Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Terminator #1!The Terminatorseries is one that’s been going strong since the ‘80s, but it’s no secret that faith in the franchise is dwindling with fans, as every newTerminatorfilm that comes out is received more poorly than the last. While that may seem grim, the good news is thatTerminatorisn’t alone, as thePredatorfranchise was recently in the same boat, but managed to climb its way back into fans’ hearts. In other words, ifTerminatorwants to survive, it must followPredator’s lead with some much-needed reinvention.
InDynamite Entertainment’sThe Terminator#1by Declan Shalvey, Luke Sparrow, and Colin Craker, fans are introduced to an elderly couple named Penny and Harper living a peaceful life in an Alaskan lakeside cabin. Harper is sitting in his boat while Penny is enjoying some alone time in the house, when suddenly, a horrifyingly familiar figure emerges from the water, and makes its way towards the cabin. Both Penny and Harper recognize it immediately, though they still can’t believe their eyes, as the Terminator that’s been hunting them since the ‘70s has finally caught up to them.
For one reason or another, Skynet sent this T-800 back in time to wipe out Penny and Harper’s entire families, and they were the last survivors, living in isolation in Alaska. However, even after ditching the Terminator by taking off in a plane, the T-800 just never stopped hunting them. And now, it has finally found them, and the two have to make their final stand in this otherwise quiet and peaceful landscape. And, perhaps the most interesting part of this entire story, is that this takes place after judgment day - ie, afterSkynet launched its attack on humanity.
Terminator is Changing-Up Its Usual Setting, Just Like Predator’s Prey
Terminatoris Usually Set in a Metropolitan Area (No Matter the Time Period)
This new chapter inThe Terminatorfranchise offers fans a seemingly subtle yet incredibly impactful change-up from the norm: the setting.The Terminatorusually takes place in a metropolitan area, with the Terminator chasing its target through the city streets. This is true no matter the time period, as the metropolitan setting is featured in both the future and the past withinTerminatorcontinuity. But here, in this comic, the Terminator is going after its targets in the wilderness. This is a really cool flip of what has always been an intensely urban-focused franchise, for more reasons than one.
Not only is it fascinating to witness the stark contrast of a killer robot traversing through nature while hunting humans, but also the idea that two people survived a nuclear war by staying off the grid. Every peek fans get into the future of theTerminatoruniverse is one of complete desolation, filled with collapsed buildings, ruined landscapes, and machine-controlled territories. But now, fans know there’s another side to this world that’s never been shown before, though this comic also makes it clear that it’s not any safer from the Terminators - and that’s an awesome new perspective.
The Terminator Sequels’ Biggest Change From The First Movie Explains How To Save The Franchise After Multiple Flops
The Terminator franchise has strayed far away from the lessons of the original, and there’s one bad habit the next sequel must shed to succeed.
In a way,The Terminatoris doing the same thing as thePredatorfranchise by offering a new setting to a fairly repetitive series. Since the start of the franchise, Predator has always taken place in the modern day (ei, the same time period as the film’s release), and showed the Predators challenging ‘today’s’ deadliest humans. Even in 2010’sPredators, where ‘today’s’ humans were taken to an alien world, that was still the case. However,Predatorchanged that repetitive setting in 2022’sPrey, and the franchise has arguably never been more popular.
Terminator & Predator Should Take Their Similar Changes to the Next Level
BothTerminatorandPredatorCan Jump Through History for Exciting New Stories
Predatorchanged the time period in which its Yautja vs human story was set, whileTerminatorchanged the setting of its story from the city to nature (in the comics). Both of these changes represent a deviation from the norm in an effort to freshen-up the respective series, and it seems to be working. But now, it’s time to take things to the next level - something thePredatorfilms already seem to be doing.
Predatorsaw the success it had withPrey(a level of success it didn’t see from 2010’sPredatorsor 2018’sThe Predator), and is moving forward with plans to have more films set in different time periods throughout history, including inthe upcoming 2025 filmPredator: Badlands.The Terminatorshould followPredator’s lead, not only with what it’s already done in the comics by changing the series’ primary setting, but changing-up the time periods in which each individual story is set.
Predator Introduces Its Smartest Yautja Yet, With a New Tactic That Breaks Franchise Rules
Predator introduced an all-new Yautja, one who has already proven to be the smartest member of his species, despite breaking one major franchise rule.
Time travel is a major component intheTerminatorfilms, after all, yet it’s one of the least interesting parts of the franchise - but it doesn’t have to be. For instance, perhaps Skynet wants to wipe out an entire family that becomes a problem for it in the future by killing an ancient warrior in the distant past, using a Terminator to do so. That would give fans a complete change-up from the norm while followingPredator’s successful time-jumping formula in a way that stays true to the original lore ofThe Terminatorseries.
Predator Has Even Started to Follow Terminator in Its Latest Stories
Predator vs Black Pantherby Benjamin Percy, Chris Allen, and Sean Damien Hill
Predatorhas seen unprecedented success since the release of 2022’sPrey, whileThe Terminatorfranchise is slowly sinking into obscurity with every disappointing new installment. The Dynamite Entertainment comic book is a solid step in the right direction, but the movies need to follow suit if the franchise hopes to survive. And to do that,Terminatorneeds to usePredatoras its inspiration.
But, interestingly enough,Predatorhas actually seemingly pulled fromThe Terminatorin its most recent comic miniseries:Predator vs Black Panther. InPredator vs Black Panther, fans get to see thePredator homeworld/mothership, and it has a very cyberpunk aesthetic. Everything is hyper-mechanical and cybernetic (including some of the Predators themselves) with streaks of neon light and skeletal remains of Yautja victims everywhere, as the overall look of these Predators is reminiscent ofThe Terminator’s dystopian future.
The History of Terminator Comics, Explained
The Terminator franchise is one with rich history even outside of the movies, as the decades-long lore has remained just as prevalent in the comics.
WhilePredatorseemingly borrowingThe Terminator’s aesthetic is assuredly coincidental, it’s cool to see how certain looks/formulas of popular franchises can also work in others. And that’s exactly whatThe Terminatorfilm franchise should keep in mind moving forward, because if it wants to survive, it must followPredatorwith some reinvention - just like the Dynamite Entertainment comic book has successfully done.
The Terminator
Cast
The Terminator, directed by James Cameron and released in 1984, features a cyborg assassin sent back in time to eliminate Sarah Connor, the mother of a future resistance leader. As the relentless machine pursues its mission, a human warrior is sent to protect her and secure humanity’s survival.
