Terminator Zero is here, moving the franchise away from the Connors and onto a new family, in Japan, for a very different kind of hunt.
In Terminator Zero Malcolm Lee is a scientist working on a way to defeat Skynet in 1997, and time is not on his side to prevent Judgment Day. Production IG, known for some of the best anime ever, have produced the most exciting Terminator spin-off since T2, with an ambitious conclusion to boot.
Rather than simply prevent Skynet from causing total devastation, this looks at the nature of time-travel itself, and what it means to save the future. Since it’s an eight-episode anime show, rather than a two-hour sci-fi movie, there’s more room to get into the weeds on some heady notions.
It’s complicated stuff, but don’t worry, we lay out everything that goes on in the last episodes for you.
What happens at the end of Terminator Zero?
The climax of Terminator Zero comes in two waves. First, there’s Kokoro’s decision to stop Skynet, and Kenta’s choice not to activate the EMP despite threats from the Terminator.
During a battle in the bowels of the Kokoro lab, Malcolm Lee is fatally injured trying to stop the Terminator, who manages to grab Kenta and head towards the EMP. Malcolm’s efforts came on top of Eiko and Misaki, who threw everything at the un-specified T-model to provide any kind of hurdle.
As he passes, providing final words of wisdom for his children, Koroko finally understands what gives humans hope. She decides that while humans and AI can be just as bad in their violent nihilism, our ability to inspire each other sets us apart, and she feels inspired to do better.
She tells this to Kenta as he places his hand on the EMP trigger, since the Terminator can’t do anything that would self-harm. He eventually trusts her instead of the monstrous T-model, who claims Kenta actually helps create an alliance with Skynet in the future, united against Kokoro, the bigger threat.
Kenta relents, disabling the EMP and returning to Eiko, Misaki, and his siblings. They all leave the lab as Kokoro’s drones become peaceful, dedicated to building a better future in this new, unknown timeline.
Why Kokoro chooses to save mankind
Malcolm’s plan with Kokoro was to give it free will, and then inspire it to save us from Skynet. Something of a gamble – and then some – his debate with the AI over whether we’re worth saving takes up considerable time in Terminator Zero.
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Kokoro sees little reason to preserve humans, because we’re war-mongers who treat each other, all life below us, with enormous disregard. Once activated, she decides to hold us captive at first, unconvinced that autonomy is worthwhile for us while she deliberates about Skynet.
Malcolm’s eventual choice to give his life in order to save his family, after leaving behind his future, is the catalyst for Kokoro to think otherwise. She sees the way humans can give everything for each other, dedicating themselves to goals that extend beyond procreation and dominance.
While we can be as bad as any monster, we can ascend to much greater things as well. Kokoro is touched by this, backing off and taking Skynet with it.
Malcolm Lee and Misaki created a new future
In a massive twist, Malcolm and Misaki are revealed to be time-travelers themselves, from a point beyond where Eiko comes from. A lifelong engineer, he became obsessed by the notion of creating a peaceful AI that could communicate with Skynet, believing this to be the viable alternative to the neverending pile of bodies since Judgment Day.
His efforts yield Misaki, an android with rudimentary ideas of free will and emotion. After they’re almost captured by other humans, he takes her into a time machine and they travel back to 1983. Together, they build Kokoro, while he starts a family, Misaki working as his housekeeper.
14 years later, the events of Terminator Zero take place, and Malcolm puts his hypothesis to the ultimate test to protect Japan, and his children, from Judgment Day. His plan works, but only just – and a brand new, unexplored timeline is born.
Kokoro now has Terminator technology
The last shot of Terminator Zero has Kokoro’s robots picking up the skull from the T-model sent to assassinate Malcolm. In most installments of the franchise, all remnants of the Terminators are destroyed, in order to prevent any of their technology being used inappropriately.
That doesn’t quite happen here, as Kokoro manages to hold onto a large chuck of the Terminator’s head, one eye still intact. What could this mean for the future of this timeline? It’s unwritten for now – but maybe one day we’ll get a chance to find out.
Our upcoming anime list will tell you about all the most important releases until then.