Plot Summary

Nearly a decade after surviving an assassination attempt by a cyborg sent from the future, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) has become a hardened warrior, fully aware of the catastrophic destiny awaiting humanity. Despite her knowledge of Skynet and the coming machine apocalypse, Sarah is confined to a mental institution, deemed delusional by a world unwilling to believe her warnings.

From the future, Skynet dispatches its most advanced killing machine yet: the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a nearly indestructible Terminator made of liquid metal, capable of mimicking any human form. Its mission is clear—terminate John Connor (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the human resistance, while he is still a child.

In a desperate countermeasure, the resistance sends back a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Unlike his predecessor, this machine is assigned to protect John and rescue Sarah from captivity. An uneasy alliance forms between mother, son, and machine as they fight to stay ahead of the relentless T-1000.

United by a single goal, Sarah sets out to prevent Judgment Day itself. Their path leads them to Cyberdyne Systems, where scientist Miles Dyson (Joe Morton) is unknowingly laying the foundations for Skynet. Convincing Dyson to destroy his life’s work becomes humanity’s last hope to alter the future and avert total annihilation.