Terminator: Timeline Theories (3 of 4)

Terminator: Genisys

Abbreviations used are as follows: 

T1 = The Terminator (1984)

T2 = Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

T3 = Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

TS = Terminator: Salvation (2009)

TG = Terminator: Genisys (2015)

TDF = Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

JD = Judgment Day

TDE = Time Displacement Equipment

To summarize the previous two posts and the basic principles 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. In T3, John's opening narration refers to similar events on a parallel Timeline Prime due to a time ripple created by multiple time travel events. This parallel timeline has earlier dates for most events. But, JD still occurs on 29 August 1997 and 2029 is still the year of departure for the T-800 (or T-850) and Kyle destined for 1979 and the T-1000 and T-800 (or T-850) bound for 1993. T3 and TS are told on a branch from this parallel Timeline Prime. Read part one here and part two here.

TG begins on Timeline Prime. While Kyle Reese is in the time displacement field, Skynet embodied in the T-5000/Alex attacks John, creating a second branch from Timeline Prime. A time ripple causes a single change to the past on this branch and Sarah has been born a year earlier. But other things are not exactly as they once were, either. Kyle arrives in the 1984 of this second branch. A T-1000 had been sent to terminate Sarah in 1973 and the Guardian T-800, sent by an unknown entity, protects and raises her from that point forward. This new branch also includes its own loop. Three primary pieces of evidence for it are: 1) Sarah shares her father’s wisdom with a young Kyle about escaping in a straight line, the phrasing of which in turn convinces Sarah to time jump to 2017 instead of 1997; 2) Skynet/T-5000/Alex, sends the T-3000 it created from John to 2014 to ensure Genisys is created; and 3) Kyle tells his younger self, “Genisys is Skynet.” It is worth noting, Kyle can remember both branches, likely because he is in the time displacement field when the new one is created.

The top figure is an unlabeled, except where pertinent, Timeline Prime (P) and the T2 branch with the addition of the second branch (B). The bottom figure is an unlabeled parallel Timeline Prime with its T3/TS branch & loop.

For those who want to know how the dates were calculated: Onscreen dates establish both the time-travel origin date as 2029 and arrival as 1984 for the T-800 and Kyle. All other dates are established via dialog: T-1000 tells Kyle the date, 12 May 1984, Kyle states Sarah was 9 when the Guardian entered her life in conversation with her, she states this occurred in 1973, thus she was born in 1964, T-3000 states its arrival as 2014, and Kyle and Sarah discuss the destination year for their time jump as 2017.

 

To be concluded next week with part 4...