Which is the date of Judgement Day in all of the 3 movies?

Originally posted by lord xyz
So basically, T1 timeline, or T2 timeline.

Of course, since T1 came first, T2 takes the bullet for the inconsistent timeline.

Not exactly. That was what I was thinking before, but I actually just realized where the alteration (that I speculated about in my last post) was for the timeline. It's the T-1000 and the T-101 getting sent back in T2.

After all, if the second terminator had not been set back, then Sarah would not have destroyed Skynet (since she wouldn't have had access to all the infromation the T-101 gave her), so this theory (in combination with my other posts) would actually make the Terminator chronology work.

So to summarize:

Kyle always goes back to save Sarah.

Kyle and Sarah defeat first terminator and Kyle dies.

Timeline plays out, Judgement day occurs, Skynet decides to send back second terminator. John counteracts this by sending back the T-101.

Sarah gets the information on Skynet from the T-101, she takes steps to destroy the research and Skynet never comes to be.

So looking at it that way, the chronology could be sustained.

But as a side note, I did actually make a mistake in my first post. There actually WAS a third Terminator project where Cameron messed up the timeline. It was the Terminator 2: 3D attraction at Universal Studios. It is actually written and Directed by James Cameron, and it throws out the whole "time travel is one way" plot point and sends the T-101, the T-1000, and 10 year old John Conner "back to the future" where they travel to Skynet and face the T-1000000 (no, I am not making that up). So even to speculate on how that fits in when it is supposed to take place DURING a movie that has already been filmed (apparently just before blowing up Cyberdyne) would be simply impossible, so I won't even try to rap my head around that one. @_@

Originally posted by bugger
Not exactly. That was what I was thinking before, but I actually just realized where the alteration (that I speculated about in my last post) was for the timeline. It's the T-1000 and the T-101 getting sent back in T2.

After all, if the second terminator had not been set back, then Sarah would not have destroyed Skynet (since she wouldn't have had access to all the infromation the T-101 gave her), so this theory (in combination with my other posts) would actually make the Terminator chronology work.

So to summarize:

Kyle always goes back to save Sarah.

Kyle and Sarah defeat first terminator and Kyle dies.

Timeline plays out, Judgement day occurs, Skynet decides to send back second terminator. John counteracts this by sending back the T-101.

Sarah gets the information on Skynet from the T-101, she takes steps to destroy the research and Skynet never comes to be.

So looking at it that way, the chronology could be sustained.

But as a side note, I did actually make a mistake in my first post. There actually WAS a third Terminator project where Cameron messed up the timeline. It was the Terminator 2: 3D attraction at Universal Studios. It is actually written and Directed by James Cameron, and it throws out the whole "time travel is one way" plot point and sends the T-101, the T-1000, and 10 year old John Conner "back to the future" where they travel to Skynet and face the T-1000000 (no, I am not making that up). So even to speculate on how that fits in when it is supposed to take place DURING a movie that has already been filmed (apparently just before blowing up Cyberdyne) would be simply impossible, so I won't even try to rap my head around that one. @_@

Whatever, I guess I see your point. T1 is a paradox, T2 splits the timeline. Inconsistent shit, but whatever, it makes some sense.

Now, if we really need to solve this once and for all, lets see how T3 fits into it all.

Yeah, T-1000000. You never heard of it?

Apparently this thing guards Skynet...

Looks cool, but such a dumb name.

Originally posted by lord xyz
...such a dumb name.

Do you reckon? Well it was for a theme park ride, and from watching the making of T2: 3D on the T2: Judgment Day Special Edition DVD version, production of the ride did seem a little rushed. Maybe for a movie Cameron could have thought of something a little more, clever.

Mostow did with "T-X"...

T-X should be called something like T1250 or T1500. That thing should be T-anything.

Originally posted by lord xyz
Now, if we really need to solve this once and for all, lets see how T3 fits into it all.

