Synopsis: Skynet sends a sexy female Terminator back in time to try and kill as many Resistance officers as possible and ensure Skynet's activation but ends up finding John Conner by accident. The future John Conner has been killed by a Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator, which his future wife reprograms to protect John Conner and sends him back in time as well. Through a series of events Skynet becomes sentient and launches Judgement Day while John Conner and his future wife are forced into a bunker to survive the nuclear onsalught. Arnold and the T-X die. The future begins.
The Problems: John Conner has turned into a pussy with the death of his mother. His future wife is annoying. It's essentially the same thing we already saw with T2, just not as well executed. And the concept of having no future save that which we make for ourselves is thrown out the window to make John Conner into the savior of humanity whether he likes it or not.
Unfortunately it's kind of hard to top T2 for sheer excellence in the "killer robots sent back in time from a dystopian future" genre of scifi. As a result, I freely admit that this premise I submit is far below that standard. Hell, it's little better than T3 itself. But if a T3 had to be made, and I had to be the guy to make it, here's what I would try to do:
Screenplay Concept Written By a Dummy:
"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"
2032: The human resistance has been fighting Skynet for decades, and is finally close to triumph when in a heartbeat, it all changes. The resistance is halved, the machines are even stronger, and Skynet is safe from destruction for now. One faction wonders how things could be so bad, and John Conner has the answer-Skynet's meddling with time, and the effects are making themselves apparent. He's the only one who knows this-Possibly due to the fact that his father was a time traveler himself. In response to this, a rogue faction of the Resistance decides to take a leaf out of Conner's playbook and sends a human agent and a reprogrammed T-850 Terminator back in time to prevent Skynet's creation.
Unfortunately, this would mean such massive alterations in the timeline that the universe might decide this is far too much and everything will go kablooie. Not to mention that the means by which the agent wishes to destroy Skynet, a computer virus, is apparently what triggered Skynet in the first place. The Resistance can't get another agent to a temporal displacement device in time, as Skynet has retaken the facility and sent another Terminator back after the Resistance... But they can send a message through to a Terminator already in the past. It is fortunate that they have the central processor of the Terminator John Conner already has in mind for the job...
2003. Cameron, living with John and Sarah Conner, receives the signal and informs the Conners of the situation. Both Conners are loathe to allow Skynet's activation, and given that Cameron's first and foremost duty is to protect John, they attempt to locate the human agent.
This agent named Ruth is the sister of the woman Cameron was based upon, and meets up with John when he is alone. She tries to convince him to help her stop Skynet, even offering herself in every way to him if he will. The biggest problem for John, emotionally, is that Cameron would never have been sent back in time and he would never have known her. Further complicating matters is his developing temporal awareness-Awareness that something big is on the horizon. Ruth grows impatient, and then horrified when she meets Cameron. Thinking that the young Conner is willing to sacrifice 3 billion human lives just for the sake of a machine in the guise of her sister, Ruth orders her T-850 to kill Conner. The T-850 and Cameron fight while Ruth escapes, John and Sarah having to help Cameron against the more powerful cyborg. Ruth calls her Terminator back to her, and he jumps through a window after her, drawing the police to the Conners' location. This also draws the Skynet Terminator (the T-X) to the scene.
The Conners and Cameron escape after a tough battle with the T-X, and they manage to get to the US Air Force building where Skynet is being held now. Ruth has used her Terminator to break into the building, despite the Terminator's questions about this course of action. Ruth insists the future is what they make of it, and he's just a machine anyway. The Terminator is reluctant, but programmed to obey. He engages the T-1s and military personnel in the building, Ruth aiding him and angrily gunning down anyone who gets in her way.
Suddenly, John, Cameron and Sarah arrive. Ruth asks how John can just do this-Sacrifice the future for a machine. John retorts that the future isn't set but that this isn't going to help-She doesn't know everything about what's going on. Ruth does not care, and she runs further into the building after ordering her Terminator to engage Conner and the others. Cameron fights the Terminator and tells John and Sarah she will be all right, they need to stop Ruth.
Cameron and The Terminator fight, Cameron trying to reach her fellow machine because she can tell he is having trouble with his emotions. He states his directive is to protect humanity-Cameron states hers is the same, and that this virus could bring Skynet about. The Terminator asks Cameron if she wishes to cease to exist-Cameron states she would rather not cease to exist, but if she must end her life to protect humanity, so be it. The Terminator decides to stop fighting Cameron, and they both go to catch up to the humans.
