What is the name of the resistance leader's mother in The Terminator?

Sarah Connor is the mother of the future resistance leader John Connor in The Terminator.

The 1984 film establishes Sarah as an ordinary young woman whose life changes after she is targeted by a Terminator. The machine has been sent from the future because her unborn son will eventually lead humanity's resistance against Skynet. Kyle Reese travels back to protect Sarah and explains the danger to her.

Linda Hamilton played Sarah in the original film and returned for Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Across the franchise, Sarah is portrayed as a central figure whose choices influence whether John survives and whether the future war unfolds as predicted.

Other films introduce characters with related roles, including Kate Brewster and Dani Ramos. They should not be confused with Sarah: Kate is connected to John Connor in Terminator 3, while Dani is central to Dark Fate.