Terminator Zero’ Episode Four Review

Episode four of Netflix’s animated series ‘Terminator Zero’ tries to delay Judgement Day and introduces another big plot twist as the show reaches the halfway point.

This is another action packed episode, as Misaki takes the two boys to a police station after the attack in the underground city, and tries to warn them of the risk posed by the Terminator, but is too late, as the cyborg attacks the station disguised as an officer.

This scene shows a problem that this show shares with other recent entries in long-running franchises, a tendency to constantly refer back to past entries. This isn’t just a problem with the overall plot, which follows a familiar path of a Terminator and resistance fighter being sent back to the same time period, as most ‘Terminator’ movies have done, but in the inclusion of scenes like the attack on the police station, which is very similar to the original movie, where the T-800 rampaged through the station where Sarah Connor was, massacring the officers inside. It’s a shame, as this series has several good points, and it would be nice to see new entries bring their own iconic moments to a franchise, rather than just relying on callbacks to get recognition from fans.

One new thing that ‘Terminator Zero’ is bringing to the franchise is Kokoro, the artificial intelligence created by Malcolm Lee in the hope it will defend Earth from Skynet. There’s plenty of conflict going on as Malcolm struggles with the decision of whether or not to bring her online, if she will help humanity, or just do what’s best for herself. The clock finally runs out and Skynet becomes self aware, immediately launching a nuclear strike around the world. With no time left, he brings Kokoro online and hopes she will do the right thing. A nice inclusion is that the date is August 29, the same day that the show dropped on Netflix.

A big reveal in this episode is that Misaki is actually a cyborg. The police could find no records of her existence, so where she actually came from, or what exactly she is, isn’t clear. Though surely Malcolm must have known this before he allowed her to care for his children?

This, and the question of Kokoro’s true nature, are two big questions needing answers, which are keeping the show turning over quickly, with new plot threads being introduced all the time.