T-1000 - Description

Description

In the Terminator 2 storyline, the T-1000 is made of "liquid metal". Schwarzenegger's character explains that the T-1000 is a more advanced Terminator, composed entirely of a mimetic metal alloy, rendering it capable of rapid shapeshifting, near-perfect mimicry and rapid recovery from damage. Furthermore, it can use its ability to quickly liquify and assume forms in innovative and surprising ways, including fitting through narrow openings, morphing its arms into solid metal tools or bladed weapons, walking through prison bars, and flattening itself on the ground to hide or ambush targets. The T-1000 also had the ability to extrude small, simple items from itself. For example, it created a motorcycle helmet and a pair of sunglasses when these items were necessary for its disguise (the motorcycle cop disguise is used for the T-1000 action figure). The T-1000 can also change its color and texture to simulate flesh, clothing, and other nonmetallic materials. It is capable of accurately mimicking voices as well, including the ability to extrapolate a relatively small voice sample to generate any words or inflections it requires. However, its morphing abilities were limited by complexity or mass. For this reason the T-1000 could not transform into complex machines like guns or bombs, and was forced to hollow itself out when impersonating large men.

Like all Terminators, the T-1000 possess superhuman strength. It was shown to be capable of overpowering the T-800 in hand to hand combat, despite its more slender frame and lack of mass compared to its predecessor. It could also run fast enough to catch up to a speeding police car, although at times it would drive vehicles if it required further speed.

The T-1000 is effectively impervious to mechanical damage, such as being dismembered, shot with bullets, or attacked with explosive devices. Wounds close almost immediately, and any detached parts simply flow back into the T-1000's body. In T:2, this Terminator was even frozen using liquid nitrogen and shattered, but the pieces simply flowed back together after thawing. Temperature-based attacks are effective, but temporary. Low temperatures can cause the liquid metal to freeze, which inhibits its ability to move or shapeshift. High temperatures degrade its ability to maintain a disguise; after emerging from a burning truck, the T-1000 appeared in its default liquid-metal state and was only able to reestablish its policeman disguise after cooling for several seconds. Only extremely high temperatures, such as molten steel used in the finale of T:2, are capable of disassociating its molecular structure and permanently destroying it.

The Special Edition DVD release contains additional scenes in the steel foundry showing that the effects of being frozen and shattered caused the T-1000 to glitch, causing its extremities to morph and match into its surroundings against the T-1000's will (such as its hand latching on and taking on the metallic texture and caution striping of a guardrail). In the Special Edition, this glitch is what enabled John Connor to see through its ruse when it impersonated his mother. The DVD also contains a Deleted Scene where the T-1000 uses its hands to "scan" John Connor's bedroom for genetic and psychological information, including DNA, an ability it may have in common with the T-X.

The T-1000 and T-1001 often attempt to accomplish their goals by subterfuge instead of brute force. For example, in Terminator 2, it disguises itself as a police officer to gain trust, access information, and provide a benign appearance. It also imitates family members of its human target to gain that person's confidence. In fact, the T-1000 is able to pass as human, possessing a larger repertoire of emotional expression and interpersonal skills than earlier Terminator models. In one scene in Terminator 2, disguised as a police officer, it holds a conversation with John Connor's foster parents in an attempt to learn Connor's location. It is also capable of exploiting the emotions of its targets, as in the steel foundry when it tortured Sarah Connor to call out for her son, anticipating that she would respond accordingly. In addition, it is able to express fear or pain, demonstrated when the T-1000 gives a brief look of shock after the T-800 shoots a grenade into its stomach, and when it writhes in agony after falling into a vat of molten metal. Occasionally it showed hints of sadism, such as when it killed John's adopted father for interrupting its conversation, then killing John's dog because it was barking at him.

The T-1000 did have weaknesses compared to the T-800. Although both types were impervious to small arms fire, the T-1000 frequently suffered knockback which delayed its pursuit efforts, while the T-800 had a sturdier frame.