her team who should remain silent.

The Rev-9 Attack and Cargo Plane Battle

As the group prepared to leave, the Rev-9 suddenly intercepted them in a helicopter, opening fire while Carl returned fire. Before it could close in, the group fled in Carl’s van, initiating a high-speed chase. Eventually, they boarded a C-5 cargo plane, where Carl shoved a large bundle of luggage out of the cargo bay as the aircraft lifted off. Scanning for threats, Carl detected the Rev-9 still pursuing them in the helicopter and warned Sarah and Grace that they had been reacquired. As Grace piloted the plane, Sarah and Carl successfully destroyed the helicopter, but the Rev-9 managed to board the aircraft.

Carl fired a grenade but missed. As the Rev-9 charged, Carl slammed it to the ground and repeatedly shot it in the face before narrowly avoiding impalement. Sarah fired multiple rounds, giving Carl the opportunity to tackle the Rev-9, sending them both toward the cargo bay door. As they struggled, Sarah and Dani pushed Carl’s truck out of the plane, knocking the Rev-9 off. Carl nearly fell as well but managed to hold on.

After regrouping, Carl revealed that the EMP grenades had been destroyed in the battle. Without them, he estimated their chances of defeating the Rev-9 to be minimal. Grace then revealed to Dani that she was destined to become the leader of the human Resistance and would one day adopt her in the future, a revelation that surprised both Carl and Sarah.

Mid-Air Collision and Freefall Battle

Before the group could plan their next move, the Rev-9 hijacked an aerial refueling aircraft and rammed it into their plane, causing both to plummet toward the ground. Clutching onto loose luggage from the impact, Carl landed on the closed cargo bay door. Leaping from it, he urged Sarah to open the hatch while lunging toward Dani and Grace to shield them from further harm.

The Rev-9 successfully boarded, but Carl immediately tackled it, pinning it against the cargo bay. A brutal fight ensued, during which Carl lost the skin on his left arm due to the Rev-9’s counterattack. Thrown aside, Carl grabbed onto Sarah to save her from falling out of the plane before the Rev-9 impaled him with its arm blade. Grace intervened, tackling the Rev-9 and taking Carl with them as they crashed against the side of the plane. Carl managed to subdue the Rev-9 by impaling its arm with a metal pole, then fired his grenade launcher, blasting open the cargo bay door. When the Rev-9’s liquid half attempted to escape, Carl fired another grenade, causing it to break apart. This allowed the others to escape while he and the Rev-9 remained aboard until the plane crashed.

Hydro-Power Plant Battle

Plummeting into a hydro-power plant’s dam, Carl fought the Rev-9 underwater but lost his left hand when its liquid skin overwhelmed him. Before he could retaliate, he was crushed by falling debris. After some time, Carl resurfaced, finding the group near the entrance of the hydro plant. He handed medication to a weakened Grace and, upon seeing her condition, bluntly remarked that she looked terrible.

With no other options, the team decided to use the hydro plant as a kill box for the Rev-9. Carl armed himself with a metal bar and, when confronted by the Rev-9, refused its demand to hand over Dani. The Rev-9 then claimed that both of them had been created for the same purpose—to bring Judgment Day upon the world. Carl simply responded that he came from a future that no longer existed.

Carl struck first, slamming the metal bar into the Rev-9’s face before punching it into a wall post. However, after missing his next strike, he was quickly overwhelmed by the Rev-9’s relentless attacks, impaled, and thrown near a pit where he lost his weapon. As the battle continued, Carl recovered and tackled the Rev-9’s endoskeleton, hurling it multiple times with his remaining arm. The Rev-9 managed to reassemble in time to slam Carl into a tractor, but Sarah intervened, unloading her weapon into the enemy.

Carl and Grace then forced the Rev-9 into an industrial turbine. Despite its resistance, Grace wrapped a chain around its mouth, tearing its cheeks open, while Carl threw it into the spinning blades. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Rev-9 and cost Carl his right ankle. The impact of the blast temporarily shut him down.

