Iconic Film Intros: T800 in 'The Terminator'

When you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the ‘Terminator’ films, there are several quotes, sequences, and styles that come to mind. What’s interesting is that one moment that I rarely see brought up is his actual introduction in the original film.

Let’s take a look at that first sequence with Arnold, and how it sets the stage for not only the rest of the film, but the rest of the franchise.

The Scene Itself

When we first see Arnold, like everyone else around him, we don’t immediately assume he’s a robot. Why would we? He looks like a strange, impossibly muscular, naked man strutting through the night, and seemingly walking with a purpose. That’s how he’s greeted by the Bill Paxton-led group of punks who were the unfortunate first round of folks to stand in his way. They greet Arnold by making fun of and taunting him, assuming that he’s probably inebriated on some form of substance.

When he commands them to give him their clothes, they become hostile, pulling knives, and that’s when Arnold shows his force for the first time. He leaves all but one member dead, and steals his clothes, before heading off on his mission. Within just these first couple of minutes, we get an almost perfect sense of who the T800 is as a character, and what he’ll grow to be in future installments.

His Unshakeable Strength

‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’Credit: TriStar Pictures

If you were to place the real-life Arnold Schwarzenegger in a situation where he had to take on three other men about the size of 80s Bill Paxton, you’d probably still put your money on Schwarzenegger to win. With that said, there would probably be just a little bit more of an altercation for it to get to that point. Immediately punching through someone’s heart with no reservations, killing someone by throwing him into a fence, all while taking a stab wound with no reaction would probably be something that even Arnold would have a bit of trouble accomplishing.

Wisely, the film understands that it needs to be able to significantly build its showcasing of said strength, so this brief spout pales in comparison to what we see the T800 commit and endure throughout the rest of the film. He is shot dozens of times, carves out an eyeball, loses all of his skin, gets blown in half, and only seems to die when he’s crushed by a hydraulic press.

And in the end, all of the climactic violence in the first film doesn’t hold a candle to what comes next in T2. So the moral of the story here is never showcase the peak of a character’s capabilities too early. Know how to surprise people, and then know how to sustain that surprise for the rest of the narrative.

His Lack of Empathy…For Now

One thing that remains constant throughout all of the T800’s carnage that begins in that opening scene is his raging, programmed lack of empathy. He has a brutal job to do, and that’s all he knows. Funny enough, keeping this element of him constant in the first film is exactly what makes the dread you feel when watching so palpable. It’s impossible to come up with any sort of bargain that will please him enough to give up his directive. Which is what makes the switch-up in the following film so iconic.

When you watch T2 now, it’s really fun to watch it from the perspective of someone who may not know that Arnold plays the good guy in that film. The first half hour of his behavior is essentially beat for beat what occurred in the first movie. He assaults and tries to kill people for not complying with his orders; he is dead set on his mission, and is going after the opposing Terminator, who you would think is a good guy because he’s a police officer after all!
It’s not until Arnold’s now iconic line read of “Get down!” in the hallway chase that we get confirmation that he’s the one assigned to protect John. It’s this microscopic hint of empathy that allows him to actually grow from a machine to almost a human by the conclusion of the film.

The Legacy of the Original Films

There have been a few other ‘Terminator’ movies made since the first two, and Arnold’s legacy as the character seems to tie more to the version of the character created in T2. That dramatic switch-up on a persona that seemed so permanently etched into the cultural moment is impressive on its own. But to have that switch-up completely overtake the previous perception and become its own piece of iconic pop culture history is something else entirely.