The T-1000 is a fictional character in the ''Terminator'' franchise, debuting as the main

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Terminator 2: Judgment Day''. The character was originally portrayed by Robert Patrick, marking his breakout role. In the franchise, the T-1000 is a Terminator, a line of android assassins created by the artificial intelligence Skynet. In the future, Skynet is engaged in a war against humans, who are led by

John Connor John Connor is a fictional character and the male protagonist of the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. Created by screenwriter, writer/film director, director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film ''Th ...

. In ''Terminator 2'', the T-1000 is sent back in time to kill John while he is still a child. The T-1000 is made up of a

liquid metal A liquid metal is a metal or a metal alloy which is liquid at or near room temperature. The only stable liquid elemental metal at room temperature is Mercury (element), mercury (Hg), which is molten above −38.8 °C (234.3 K, −37.9 ...

, known in the film as ''mimetic polyalloy'', which allows it to

shapeshift In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest exist ...

into other people or objects that come into contact with it. The liquid metal effects were created through

computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is a specific-technology or application of computer graphics for creating or improving images in Digital art, art, Publishing, printed media, Training simulation, simulators, videos and video games. These images ...

Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Film, motion picture visual effects, computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio founded by George Lucas on May 26, 1975. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lu ...

, and through practical effects by

Stan Winston Stanley Winston (April 7, 1946 – June 15, 2008) was an American television and film special make-up effects artist, best known for his work in the ''Terminator'' series, the first three '' Jurassic Park'' films, '' Aliens'', '' The Thing'', ...

. The character, including Patrick's performance and the visual effects required to depict it, were praised by critics. Since then, the T-1000 has been parodied or referenced in other media. The shapeshifting abilities have also been re-used for subsequent machines in the ''Terminator'' franchise, including the T-X, the T-1001, and the Rev-9. Patrick briefly reprised the role for '' T2-3D: Battle Across Time'', a 1996 theme park attraction. The T-1000 also briefly returns in the 2015 film ''

Terminator Genisys ''Terminator Genisys'' is a 2015 American cyberpunk action film that is the fifth installment in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. It is a Reboot (fiction), reboot of the franchise, taking the premise of the The Terminator, ...

'', a reboot of the series, with

Lee Byung-hun Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably '' Joint Security Area'' (2000); '' A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); '' The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' (2008) ...

in the role.

Abilities

Shapeshifting

In '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', the T-1000 is established as an advanced Terminator prototype. It is more sophisticated than the

T-800 T8 or T-8 may refer to the following: Measurement * T8, a Torx screwhead size * T8, a 1 inch fluorescent lamp formats, fluorescent lamp size * A tornado intensity rating on the TORRO scale Biology * The 8th thoracic vertebrae, thoracic vertebra * ...

, which consists of living human tissue over a metal

endoskeleton An endoskeleton (From Ancient Greek ἔνδον, éndon = "within", "inner" + σκελετός, skeletos = "skeleton") is a structural frame (skeleton) — usually composed of mineralized tissue — on the inside of an animal, overlaid by soft ...

. By contrast, the T-1000 is entirely made up of a liquid metal, known in the film as mimetic polyalloy, rendering it capable of

shapeshifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through unnatural means. The idea of shapeshifting is found in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest existen ...

and near-perfect

mimicry In evolutionary biology, mimicry is an evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species. Mimicry may evolve between different species, or between individuals of the same species. In the simples ...

of people or certain metal objects that come into contact with it. Although it possesses a default humanoid shape, it can assume alternative forms to fit through narrow openings. It can morph its arms into solid metal tools or bladed weapons, and flatten itself and imitate the pattern and texture of the ground to hide or to

ambush An ambush is a surprise attack carried out by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "". Ambushes as a basic military tactics, fighting tactic of soldi ...

targets.Scifiscripts.com
/ref> The T-1000 can change its surface color and texture to convincingly simulate flesh, clothing, and other nonmetallic materials. However, its morphing abilities are limited by complexity, mass, and volume: it cannot transform into complex machines with mechanical moving parts or chemical fuels (such as guns or bombs), limiting it to stabbing weapons, and its volume prevents it from taking the form of a smaller object like a pack of cigarettes, although it is capable of impersonating larger people. The T-1000's abilities are further explained in the prologue of the film's

novelization A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, stage play, comic book, or video game. Film novelizations were particularly popular before the advent ...

