"Your future is in its hands."
The Terminator - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
I'll be back.
— The Terminator
Context:
Spoken to the police desk sergeant who refuses to let him see Sarah Connor, moments before he drives a car through the front of the station.
Meaning:
A deceptively mundane phrase that became a threat of inevitable return and violence. It encapsulates the machine's persistence.
Come with me if you want to live.
— Kyle Reese
Context:
Yelled to Sarah at the Tech Noir nightclub as the Terminator opens fire, saving her from shock and death.
Meaning:
The definitive call to adventure and offer of salvation. It establishes the immediate, life-or-death stakes.
Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!
— Kyle Reese
Context:
Reese explaining the gravity of the situation to a terrified Sarah during a car chase, trying to break through her denial.
Meaning:
A chilling exposition that defines the nature of the antagonist. It strips away any hope of negotiation, emphasizing the horror of a foe that lacks humanity.
The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.
— Kyle Reese (relaying John Connor's message)
Context:
Reese recites this message to Sarah, telling her what John wanted her to know about the future.
Meaning:
The central philosophical thesis of the franchise. Despite the loop, it offers a glimmer of hope that human agency matters.