In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator is making a comeback and it’s even better now that Terminator Zero has successfully addressed the franchise’s biggest issue.
Despite the underwhelming sequels Genisys and Dark Fate, which were released in 2015 and 2019, respectively, the fact that the property still has energy is quite remarkable. Despite being critically panned and under-performing at the box office, these sci-fi movies posed a threat to give Skynet the upper hand once and for all.
Unfortunately, Netflix and Production IG joined forces for Terminator Zero, an anime series that deviates from the original storyline of Sarah and John Connor in the United States. The setting has shifted to Japan, where Skynet seeks to eliminate a rising AI competitor named Kokoro.
One of the top anime of the year, Zero is also the most impressive Terminator production since The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This is largely due to its ability to steer clear of the confusing narrative of previous installments. However, instead of disregarding the multiple sequels, Zero provides a satisfying explanation for the events that have taken place.
Terminator is an unending time-war
Until now, we have witnessed both Skynet and the human resistance continuously sending soldiers back in time in a never-ending battle to outdo each other. The main objective of the artificial intelligence is to eradicate the Connor family, as their son John is destined to lead the rebellion against the machines. Meanwhile, future John persists in sending back reinforcements to intercept these assassins.
It appeared that time-travel operated under the belief that there was one sole timeline that they were trying to manipulate, whether it was to initiate alterations or prevent them. Up to this point, humanity’s defense has successfully stood strong (let’s hear it for the team!).
However, this has led to a chaotic time-war that has become completely nonsensical. While The Terminator and T2: Judgment Day maintained a certain level of coherence, Rise of the Machines, Genisys, and Dark Fate have pushed the action genre into a convoluted and unfixable state. Salvation, on the other hand, stays clear of this confusion by focusing on adult John in his fight against the machines.
John has been the target of several assassination attempts, one of which was successful. In addition, there have been numerous T-models involved. The timeline has become increasingly complicated, as plans for a Genisys trilogy were abandoned, leaving behind even more unresolved plot points.
Zero Addresses the Nonsensical Timeline
In a monologue, Terminator Zero discusses the concept of traveling back to a previous year. The Prophet clarifies the significance of Eiko’s decision to travel to 1997 to locate Malcolm Lee before the new T-machine does.
In Episode 6, ‘Model 6′, she explains that time moves in a straightforward manner. However, time travel takes you to a previous moment, not the exact moment you are seeking.
Eiko seeks clarification on whether traveling back entails entering another timeline, and The Prophet confirms that this is indeed the case. The Prophet elaborates, stating that the destination in time and the origin are distinct timelines.
Every time a person has traveled through time using a time machine, they have essentially exchanged one reality for another. The process is far from precise, and we are simply navigating through the unpredictable chaos it brings.
Terminator is actually a multiverse (sort of)
Thus, once an individual travels to the past, the future they originated from is erased and they have the opportunity to shape a new future with their actions. Terminator has evolved into a multiverse, but at this point, there is no overlap between the various timelines.
Despite its advanced technology, Skynet has not yet managed to uncover these facts. The AI remains oblivious to the paradoxes present in all of its dispatched assassins, relying solely on its survival instinct and the data at hand. As The Prophet puts it, Skynet is “unaware of the truth”.
Each installment of The Terminator franchise, including T2 and Rise of the Machines, stands on its own as a present moment, unaffected by the future that the T-800, T-1000, or any other entity originates from. This concept may be difficult to grasp, but the crucial aspect is that every sequel revolves around a unique battle over Judgment Day and its aftermath.
The poetic explanation manages to make sense of Terminator’s convoluted internal logic, shedding light on the chaotic garbage heap it has become. This revelation adds a touch of rationality to the chaos, revealing that Skynet is limited by its reliance on imperfect information. As an AI, it is only capable of regurgitating data and lacks the ability to analyze, hypothesize, or reason with it.
The outcome of what is to come remains uncertain. The conclusion of Terminator Zero hints at the possibility of another season, despite James Cameron’s long-standing intentions to revisit his iconic franchise. As The Prophet predicted, the future is in our hands to determine.
One thing is certain: I have no intention of rewatching Dark Fate or Genisys. If you’re looking for an anime that’s less complex, be sure to check out our guides on Dandadan and Dragon Ball Daima.
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