; it states that the machine is a " nanomorph" created through

nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...

, able to scan the molecular structure of whatever it is touching and visually mimic it. At one point in the film, the T-1000 mimics an obese security guard, which "strained its ability" according to the novelization. The T-1000's liquid metal allows the machine to recover quickly from damage, but is prone to malfunction after being frozen, as shown in the film's ''Special Edition'' DVD release. It is also susceptible to chemical damage, as shown in ''

''. In the latter film, it is also shown that the T-1000 can repair other Terminators by infusing them with liquid metal. It can also use its own body to form independent weapons and gadgets, such as a spear or a tracking device. Other Terminators, including the T-X and the Rev-9, have an endoskeleton but, like the T-1000, also possess liquid metal and the shapeshifting ability. The latter features are also shared with the T-1001, which appears in the television series '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'' (2008–09).

Others

Besides its physical appearance, the T-1000 is also capable of accurately mimicking voices, including the ability to extrapolate a relatively small voice sample to generate a wider array of words or inflections as required. The T-1000 is able to pass as human, possessing a larger repertoire of behavioral expression and interpersonal skills than earlier Terminator models. It is apparently capable of espionage and detective skills, as it often attempts to accomplish its goals by subterfuge instead of brute force and extreme violence like the T-800. In ''Terminator 2'', it primarily disguises itself as a police officer, allowing it to gain trust, access information, and provide a benign, friendly appearance. The T-1000 is an exceptionally fast runner. Like all Terminators, it also possesses superhuman strength, greater than that of the T-800, despite its more-slender frame and smaller stature.

Appearances

''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991)

In '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', the T-1000 (portrayed by Robert Patrick) is sent back in time by Skynet, an artificial intelligence, to kill young

( Edward Furlong). In the future, Connor leads the Human Resistance in a war against Skynet and its machines. Upon arriving in the past, the T-1000 ambushes an officer of the

Los Angeles Police Department The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...

(LAPD) and takes on his identity, tracking down John through the police cruiser's on-board computer and eventually locating him in a shopping mall. A T-800 (

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

), sent by the Resistance to protect John, shows up in time to stop the T-1000. Following a brief scuffle and a lengthy truck chase, the T-800 and John escape from the T-1000. The T-1000 visits John's foster home and takes the place of his foster mother, Janelle Voight (

Jenette Goldstein Jenette Elise Goldstein (born February 4, 1960) is an American actress. Known for her collaborations with director James Cameron, she won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, Saturn Award for her portrayal of List of Alien (franchise) char ...

), intending to wait for him to return, but John calls ahead and the T-800 is able to confirm that the T-1000 has infiltrated the house when it incorrectly names John's dog. At a mental hospital, the T-800 helps John rescue his institutionalized mother, Sarah Connor (

Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...

), before the T-1000 can copy and terminate her. After tracking the Connors and the T-800 to Cyberdyne Systems headquarters, it gives chase and crashes a truck carrying

liquid nitrogen Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is nitrogen in a liquid state at cryogenics, low temperature. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of about . It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. It is a colorless, mobile liquid whose vis ...

into a

steel mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...

. The T-1000 is frozen solid by the leaking liquid nitrogen, allowing the T-800 to shatter it with a single pistol round, although the pieces are soon thawed by the heat of the steel mill. After the T-1000 reforms, the T-800 engages it in hand-to-hand combat, buying time for Sarah and John to flee. The T-1000 shuts down the T-800 and continues the hunt for John, unaware that the T-800 has rerouted power and reactivated itself. Having briefly made contact with Sarah earlier, the T-1000 copies her appearance and locates John, but is stopped by the real Sarah. It survives her shotgun blasts but is finally stopped as the T-800 fires its last grenade, which detonates inside the T-1000. While attempting to reform, it stumbles and falls backwards into a vat of molten steel. Unable to withstand the high temperature, it melts into nothingness, terminated.

