Here is the seventh installment of Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles fanfic that picks up where the second season finale left off. As I mentioned before, I was so enthusiastic about the possibilities presented when the season ended that I just had to keep it going regardless of what happens with the suits at FOX.
The first thing you’ll probably notice is that I changed the name of the series to Terminator: The Connor Wars. I think that more accurately conveys what this project will cover as well as it being a lot easier to say.
As I disclaim on the title page, this is just meant to be a bit of fannish fun in the long spirit of the various fan communities. I’m not intending to step on any toes.
Resfest
After the huge arc that we just finished, it clearly was time for a bit of a breather for everyone to pause and catch their collective breaths.
This is the first episode of the season that focuses on the 2009 storyline more than the 2027 storyline. Even though Sarah and her troop are trying to have “normal” lives, the fact is that they are caught in extraordinary circumstance. They have important things that have to be dealt when when they need to be dealt with and not put off until it’s more convenient.
It’s usually this way in the future, as well, but with both sides having only just limped away from a major battle, the time finally arrived to relieve a little bit of the stress. These pauses don’t come often, but when they do they need to be savored. Of course, not everyone gets to relax…not when the future existence of humanity is on the line.
And, before I let you go, just a reminder that for those of you who are curious as to who the heck is writing these things, I’ve posted a video blog of me pretty much saying out loud the same sort of stuff that I write in my more bloggy updates.
Lastly, thanks for your patience waiting for this ep. It’s about 4-5 days later than is regularly scheduled, but it was a necessary respite for me.
(With the size it is, the PDF seems to read easier if you zoom to 66.7% and then scroll the text horizontally so it’s centered.)
Previous episode: F0306 – “Clutch”
Next episode: F0308 – “Ties and Links”
Oh, and before I get emails about this. The PDF file I generated has the setting to allow people to print out the script turned off. If you are having trouble with the plug-in, click here.
Fisrt in comments! 10 of 10 automated. Will read later.
Well, that was really worth waiting. Very positive reading. Keep up.
I like this episode. Especially the idea that Sarah finally starts to understand that not all the machines should be destroyed. For me it sounded like it was the second time after she submerged “uncle Bob” into molten steel when she did not want to destroy the machine from her deep-inside. Was that just me reading the episode late at night or did she really change her “Everything needs to be destroyed. Every last bolt.” attitude?
And by the way it’s been a long time since we saw Catherine Weaver. How is she doing?
I don’t think Sarah’s well-earned prejudice is going to change much…except where it impacts on John. She might not like the Tin-Miss, but she understand what Cameron means to John: she saves his life. Even if only psychologically, Sarah may think that maintaining Cameron’s body might give John the edge he needs.
Weaver? Long time? You mean since episode 6 (this being episode 7)? Right now, I expect that having found Camenry and told John about it, she’s out trying to stage the next bit of her part of the mission…whatever that might be.
Because of the size of the cast, most of the characters will have their episodes where you don’t really see them. Nature of the beast. (It also helps that I don’t have to use someone just because they are getting paid whether they appear or not–amazingly, the studio wants you to use the actors they are paying for.)
That’s sad for me. It’s interesting how in the terminator universe machines become more like humans and humans become more like machines. “The Sarah Connor is out there. She can’t be bargained with… And she absolutely will not stop, ever, until the machine is completely destroyed.” Isn’t that true? Fighting machines she started to act like them. She tolerated Cameron’s presence for the same reason a machine would do: “because the mission requires it”.
From the beginning of the show I sincerely wanted her and Cameron to become friends. Maybe that’s why I like Sarah+Cameron episodes so much. “Gnothi Seauton” was especially good one and it could be a turning point in their relations. Unfortunately it did not happen. She missed her chance with “uncle Bob” and she missed her chance with Cameron. But maybe now when nobody is chasing John and Cameron’s chip is in the future she can revise what happened in recent years and start looking on Cameron from different point of view.
Or maybe it is not like everything is lost for them? What was that Cameron’s voice from John Henry’s computer in F0302? What part of Cameron left in our time? Can they plug her body in like they did with Cromartie’s? (Wow, this story looks like endless source of ideas
).