Ruth has made her way into the main control room for Skynet, and is about to upload the virus. John bursts in, his mother providing covering fire against the T-1s registering them as intruders. He tries to talk Ruth down, explain about the virus, but Ruth doesn't believe him. She says she's lost everything to Skynet, that her sister's memory has been twisted into a killing machine-A machine he would rather have than her. She states that even if Skynet activates, well... She can always go back again in the future. John threatens to kill her-She tells him he can try, and she uploads the virus just before he shoots her in the leg. Ruth grins and doesn't care-She's won, Skynet is gone!
... Except that it appears that Skynet has locked out the control room. The virus hasn't destroyed Skynet-It has given it sentience, and it's only a matter of time before it gains control over the weapons systems of the USA. John manages to talk to a general, who tells them about another location where they can stop Skynet from, but it's three hours away.
Ruth goes insane and tries to shoot Cameron when she comes in the door, but John shoots her again-This time hitting her in the stomach. Ruth falls, and Cameron and John sit over her. Ruth tells Cameron that she'll "see her soon", before she dies.
The group is allowed to take a plane, piloted by General Brewster's daughter to the Skynet location, and they head there. It is at this point that the T-X catches up to them, programmed to kill John Conner and terminate the other Terminators. A three-way battle ensues as Sarah, Katie Brewster, and John Conner all head into the bunker. The T-850 tells Cameron to go with John. Cameron asks why, and the T-850 replies that it is because he has checked his records-This is not a Skynet facility, it is a VIP bunker. The General has ordered them here to save his daughter.
The T-850 tells Cameron to "continue her mission", before he throws Cameron through a closing bunker door and kills himself to kill the T-X.
Judgement Day occurs, leaving Katie, John, Sarah and Cameron alone in the bunker. It is at this point radio chatter from civil defense and other people filter in, asking for help and orders. Everyone looks to John, who asks why the hell he has to take this up. "The future is what we make of it!" He insists angrily.
"It is," Cameron said, "but the future still happens."
"And never as we expect it to," Sarah adds.
John sighs, looking down, looking like a scared little boy... Before he looks up, filled with grim determination.
He picks up the radio, and sighs.
"In the end," he says, "I have no choice at all..."
He turns it on.
"This is John Conner..."
THE END?
The Problems: John Conner has turned into a pussy with the death of his mother. His future wife is annoying. It's essentially the same thing we already saw with T2, just not as well executed. And the concept of having no future save that which we make for ourselves is thrown out the window to make John Conner into the savior of humanity whether he likes it or not.
Unfortunately it's kind of hard to top T2 for sheer excellence in the "killer robots sent back in time from a dystopian future" genre of scifi. As a result, I freely admit that this premise I submit is far below that standard. Hell, it's little better than T3 itself. But if a T3 had to be made, and I had to be the guy to make it, here's what I would try to do:
Screenplay Concept Written By a Dummy:
"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"
2032: The human resistance has been fighting Skynet for decades, and is finally close to triumph when in a heartbeat, it all changes. The resistance is halved, the machines are even stronger, and Skynet is safe from destruction for now. One faction wonders how things could be so bad, and John Conner has the answer-Skynet's meddling with time, and the effects are making themselves apparent. He's the only one who knows this-Possibly due to the fact that his father was a time traveler himself. In response to this, a rogue faction of the Resistance decides to take a leaf out of Conner's playbook and sends a human agent and a reprogrammed T-850 Terminator back in time to prevent Skynet's creation.
Unfortunately, this would mean such massive alterations in the timeline that the universe might decide this is far too much and everything will go kablooie. Not to mention that the means by which the agent wishes to destroy Skynet, a computer virus, is apparently what triggered Skynet in the first place. The Resistance can't get another agent to a temporal displacement device in time, as Skynet has retaken the facility and sent another Terminator back after the Resistance... But they can send a message through to a Terminator already in the past. It is fortunate that they have the central processor of the Terminator John Conner already has in mind for the job...
2003. Cameron, living with John and Sarah Conner, receives the signal and informs the Conners of the situation. Both Conners are loathe to allow Skynet's activation, and given that Cameron's first and foremost duty is to protect John, they attempt to locate the human agent.
