Before I get into this, I will state that I love The Terminator movie. It is one of my all time favorite Sci-Fi movies and I am not trying to destroy or damage the movie in any way by analyzing the paradoxes that this movie contains.
However, it's a movie about Time Travel, and all Time Travel movies seem to create paradoxes within them, so let's have a look at what paradoxes The Terminator contains.
However, it's a movie about Time Travel, and all Time Travel movies seem to create paradoxes within them, so let's have a look at what paradoxes The Terminator contains.
Time Travel Paradoxes
Bootstrap Paradox - Something (object, idea, or information) exists without a true point of origin — it “bootstraps” itself into existence through a time loop.
Predestination Paradox (a causal loop) - An event in the future causes an event in the past, which in turn causes that future — everything happens in a self-consistent loop that can’t be changed.
Grandfather Paradox - A time traveler's actions in the past prevent their own existence or the reason for travelling, creating a logical contradiction.
Information / Knowledge Bootstrap - Information exists with no origin; knowledge from the future creates itself.
Bootstrap Paradox - Something (object, idea, or information) exists without a true point of origin — it “bootstraps” itself into existence through a time loop.
Predestination Paradox (a causal loop) - An event in the future causes an event in the past, which in turn causes that future — everything happens in a self-consistent loop that can’t be changed.
Grandfather Paradox - A time traveler's actions in the past prevent their own existence or the reason for travelling, creating a logical contradiction.
Information / Knowledge Bootstrap - Information exists with no origin; knowledge from the future creates itself.
The Terminator and Skynet's Origin - Bootstrap Paradox
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor being born and becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. Whilst trying to carry out its orders, The Terminator is destroyed and both Sarah Connor and John Connor survive. The smashed remains of The Terminator are found by Cyberdyne systems, the creator of both Terminator and Skynet technology, and from these remains, The Terminator and Skynet are developed.
In this case, the information on how to build a Terminator has no origin. It is developed in the past from technology sent from the future. In other words, no-one actually sat down and designed a terminator from scratch. Terminator and Skynet info comes from the future to the past. The info is used in the past to build terminator and Skynet in the future.
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor being born and becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. Whilst trying to carry out its orders, The Terminator is destroyed and both Sarah Connor and John Connor survive. The smashed remains of The Terminator are found by Cyberdyne systems, the creator of both Terminator and Skynet technology, and from these remains, The Terminator and Skynet are developed.
In this case, the information on how to build a Terminator has no origin. It is developed in the past from technology sent from the future. In other words, no-one actually sat down and designed a terminator from scratch. Terminator and Skynet info comes from the future to the past. The info is used in the past to build terminator and Skynet in the future.
John Connor Trained By Sarah Connor - Predestination Paradox
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor being born and becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. The Terminator fails and the knowledge about Johns future leads Sarah Connor to train John Connor to be a good military tactician and leader.
In this case, the only reason that John Connor is trained to be a good military tactician and leader is because The Terminator came back into the past and tried to kill his mother and also Kyle Reese stated to Sarah that John is the leader of the resistance. Had it not been for the terminator and Kyle arriving, John Connor would have been a regular schmo. Terminator arrives and tries to kill Sarah. Terminator Fails. Sarah trains John as Military leader. John attacks Skynet. Terminator sent back to kill Sarah.
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor being born and becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. The Terminator fails and the knowledge about Johns future leads Sarah Connor to train John Connor to be a good military tactician and leader.
In this case, the only reason that John Connor is trained to be a good military tactician and leader is because The Terminator came back into the past and tried to kill his mother and also Kyle Reese stated to Sarah that John is the leader of the resistance. Had it not been for the terminator and Kyle arriving, John Connor would have been a regular schmo. Terminator arrives and tries to kill Sarah. Terminator Fails. Sarah trains John as Military leader. John attacks Skynet. Terminator sent back to kill Sarah.
Terminate Sarah Connor - Grandfather Paradox
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future.
If The Terminator had been successful in killing Sarah Connor then John Connor would not have been born. If John Connor wasn't born then there would be no reason for Skynet to send back a terminator to kill Sarah Connor in the first place meaning that John Connor would have been born. (Head twister!)
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future.
If The Terminator had been successful in killing Sarah Connor then John Connor would not have been born. If John Connor wasn't born then there would be no reason for Skynet to send back a terminator to kill Sarah Connor in the first place meaning that John Connor would have been born. (Head twister!)
John, I AM YOUR FATHER (Sort of...) - Predestination Paradox
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. The resistance sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah from The Terminator. Kyle and Sarah have sex and John Connor is conceived.
THE BIG REVEAL - Skynet (By Its Actions) created its nemesis, John Connor! The only reason that Kyle Reese is sent into the past is to protect Sarah Connor from The Terminator who's mission it is to prevent John Connor ever being born. Whilst in the past, Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor have sex and Kyle becomes John Connors biological father and therefore Skynet's actions to prevent John Connor from being born cause John Connor to be conceived and born.
Premise - The Terminator is sent back by Skynet into the past to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor, in order to stop John Connor becoming the leader of the resistance and defeating Skynet in the future. The resistance sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah from The Terminator. Kyle and Sarah have sex and John Connor is conceived.
THE BIG REVEAL - Skynet (By Its Actions) created its nemesis, John Connor! The only reason that Kyle Reese is sent into the past is to protect Sarah Connor from The Terminator who's mission it is to prevent John Connor ever being born. Whilst in the past, Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor have sex and Kyle becomes John Connors biological father and therefore Skynet's actions to prevent John Connor from being born cause John Connor to be conceived and born.
Final Note
It's possible that without Skynet intervention, Sarah would have eventually met a guy, had a kid and maybe called it John. John may have been naturally gifted in tactics and leadership.
It's also possible that with time and enough technical knowhow, someone would have eventually invented from scratch, the intelligent CPUs that allow Skynet and the terminators to exist.
Maybe, just maybe... this is what happened to trigger the time loops that followed.
It's possible that without Skynet intervention, Sarah would have eventually met a guy, had a kid and maybe called it John. John may have been naturally gifted in tactics and leadership.
It's also possible that with time and enough technical knowhow, someone would have eventually invented from scratch, the intelligent CPUs that allow Skynet and the terminators to exist.
Maybe, just maybe... this is what happened to trigger the time loops that followed.
- John was a gifted guy born of Sarah and Mr. X.
- Skynet was a manmade AI that went out of control.
- John lead the resistance to defeat Skynet.
- Skynet sent a Terminator back in time to stop John being born.
- The resistance sent Kyle Reese back in time to protect John's mother.
- Kyle met Sarah before Mr X did.
Have I missed one? Probably... Feel free to point out my lack of attention to detail in the comments.
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