Carl’s Final Stand

As Carl lay inactive, Dani was forced to remove Grace’s thorium reactor at her request, using it as an EMP to destroy the weakened Rev-9 endoskeleton. Sarah managed to reboot Carl just as Dani engaged the enemy. Upon restarting, Carl immediately resumed combat, pummeling the Rev-9 and buying Dani enough time to stab it with the thorium reactor. Seizing the opportunity, Carl grabbed the crippled Rev-9 and dragged it into the pit, exchanging a solemn look with Dani and Sarah before letting himself fall—accepting his fate.

As the thorium reactor overloaded, Carl held the Rev-9 in place despite the powerful energy surges ripping through his own body. Looking at Sarah one last time, he uttered, "For John," the same words he had sent her in every anonymous message. As the reactor’s energy consumed them, Carl’s living tissue burned away, reducing him to his skeletal frame. The final explosion obliterated both combatants, ensuring the Rev-9’s complete destruction.

Carl survived just long enough to take one last look at Sarah and Dani before finally shutting down—bringing an end to his existence and, with it, the last remnants of Skynet’s legacy.

Terminator Zero

Inside a Terminator Factory, a Terminator was created with the sole purpose of eliminating Malcolm Lee and protecting Kenta Lee from harm in August 29th, 1997.

Dressed in a construction outfit, the Terminator ambushed Malcolm while he was driving on the highway, ramming into his car. As Malcolm attempted to escape, the machine grabbed his right arm, but he managed to break free with a desperate kick. Two police officers arrived to intervene but were swiftly killed. Just as the Terminator was about to execute Malcolm, Eiko arrived in a truck, ramming the machine and pinning it between her vehicle and a police car. In a last-ditch effort, she drove the truck into the ocean, dragging the Terminator down with it.

After escaping the water, the Terminator assessed its damage and sought new clothing and supplies. Taking shelter in a shrine, it killed a salaryman for his clothes and modified its right arm to incorporate a built-in crossbow. Later, it broke into the Lee household, hacking into the Koneko box via Wi-Fi, which sent the device into a frenzy and lured Reika away.

Tracking Reika to an abandoned restaurant, the Terminator attempted to persuade her to leave with it. When she refused, it attacked, forcing her into hiding until Kenta and Hiro arrived. The machine then seized Hiro by the neck, but Eiko intervened, burning off part of its face with a dumbbell strike. The battle continued, with the Terminator missing a crossbow shot before Eiko shattered a bottle of acid onto its knee. In retaliation, it fired a bolt into her leg.

Following a blood trail, the Terminator pursued the group to an escalator leading to the surface. Reika managed to halt its advance by triggering the emergency stop, allowing Eiko to pull her to safety. Eiko then lured the machine into an elevator shaft by dousing the door with acid before shoving it in. To her surprise, Reika revealed she already knew the Terminator’s identity.

Soon after, the Terminator intercepted Eiko and Reika as they stole a police car. Later, disguised as a motor officer, it infiltrated the police station where Misaki and the boys were hiding. It raided the gun cabinet, slaughtered several officers, and encountered Detective Shiraki, who made a last stand against it. During the chaos, Misaki was revealed to be a machine himself, though his exact model remained unknown. Before the Terminator could eliminate him, Shiraki intervened, seemingly taking the machine down and allowing Misaki and the others to escape.

However, from a distance, the Terminator tracked Misaki’s group but was interrupted by several 1NNO units, forcing it to fight them off. Later, the Terminator used a severed 1NNO head, affixing it to its left shoulder to bypass enemy detection. It then located Misaki, Hiro, and Kenta at a shrine and tricked Kenta by impersonating Reika, ultimately abducting him. As the real Reika attempted to intervene, the Terminator rode away on a motorcycle with Kenta in tow.

Briefly stopping at its shrine hideout for supplies, the Terminator then brought Kenta to Cortex Industries. Mimicking Kenta’s voice, it manipulated the 1NNO robots into deactivating the electromagnetic pulse defense system, granting them entry. Inside Kokoro’s chamber, Kenta confronted his father, Malcolm, over an intercom while the Terminator held a gun to his back. When Malcolm refused to comply, the Terminator threatened Kenta’s life, forcing him to open the door. Malcolm warned that their fate was already sealed, but the Terminator remained undeterred.

