T-800
A machine built to kill that learned the value of a soul.
The T-800 is a cybernetic infiltration unit built by Skynet for surveillance and assassination. It is a cyborg with a hyperalloy combat chassis covered in living tissue, designed to blend in with humans. In the Terminator 2 DVD commentary, James Cameron states that all Model 101s look like Schwarzenegger, which led to fan speculation that the 101 refers to the physical appearance while the 800 refers to the endoskeleton common to many models. First appearing as the titular antagonist in the 1984 film The Terminator, the character has been portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger across multiple sequels, sometimes as a protagonist and other times as an antagonist. The T-800 is Schwarzenegger's best-known role and gave rise to the catchphrases "I'll be back" and "Hasta la vista, baby."
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- Uncle Bob (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, T2)
- Guardian, Pops (Terminator Genisys)
- Carl (Terminator: Dark Fate)
- First
- The Terminator (1984)
- Last
- Terminator Zero (2024)
- Creator
- James Cameron; Gale Anne Hurd
- Voice
- Mark Moseley (The Redemption)
- Chris Cox (Mortal Kombat 11)
- Timothy Olyphant (Terminator Zero)
- Species
- Cyborg/Artificial intelligence (human tissue-grafted robotic endoskeleton)
- Gender
- Male human tissue exterior
- Series
- Terminator
Lore & Background
Born from Skynet's need to infiltrate human resistance cells, the T-800 is a successor to the T-600 series, which had artificial rubber skin and was easily spotted. The T-800's living tissue exterior—flesh, skin, hair, blood—makes it the first model capable of blending in with humans. Despite this, dogs can detect them by becoming agitated and barking loudly. The Terminator's CPU is an artificial neural network with the ability to learn and adapt; in the original film, it learns how to swear from a group of punks it encounters.' In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the character states, "The more contact I have with humans, the more I learn." A deleted scene from Terminator 2, restored in the Special Edition, has the character say that Terminators are set to read-only by Skynet to prevent them from "thinking too much."
Reader's Guide
The T-800 is the most recognizable model in Skynet's arsenal, serving as both antagonist and protagonist across the film series. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Schwarzenegger's Terminator is the main protagonist. In Terminator Genisys and Terminator: Dark Fate, it is a supporting protagonist, pitted against other Terminators. In Terminator Salvation and Dark Fate, it appears briefly as an antagonist. The character's physical appearance—sunglasses, leather jacket, Austrian accent—is iconic. The faint red glow of its eyes indicates it is online; the lack of glow shows it is out of action. The Terminator can operate for 120 years on its power cell, as stated in the second film. In the third film, it runs on two hydrogen fuel cells that explode with enough force to produce a small mushroom cloud when damaged.
Origins and Physical Design
The T-800, frequently designated as the Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, is a successor to the T-600 series. Unlike the T-600's artificial rubber skin, the T-800 has a hyperalloy combat chassis covered in living tissue—flesh, skin, hair, blood—grown for the cyborg. This allows it to blend in with humans. The endoskeleton is actuated by hydraulic servomechanisms, providing superhuman strength. The skin can age and heal itself over time. In the future war sequences, armies of skinless T-800 endoskeletons are used as soldiers rather than infiltrators. Dogs can detect T-800s by becoming agitated and barking loudly. The Terminator can withstand normal 20th century firearms, crash through walls, and survive explosions. Repeated shotgun blasts can knock it down, and heavy automatic fire can compromise its organic disguise. It continues functioning even after losing limbs.
Evolution from Antagonist to Protector
First appearing as the titular antagonist in James Cameron's 1984 film, the Terminator was sent back from 2029 to kill Sarah Connor. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Schwarzenegger's Terminator serves as the main protagonist. In Terminator Genisys (2015) and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), it is a supporting protagonist. In Terminator Salvation (2009) and Dark Fate, it appears briefly as an antagonist. The plot device of having various robots looking the same provides continuity by exploiting emotional familiarity with a particular "human" visage associated with each model. The Terminator title is also used generically for other human-simulating characters, such as the liquid-metal T-1000 in Judgment Day.
Cultural Iconography and Legacy
The Terminator is Schwarzenegger's best-known role, resulting in two catchphrases: "I'll be back" from the first film and "Hasta la vista, baby" from the second. The character is typically depicted wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket. Another persistent trait is the faint red glow of the "eyes" when the cyborg is online; the lack of the glow shows when one is out of action. The Terminator has an Austrian accent but can also copy the voice of others. The term "Terminator" is used as a generic name for other human-simulating characters in the franchise, such as the liquid-metal T-1000.
More in Characters & Terminators
Elsewhere in The Terminator
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