Where Does Terminator Zero Fit in the Terminator Franchise Timeline?

Netflix unveils the first images of the animated series Terminator Zero.

Netflix Resets the Terminator Timeline?

The animated series Terminator Zero, produced by Skydance Animation, Production I.G, and showrunner Mattson Tomlin for the streaming platform Netflix, could be the solution to the convoluted timeline that has plagued the Terminator franchise for years. Terminator Zero could either perpetuate this confusion or dissipate it.

An Ever-Evolving Timeline for Terminator

Since the saga’s launch in 1984, multiple timelines have overlapped, with films like Terminator Salvation and Terminator Genisys unfolding in distinct potential futures, and Terminator: Dark Fate completely rewriting the narrative to pick up immediately after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Despite this, Terminator Zero offers important clues through its unique story and setting.

Terminator Zero, a Return to Roots

Exclusive to Netflix, Terminator Zero will focus primarily on the events of 1997 while presenting a new version of 2022, where humanity must face the consequences of the war against Skynet. The animated series will therefore take place after the events of Terminator 2 and before Rise of the Machines.

Terminator Zero may also revisit unseen aspects of the human-machine conflict in 2022, expanding the franchise’s horizon. However, the series could also establish an entirely new timeline, paving the way for a total reboot of the franchise in cinemas.

What Do We Think?

If the task of reorganizing the complex timeline of the Terminator franchise seems daunting, Terminator Zero could be the key to this puzzle. By focusing on key moments in the saga and exploring unseen aspects of the conflict, the series has the potential to redefine the franchise’s future while paying tribute to its past. We eagerly await to see how this new piece fits into the Terminator puzzle.

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