T-X
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T-X (Enhanced Logic Weapons Systems Cybernetic Warrior/Infiltrator Unit), nicknamed the "Terminatrix", was a fictional gynoid assassin and an elite unit of Skynet's machine army. It is the primary antagonist in the movie Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. It was primarily played by Kristanna Loken.
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[edit] Technical specifications
The T-X was Skynet's most advanced Terminator, designed to not only terminate humans but rogue Terminators reprogrammed by the Resistance. It hybridized some of the concepts apparent in both the 800 and 1000 series models. It represented a return to the endoskeletal model of the former while retaining the poly-mimetic capabilities of the latter. It is fuelled by a plasma reactor housed within its torso.
The T-X was an extremely advanced robot composed of a combat-hardened endoskeleton designed to resist external attack with a mimetic polyalloy liquid metal exterior. This Terminator series has an advanced utilitarian battle chassis protected by malleable ceramic armor, interlaced with nano fibers of carbon and titanium. This unique build makes the T-X nearly invulnerable on the battlefield, absorbing gunshots, explosions, and other external attacks as if they were nothing. The only verified way the endoskeleton can be destroyed is via a small nuclear explosion powerful enough to even bring down half a mountain.
T-X's utilization of polyalloy technology gave it advanced regeneration and limited shapeshifting abilities through body contact, much like its precursor, the entirely liquid metal T-1000 that appeared in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Just like the T-1000, by default, the T-X's form was "naked" until it finds a subject it could copy.
The T-X's mimetic polyalloy can be forcefully removed and restrained by a strong magnetic field. Although this provides temporary incapacitation, the endoskeleton is stronger and can function sufficiently to free itself in at least some cases.
The T-X's strength is also greater than any of the Terminator series that came before. It was able to make older, much heavier models fly across the room with a simple kick or nudge as shown in the movie. This strength is required, for the T-X is designed to terminate other Terminators.
Besides incredible strength and speed, it also had various kinds of innate ranged weapons and tools while other Terminators were limited to their physical strength, what was available in their environment, or, in the T-1000's case, what could be forged directly out of liquid metal.
The T-X had the ability to switch between its array of weapons. The on-screen displays in the movie showed at least twenty-six weapons and descriptions:
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Among these weapons, its main weapon is the Plasma Cannon concealed within the right arm.
Its other primarily used tool is the Nanotechnological Transjector. This drill bit is housed within the right index finger. It can be used to drill into other machines and implant them with nanobots. Primitive machinery can be controlled through these nanobots while the same nanobots can only corrupt another Terminator's system.
The T-X's files on human psychology also included material on sexuality. In addition to dressing to set off its attractive female outer appearance, T-X put on a seductive voice to a police officer who pulled it over before killing him and taking his firearm. It also enlarged its breasts when it saw a Victoria's Secret billboard featuring Adriana Lima likely as psychological weapon to confuse or distract enemies.
A characteristic line of the T-X was "I like your...". For example, it said,"I like your car," to a woman from whom it tried to acquire clothes and transportation, and later, "I like your gun" to a police officer (This is probably a play on a line of the T-1000's in Terminator 2, in which is said "That's a nice bike" to a motorcycle-mounted police officer before taking the bike).
The T-X has some of the most advanced technology in human identification. Along with retina scanners and facial recognition, it also has a DNA scanner located in the mouth. These tools are helpful in recognizing its targets.
In addition to a detailed database of files, the T-X is also capable of accessing other computer databases wirelessly via phone lines by emulating a voiceband modem, creating an audible connection, by the use of its voice processing unit.
[edit] Role in the series
The T-X was sent back by Skynet to the year 2004 as a last ditch effort to defeat the Human Resistance who were winning the war. Its prime directive was to assassinate Kate Brewster and other future lieutenants of John Connor in his quest to save the remains of humanity in the post-apocalyptic machine-controlled future. Using whatever fragmentary records survived the "Judgment Day" nuclear exchange, as well as interfacing with contemporary computers to access education and employment records, the T-X methodically proceeded to eliminate the people on its list. It was not initially concerned with Connor who had avoided creating any such records of his movements and was thus impossible to locate.
The T-X typically approached an unsuspecting target and asked his/her name before shooting him/her. The T-X was also capable of performing DNA identification (shown by it licking a blood sample) and managed to confirm John Connor's nearby presence in this manner. The T-X immediately shifted its focus to him, precipitating a series of violent chases and escapes. Any time Connor managed to evade the T-X (which he called the "Terminatrix"), it returned to its original list of targets. The final chase began when the T-X infiltrated a U.S. Air Force research facility to kill Kate Brewster's father, Lieutenant-General Robert Brewster. Kate Brewster, John Connor, and the Model 101 had also traveled to the base to warn him, but arrived too late to prevent his death.
Though the T-X shrugged off major attacks through most of the film, it was heavily damaged when the Model 101 crashed into it with a helicopter. Though its polymorphous metal coating was now gone, and it was forced to detach and abandon its legs (pinned under helicopter wreckage), it continued to pursue John Connor (in a manner similar to a heavily-damaged but determined T-800 crawling after Sarah Connor in the first film), seizing and injuring his ankle. Only the intervention of the reprogrammed Terminator, jamming and igniting its last power cell in the T-X's mouth, managed to finally destroy it along with a good chunk of the mountain that the bomb shelter was in.
[edit] Trivia
- There are several references and in-jokes associated with the T-X's weapons array.
- The "Needler" is a weapon from the video game Fallout 2 and was later used in the Halo video games for the Xbox which peppers a target with sharp crystal shards, which then explode.
- The "HDE Predator" is possibly either a reference to the Predator aliens, which have battled Terminators in various comic crossovers or to the Predator movie which also starred Schwarzenegger, the original Terminator. The Predator handgun is also present in the Shadowrun role-playing game, in which it pays homage to RoboCop's Auto-9.
- The "HK-54334" is probably a reference to the Hunter/Killer machines seen in the Future War segments of the films. Although less likely, this may also be a nod to Heckler & Koch, a leading firearms manufacturer.
- The "RUMSFELD P81 CAUSTIC" is a reference to Donald Rumsfeld. This weapon has been removed from the list in television broadcasts of Terminator 3.
- The "XFLRG - 44 mm" is a nod to the name of the rocket in the Tintin book Destination Moon.
- The Plasma Cannon in the 60 watt range is an obvious homage to when the T-800 asks a gun store owner for a "phased plasma rifle in the forty-watt range" in the original movie. (Possibly referring to common wattages of standard incandescent light bulbs.)
- The "M41 Pulse Rifle" is a nod to the Alien series, where the M41A Pulse Rifle is a standard marine assault rifle.
- The role of the T-X was originally planned for actress Joanie Laurer, a former WWE wrestler known as "Chyna". Actresses Famke Janssen, Carrie-Anne Moss, Peta Wilson, Lucy Lawless and Jeri Ryan were also considered at some early stages of production for the part.
- The character Mecha from Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic book bears a notable similarity to the T-X when stripped of its outer covering.
- A version of the T-X appeared in the crossover story Superman vs. The Terminator: Death to the Future, where a T-X formed an alliance with Superman's foe the Cyborg, combining with him in an attempt to defeat Superman.
