Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Ending Explained

The central twist of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is the role reversal of the T-800. In the first film, the T-800 was the antagonist, a relentless killing machine. In the sequel, an identical T-800 is sent back as a protector for John Connor. The opening act of the film plays on the audience's expectation, with both the T-800 and the T-1000 searching for John, leaving the audience to wonder which is the hero and which is the villain until their first confrontation.

A major plot point is the revelation that Cyberdyne Systems, the company that will create Skynet, is reverse-engineering the technology from the remains of the first Terminator. This creates a bootstrap paradox, where Skynet is essentially responsible for its own creation. This discovery motivates the main characters to shift their strategy from simply surviving to actively trying to prevent Judgment Day by destroying Cyberdyne's research.

The film's climax sees the destruction of both the T-1000 and the T-800. The T-1000 is defeated by being knocked into a vat of molten steel. In a heart-wrenching turn, the heroic T-800 insists that it too must be destroyed in the same manner to prevent its technology from being used to create Skynet in the future. Despite John's tearful protests, the T-800 sacrifices itself, giving a final thumbs-up as it is consumed by the molten steel. The film ends on a hopeful note, with Sarah Connor's voiceover stating that the future is not set and that if a machine can learn the value of human life, perhaps humanity can as well.

While the film's primary message is one of hope and the ability to change the future, some interpretations suggest a more deterministic view. The sequels to "Terminator 2" have offered differing perspectives on whether Judgment Day was truly averted. "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" posits that Judgment Day is inevitable and that the events of "T2" only postponed it. This suggests that fate is a more powerful force than the characters in "T2" believed.

Another interpretation focuses on the cyclical nature of violence and conflict. Even though the immediate threat of Skynet is seemingly neutralized, the underlying human tendencies that led to its creation – fear, aggression, and the pursuit of power – still exist. This reading suggests that humanity is prone to repeating its mistakes, and that even if Skynet is stopped, another threat could easily take its place, a concept explored in "Terminator: Dark Fate."

There is also the bootstrap paradox to consider: Skynet's creation is a result of reverse-engineering the technology from the first Terminator, which Skynet itself sent back in time. This creates a closed time loop where Skynet is essentially its own creator. This paradox raises questions about the true origin of Skynet and whether the timeline can ever truly be broken.