In 1984, Canadian director James Cameron released his second feature-length film, The Terminator. When a cyborg assassin from the future (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to kill the unassuming Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is tasked with protecting her and securing a future for humanity before a nuclear armageddon. The modestly budgeted sci-fi action movie would not only go on to launch the career of now legendary filmmaker James Cameron, but it would also begin a franchise spanning more than 30 years.
The Terminator franchise is chock-full of memorable scenes, characters, and dialogue. With seven feature films and a television show, there's no shortage of great quotes, but some stand out as particularly iconic. This is a selection of the very best quotes from the Terminator franchise that have made their mark on pop culture history because of their wit, cleverness, and outright badassery.
10 "It's the strength of the human heart. The difference between us and machines."
Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) - 'Terminator Salvation' (2009)
Terminator Salvation, set in the post-judgment day future of 2018, follows Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) in his journey to find the leader of the resistance, John Connor (Christian Bale). As his memory gradually returns, Marcus realizes his role in saving humanity is greater than he could've ever imagined.
Although subject to chaos behind the scenes, Terminator Salvation offers a few glimmers of brilliance. It's a bleak sci-fi action movie that showcases the destruction of Judgment Day and the subsequent enslavement of the human race at the hands of Skynet and its machine army. This quote effectively captures the core themes of the movie, especially considering the development of Marcus' character. The inherent differences between man and machine have always been at the center of the franchise, and this quote summarizes them.
Terminator Salvation
PG-13
Action
Drama
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- May 20, 2009
- Director
- McG
- Cast
- Christian Bale , Sam Worthington , Moon Bloodgood , Helena Bonham Carter , Anton Yelchin , Jadagrace
- Runtime
- 130
- Writers
- John D. Brancato , Michael Ferris
9 "All I know is what the Terminator taught me: never stop fighting. And I never will."
John Connor (Nick Stahl) - 'Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines' (2003)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines takes place more than a decade following the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. A now adult John Connor (Nick Stahl) lives off the grid, and despite the prior efforts of both him and his mother, the hostile takeover of Skynet is believed to be inevitable. A hyper-advanced cyborg is once again sent from the future to kill Connor and his future wife, Kate (Claire Danes), but a reprogrammed T-850 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tasked with protecting them.
John Connor is Terminator's most important figure. His survival is the key to the future of the human race, and many have fought and died to keep him safe. His life has been in jeopardy since the day he was born, but he remains keenly aware of the role he'll play in humanity's survival. The pain and persecution he's endured might be tough, but he understands it's worth it, and this quote is a poignant reminder that he cannot afford to give up.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
R
Action
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
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Not available
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- Release Date
- July 2, 2003
- Director
- Jonathan Mostow
- Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger , Nick Stahl , Claire Danes , Kristanna Loken , David Andrews , Mark Famiglietti
- Runtime
- 109 mins
- Writers
- James Cameron , Gale Anne Hurd , John D. Brancato , Michael Ferris , Tedi Sarafian
8 "You're terminated, f*cker."
Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) - 'The Terminator' (1984)
Los Angeles resident Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) lives in a shared apartment with her obnoxious friend and works a dead-end waitress job that only causes her grief. Little does she know, Sarah's day would start with pouring coffees for ungrateful patrons and end with a killer cyborg chasing her through a metal factory.
Sarah's one-liner is so satisfying becauseit's well-earned. For most of the movie, Sarah is protected by Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), but the ending of The Terminator finds Sarah in a situation where it's only her and the Terminator. After luring the machine into a hydraulic press, she utters the phrase and crushes it, destroying the cyborg for good. It shows Sarah as a more than capable character, and the conviction in the delivery from Hamilton just seals the deal. It's also the type of cheesy yet satisfying line that Cameron is well-known for.
The Terminator (1984)
R
Action
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
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Not available
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- Release Date
- October 26, 1984
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger , Michael Biehn , Linda Hamilton , Paul Winfield , Lance Henriksen , Bess Motta
- Runtime
- 107 Minutes
- Writers
- James Cameron , Gale Anne Hurd , William Wisher
7 "The future's not set. There's no fate but what we make for ourselves."
John Connor (Edward Furlong) - 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)
A recurring theme in the Terminator franchise is the idea that certain events cannot be avoided. Judgment day, the destruction of the Earth at the hands of advanced artificial intelligence, is believed to be unavoidable. Despite the efforts of present and future parties, judgment day can seemingly only ever be delayed, not stopped.
