The Terminator

TERMINATOR TIME
BY RICK BENTLEY
rbentley@fresnobee.com
James Cameron first introduced the killing
machine from the future in the 1984
feature film “The Terminator” and since
then there has been a flow of sequels and
spinoffs, including a TV series, amusement
park attraction and comic books. The
latest film, “Terminator Genisys,” opened
Wednesday, July 1.
Because the story has always dealt with
time travel, keeping up with time elements
can be tricky. We put together this timeline,
which overlays real-life events with key dates
from the Terminator universe, to help.
The T-800
(Model 101)
(Arnold
Schwarzenegger)
is sent back to
protect a 9-yearold Sarah Connor
from the T-1000
in “Terminator
Genisys.”
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
turns 40.
Now Comics releases
first “Terminator”
comics.
When events in the TV
show “Terminator: The
Sarah Connor Chronicles” start taking place.
This means nothing that
happens in “Terminator
3” has occurred.
T2 3-D: Battle Across
Time” attraction opens at
Universal Studios Florida.
T2 3-D: Battle Across Time
attraction opens at Universal
Studios Hollywood.
Sarah Connor dies
from Leukemia.
In “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” John
Connor (Nick Stahl) is a 19-year-old living off the
grid after his mother’s death. That doesn’t stop
the T-X (Kristanna Loken) from finding him.
Connor and Kate Brewster (Claire Danes) are
saved by the Terminator but the world doesn’t
fare as well.
Arnold Schwarzenegger takes office on Nov. 17
as the 38th Governor of California.
Death row criminal Marcus Wright (Sam
Worthington) donates his body to research,
a key point in the 2009 release
“Terminator Salvation.”
Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s
term as Governor
is terminated on
Jan. 3.
In “Terminator
Salvation,” John Connor
(Christian Bale) deals
with a new half-man,
half robot enemy. He
confronts one of these
creatures in the form
of Marcus Wright (Sam
Worthington), who was
supposed to have died
six years earlier. Kyle
Reese (Anton Yelchin)
make his first
appearance in his own
time period.
FOX pulls the plug on
‘Terminator: The
Sarah Connor
Chronicles” on
May 18.
IDW Publishing
launches
‘Terminator:
Salvation Movie
Prequel.”
In “Terminator
Genisys,” Kyle
Reese (Jai
Courtney) and
Sarah Connor
(Emilia Clarke) try
to stop the launch
of a computer
program known as
Genisys that will
become Skynet.
This is when
events in
“Terminator
Salvation”
begin to unfold.
1947
1973
1984
1987
1988
1990
1991
1994
1995
1996
1997
1999
2001
2003
2007
2008
2009
2011
2012
2015
2017
2018
2027
2029
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
born.
In “The Terminator,”
Kyle Reese (Michael
Biehn) is sent from the
future to stop a
cyborg (Arnold
Schwarzenegger) from
killing Sarah Connor
(Linda Hamilton).
Oops. The rescue
mission creates a time
paradox when Reese
fathers the baby
Connor is not
supposed to have.
Dark Horse Comics launches “The Terminator: Tempest.”
When the
events in
“Terminator
2” are supposed to be
happening.
In “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” as promised,
the Terminator is back. This time he must save
Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and John
Connor (Edward Furlong) from the T-1000
(Robert Patrick).
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
turns 50.
T2 3-D: Battle Across Time attraction opens at
Universal Studios Japan.
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
turns 60.
“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” the TV series on FOX,
starts. In it, Sarah (Lena Headey) and 15-year-old John (Thomas
Dekker) Connor, who were sent from 1995 to 2007, try to stay one
step ahead of a T-888 (Garret Dillahunt) with the help of the female
Terminator, Cameron (Summer Glau) and Derek Reese (Brian Austin
Green), the older brother of Kyle Reese. It’s a future John Connor
who sends Derek Reese back to 1995.
T2 3-D: Battle
Across Time”
attraction closes
at Universal
Studios
Hollywood.
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
would turn 70.
Arnold
Schwarzenegger
would turn 80.
Kyle Reese and The Terminator are sent back to
1984 in both “The Terminator” and “Terminator
Genisys.” This is because Skynet is leading an attack against the human race.
“Terminator Genisys” has Kyle Reese (Jai
Courtney) in a different timeline where he must
work with Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and an
aging Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
The action starts again in 2029 and goes back
to 1984.
For more on “Terminator Genisys,” see Rick Bentley’s interview
with Arnold Schwarzenegger and “Genisys” director Alan Taylor in
The Fresno Bee’s 7 section on Friday, July 3, and read the review at
www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews.
Rick Bentley: (559) 441-6355, @RickBentley1