Terminator: Timeline Theories (2 of 4)
Terminator: Timeline Theories (2 of 4)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | Terminator: Salvation
To summarize the previous post and the basic principle behind my Terminator Timeline Theory, I propose T1 is told on a Timeline Prime, and T2 starts on it. This Timeline Prime contains a loop which means Kyle Reese always fathered John, the 1984 T-800 wreckage was always Cyberdyne's source of technology to develop Skynet and Sarah's knowledge of the future always motivated her to train John. When the Connors and T-800 meet the Dysons during the events of T2, it creates the first branch from the primary timeline. Points in time exist simultaneously, so branching from Timeline Prime does not cease it to exist, but the new branch does not contain the future of Timeline Prime. View the full post here.
Since it becomes most relevant at this point, here are a couple of notes on my methodology: First, only what is explicitly stated and/or shown in the films or anything that can be inferred directly from them is considered. In other words, I am aware there are novels and comics, but should not have to read them to watch a movie properly. Second, in exception to the first note, due to recast parts, some characters have radically different physical appearances (Nick Stahl and Christian Bale as John, as an example). I am only considering that the timeline fits and ignoring this real-world circumstance.
T3 introduces an additional concept, the time ripple. An unknown number of
time travel events has caused a ripple that created a parallel Timeline
Prime. This is evidenced by the earlier birth date on Sarah Connor's crypt and John Connor stating his age as 13 the second time Skynet made an
attempt on his life in the opening narration. (John was 10 during T2, portrayed by then 13 year old Edward Furlong.) In turn, this means earlier
dates for the events that played out similarly to T1 and T2, though JD
still occurs on 29 August 1997. When Cyberdyne was taken out, a branch was created off the parallel Timeline Prime. The T-X always ensured Skynet's creation likely by corrupting the original application through its nanotechnological transjector ability and the T-850 was always responsible for both John and Kate's reconnecting, leading to their marriage, and survival. It is worth noting John's knowledge is from the events of the parallel Timeline Prime, though it still serves him well.
There is sufficient evidence to support that TS occurs on the
same branch as T3. Marcus Wright is approached by Dr. Serena Kogan in 2003 to
donate his body after execution to Cyberdyne Systems. Marcus was
executed and the U.S.A.F. purchased Cyberdyne Systems in rapid
succession (Dr. Kogan also succumbed to her cancer around the same time), leaving a year to a year and a half to complete development of Skynet and implement before JD on 25 July 2004. The main story of TS occurs in 2018, leaving Skynet fourteen years to develop and deploy Hydrobots, Moto-Terminators, Transporters, the Harvester, T-600s, and the newly developed T-800, the latter ahead of schedule, according to, again, John's knowledge from the parallel Timeline Prime before it branched.
Again, with the crude diagrams: The top figure is an unlabeled Timeline Prime and the T2 branch, and the bottom one is the parallel Timeline Prime (PP) with its branch (PA) & loop.
For those who want to know how the dates were calculated: In T3, the T-850 arrives late at night, and its HUD shows its arrival date as 24 July 2004. It tells John and Kate the next day that JD will occur less than three hours later. In the opening narration, John refers to the events of T1 and T2, indicating they had occurred in some fashion, the latter when he was 13. He tells the T-850 Cyberdyne was destroyed as in T2, over ten years prior. No objection is made to the dates on Sarah's crypt. TS, of course, identifies both years onscreen.
To be continued next week with part 3...
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