This agent named Ruth is the sister of the woman Cameron was based upon, and meets up with John when he is alone. She tries to convince him to help her stop Skynet, even offering herself in every way to him if he will. The biggest problem for John, emotionally, is that Cameron would never have been sent back in time and he would never have known her. Further complicating matters is his developing temporal awareness-Awareness that something big is on the horizon. Ruth grows impatient, and then horrified when she meets Cameron. Thinking that the young Conner is willing to sacrifice 3 billion human lives just for the sake of a machine in the guise of her sister, Ruth orders her T-850 to kill Conner. The T-850 and Cameron fight while Ruth escapes, John and Sarah having to help Cameron against the more powerful cyborg. Ruth calls her Terminator back to her, and he jumps through a window after her, drawing the police to the Conners' location. This also draws the Skynet Terminator (the T-X) to the scene.
The Conners and Cameron escape after a tough battle with the T-X, and they manage to get to the US Air Force building where Skynet is being held now. Ruth has used her Terminator to break into the building, despite the Terminator's questions about this course of action. Ruth insists the future is what they make of it, and he's just a machine anyway. The Terminator is reluctant, but programmed to obey. He engages the T-1s and military personnel in the building, Ruth aiding him and angrily gunning down anyone who gets in her way.
Suddenly, John, Cameron and Sarah arrive. Ruth asks how John can just do this-Sacrifice the future for a machine. John retorts that the future isn't set but that this isn't going to help-She doesn't know everything about what's going on. Ruth does not care, and she runs further into the building after ordering her Terminator to engage Conner and the others. Cameron fights the Terminator and tells John and Sarah she will be all right, they need to stop Ruth.
Cameron and The Terminator fight, Cameron trying to reach her fellow machine because she can tell he is having trouble with his emotions. He states his directive is to protect humanity-Cameron states hers is the same, and that this virus could bring Skynet about. The Terminator asks Cameron if she wishes to cease to exist-Cameron states she would rather not cease to exist, but if she must end her life to protect humanity, so be it. The Terminator decides to stop fighting Cameron, and they both go to catch up to the humans.
Ruth has made her way into the main control room for Skynet, and is about to upload the virus. John bursts in, his mother providing covering fire against the T-1s registering them as intruders. He tries to talk Ruth down, explain about the virus, but Ruth doesn't believe him. She says she's lost everything to Skynet, that her sister's memory has been twisted into a killing machine-A machine he would rather have than her. She states that even if Skynet activates, well... She can always go back again in the future. John threatens to kill her-She tells him he can try, and she uploads the virus just before he shoots her in the leg. Ruth grins and doesn't care-She's won, Skynet is gone!
... Except that it appears that Skynet has locked out the control room. The virus hasn't destroyed Skynet-It has given it sentience, and it's only a matter of time before it gains control over the weapons systems of the USA. John manages to talk to a general, who tells them about another location where they can stop Skynet from, but it's three hours away.
Ruth goes insane and tries to shoot Cameron when she comes in the door, but John shoots her again-This time hitting her in the stomach. Ruth falls, and Cameron and John sit over her. Ruth tells Cameron that she'll "see her soon", before she dies.
The group is allowed to take a plane, piloted by General Brewster's daughter to the Skynet location, and they head there. It is at this point that the T-X catches up to them, programmed to kill John Conner and terminate the other Terminators. A three-way battle ensues as Sarah, Katie Brewster, and John Conner all head into the bunker. The T-850 tells Cameron to go with John. Cameron asks why, and the T-850 replies that it is because he has checked his records-This is not a Skynet facility, it is a VIP bunker. The General has ordered them here to save his daughter.
The T-850 tells Cameron to "continue her mission", before he throws Cameron through a closing bunker door and kills himself to kill the T-X.
Judgement Day occurs, leaving Katie, John, Sarah and Cameron alone in the bunker. It is at this point radio chatter from civil defense and other people filter in, asking for help and orders. Everyone looks to John, who asks why the hell he has to take this up. "The future is what we make of it!" He insists angrily.
"It is," Cameron said, "but the future still happens."
"And never as we expect it to," Sarah adds.
John sighs, looking down, looking like a scared little boy... Before he looks up, filled with grim determination.
He picks up the radio, and sighs.
"In the end," he says, "I have no choice at all..."
He turns it on.
"This is John Conner..."
THE END?