In the 1984 film The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, commonly identified as the T-800. The machine is a cybernetic assassin sent back through time from a future dominated by Skynet.
The T-800 has a living human-tissue exterior covering a metal endoskeleton, allowing it to infiltrate human communities while possessing extraordinary strength and durability. In the first film, it is programmed to kill Sarah Connor before the birth of her son, John Connor, who will become a major leader in the human resistance.
Viewers often confuse the T-800 with other Terminator models. The T-1000, played by Robert Patrick, is the liquid-metal antagonist of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The T-850 appears in later installments, including Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. “Model 101” refers to the physical appearance or designation associated with Schwarzenegger’s version, while T-800 identifies the broader machine series.
The first film presents the T-800 as a relentless villain. In Terminator 2, a reprogrammed version of the same basic model becomes John Connor’s protector, creating one of cinema’s most famous role reversals.