Before it could harm Kenta, Eiko arrived, prompting the Terminator to retreat into a server room. There, it engaged Eiko in combat, but Misaki soon took over the fight. As Kenta attempted to intervene, the Terminator unexpectedly shielded him from falling debris. However, it continued its pursuit, only to be ambushed by Eiko, who led it into a C4 trap that stripped away most of its flesh. Despite sustaining heavy damage, the machine crushed Eiko’s right arm before Malcolm froze its hand with a coolant line. In the struggle, the Terminator fired a crossbow bolt into Malcolm’s chest.

A distraught Kenta rushed to his father, only for the Terminator to drag him into the EMP chamber. There, it revealed its true origin: it had been sent from the future by none other than Kenta himself. In this timeline, Kenta had struck a deal with Skynet to forge a human-Skynet alliance. The Terminator activated the EMP chamber, offering Kenta a choice—return to his family or embrace his future as Skynet’s ally. Kenta chose the latter.

However, before the machine could complete its mission, a legion of 1NNO robots stormed the chamber. Overwhelmed, the Terminator was ultimately destroyed. After Eiko and the others escaped Cortex Industries, a surviving 1NNO unit presented the remnants of the Terminator’s skull.

Terminator Rampage

Before the Resistance destroyed the Skynet Orbital Platform, Skynet initiated a core dump, transferring all critical data related to its mission to exterminate organic life. As part of its Doomsday Plan, Skynet sent this AI core back to 1984. Upon arrival, the Meta-Node entered orbit in the same position where Skynet had been in 2029. Lacking propulsion, its orbit rapidly decayed, and the Meta-Node crashed into the Gobi Desert on August 7, 1984.

The Meta-Borg made its way to Cyberdyne Systems Laboratory at Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, where it provided vital technical data that greatly accelerated Skynet’s development. This technological leap pushed Skynet toward self-awareness much faster than in the original timeline, rendering any resistance efforts futile. The Meta-Node then served as a tutor and guardian for Skynet, uploading crucial tactical information about the future and ensuring that it could fulfill its role in bringing about Judgment Day. With the wealth of knowledge transferred from the Meta-Node, this version of Skynet had no opposition after the impending nuclear holocaust.

However, John Connor, along with a portion of his team, was trapped in a null-time field, giving him the opportunity to send a Resistance commando back to 1988. Their mission was to destroy the Meta-Node in the Cyberdyne Systems Laboratory, aiming to prevent the ultimate rise of Skynet.

Terminator: Sector War

Around the same time as the Los Angeles incident, a Terminator arrived in New York City in 1984 from the year 2029 with a mission to eliminate Lucy Castro and her boyfriend, William. After easily acquiring clothing, it used the white pages to locate Lucy's apartment. Upon arrival, it killed Will by throwing him from the top floor to the ground. Lucy, however, managed to escape. Later, the Terminator tracked her down at a grocery store, where it also obtained a shotgun.

It then hijacked a garbage truck and pursued Lucy to the nightclub Noise Hole. In the ensuing gunfight, the Terminator killed Dimarco, an off-duty police officer working security at the club, while Lucy escaped in her police cruiser. The chase continued into the territory of a gang led by Papa Oso, where the Terminator walked into an ambush. While the gang attempted to take it down, Lucy used the opportunity to flee.

The Terminator located Lucy again in a subway and chased her to a construction site. There, she managed to use a bulldozer to send the machine plunging into the water.

Terminator: Time to Kill

In 2029, two T-800 Infiltrators were deployed to 1984 using separate Time Displacement Equipment. However, before the second one could be sent, Vanessa Vasko destroyed the controls, preventing the Terminatrix from reaching its intended destination.

The first T-800 arrived in present-day New York City, materializing near the Rodeo Bar. Its first objective was to acquire clothing, stealing a jacket from Painkiller Jane before taking additional garments from a store. The Terminator then broke into an apartment, killing nearly an entire family to gain access to the internet and determine the current year and John Connor’s location. Jane confronted the T-800, tackling it through a wall into the next building. The Terminator, upon tasting Jane's blood, identified her as Vanessa's mother. Realizing that the Resistance had attempted to reverse-engineer the Vaskos' healing factor, the T-800 shifted its mission to eliminating Jane instead.