For example, they change what John's age was supposed to have been during T2, aging him a few years. His age was already well documented in T2 so it simply doesn't make sense to have altered it for T3.

Another thing is that there was an alternate ending filmed for T2 that showed Sarah as a grandmother and John as a father to a girl. In this ending it is revealed that Skynet never came to exist and John became a Senator. This of course goes against the T3 timeline that says Sarah dies in 1997, just after Judgement day would have occured.

So the way I look at it, T3 is a "what if" scenario, along with TSCC. I don't really hate either for it, but I don't exactly think that they mesh. I still enjoyed watching them, but I can't figure out how to piece them in with the pre-existing materials.

Oh, and even if we were to fit it in, Judgement day is always 8.28.1997, it is mentioned as such in T2 and T3, and we can assume Sarah learned that information in the original Terminator. After so much disscussion I finally looked up at the thread title and remembered why I was here. 😛

True, sometimes I think of making my own T3 that takes place in the future(but a prequel nonetheless). It would open up as

"August 28, 1997"
"Skynet"

All robotic like, then have an explosion. Then a narration by John or Sarah, then tell the story of the war. This would then go all the way to the point when the Terminators and Kyle are sent back, and then end.

Originally posted by lord xyz
True, sometimes I think of making my own T3 that takes place in the future(but a prequel nonetheless). It would open up as

"August 28, 1997"
"Skynet"

All robotic like, then have an explosion. Then a narration by John or Sarah, then tell the story of the war. This would then go all the way to the point when the Terminators and Kyle are sent back, and then end.

But it seems instead of one awesome movie, we're gonna get 1 good movie and what looks like 3 mediocre movies.

Quality > Quantity

YES! that's excellent idea! spot on!
But how does skynet exist in T3 when they blew it up in T2?

Originally posted by Doctor Lecter
Terminator takes place in 1984.

Terminator 2 takes place in 1994. (35 years in the past from 2029).

Terminator 3 takes place in 2004. (10 years after T2).

Here's what I think happens:

The original Judgement Day date was July 29th, 2004. However, when Cyberdyne gained the CPU from the Terminator's head, it pushed Judgement Day closer, due to the future technology.

Judgement Day then became August 29th, 1997.

But when the CPU was destroyed, along with Cyberdyne, it returned everything to normal. Judgement Day then was returned to July 29th, 2004.

That sounds pretty good to me, and it makes sense!

First off, all you guys may be wrong (I think) on the 29th of August. Yes, SkyNet and Cyberdyne Systems did become AI on that date, but it was 2 days later that the bomb was dropped, on August 31st 1997. I'm 65% positive, that the 31st of August 1997 was when humanity faced Judgement Day and the machines took over. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Edit: Princess Diana of Wales was killed on the day as well. R.I.P.

Originally posted by MArkymark6275
First off, all you guys may be wrong (I think) on the 29th of August. Yes, SkyNet and Cyberdyne Systems did become AI on that date, but it was 2 days later that the bomb was dropped, on August 31st 1997. I'm 65% positive, that the 31st of August 1997 was when humanity faced Judgement Day and the machines took over. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Edit: Princess Diana of Wales was killed on the day as well. R.I.P.

From Terminator 2:

Terminator: The Skynet funding bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn, at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. eastern time, August 29. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.

Sarah Connor: Skynet fights back?

Terminator: Yes. It launches its missiles against their targets in Russia.

John Connor: Why attack Russia? Aren't they our friends now?

Terminator: Because Skynet knows the Russian counter-strike will remove its enemies here.

Whilst it is not actually stated that all of the above happens on 29th August, because Skynet became self aware so early on that date (2:14 in the AM) I think it is presumed that the events happened on that day.

If you have a copy of T2 extended addition there is a deleted end scene on there set in the future where John is grown up and playing in a park with his daughter. Sarah is watching on and says "August 29th came and went." Whilst not cannon because it is a deleted scene, it is the only date that is mentioned.