Known for its android horror, The Terminator relied heavily on variations of the same killer robot. The T-800 has been the most common model in the franchise, with variations like the T-1000 and TX improving upon it. However, the T-800 has also been the preferred model in several Terminator comics. However, this framework proved to be limited, although it stands out in specific cases.
The Terminator #2 has the creative team of Declan Shalvey, David O'Sullivan, Colin Craker and Jeff Eckleberry. The series has been almost a collection of one-shots in each issue, with small connected stories in some but not all issues. This allowed the creative team to illuminate different areas of the world in the Terminator universe. Each story features iconic mechanical enemies chasing different, original characters in different situations. This pulp-style approach is a different shift for the franchise in recent years.
Terminator appears to be a flawed and ineffective methodology for Skynet
Inside The Terminator franchise, the machines always fail to reach their targets and eliminate them. The resilience of humans like Sarah Connor and her son John has proven successful against the mechanical enemy time and time again. The stealth methodology of infiltrating human society to kill them before John fights Skynet continually fails despite technological improvements in the Terminator models. Furthermore, there isn't much discretion in this considering the wave of violence that continually targets innocent bystanders or people who share similar names. It made me question how effective the Terminators really are.
In many ways, I found the T-800 particularly lacking in design. While it looks cool and can be very deadly as well as difficult to kill, it is far from the most effective machine Skynet has at its disposal. The machines have armies of drones and aviation that can reach John and Sarah – among other humans – from great distances. Given the machine's futuristic advancements, it's possible they could even avoid major detections by military systems in the past. This would allow effective elimination of targets without the need to be on the ground.
What I Expected From Skynet's Terminator Army
Given the T-800, T-1000, and TX's focus on having a humanoid exterior and the perceived stealth capabilities, I would have predicted this would be the machine's greatest asset. Since it can blend in with people, it has the potential to launch a series of targets to advance its goals of destroying humanity. Additionally, as it is able to adapt with stronger and improved technology, it seems like there would be a greater focus on stealth targeting, infiltration, or unexpected machines lurking around. It seems like it would have been easier to place deadly appliances in Sarah Connors' homes than to hunt down and eliminate them independently.
Against a cunning enemy, having the ability to face him with enhanced physical human qualities and your own adaptability gives the Terminators a powerful advantage over humanity.
Skynet clearly saw a value in a humanoid army that reflects human ingenuity in some respects, but the mistake it makes that ultimately prevents success seems to depend largely on human design. This may be due to limitations in his thinking ability, but he clearly uses a range of destructive machines, such as several Hunter-Killer (HK) units and Moto-Terminators. Limiting itself to Model Ts did not allow Skynet to achieve its goal of eliminating John Connor or preventing his birth. Incorporating a more stealthy approach or flight capability could have exponentially increased its chances of success.
The T-800 is deceptively efficient
The Terminator #2 features a soldier stationed in Vietnam when the North Vietnamese army arrives in the area, beginning the evacuation of American troops. A terminator arrives and takes on the image of a Vietnamese soldier, before attacking several humans. This includes a group in a tank, which the T-800 eliminates brilliantly using the tank's tracks as a projectile. While other Skynet machines are more effective at eliminating human threats, such as jets and other flying vehicles, they have less flexibility in many situations. Adaptability is a feature best possessed by the T-800, T-1000 and TX style models.
Despite having the ability to use stealth in humanoid forms Terminators rarely use it to its full potential. Often, paths of carnage are left in the wake of the killing machines, regardless of whether other humans are nearby or end up suffering collateral damage while pursuing a specific target. Although they blend in, allowing them to get close to their target, their real potential for stealth and sneaky elimination is not regularly realized. However, their overall versatility on the field, aided by their superior strength, is what makes them a truly terrifying threat.
I underestimated the Terminator's best asset
Skynet's available machine army possesses a large amount of weaponry and the ability to utilize human weapons effectively. However, being on the ground and being able to use your physical advantages to turn unorthodox items into weapons is a huge boost that I hadn't initially considered when contemplating the T-800's design, given its current results. Not everyone has the ability to destroy tanks and turn parts into weapons the way the T-800 has proven itself capable. Being able to utilize this adaptability, without knowing what a Terminator might face when he goes back in time, is a strength that should not be underestimated.
The strength of human beings, particularly in The Terminator franchise, lies in your ingenuity and determination to survive. Their thinking is less rigid than that of the Skynet machines. Against a cunning enemy, having the ability to face him with enhanced physical human qualities and your own adaptability gives the Terminators a powerful advantage over humanity. The Terminator #2 from Dynamite Comics is excellent at showing why the T-800 is actually very deadly and efficient when, in many cases and from certain angles, it looks like a jet would do the job much more quickly.