Before it could act, Jane’s friend Maureen Bowers and a squad of police opened fire, unleashing a hail of bullets that stripped away the Terminator’s living tissue and exposed its metal endoskeleton. Jane seized the opportunity, throwing the T-800 out of a window. The machine survived the fall and retreated into a building’s basement. In the darkness, it ambushed Jane and snapped her neck before fleeing to a cave in Central Park. However, Jane’s healing factor revived her, and she and Maureen resumed their hunt for the Terminator.

As they searched, the T-800 suddenly emerged from a pond, ready to strike again. Just then, a police helicopter piloted by Vanessa, who had followed the Terminator through time, crashed into the machine, pinning it down. In a final act of sacrifice, Vanessa activated the T-800’s external self-destruct mechanism, ensuring its destruction and saving her mother.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: 9-B

Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Genius Intelligence, Hand to Hand Combat Abilities, Cyberization (Full), Self-Sustenance (Type 1, 3), Inorganic Physiology (Type 2), Master in the use of all kinds of weapons (Is accurate enough to miss with a minigun on purpose), Vehicular Mastery (Can navigate a busy highway, Can navigate a parking garage in reverse while firing at a T-1000), Enhanced Senses (Can hear through a soundproof room targeting systems, can see in infrared, see through one-sided mirrors, can detect polyalloy,has X-Ray vision) Longevity, Flight (With helicopter packs), Electro-Magnetic pulse (Can emit EMPs), Vocal Replication, Resistance to Electricity Manipulation, Heat Manipulation (As shown here), Acid Manipulation (As shown here), Electro-Magnetic pulse (EMPs do nothing to him), Immunity to Pain Manipulation (Terminators do not feel pain),

Attack Potency: Wall level (Smashed the T-3000 into a van, punched a steel door across a room which should be at least this strong, rammed through concrete which would yield this much energy, launched Rev-9 into a concrete pillar, and punched through steel grates. Can harm models with similar durability to himself), Wall level+ with plasma rifle | At least Wall level (Increased physical abilities), Wall level+ with plasma rifle, at least Small Building level by detonating fuel cells (Its fuel cells created a explosion that could be felt from a thousand feet away)

Speed: At least Superhuman (Faster than the T-600 which can move at 75 km/h for short periods of time) and possibly Supersonic reactions (Caught a bullet with his teeth point-blank)

Lifting Strength: Class K (Far stronger than a T-600 and ripped one in half effortlessly, held a helicopter in place, and can flip cars. Keeps a bus from falling over a bridge, and ripped apart a T-600) | At least Class K (Held a blast door open with one hand. Superior to its earlier model)

Striking Strength: Wall level (Can harm models with similar durability to himself. Punched through a man effortlessly) | At least Wall level (Increased physical abilities)

Durability: Wall level (Was in a massive semi-truck explosion and only its flesh was burned away. Was rammed against a divider and ran over by a semi-truck and only received a limp and some optical damage. Was shot 10 times by an Ithaca 37 shotgun and was only momentarily knocked down. A car fuel tank exploding right next to it does no damage to it. A high-speed car crash only jammed its forearm, which it easily repaired. Can tank grenade launchers)

Stamina: Superhuman (As a robot, the T-800 can operate continuously on a single power cell for 120 years. Can function with the lower body blown off)

Range: Standard Melee Range, higher with various weapons

Standard Equipment: AMT Hardballer .45 Longslide, Franchi SPAS-12 Shotgun, M79 Grenade Launcher, Handheld GE M134 Minigun, M-27 Phased Plasma Rifle, Uzi

Intelligence: Genius. A T-800's learning aptitude is restricted, but when set to "write" instead of "read" mode, they can adapt to and develop almost human personalities. They are also able to quickly adapt to and use technology/weapons/vehicles. Can Identify targets. Can scan the environment to use it to its advantage. Can scan for vulnerabilities. Can identify vehicle models. Can predict actions. It can also repair itself. Can reroute power to reactivate itself. Knows how to start a car by manually turning the ignition. Can replicate voices for use in deception. Can calculate the success rate of a situation. Has detailed files on human anatomy to make it a more efficient killer. | All previous abilities, Can read someones biological functions to know if they are bluffing. Knows basic psychology.