''Terminator Genisys'' (2015)

A T-1000, with a different default human appearance, is featured briefly in ''

'', a reboot of the film series. It is revealed that Skynet sent the T-1000 to kill nine-year-old Sarah Connor (portrayed by Willa Taylor) in 1973. Although it killed her parents, she escaped and was found by a reprogrammed T-800 (Schwarzenegger), credited as "Guardian" and sent by an unknown party to protect her. The same T-1000 is present in 1984, posing as an

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans with ancestry from the continent of Asia (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of those immigrants). Although this term had historically been used fo ...

LAPD police officer (

). It intercepts Kyle Reese ( Jai Courtney) upon his arrival from 2029. As Kyle has no experience battling a T-1000, he is unable to defeat it and breaks into a closed department store to flee. He is arrested by two police officers, and the trio are soon attacked by the T-1000. Kyle is rescued following the arrival of Sarah (

Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress, best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she received nominations for four Primetime E ...

) and the T-800 Guardian (Schwarzenegger) in an armored truck. By latching a piece of itself onto the truck, the T-1000 tracks the three to the Guardian's warehouse base. It masquerades as Reese in a failed attempt to fool Sarah, after which it launches an attack on the group, who destroy it using

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungency, pungent smell. It is classified as a acid strength, strong acid. It is ...

. After Sarah and Reese travel to 2017, they are recognized by O'Brien, one of the police officers from 1984. His experience with the T-1000 leads him to believe their story about Skynet and free them from custody so they can stop

Judgment Day The Last Judgment is a concept found across the Abrahamic religions and the '' Frashokereti'' of Zoroastrianism. Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God of all people who have ever lived, res ...

. Near the film's end, the Guardian acquires T-1000 shapeshifting abilities after being exposed to liquid metal at Cyberdyne's headquarters.

Other appearances

Patrick reprised his role as the T-1000 in '' T2-3D: Battle Across Time'', a 1996 movie ride created for Universal Studios theme parks. In this short film, the T-800 (Schwarzenegger) takes John Connor (Furlong) to 2029 to aid him in destroying Skynet once and for all. On their way, the T-1000 chases after them while they are on a motorcycle. They lose its pursuit after the T-800 shoots at it with a shotgun several times. Two T-1000s appear in ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day – Nuclear Twilight'', a 1996 comic published by

Malibu Comics Malibu Comics Entertainment, Inc. (launched as Malibu Graphics) was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. Notable titles published by Malibu included ''Th ...

, in which they take on the appearance of a resistance soldier; one of them is then sent to the past to kill John Connor, as outlined in the film. In the simultaneously published ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day – Cybernetic Dawn'', set just after the film, a female T-1000 and two T-800s come to the present to ensure Skynet's creation. A T-1000, featuring the same likeness from ''Terminator 2'', is also featured in the 2011 comic ''Terminator/RoboCop: Kill Human''. As in the film, the T-1000 targets John but now must also confront

RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...

. Patrick reprised the role for imagery featured in the ''Terminator 2'' arcade game (1991). The T-1000 and T-800 are also featured in the video games '' Call of Duty: Vanguard'' (2021) and the initial version of '' Call of Duty: Warzone'' (2020) as playable operators. In 2025, Patrick reprised the role of the T-1000 as a playable character in ''

Mortal Kombat 1 ''Mortal Kombat 1'' is a 2023 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. It is the twelfth main installment in the ''Mortal Kombat'' series, and serves as its second Reboot (fiction), reboot after 2011' ...

'', through the ''Khaos Reigns''

downloadable content content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can be added for no extra cost or as a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain ad ...

pack.

Production background

The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, written by Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd and produced by Hurd. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cybernetic assassin sent back in t ...

'' (1984) and its sequel, '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991), were co-written and directed by

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker, who resides in New Zealand. He is a major figure in the post-New Hollywood era and often uses novel technologies with a Classical Hollywood cinema, classical filmmaking styl ...

