Cameron (Terminator)

Character concept

The character was named after Terminator film franchise creator James Cameron, whose original concept of Terminators as robotic infiltration units that could blend in with humanity was referenced by series creator Josh Friedman. Friedman introduced Cameron as the most advanced model, defined by its ability to mimic human behavior. The decision to make the character appear as a teenaged female with a small physical stature was influenced by James Cameron's infiltrator idea; consulting producer James Middleton noted that a beautiful, petite teenage girl would be an ideal infiltrator.

Cameron's background story was introduced in the season two episode "Allison from Palmdale", written by co-executive producer Toni Graphia. Graphia's conception was influenced by a scene Friedman originally wrote for actresses auditioning for the role, which detailed Cameron revealing to John how she came to find and kill him in the future after torturing a resistance fighter for information. Graphia fitted that scene's content into the episode, giving the resistance fighter a name—Allison Young—and adding the plot detail that Cameron's external appearance was based on that fighter.

Characteristics

The factory that built Cameron appears in "Heavy Metal," where she and the Connors follow a shipment of coltan, the metal used for Terminator endoskeletons. Her organic exterior is based on a captured human resistance fighter, Allison Young. In "Allison from Palmdale," the cyborg questions Allison about her life, John Connor's whereabouts, and her bracelet pass; after the interrogation, the Terminator kills Allison and plans to impersonate her in the resistance to kill John.

Later, the cyborg is captured and reprogrammed by John to become an ally, like the T-800 and T-850 in the second and third films and another Terminator in "Dungeons & Dragons." Flashbacks in that episode show John's uncle, Derek Reese, suspicious of Cameron. When a reprogrammed Terminator goes berserk and Cameron destroys it, she tells Derek that sometimes they malfunction for unknown reasons. In "Mr. Ferguson Is Ill Today," Cameron says she was the confidant of a lonely John Connor in the future.

Jesse, a rogue resistance fighter from the future, confirms their close bond in "Strange Things Happen at the One Two Point" and hints that the present-day Cameron might still be John's confidant twenty years later. In the pilot, Cameron explains she was sent from 2027 to 1999 by the future John Connor to protect him. In her original timeline, John had been orphaned since 2005 after Sarah died of cancer.

Reception

Summer Glau's performance as Cameron earned her the 2008 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television. That same year, she received two Teen Choice Award nominations for her work on the series, one for favorite action adventure television actress and another for favorite female breakout television star, and she was also up for the Saturn Award in the same category again in 2009. After the show's debut, an E! Online poll by columnist Kristin Dos Santos found that 60% of voters picked Glau as their favorite regular cast member.

Critics often singled her out as a highlight, with The Star-Ledger noting that she was the main reason to keep watching, and Zap2it.com calling her the standout in early episodes. IGN praised her portrayal of the human character Allison Young in season two, stating that the episode would have failed without her skill, and calling her terrific in showing raw emotion. Not all reviews were positive, however. Mark Wilson of About.com described Glau as "infinitely flat," saying her character seemed lobotomized.

Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle compared her look to a teenage Ally McBeal who might get beaten up by a wispy Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character Cameron herself drew a mixed reception. A Los Angeles Times reviewer found her humanity intriguing but limited, hoping it would enrich future stories. In another E!

Online poll, Cameron was voted the favorite Terminator model, taking 53% of the vote. Criticisms often targeted her inconsistent ability to act human. Marc Bernardin of Entertainment Weekly called her an "inconsistent machine," noting she navigated high school smoothly in the first episode but later showed a surprising lack of social awareness. Travis Fickett of IGN pointed out this shift as an unintended continuity problem that became a point of contention among fans.