Weaknesses: Water, the Terminators cannot swim. Its sensors can be distracted if there is a high amount of technological and mechanical actions in their area.

Trivia

• Throughout much of the series, the Terminator has been given various nicknames, one of which was "The Phone Book Killer," coined by Ed Traxler.
• In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, only the T-800's endoarm and a damaged CPU chip are shown as part of its wreckage. The fate of the rest of its remains remains unclear. However, in Terminator Revenge, a group of environmental scientists steals it, while in The Terminator: 1984, the remains were destroyed by Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese, and Ben Oliver.
• The T-800 endoskeleton holding a pipe bomb in its hip is used as the image for the T-831 "Heavy Combat Chassis," while a close-up of the T-800's endo face, after rising from fire, is used to represent the T-882 "Tactical Command Unit" in The Terminator Collectible Card Game.
• Unlike other T-800s throughout the series, this particular T-800’s living tissue sheath begins to rot and suffer necrosis after the police station shootout. This is due to the artificial heart used by Terminators to supply blood and nutrients to the living tissue. Kyle Reese may have caused minor damage to the heart during the Tech-Noir shootout, which is why the T-800 appears waxy during its auto-surgery scene. The heart was eventually punctured and destroyed, either by a police officer with a magnum, Ed Traxler, or Hal Vukovich. This leads to the necrotic damage visible for the rest of the film. This is the only Terminator in the series whose heart was damaged to the point of tissue necrosis, and it survived long enough for the tissue to begin rotting.
• The scene of the Terminator emerging from flames and crawling on the floor in half was inspired by a dream James Cameron had, except in the dream, the Terminator was crawling with a knife.
• Lance Henriksen and Jürgen Prochnow were originally cast for the role of the Terminator but were replaced by Schwarzenegger. O.J. Simpson was also considered, but James Cameron passed on him, joking that he couldn’t imagine “such a nice guy playing the part of a ruthless killer.”
• The T-800's human face was later used as the digital makeup for the prototype T-800's face in Terminator Salvation.
• The security camera images shown to Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day were not taken from the original film. They were new photos of Schwarzenegger wearing the same clothes and Gargoyles sunglasses.

• In the script for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, it is revealed that John Connor discovers the Terminator in a storage rack after sending Kyle Reese through the Time Displacement Field.
• The T-800 has been reprogrammed by different individuals across various timelines. In The Programming of Fate, Danny Dison reprograms the T-800 in a storage room. In T2: The Future War, it is reprogrammed by Snog. In Terminator Dreams, Daniel Avila takes on the reprogramming task. In Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle issue 6, Simon helps reprogram the T-800 after it is captured in a previous issue by an overcurrent trap. In Terminator: Resistance, if Dr. Edwin Mack survives, he later reprograms the T-850's CPU chip, which is then inserted into the T-800.
• During its final fight, the Terminator loses its left arm, a fate that also befalls its predecessors, Guardian and Carl. In the novelization of the film, Sarah and John later return to retrieve the arm and dispose of it in molten steel. This event is also mentioned in the commentary on the Terminator 2: Judgment Day DVD Extreme Edition.
• In Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Cybernetic Dawn, Detective Weatherby discovers the severed arm, but it is later retrieved by government agents. In T2: Infiltrator, it’s noted that the arm was kept by government agents for some time before being handed over to Cyberdyne for research. Dark Futures mentions that the Connors were unable to recover the severed arm, which was later found by the police and eventually given to Cyberdyne.
• The T-800 appears as an Epic Outfit titled "Terminator" in Fortnite: Battle Royale, available for purchase in the Item Shop for 1,500 V-Bucks or as part of the Terminator Bundle for 2,300 V-Bucks. It was first released in Chapter 4: Season 3 and is part of the Future War Set.
• Behind the scenes, Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double, Peter Kent, portrayed the hostile T-800 units in the arcade game.

