In 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Cyberdyne Systems was destroyed by Sarah Connor, Miles Dyson, John Connor and the T-800 Unit – an act which had consequences for the continuing story when Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines hit theaters nearly a decade later in 2003.
One of the changes presented to fans was that Cyberdyne Systems would no longer be responsible for the A.I. uprising of SkyNet and its Terminator units.
A new company would be responsible: Cyber Research Systems (CRS).
The Termination of Cyberdyne Systems in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
In a deleted scene that was specially made for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines The Game, we find out that Cyberdyne Systems no longer exists and how Cyber Research Systems took over the SkyNet project. That deleted scene is none other than the infamous Chief Master Sergeant William Candy scene…
“You do know the patents were obtained from a private vendor, Cyberdyne?”
General Brewster
“Cyberdyne!? It’s ancient history!”
Thomas Shelby
Following the events of Terminator 2, Cyberdyne Systems went bankrupt which allowed for CRS to acquire their patents:
“The bombs didn’t fall because the T-1000 had failed to kill him. Had failed to stop the death of Miles Bennet Dyson. Had failed to prevent the bankruptcy of Cyberdyne Systems. The computers didn’t take control.”
Terminator 3: ROTM Novelization
Miles Dyson Sacrificed His Work On SkyNet To Save Humanity
Not only did Miles Dyson (the man most directly responsible for SkyNet) sacrifice his work by destroying the neural-net processor he had tirelessly worked on, but he also sacrificed his own life in setting off the detonator to destroy Cyberdyne, as Sarah, John and the T-800 made their escape from the building. As stated above (according to the timeline set out by T3), Cyber Research Systems took over and acquired Cyberdyne Systems patents for SkyNet and everything related to the battlefield management security / defence network. On paper nothing seems out of the ordinary with this, and it was a fluid way to progress the story… Even if you didn’t want Sarah Connor and Cyberdyne Systems to bow out of the Terminator story, it wasn’t as drastic as Terminator: Dark Fate’s complete rebrand of everything the fans loved. Fans still got to keep SkyNet, John Connor and Model 101 Terminators that looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although, in retrospect, maybe keeping Cyberdyne Systems as the malevolent corporation would have saved fans some unnecessary confusion.
CRS Caused Terminator Model Number Problems – T-101 Vs CSM-101
Terminator model numbers, not to be confused with Terminator Unit numbers, are used to describe the outer genetic identity (physical appearance) of a Terminator Unit. In the previous two Terminator movies, directed by James Cameron, it was clearly stated that the abbreviated ‘CSM’ stood for ‘Cyberdyne Systems Model’, and that the T-800 Terminator Units portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger were CSM-101 Models; with Cyberdyne Systems participation in SkyNet seemingly now ceasing to exist in Terminator 3’s story due the destruction of SkyNet research and Miles Dyson’s work (the CPU) in 1995 (the year T2’s story is set).
When John Connor first has a real chance to talk to the T-850 in T3, he presumes it is the machine he previously encountered and destroyed Cyberdyne with in 1995. Which is pretty silly since we all watched Uncle Bob sink into molten steel and we all remember that because we got emotional *cried*, right? Well, if you didn’t you might be from the year 2029, or 2032 if you come from T3’s timeline.
“Do you even remember me?
John Connor
Sarah Connor? Blowing up Cyberdyne?
Hasta la vista, baby’. Ring any bells?”
“That was a different T-101.”
T-850
“What, do you come off an assembly line or something?”
John Connor
“Exactly.”
T-850
If Cyberdyne Systems is no longer involved in the machine uprising, then the model 101 Terminators that look like Arnold Schwarzenegger should now be called something different, right? After all, Sarah, Miles, John and the T-800 altered the future. Following the rules set by James Cameron; the Terminator model numbers should now be called CRSM, Cyber Research Systems Model 101 (CRSM-101) instead of Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 (CSM-101) – that would have cleared up the confusion that ensued. Instead the writers decided that Schwarzenegger’s Terminator Unit, the T-850, should also have the model number T-101. This is a total identity clash of Terminator unit number with the “T” standing for Terminator.
Terminator Salvation Backtracked and Erased Cyber Research Systems and Reinstated Cyberdyne Systems
Terminator Salvation was a sequel to Terminator 3, albeit with actor swaps, but both T3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation had the same two writers in common (John Brancato and Michael Ferris).
In Terminator Salvation all history and reference to CRS was erased and Cyberdyne Systems was resurrected to retake its place as the creator of SkyNet. With Kate (Katherine) Brewster carrying over to let us know that Terminator Salvation was intended as a continuation of the story from the 2003 movie, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 model was again correctly referred to as a T-800, Model 101 and not a T-101. Thank fuck for that.
Whether you love, like, or hate Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, it does play with some good ideas that had potential, but… some shoddy mistakes (which really only needed some research, fact checking and more thought) only served to add to a host of problems that prevented the wider fanbase from accepting it as a one hundred percent canon continuation of the movies directed by James Cameron.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is more appreciated now than it used to be; partly due to hindsight, and partly due to the more recent instalments making the movie look better in comparison.
Did you welcome Cyber Research Systems with open arms, or were you sad Cyberdyne was no longer part of the lore in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines? Let us know in the comments below.