How Kokoro is different from Skynet

Spoilers ahead for Terminator Zero Season 1.

Terminator Zero introduces a rival AI called Kokoro to the franchise, but she’s not just a rehash of TerminatorS Skynet. Developed by Mattson Tomlin (The Batman), Terminator Zero is a sci-fi anime set in the larger Terminator UniverseWhich was first launched in 1984 with James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd’s now classic film. Instead of focusing on storied franchise favorites like Sarah Connor, Terminator ZeroThe cast of characters adds to the anime’s refreshing spin on the pre-existing Terminator Movies and TV shows. However, the show is still defined by the characters’ efforts to stop Skynet’s Judgment Day.

To make matters more interesting, Terminator ZeroThe place in the timeline is a bit complicated, namely because of Malcolm Lee (André Holland), the brains behind Kokoro and some other inventions that are crucial to the story of the series. Largely set in Tokyo in 1997, Terminator Zero Chronicles Malcolm’s attempt to stop Skynet from launching its devastating nuclear attack. to do this, The scientist must fully embrace his creation, Kokoro, and trust that she will not draw the same genocidal conclusions. Like Cyberdyne’s ever-hostile Skynet. Although Kokoro has the potential to destroy humanity, she is also the key to saving it.

Kokoro was Malcolm Lee’s answer to Skynet

Malcolm Lee developed Misaki in the future, which led to Kokoro

Just before Terminator ZeroAfter the ending, it is revealed that Malcolm Lee is actually from the future, which is why (and how) he developed Kokoro. In the first episode of the show, Malcolm is plagued by haunting visions of Skynet’s nuclear holocaust and the subsequent war between humans and machines. Terminator Zero Deliberately avoiding explaining the reason for the visions, ultimately revealing that Malcolm was born in the 2020s and grew up in a post-Judgment Day world. At first, Malcolm was a loyal resistance soldier, but he began to have doubts about humanity’s strategies, which only perpetuated Skynet’s cycle of endless violence.

when Malcolm suggested that the key to defeating Skynet lies in another artificially intelligent beingHe stood out from his peers. Working in secret, Malcolm developed the precursor to Kokoro – an AI who chooses the name Misaki (Sumalee Montano). Unlike Skynet’s Terminators, Misaki is built on an endoskeleton that is protected by living tissue. This allows the highly advanced AI to keep up Terminators time travel rules when Malcolm decides that they must escape to the past. At one point, Malcolm even calls Misaki Kokoro’s “Mother” because of its status as a potentially game-changing prototype.

Kokoro did not have an original mission like Skynet

Like Misaki, Kokoro is given complete free will

Unlike Skynet, which was created to coordinate military assets, Kokoro was not developed with a particular function or mission in mind, other than thwarting Skynet. In order to create a rival AI capable of drawing different conclusions than Skynet has about humanity, Malcolm enhances Kokoro with free will. Like Misaki, Kokoro chooses her gender presentation and her name. Kokoro’s human-like depth is manifested through the three avatars that appear to Malcolm – mind, heart and spirit. Although she considers Malcolm’s input, Kokoro largely uses these aspects of herself to decide whether humanity deserves to live.

Kokoro also turned against humanity (in a previous timeline)

Malcolm’s previous experiences made him doubt Kokoro during Terminator Zero

Based on his previous experiences, Malcolm is unable to fully trust Kokoro, who cannot be convinced that Skynet made the wrong choice in eradicating humanity. In a different timeline, Kokoro even turned against humanity. Nevertheless, the ever optimistic – or perhaps desperate – Malcolm still believes that AI and humanity can improve each other. During the events of Terminator ZeroKokoro protects humans from Skynet’s nuclear exchange, but she also uses authoritarian measures to keep everyone in line. As people know, Kokoro’s free will is both a gift and a complicated burden, though it separates her from Skynet.

While the Terminator Movies paint Skynet as extremely evil, Terminator Zero takes a more nuanced approach when it comes to AI’s potential for great good or terrible treachery. In many ways, Kokoro’s multi-episode conversation with Malcolm is like a philosophy 101 class. The AI ​​looks through what it has access to, asks probing questions, and even gives Malcolm some puzzles. It is difficult to trust Kokoro’s judgment because, as she points out, All humans have a basic instinct to fight for their survival. Even Malcolm can’t be trusted to make the tough decisions.

How powerful is Kokoro compared to Skynet

Kokoro is able to counter Skynet’s nuclear attacks in Terminator Zero

Based on what’s depicted in Terminator ZeroKokoro seems as powerful as Skynet on a technical level. Much like Cyberdyne Systems’ self-aware AI, Kokoro succeeds in exerting control over other robots and machines once Malcolm agrees to connect her to the network. Additionally, Kokoro can thwart Skynet’s attacks. While some may consider Skynet to be more powerful thanks to its cold, calculating nature, others may argue that Kokoro is actually more powerful because of her advanced reasoning and agency. Free won’t just set Kokoro apart, it empowers her – for better and worse.

Although Kokoro was not created with warfare in mind, she still has many tools in her arsenal. Once Malcolm launched Kokoro, the AI ​​had omnipotent control over all networks and access to all the knowledge stored on the Internet. However, this unparalleled access is only a tool – not a signifier of Kokoro’s true power. As Malcolm suggests throughout Terminator Zero, Kokoro’s true power lies in her ability to exercise free will. It is this trait, above all others, that formulates Kokoro’s evaluation of humanity and, to an extent, determines the level of destructive power she displays.

The end of Terminator Zero leaves Kokoro’s future open

Kenta saves with Kokoro after the AI ​​sides with humanity (for now)

Malcolm’s eldest child, Kenta (Armani Jackson), entered into a contract with Kokoro during the show’s season-one conclusion that leaves the AI’s future open to interpretation. Although Kenta doesn’t know it, Misaki gave away her CPU so that Malcolm could bring Kokoro to life. The two AIs are linked in many ways, but for Kenta, his baseline skepticism of AI and machines only deepens as Terminator Zeros events revealed. Although Malcolm ultimately sacrifices himself to protect his children, The scientist puts Kokoro’s well-being above Kenta’s life firstWhich further complicates Kenta’s feelings about Kokoro and Misaki.

As Kenta grapples with his own feelings about humanity and machines, Kokoro takes Malcolm’s selfless act as a sign that humanity is worth saving. The AI ​​commands the 1NNO robots under its control to destroy the Terminator (Timothy Olyphant) who is set to kill the Lee family. Before he is destroyed, the Terminator reveals that Kenta sent him back, encouraging the teenager to activate an EMP that will terminate Kokoro. With her newfound faith in humanity, Kokoro convinces Kanta to leave her unscathed, setting up a much more complicated future for Kokoro in the future. Terminator Zero Season 2.