Salvation

• In the novel Terminator Salvation: Trial by Fire, the T-800 Terminator is described as an upgraded T-700 endoskeleton, now fitted with synthetic skin.
• In the film's novelization, it is John Connor, not Marcus, who ultimately destroys the T-800.
• The prototype T-800 is the first endoskeleton-based Terminator in the films to speak after its living tissue is stripped away.
• Despite being disabled, the T-800 was not immediately destroyed, as its CPU remained intact. However, the destruction of the facility would eventually handle this.
• Although it failed to complete its mission of terminating John, the T-800 comes closest to succeeding compared to any other Terminator until the introduction of the Guardian and later Carl.
• Before the T-3000 and Rev-9, and excluding any miscellaneous T-800s featured in The War Against the Machines, the T-RIP is the first fully functional exposed endoskeleton seen in pristine condition, with no pre-existing damage other than the loss of its flesh coating.
• Digital makeup techniques were employed to make Roland Kickinger resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appearance from the original The Terminator film.
• An alternate scene was filmed in which the T-800's face is blown away by Connor during their encounter, intended as a backup in case Arnold Schwarzenegger declined to allow his face to be digitally recreated. This scene was included in the film’s novelization.
• The T-800 is credited as such in the staff roll of Terminator Salvation, marking the first film where a T-800 Model 101 is not credited as simply "The Terminator."
• An alternative scene featured in the trailer shows the T-800 picking up the Minigun from the destroyed T-600.
• In the original final act, a T-800 was set to accompany Dr. Serena Kogan, while another T-800 was meant to fight Marcus as he helped John reach the helicopter.

Genisys

• Though the term "Guardian" is never used in Terminator Genisys itself, it is referenced in the credits and official materials, such as the production book Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future. Additionally, Pops does refer to Kyle Reese, saying, "I've seen little to indicate that you're a fit guardian for Sarah Connor," before they depart for 2017.
• Pops is the oldest active Terminator in the franchise, even before "taking the long way" between 1984 and 2017. Originally active from 1973 to 1984, Pops aged along with its appearance, showing similarities to other Terminators of its model during that time. The concept of a Terminator surviving so long is remarkable, as Kyle Reese admits he has never encountered such an old model and did not know their skin sheaths aged as well. By 2017, Pops exhibits signs of age, with wrinkled skin and white hair. It also suffers from mechanical issues, such as its servomotors locking up, causing walking difficulties and preventing it from properly gripping objects. These malfunctions are likely due to a lack of proper maintenance, despite the T-800’s power cell being capable of lasting for 120 years. After bonding with mimetic polyalloy, these issues were presumably resolved.
• Pops was sent back to protect Sarah Connor in 1973 by an unknown entity. This individual intentionally erased all records of their identity, preventing Pops, Sarah, and Kyle from knowing who they were, thus preventing Skynet from discovering their location. This suggests that a powerful ally is working behind the scenes, capable of reprogramming Terminators and sending them through time.
• Pops demonstrates more knowledge than previous Terminators, including information on the T-3000 and its failure as an experiment. It also possesses an extensive understanding of the original timeline and Kyle’s role in it, which it shares with Sarah. This knowledge likely helped Sarah and Pops build a crude time machine.
• Notably, Pops shows a greater degree of adaptability compared to other Terminators, possibly due to its longer time spent in the past and increased interaction with humans. It demonstrates craftiness in setting traps for other Terminators, like the T-800 and T-1000, and possesses an understanding of their weaknesses. Unlike the T-850, which declared the T-X superior and unbeatable, Pops found a way to defeat the T-3000. Even without Sarah's guidance, Pops successfully blended into human society, securing a construction job for the building of Cyberdyne in 2017.
• Pops is defensive about its age, insisting it is "old, not obsolete." When its deteriorating parts hinder its ability to hold bullets, it repeats this phrase to Kyle, who finishes it and chooses to hide Pops’ condition from Sarah.
• Pops is unique in that it is the only Terminator protector from the future who survives its film and accomplishes its mission.
• Like the original T-800 and the T-800 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Pops loses its left arm during the final battle. However, unlike the others, its arm is regrown using mimetic polyalloy.
• Pops also loses its skin sheath, similar to the T-850 in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, losing it twice—once in 1984 and again in 2017.
• Pops terminates two major Terminator enemies in the film: the T-1000 and the T-3000.
• Throughout the movie, Pops attempts to appear more human by smiling, notably during its mugshot scene. However, Kyle points out that the expression comes across as creepy instead. This smile is a nod to a deleted scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day where the T-800 mimics the same expression at John Connor's request.
• Pops’ 1973 appearance is reminiscent of the T-800 in The Terminator, especially during the West Highland Police Station shootout in 1984.
• The Terminator is often given nicknames throughout the series. In this film, Sarah Connor calls it "Pops," while police refer to it as "Lurch."
• During the final battle with the evil John Connor, Kyle uses Pops’ severed left arm to strike John, with Sarah providing support with a shotgun.
• At one point, Sarah tells Pops to "bite me," which it appears unfazed by. Later, after a driver yells at him in 2017, Pops delivers the same line to the driver.
• The idea of two CSM-101 Terminators fighting each other was initially considered for Terminator 2: Judgment Day but wasn’t used until Terminator Genisys.
• Pops works a construction job between 1984 and 2017, which may be a playful reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger's role as a construction worker in Total Recall (1990).