. The antagonist in the first film is a

, portrayed by

. An early idea for the sequel would have Schwarzenegger portraying two different T-800s from the future, one sent by Skynet to kill John Connor and the other sent by the resistance to protect him. However, co-writer William Wisher found this idea "boring", and the film's antagonist eventually became the shapeshifting T-1000. Describing his early vision of the sequel, Cameron referred to the T-1000 as an "experimental, one-off super weapon" that even Skynet is "terrified to use." The T-1000 primarily masquerades as a police officer, so "he can go places and do things" without being questioned, according to Wisher. Cameron said, "That was just me having fun with an authority figure. But there is a thematic point to that, which is that we, as human beings, become terminators. We learn how to have zero compassion."

Teaser trailer A teaser trailer, also shortened to teaser, is a short trailer (promotion), trailer and a form of teaser campaign advertising that focuses on film and television programming. It is a videography pre-release film or television show advertisement. Sh ...

s for ''Terminator 2'' deliberately withheld that the T-1000 was the villain and the T-800 was now the protector. Robert Patrick was cast as the slender T-1000, a deliberate distinction from the muscular T-800. Cameron said, "I wanted to find someone who would be a good contrast to Arnold. If the 800 series is a kind of human

Panzer {{CatAutoTOC, numerals=no Words and phrases Germanic words and phrases Words and phrases by language la:Categoria:Verba Theodisca ...

tank, then the 1000 series had to be a

Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in luxury, high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Th ...

." He said further, "I thought of it as an East meets West kind of energy, brute force versus the fluid." Cameron's original pick to play the T-1000 was rock musician

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...

, and

storyboard A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of simple illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding proce ...

s had the android resembling him. However, a serious motorcycle accident prevented Idol from accepting the role, which required a prominent amount of running; Idol had been left with a temporary limp after the accident. He later expressed doubt that he could have topped Patrick's "incredible cold veneer". Blackie Lawless, the lead singer of W.A.S.P., had also been considered for the role but he was deemed too tall. At the time of his casting, Patrick had been privately battling a drug and alcohol addiction, which he gave up to prepare for the physically challenging role. He worked out to get into shape and had to maintain his new physique throughout production. The films depict time travelers, including Terminators, as arriving from the future naked; the time-travel mechanics prevent clothes from going through. A commuter train went by as Patrick was filming his nude arrival scene, and he called it the most embarrassing moment of his career. For a machine-like performance, Patrick had to learn how to fire a pistol without flinching or blinking, and run effortlessly without heavy breathing or signs of exhaustion. The T-1000's distinctive run, developed by Patrick, shows the character with straight hands waving up and down, like blades preparing to strike a target. When not filming, Patrick primarily stayed to himself: "It was kind of a

method Method (, methodos, from μετά/meta "in pursuit or quest of" + ὁδός/hodos "a method, system; a way or manner" of doing, saying, etc.), literally means a pursuit of knowledge, investigation, mode of prosecuting such inquiry, or system. In re ...

thing, in the sense that I didn't want to be buddies with anyone. Even when I walked to set, I walked like the T-1000. I didn't want to lose the ability to portray it, so I kept it close to me." To perfect the T-1000's blank stare, Patrick studied predators such as eagles, cats, and sharks, and kept them in mind while filming. Near the film's end, the T-1000 disapprovingly wags its finger at Sarah after she tries to kill it. This was done at the spontaneous, on-set suggestion of Cameron. Patrick later recalled: "I went with it, but the whole time we were shooting, I was battling with how self-aware was the T-1000? We were trying to leave no charismatic imprint on the role, other than just relentless pursuit. Portraying something without a lot of dialogue, it became all about physicality and body movement. I had to think about, 'How would this thing run? How would he move?' That was the battle, and I seriously considered, 'Would he wag his finger like that?'" The T-1000 became Patrick's breakout role. As he recalled in 2017: "I kept getting offers to play another robot. I just couldn't do it, even though I didn't have any money.

Budweiser Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, a brand of Belgian company AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States. Budweiser is a filte ...

wanted to do a commercial with me as the T-1000, but I couldn't do something like that to cheese up the legacy of 'T2.'" Patrick said he was "damn proud" of the film and his performance, and that he "would love for people to always remember" him as the T-1000, while adding, "I would also love if people appreciated some of the other movies I did as well."

