Terminator: Timeline Theories (4 of 4) (& Final Thoughts)
Terminator: Timeline Theories (4 of 4)
Terminator: Dark Fate (& Final Thoughts)
To
summarize the previous three 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. TG begins on Timeline Prime, but a second branch is created when the T-5000 attacks John while Kyle is in the time displacement field. A small ripple on the new branch causes Sarah to be born one year earlier than on Timeline Prime. Read part one here, part two here, and part three here.
TDF occurs on a third branch from Timeline Prime. While that is not the official canon and there is no onscreen evidence for this branch, I prefer to leave T2's hopeful future alone. I theorize the T-800 who terminates John is sent back by Skynet to 1995 more or less as Cyberdyne is destroyed, causing it to pass through to the new branch. This delay in arrival until after the T-1000's was Skynet's attempt to increase probability of success. I further theorize the Connors left L.A. shortly after and kept on the move, which is why it took three years for it to locate them in Guatemala, and shows their heightened mindfulness had become lax by then. Since the filmmakers expected sequels that are not likely, without the complete story one can only speculate. To that end, one unsatisfactorily explained occurrence is the arrival of the some ten terminators that Sarah destroyed between 1998 and 2020. For this, I theorize that a classified government project (let's call it Skynet) recovered Cyberdyne Systems research data, as on the T3/TS branch. Legion used this data to create terminators and secretly sent them back to various times to assassinate Dani instead of John as Sarah understandably presumes. It did this throughout the war, instead of waiting to see if the Resistance defeated it. The Rev series are further advancements of this technology, such as different materials and A.I. that is even more indistinguishable from human behavior. If any of 2020's events as depicted in TDF have any bearing on the creation of Legion, Rev units, or human augmentation technology, that is not explicit, since the T-800 with a conscience and the Rev-9 were destroyed. But, an inference might be made that the Rev-9's hacking security cameras and the drone may have caused cybersecurity concerns at high levels of government. The fate of Grace's deceased, augmented body is not clear, either. But, the film ends with Sarah taking Dani as an apprentice, the only definitive indication of a loop, and establishing a "double" one. The primary timeline with its loop must exist to make Sarah who she is, as does the branch in which Sarah helps shape Dani into who she becomes so that by 2042, is on the path to becoming mankind's savior.
The top figure is an unlabeled, except where pertinent, Timeline Prime (P) and the T2 branch with the addition of the third branch (C). The middle figure is an unlabeled TG branch, shifted downward so there is space to include the third branch and loop. The bottom figure is an unlabeled parallel Timeline Prime with its T3/TS branch & loops.
Final Thoughts: A) What began as a single inaugural post grew to four. This impresses upon my own self that the scale of these theories is so large due to no other reason than poor writing and/or lack of research. While not without flaws, the first two films have no reason for retconning. B) Something else I came to realize is the more time travel that occurs, the more Skynet/Legion seems to learn from itself and unlike humankind, seems to be aware of diverging branches. The arrivals in 1984, 1995 and 2020 (and the multiple events Sarah speaks of in TDF), cause no obvious time ripples (this covers T1, T2, and TDF). The first indication a ripple has occurred is during the events of TG, as Sarah was born a year earlier than on Timeline Prime. But the timeline and branch of T3/TS have several differences. Coupled with the fact that the T-X has been developed and is Skynet's assassin of choice really makes one ponder exactly how many times these events have occurred to the same result of the rogue A.I.'s fall, since it is the "anti-terminator terminator" which indicates reprogrammed terminators have been troublesome to them, probably past and present. This ripple effect is also likely the reason no terminators are sent back to kill Sarah's parents, grandparents, etc. Skynet realizes that a change too far back in the past may also cause it to be rendered nonexistent. C) I plan to add The Sarah Connor Chronicles in to the theory as a bonus post one day.
Next week...Reviews of the Terminator Threequels.
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