The T-1000 is a fictional machine in the Terminator franchise. The first T-1000 was the main antagonist in the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, portrayed by Robert Patrick in what was his breakout role. Patrick briefly reprised the role for T2-3D: Battle Across Time, a 1996 theme park attraction. Another T-1000 is present in the 2015 film Terminator Genisys, a reboot of the series, with Lee Byung-hun in the role. In the franchise, the T-1000 is a Terminator, a line of android assassins created by the artificial intelligence Skynet. In the future, Skynet is engaged in a war against humans, who are led by John Connor. In Terminator 2, the T-1000 is sent back in time to kill John while he is ten years old. The T-1000 is made up of a liquid metal, known in the film as mimetic polyalloy, which allows it to shapeshift into other people or objects that come into contact with it. The shapeshifting abilities have also been reused for subsequent machines in the Terminator franchise, including the T-X, the T-1001, and the Rev-9. The liquid metal effects for T-1000 were created through computer-generated imagery by Industrial Light & Magic, and practical effects by Stan Winston. The character, including Patrick's performance and the visual effects required to depict it, were praised by critics. Since then, the T-1000 has been parodied or referenced in other media.
Abilities
Shapeshifting In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the T-1000 is established as an advanced Terminator prototype. It is more sophisticated than the T-800, which consists of living human tissue over a metal endoskeleton. By contrast, the T-1000 is entirely made up of a liquid metal, known in the film as mimetic polyalloy, rendering it capable of shapeshifting and near-perfect mimicry of people and objects that come into contact with it. Although it possesses a default humanoid shape, it can assume alternative forms to fit through narrow openings. It can morph its arms into solid metal tools or bladed weapons, and flatten itself and imitate the pattern and texture of the ground to hide or to ambush targets. The T-1000 can change its surface color and texture to convincingly simulate flesh, clothing, and other nonmetallic materials, but its morphing abilities are limited. It cannot transform into complex machines with moving parts or chemical fuels (such as guns or bombs), limiting it to stabbing weapons, and its volume prevents it from taking the form of a smaller object like a pack of cigarettes. It is capable of impersonating people larger than itself. Any pieces of its body that are broken off will liquefy and merge with the bulk of the T-1000 when it gets close enough. The T-1000's abilities are further explained in the prologue of the film's novelization, which states that the machine is a "nanomorph" created through nanotechnology, able to scan the molecular structure of whatever it is touching and visually mimic it. At one point in the film, the T-1000 mimics an obese security guard, which "strained its ability" according to the novelization. The T-1000's liquid metal allows the machine to recover quickly from damage, but is prone to malfunction after being frozen, as shown in the film's Special Edition DVD release. It is also susceptible to chemical damage, as shown in Terminator Genisys. In the latter film, it is also shown that the T-1000 can repair other Terminators by infusing them with liquid metal. It can also use its own body to form independent weapons and gadgets, such as a spear or a tracking device. Other Terminators, including the T-X and the Rev-9, have an endoskeleton but, like the T-1000, also possess liquid metal and the shapeshifting ability. The latter features are also shared with the T-1001, which appears in the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–09).
Others Besides its physical appearance, the T-1000 is also capable of accurately mimicking voices, including the ability to extrapolate a relatively small voice sample to generate a wider array of words or inflections as required. The T-1000 is able to pass as human, possessing a larger repertoire of behavioral expression and interpersonal skills than earlier Terminator models. It is apparently capable of espionage and detective skills, as it often attempts to accomplish its goals by subterfuge instead of brute force and extreme violence like the T-800. In Terminator 2, it primarily disguises itself as a police officer, allowing it to gain trust, access information, and provide a benign, friendly appearance. The T-1000 is an exceptionally fast runner. Like all Terminators, it also possesses superhuman strength, greater than that of the T-800, despite its more-slender frame and smaller stature.
Appearances
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