In 2019 Terminator: Dark Fate was attempting to forge a new future for the Terminator franchise, one that was going to pass the torch to new characters and reinvigorate the franchise by ignoring failed reboots and sequels in an attempt to retcon, and continue on, from the most successful entry in the franchise; Terminator 2: Judgment Day (or at least that was the intention).
What Terminator Fans got instead was best described by the movie’s Director Tim Miller as a slap in the face.
“You want to slap the audience in the face and say, ‘Wake up. This is going to be different.“
Tim Miller
That slap in the face was served up via the opening scenes, as future legend and savior of mankind, adolescent John Connor, was blown away by a shotgun wielded by a T-800 who later grew a conscience and became a drapery salesman, known as ‘Carl‘. Yeah, that played out as ridiculously on screen as it did to read it back.
Following John Connor’s termination we were introduced to a new future leader, Commander Ramos AKA Dani, played by Natalia Reyes, though the true new lead character of the Terminator franchise was actually Grace Harper (Mackenzie Davis).
Dani Ramos, if we study the movie, is just the next John Connor waiting to be unceremoniously bumped off; Terminator: Dark Fate transformed the character into a yet another disposable McGuffin – delivering to Dani Ramos the poisoned chalice of fate.
It was initially sold to fans that Dani Ramos would be the new Sarah Connor of the franchise and that Grace was the new T-800, though there was however at least some truth to what we were told…
Grace – Super Future Soldier
Grace was the embodiment of not only the T-800 but also Sarah Connor. Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton were relegated to supporting roles, all the while a new character took on both their characters traits, the studios even added a pinch of Kyle Reese to the recipe in an attempt to seal the deal, and… well, you get the picture.
Without a doubt Mackenzie Davis was the star of Terminator: Dark Fate, it was her image and name which were pushed the hardest in promotion, and Grace died under the sentiment that she was the new T-800 / Arnold, so it was always intended that she would be back, as villain or hero in a sequel.
Grace had the arms / physique of Sarah Connor and the strongly feminist edge of Sarah Connor (though delivered in a much more contrived way), she even wore a white tank top similar to that of Sarah Connor to invoke the nostalgia that Hollywood is so reliant upon nowadays.
Not only did we have elements of Sarah Connor being assimilated by the Grace character, but also the T-800 was coursing through the character’s veins (along with some fuel that looked like cod liver oil).
Does the franchise deserve to live on? I believe so. The franchise deserves to live beyond the involvement of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, beyond the studios, its creators and beyond the box office failures. Why? Because it’s come this far already. This franchise, and its fans, deserve better than to go out on a death-rattle of bum notes.
If we were fans of the actors alone then we may have a different opinion but first and foremost this is about Terminator… Sarah Connor and the T-800 have been integral to the Terminator franchise, especially the first two movies which are considered superior in the eyes of many.
The possibility of renewed success should have required that the character of Grace be solid enough to carry the series forward; to be a fusion of the two of the most beloved characters in the Terminator franchise, yet the story, the execution, the dialogue, the acting (blame the script for that one) left Mackenzie Davis’ role both praised and hated in equal measure. The character never reached the required heights to place the franchise on Davis’ shoulders for the long-term; that being a full on fight for the future against LEGION in a Terminator: Dark Fate trilogy.
Where Grace is a character of unrealised potential, Dani Ramos became the proverbial replacement child in a franchise looking to be reborn, but one without the skill or imagination to achieve it.
Was it a mistake to put the potential success of Terminator: Dark Fate on the shoulders of unknown characters rather than established and beloved characters? Many fans did not want John Connor killed off in the first place.
Terminator: Dark Fate has left many fans opposed to wanting more Terminator movies, though in the meantime, those who hunger for more Terminator can sink their teeth into Skydance and Netflix‘s upcoming Terminator Anime Series.
Will Grace be back in the Anime, or was the character laid to rest in Terminator: Dark Fate?
Would you have liked to have seen Mackenzie Davis be the face, and the future, of the Terminator franchise?
Do you think Dark Fate deserves another shot at a sequel, or not?
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