Character's return

It would be years before the T-1000 returned to the film series. McG, the director of the 2009 film '' Terminator Salvation'', said it would be reintroduced in what was to be his concept for the next film: "I like the idea and the perspective for the next picture that you meet Robert Patrick the way he looks today, and he's a scientist that's working on, you know, improving cell replication so we can stay healthier and we can cure diabetes and do all these things that sound like good ideas, and to once again live as idealized expressions as ourselves." He also said the origin story would satirize the world's "obsession" with youth and aging. This concept, however, was scrapped when the series was rebooted with the 2015 film ''

'', in which the T-1000 is portrayed by

. Patrick said in 2019 that he had mixed feelings about returning as the T-1000 for another ''Terminator'' film, noting his age and the fact that it was a physically demanding role: "The whole character is the physicality, the way he moved and ran and walked, and all those things that made him iconic. Part of me says, no, that's it, I can't do it again. Part of me says, shit, maybe I could do it even better? I don't know."

Effects

(ILM) had previously worked on Cameron's 1989 film ''

The Abyss ''The Abyss'' is a 1989 American science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery tea ...

'', which had

visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated as VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production. The integration of live-action footage and other live-action fo ...

involving water, similar to the T-1000's liquid metal ability. For ''Terminator 2'', ILM developed

(CGI) to manipulate, re-create, and " morph" Patrick's image to produce the liquid metal effects. The computer graphics composed 6 of the 15 minutes that the T-1000 displays its morphing and healing abilities. The other 9 were achieved in camera with the use of advanced

animatronic An animatronic is a puppet controlled electronically to move in a fluent way. Animatronics are the modern adaptation of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions. Anim ...

puppets and prosthetic effects created by

and his team. In ''Terminator Genisys'', the effects of the T-1000 were made by British effects company

Double Negative A double negative is a construction occurring when two forms of grammatical negation are used in the same sentence. This is typically used to convey a different shade of meaning from a strictly positive sentence ("You're not unattractive" vs "You ...

. The animation was mostly similar to how it was done in ''Terminator 2'', only with more advanced

fluid simulation Fluid animation refers to computer graphics techniques for generating realistic animations of fluids such as water and smoke. Fluid animations are typically focused on emulating the qualitative visual behavior of a fluid, with less emphasis place ...

s. To properly depict the liquid metal being dissolved by acid, Double Negative's artists studied acid dissolving aluminum, and had its final distorted forms inspired by the 1982 film '' The Thing''.

Reception

Reviewing ''Terminator 2'', Kim Newman of ''

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

'' wrote that Patrick's T-1000 "stands as one of the great monsters of the cinema."

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...

of the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...

'' called the T-1000 a "splendid villain" and praised the visual effects.

Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...

of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' wrote, "The transformation effects are spectacular, in part because there's real magic to them, a sense of technological wonder. By the end of the movie, we feel that this shape-shifting terminator, this sinister mass of chameleonic metal, has an identity all its own." ''Terminator 2'' eventually won for Best Visual Effects at the 64th Academy Awards. Patrick was nominated for Best Villain at the 1992 MTV Movie Awards, but lost to Rebecca De Mornay for her role in '' The Hand That Rocks the Cradle''. Patrick was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 18th Saturn Awards, losing to William Sadler in '' Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey''. The T-1000 was ranked #39 in the

Online Film Critics Society The Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) is an international professional association of online film journalists, historians and scholars who publish their work on the World Wide Web. The organization was founded in January 1997 by Harvey S. Karten ...

's 2002 list of the "Top 100 Villains of All Time". Ryan Lambie, writing for ''

Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a UK and US-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a biannual magazine. History ''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ' ...