Kyle Reese told Sarah Connor these words before John Connor's (Edward Furlong) birth, and Sarah then passed them on to her son. The idea that her actions do not affect the outcome almost drove Sarah Connor to madness, but ultimately, her belief in free will overpowers the notions of a predetermined future. While the events of the Terminator films appear to be cyclical, deviations occur and new fates are written.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
R
Action
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- July 3, 1991
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Edward Furlong , Robert Patrick , Earl Boen , Joe Morton
- Runtime
- 137 minutes
- Writers
- James Cameron , William Wisher Jr.
6 "That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead."
Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) - 'The Terminator'
After nearly being killed by the Terminator and then rescued by a rugged stranger, Sarah Connor is understandably confused and scared. After she attempts to get away from Kyle Reese, he is forced to give her a rundown of the severity of the situation and the grave danger she is in.
The Terminator is equal parts a great slasher movie and an ambitious sci-fi vehicle. The Terminator itself is an unstoppable force of nature that kills anyone in its way, a true villainous force that serves no other purpose than to dispatch Sarah Connor, and that's what makes it so damn scary. This quote does a great job of hammering that idea home, conveying the gravity of the situation to Sarah and giving the audience a clear picture of what she's going up against.
5 "Your clothes... give them to me, now."
The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - 'The Terminator'
One of the caveats of time travel is that your clothes cannot come with you. When the Terminator arrives in 1984, it emerges from a ball of energy completely nude. After wandering the city streets, scanning its surroundings, the Terminator happens upon a trio of hoodlums and demands their clothes.
Out of the many memorable lines from this now-iconic scene is this specific quote, which takes the cake as the best. The line has everything going for it: Schwarzanegger's unflinching stare, the exotic accent, his incredibly imposing form, and a hasty retaliation from a blue-haired Bill Paxton that results in a heart being ripped out. It's a simple line that established the Terminator as a force to be reckoned with.
4 "Come with me if you want to live."
Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) - 'The Terminator'
After Sarah Connor is nearly point-blank executed by the Terminator in a nightclub, Kyle Reese makes his introduction to the movie by blasting the machine away with a pump action shotgun. The dramatic gunfight ends with Reese walking the Terminator down and putting it through a window. He runs back to Sarah and speaks the famous line.
While certainly a capable character, it's made clear that Sarah Connor would not have survived very long without the intervention of Kyle Reese, especially not against a literal machine from the future. Reese's command to come with her is blunt and to the point; Sarah is Reese's mission, and he must do everything in his power to ensure her safety. This line is repeated (in some variation) in every movie in the Terminator franchise, although few have the same emotional impact.
3 "I know now why you cry... but it's something that I can never do."
The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of the greatest movies ever made. It has everything one would ever want from an action and science fiction movie: thrills, suspense, insightful themes, and a strong, beating heart. This line is spoken by a Terminator programmed to protect John Connor in the movie's most emotional scene.
Schwarzenegger's Terminator being turned into the good guy in Terminator 2: Judgment Day was an incredibly clever narrative decision. It allows for a whole new perspective not present in The Terminator — the perspective of a machine. The Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day is learning human customs and means of expression, even developing an emotional attachment to John. By the end, the Terminator has come to understand and appreciate the complexities of human emotion, even if he still cannot replicate them.
2 "Hasta la vista, baby."
The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'
Throughout Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the young John Connor urges the Terminator to listen to the way people speak and learn proper dialogue. Naturally, with him being a teenager, John teaches the Terminator slang, swear words and other antagonistic gestures to hilarious effect. However, none of the cyborg's new colorful expressions is more notable than the classic "Hasta la vista, baby."
A generic Spanish expression meaning "goodbye" or "see you later," albeit more cheekily, Schwarzenegger uses the phrase "Hasta la Vista, baby" before shattering the T-1000. This is not only a smart reincorporation of what John taught the Terminator before but also one of the best pre-mortem lines in movie history. It makes for a uniquely memorable one-liner that has etched its place in movie history and is still quoted today.
1 "I'll be back."
The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - 'The Terminator'
Not only the most famous line from the Terminator franchise but also one of the most iconic movie quotes of all time. Those three simple words form a rather pedestrian phrase that is now synonymous with The Terminator and Schwarzenegger alike. What is most amusing about this quote is how ordinary it is — its commemoration was certainly not anticipated.
It's a perfect sequence: Schwarzenegger leans in slightly as he says the line, the monotone vocal delivery, blank, yet still somehow threatening, facial expression and the events that closely precede it. All these choices add up to a quote that will be forever immortalized. Other movies in the franchise reference this line, but none can come close to the magic of the original, which largely relies on Schwarzenegger's simple delivery of what is essentially just another run-of-the-mill line.
NEXT:The 10 Best Opening Monologues in Movies, Ranked
