‘Terminator Zero’ Easter Eggs And Live-Action Movies References, Explained

Netflix’s latest sci-fi anime Terminator Zero presents itself as a brand new chapter to the existing lore of the Terminator franchise by offering a different perspective on the fateful Judgment Day, introducing fresh characters, settings, and inventive concepts—which goes on to show the versatile potential of the central theme of man/machine conflict. At the same time, the series acknowledges preceding live-action movies through a number of Easter eggs, references, and clever thematic significance, which hints at the existing connection among all the stories set in the Terminator universe. Sure, fans don’t get to see any Connor or Reese trying to avert the impending doom or two Terminators duking it out; instead, a potent mix of physical and psychological dread induced by artificial intelligence is on display throughout eight episodes. But there are enough clues scattered around which eagle-eyed fans of the series can identify quite easily, some of which we will like to discuss. 

Spoilers Ahead

Thematic Connection With Miles Dyson’s Paradox

Terminator Zero retells the Judgment Day storyline of Skynet’s activation and its attack on humanity, and in doing so, deftly references the story of Miles Dyson, the scientist of Cyberdyne Systems, whose heroic sacrificial arc was one of the highlights of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In the live-action sequel to the original The Terminator, Miles Dyson had come across a microprocessor from the Terminator who wreaked havoc in the first movie and reverse-engineered it to develop the Skynet. This was an interesting paradox, as without Dyson’s research, Skynet couldn’t exist, and without Skynet, Dyson’s research couldn’t have been produced. Similarly, in Terminator Zero, Eiko arrives from her future dystopian timeline of 2022 to the past in 1997 to stop the Terminator from killing Malcolm Lee, the person who creates a countermeasure to Skynet in the form of another sentient AI, Kokoro—but at the end she realizes that it is her presence in the past that has already triggered a significant enough change to create a complex paradox. Malcolm is Eiko’s son, from a dystopian timeline where her friends and close ones survived in the future, and he is the person whom she has been sent to avert doomsday in the first place. The tragic part is, if the crisis has indeed been averted and humanity is finally safe, Eiko will never have another chance to meet her son, whose birth was a paradoxical anomaly to begin with. 

There is another paradoxical subplot in the series that can be explored in upcoming seasons, which is hinted at in the final moments of the first season of Terminator Zero. Kokoro is seen taking a closer look at a demolished Terminator skull piece, and even though her intentions with it aren’t clear, enough threats about its potential of turning rogue have been provided through the series. If that outcome indeed becomes a reality in the future, it will create a paradox as the influence of the Terminator made Kokoro turn into humanity’s adversary, but it was her presence that the Terminator was trying to end in the first place. 

The Two AI Plot

In the final moments of Terminator Zero, it is hinted that there is a strong possibility of Kokoro taking Skynet’s place in the future as humanity’s biggest threat, and the Terminator, who had arrived to kill Malcolm, also warns Kenta about her intentions. Skynet and its replacement rogue AI plot were also used in Terminator: Dark Fate, which chronicled a timeline where Sarah Connor was able to destroy Cyberdyne and put an end to Skynet in the very beginning, but another rogue AI, Legion, took its place and created a Judgment Day-like event. 

Visual References Scattered Through The Series

There are multiple images from the live-action Terminator movies that made their way into the series as a form of homage. For example, the scene in Terminator 2, where T-1000 impersonates a police officer, is replicated in a scene in the series as the Terminator, in pursuit of Malcolm Lee, takes the guise of a cop to enter the police station where Misaki, Hiro, and Kenta were present. The rising of the Terminator, the dystopian worldview presented in the series also mimics that of the movie’s version. Sarah Connor’s dreadful vision of a post-apocalyptic world, which prompted her to attack Dyson, is recreated in Malcolm Lee’s nightmarish vision of death and destruction. Visual similarities in Cortex Industries and Skynet from Terminator 2, Terminator’s affinity for using a minigun and bike riding, and actions like modulating voice to trick its victims were slyly referenced in various episodes—as little nods to the classic moments in the Terminator saga. 

All in all, Terminator Zero has numerous elements that seasoned fans will be able to identify as references to the existing canon and appreciate their inherent significance. Fans who are getting acquainted with the franchise for the first time through the anime adaptation will easily get into the groove as well, which conveys the success of the series as a whole.