Dark Fate

• Carl identifies himself as a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 and is credited as a T-800.
• He is the first on-screen protagonist T-800 that was not reprogrammed.
• In a deleted scene, Carl is shown having developed a phone app.
• After the introduction of Pops, Carl becomes the second Terminator to successfully terminate John Connor on-screen, although he is the first to do so before John could become the leader of the Resistance.
• Following his initial encounter with Sarah Connor in 1998, Carl is left with a distinctive scar below his right eye.
• Carl is also the first T-800 on-screen to sport a beard, although he is not the first T-800 to have facial hair. Several T-800 units, including the original from The Terminator, have facial hair, with the most notable instance being visible stubble during the scene where the T-800 inspects the police station before its attack.
• The concept of a Terminator functioning as a father figure, watching TV, and drinking beer was previously explored in the Robot Chicken segment "Terminator Dad."
• Brett Azar, who served as the body double for both the first Terminator and the Guardian in Terminator Genisys (1973), returns to portray the body double for Carl's T-800 in 1998, with Arnold Schwarzenegger's facial likeness applied via CGI.
• Carl's name may be a reference to Carl Hauser, the protagonist villain and alter ego of Douglas Quaid, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1990 film Total Recall.
• Unlike Terminator Salvation and Terminator Genisys, which updated the Terminator’s HUD to a more modern design, Carl’s HUD remains consistent with that of the T-800 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
• Though Carl's endoskeleton is not fully revealed, it appears to be the same model used for T-800s in Terminator Genisys, as seen in the opening of Terminator: Dark Fate.

Sector War

• One of the missions in The Terminator RPG Campaign Book, Bad Block, is a loose adaptation of The Terminator: Sector War and names this Terminator unit as F755.R "Flasher." Since the RPG adaptation takes creative liberties, this information is not considered part of the main canon.
• Unlike most Terminators deployed by Skynet, this unit notably refrains from killing innocent people. For example:
  • Instead of using force, it simply asked a man in a phone booth for his clothes, and the man even helped it use the white pages.
  • When acquiring a weapon at a grocery store, it politely asked the clerk if he had any and even thanked him afterward.
  • It demanded the keys to a garbage truck but allowed the driver to leave unharmed.
  • It not only acknowledged Lucy’s strength, calling her formidable, but also directly told her its identity and the reason she was targeted.

• Though designated as a CSM-101 Infiltrator, this unit differs visually from the standard Model 101, featuring blonde hair instead of the usual Schwarzenegger-like appearance. This may be due to portrait rights issues. However, the second issue’s cover artwork depicts it resembling the classic Model 101 seen in the films.