Now about Weaver. It’s probably in the human’s nature that if we like someone/something we want he/she/it to be around. Right now Weaver is the most interesting character for me, so the whole episode without her seems like a long time
Besides that her absence on a Christmas party seems like a missed opportunity to learn something new about humanity during that rare event on a war.
I see this site has a lot of interesting reading. Now knowing that Weaver is on her mission I can start exploring this site while waiting for F0308
Thank you for all and keep creating new interesting episodes.
T2 sort of set this up when Sarah tried to kill Miles Dyson. She got oh-so-close, but then her humanity kicked in. If not for serendipity, and Danny’s RC, she’d have most definitely accomplished her objective.
On the other hand, despite how eccentrically she does it, she’d do anything for John. Some would argue that that just means that she’s just like Cameron or Uncle Bob. Nay, I say, they are modeled after her. SHE’s the best fighter John knows. Why? Because she has that mama-protecting-her-cubs thing that’s generally missing from the metal.
On many levels, this saga is about how damaged people/machines adapt to a crazy world with insane consequences.Among the humans, PTSD abounds. Among the machines…shards of Jeep.
Ah yes…”Samson and Delilah”. Whatever trust Cameron and Sarah were building were destroyed the minute Cameron raised her Glock to terminate John. The only reason Cameron survived beyond that episode was because John chose his side, and it wasn’t Sarah’s. Now Sarah’s only motherly stand is to adapt to her son’s choice or lose him forever.
I’d like to point to the Cameron hallucination that Sarah has in F0304.
And then Sarah basically hands over the reigns to Cameron. True, it’s just an illusion, but a very symbolic one. Despite all her bluster, perhaps Sarah does trust Cameron. It’s more like a mother-in-law hating her son’s new wife out of principle–not for cause, but because she’s taking away her little boy.
This is an important theme in the series: John’s choosing Cameron over Sarah. It isn’t just the “She saves my life” from S&D, but also the choice in “Born to Run” after Weaver activates the TDE.
It’s got to be a tough pill to swallow. Despite all she’s given and all she will give, without reward, John chooses Cameron instead of Sarah. This makes Sarah both a tragic figure but also an incredibly loving mother. After all, even though he didn’t hear them, what were Sarah’s final words to John–the words that crossed time desperate to be heard? “I love you, too.”
And yeah, I totally agree. This story has so many possibilities. It’s so fun to play in this sand pile, believe me.
Hi CJ !!
I just happened to stumble across your season 3 version of TSCC , and I have totally enjoyed each and every episode.
Seeing how season 2 ended , what you have written is truly a believable continuation of The Conner story.
I like how you have made Allison strong , fun , smart , headstrong, and fragile at the same time. She is a well rounded character and it is too bad we never saw more of her in TSCC season 1 or 2.
We all know Sarah is sick , and your handling of her situation is a good indicator of what we need to expect .
I like how you have her forming a new group to battle JD , it ties in the other characters left with her into a force to be feared .
John , as I knew , has taken great steps to mature and grow into the leader he needs to be . It will be interesting to see how well he does with the resistance as well as the Cyborgs on his side.
Keep up the great work !!!
Finally got round to reading this episode today. I watched the video blog so I had the pre-warning on the slower pace
The pace was fine, it worked quite well. It definitely feels like an episode that’s beginning to set up the story arcs for Act 2.
Nice smooth link-in with Sarkissian by the way. It was never really explained in Season 1 (to my knowledge) why he was after the Turk in the first place, other than they were black market dealers of some fashion. I take it there is more of the tie-in coming in the future?
@meanoldmoe: Welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying this. I hope to continue keeping your interest.
Allison has been a fun and complicated character to write. My first requirement of the character was that she smile. Partly this is because it’s cool picturing Summer smiling, but it also serves as a contrast to just about every other person in JC’s post-JD world has we’ve seen it. They are so gloomy.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
@TheSqonk: I wouldn’t be a bit surprised
Nope. Not surprised a bit.