'' in 2011, said of Patrick's performance: "An amorphous embodiment of death, he brings an appropriately lizard-like sense of coldness to a role with minimal dialogue. There's something unforgettably nightmarish about the way Patrick moves in this film, whether he’s prowling around shopping malls, or both sprinting and shooting at the same time." In 2018, ''Empire'' ranked the T-1000 at number 19 in its recounting of the best cinematic villains, writing that Patrick's performance "left an impact that helped push ''Terminator 2'' beyond the original in terms of popularity." Lee also received some praise for his T-1000 performance in ''Terminator Genisys''. Eric Goldman of ''

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

'' called him "very compelling as a new T-1000", going on to write, "In fact, some of the film's best action scenes involve the T-1000, who remains an inventive, threatening movie villain. I actually found myself wishing Lee was in more of the movie, because he, and the still-exciting T-1000 morphing abilities, brings some of the most genuine thrills to it." Julian Roman of ''

MovieWeb Valnet, Inc. is a Canadian media company established in August 2012 by Hassan and Sam Youssef in Montreal, Quebec. It operates primarily in the entertainment media industry, where it has sought to acquire producers of content in this space. In ...

'' found Lee's performance memorable and called his limited screen time "a total head scratcher."

In popular culture

Patrick's T-1000 has been parodied or referenced in other media, outside of the ''Terminator'' franchise, since its original appearance. * Patrick as the T-1000 briefly appears in the 1992 film ''

Wayne's World "Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. The first "Wayne's World" sketch appeared in the 13th ''Saturday Night Live'' episode of the Saturday Night Live season 14, 1988–1989 seas ...

''. In a scene where Wayne is pulled over for speeding, the T-1000 — dressed in a police uniform — pulls out a picture of John Connor and asks Wayne if he has seen him, in the same manner he did in ''Terminator 2''. This results in Wayne screaming in terror and driving away. * In the 1992 comedy '' Hot Shots! Part Deux'', President Thomas "Tug" Benson defeats Saddam Hussein by spraying him with a fire extinguisher, upon which he and his dog freeze and crack into pieces, then melt and combine as in the iconic scene of Cameron's movie. Saddam then reforms with his dog's head, fur, nose and ears. * Patrick also briefly appears as the T-1000 in the 1993 film ''

Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...

'', seen walking out the LAPD building as Danny and Jack Slater (played by Schwarzenegger) are entering. * " Salvage", a 2001 episode of ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...

'', focuses on a man made of metal. Patrick's character, FBI agent John Doggett, expresses doubt to fellow agent Dana Scully that such a thing is possible: "What are you saying? Ray Pearce has become some kind of metal man? 'Cause that only happens in the movies, Agent Scully." *A hint is made toward Patrick's role as the T-1000 in the 2006 film '' The Marine''. When gangster Bennett comments on Triton's tenacity in chasing them with the words "This guy is like the Terminator", his leader Rome (played by Patrick) fixes him with a gaze in their car's rearview mirror. * In the 2015 comedy '' Hollywood Adventures'', Patrick portrays a Hollywood studio guard and parodies his T-1000 role. * In "Local News Legend", a 2015 episode of ''

Regular Show ''Regular Show'' (known as ''Regular Show in Space'' during its Regular Show season 8, eighth season) is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 6, 2010, to January 16, 2017, over the cours ...

'', the recurring character of local news reporter Jackie Carmichael (voiced by Jennifer Hale) is revealed to be a T-1000 from the future, who travelled back in time to bring destruction to local news, the only blemish on the utopian future. * In "ATM", a 2023 episode of ''Reacher'', Patrick's character Shane Langston is discussing with his hitman employee the pseudonyms used by Reacher and Neagley: Starlin Castro and Sarah Connor. While Langston knows that Castro was the name of a former Yankees player, when the hitman asks who Sarah Connor is, Langston responds: "I don't give a shit".

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{{James Cameron Terminator (franchise) characters Action film villains Characters created by James Cameron Fictional amorphous creatures Fictional androids Fictional assassins Fictional aviators Fictional characters from the 21st century Fictional characters who can move at superhuman speeds Fictional characters who can stretch themselves Fictional characters with accelerated healing Fictional characters with metal abilities Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Fictional characters with superhuman strength Fictional gunfighters in films Fictional mass murderers Fictional shapeshifters Fictional super soldiers Film characters introduced in 1991 Film supervillains Fiction about nanotechnology Robot supervillains Science fiction weapons Time travelers