Terminator Zero, Netflix’s anime TV series set in the storied franchise’s universe, just did a much better twist onTerminator Genisys' evil John Connor plot seven years later. Developed by Mattson Tomlin (The Batman) and directed by animator Masashi Kudō (Bleach), the sci-fi action anime imbues familiar narrative beats from the pre-existingTerminatormovies and TV showswith a fresh approach to the franchise’s over-arching themes. Better yet,Terminator Zero’s cast of charactersis completely new.This smart decision helps to reinvigorate a franchise that otherwise recycles familiar characters, like John and Sarah Connor, and plot points.
WhileTerminator Zerois a novel approach to the series' lore, 2015’sTerminator Genisystried to be a more conventional reboot of the well-worn story. Human resistance leader John Connor (Jason Clarke), the all-important Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), resistance soldier Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 all figure intoGenisys. As in James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd’s 1984 classic, Sarah and Kyle are destined to be John’s parents. However, inGenisys' Skynet-alteredTerminatortimeline, Sarah has been raised by Schwarzenegger’s reprogrammed Terminator. Of course, that is far from the only questionable twist.
Terminator Zero’s Kenta Twist Is A Better “Evil John Connor” Than What Genisys Did
Kenta’s Hatred For Machines Prompts His Future Self To Try To Destroy Kokoro
Aside from pairing up a young Sarah Connor with a Terminator she calls “Pops,“Genysis' big twistinvolves an evil John Connor — a reveal that doesn’t work even half as well asTerminator Zero’s Kenta (Armani Jackson) twist. InGenysis' 2029 timeline,Skynet attacks John, infecting him with nanomachines that transform him into a T-3000 Terminator. A cyborg at his core, evil John Connor ensures that Skynet — known as Genysis in the movie’s 2017 timeline — is created.Terminator Zerotakes a much more satisfying approach to this sort of story, thanks to Kenta Lee.
Terminator Zero Has Broken The Plot Problem That Has Held The Franchise Back For 33 Years
Terminator Zero is adding some fresh ideas to the iconic sci-fi saga and has managed to break a recurring storytelling problem with the sequels.
InTerminator Zero, a scientist named Malcolm Lee (André Holland) createsKokoro, an AI that differs from Skynet. Unlike Skynet, Kokoro is imbued with free will, which Malcolm hopes will lead his creation to come to a different conclusion about whether humanity deserves to survive.Malcolm’s eldest son, Kenta, is fascinated with machines, though he also looks down on them. A few episodes beforeTerminator Zero’s ending, it’s revealed that Malcolm was born in the future, but that he traveled back in time to prevent Judgment Day with Kokoro’s help.
Kenta’s hatred for machines deepens when Malcolm puts Kokoro’s well-being over Kenta’s life.
In Malcolm’s opinion, only a machine can stop the endless cycle of violence perpetuated by the human vs. machine war. It’s an unpopular opinion in Malcolm’s own time, especially after his Kokoro forerunner, Misaki (Sumalee Montano), kills a battalion of resistance soldiers to protect Malcolm. When Kenta learns that Misaki, who’s been the family’s housekeeper, is actually a cyborg, he’s unwilling to trust her. Kenta’s hatred for machines deepens when Malcolm puts Kokoro’s well-being over Kenta’s life. Ultimately,the show’s main Terminator (Timothy Olyphant) reveals that he was sent back by a future Kenta to ensure Kokoro’s destruction.
Why Terminator Genisys’ Evil John Connor Didn’t Work
Genisys Complicates John Connor’s Story & Needlessly Muddles The Terminator Timeline
Terminator Genisys' evil John Connor plot twist doesn’t work for several reasons, butthe most glaring issue is that it complicates an already-muddled timeline.Terminator’s time travel rulesare confusing enough, butGenisyshas its characters jumping around multiple times. When Kyle travels back to the ’80s to protect Sarah from a Terminator, he’s overcome with memories of a life he didn’t lead, suggesting that Skynet has altered the timeline viewers know by creating a temporal paradox. This messy alteration can be traced to Skynet turning John Connor, humanity’s only hope, into a cyborg who helps instigate Skynet’s war.
Terminator Zero’s Huge Franchise Timeline Retcon Explained
Terminator Zero retcons the Terminator franchise’s lore and introduces at least three new timelines, arguably improving the movies in retrospect.
To stop Judgment Day, Kyle, Sarah, and Pops travel to 1997 before realizing that the apocalyptic event’s date has shifted to 2017. Again, this is all thanks to evil John Connor’s involvement in the creation of Genisys, the movie’s Skynet replacement. When John Connor infiltrates Cyberdyne Systems' facility to bring Genisys online, he winds up fighting Schwarzenegger’s Pops.Terminator 2: Judgment Daysuccessfully flips the scriptby turning the Terminator into John’s father figure, but, in its attempts to implement another bold twist,Terminator Genysisputs shock value first. This causes the John Connor twist, and the movie, to fail.
Terminator Zero Proves Terminator Doesn’t Always Need John & Sarah Connor
Netflix’s Terminator Anime Succeeds By Focusing On New Characters & Stories
Although the themes remain the same,Terminator Zeroexcels because it centers on new characters, proving that the franchise doesn’t need to focus solely on John and Sarah Connor. DespiteDark Fate’s best efforts,Netflix’sTerminatoranime is the best installmentthat’s come from the franchise in years. There’s just as much time travel and just as many timeline twists inZeroasGenisys, but the show is more intentional and thoughtful about its many threads. The strained relationship between Malcolm and Kenta is one example of howTerminator Zerotwists the human vs. machine story in harrowing new ways.
