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When James Cameron's low-budget sci-fi actioner, The Terminator hit screens in 1984, no-one had any idea how expansive his world ripe with time travel capabilities and sentient killing machines would eventually become. Three sequels and a TV spin-off later and the world of Skynet is bursting with a whole slew of fancy robotic designs, engineered to eliminate the human race.
To coincide with the Terminator: Genisys trailer, what better way is there to celebrate the defining robot franchise than taking an in-depth look at those evil contraptions. From the scuttling bugs in Salvation, to the androids with the piercing red-eyed stare, they're all a result of Cyberdynes misguided attempt at making the world a bit more tech-tastic.
HK Transport
The Robot: This hovering baguette holds several smaller Hunter-Killer models within its hefty ballast. Typically used to escort stray humans to Skynet's work camp, their fighting capabilities might not be as flashy as the streamlined smaller models - but its got some clout.
Appearances: During Kyle, Marcus and Stars attempt to flee in Terminator Salvation, the Transport swoops in, grabs them and shuttles them back to robot HQ.
Special Skills: Within its huge storage space, it can hold hundreds of human prisoners, and two smaller Terminators; the HK Aerial and the Harvester model.
HK-VTOL
The Robot: A sleek, twin-engine airborne bot, the Hunter-Killer VTOL is an enormous hulk of a machine. Often deployed to cover the ground-based Terminators, they hover above the battle and cause carnage from the sky.
Appearances: It first appeared in the future war sequences in The Terminator, sauntered into Terminator 2: Judgment Days apocalyptic battle cutaways and tussled with Derek in The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Special Skills: A gigantic plasma cannon loaded to its undercarriage. That ought to get folks scurrying.
HK-Tank
The Robot: A ground-based Hunter-Killer, this cyborg tank towers over the smaller endoskeleton Terminators. It sits on two triangular tank treads, perfect for squishing the fallen and features two revolving plasma cannons on each side. Newer models in later sequels included additional compartments to carry T-800s.
Appearances: Kyle blows one up in The Terminator, a crew of resistance fighters battle one in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and is at the core of an emotional sendoff for Derek in The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Special Skills: Its impressive height - over three storeys high - offers it a mean vantage point for tracking down resistance fighters.
HK Flying Mini-Hunter
The Robot: This cheeky little creature is one of Skynet's most versatile robots, navigating through tight spaces with speed its primarily used to transmit intel back to HQ.
Appearances: Featured in the T2 3D: Battle Across Time ride - which exists as part of the official Terminator canon - this hovering bot antagonises the T-800 and John as they scramble through the wreckage of Skynet.
Special Skills: The hunters size, twinned with its single plasma rifle, make it an unlikely but deadly predator.
T-1
The Robot: Cyberdyne Systems first stab at crafting a robot predator, the T-1 is a bit of a sluggish behemoth to witness. This first-gen machine was designed for the sole purpose of tearing the resistances ground troops to shreds.
Appearances: A row of T-1s are engaged by the deadly T-X in Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines, and a clutch are seen shepherding human cargo in Terminator Salvation.
Special Skills: It might look like a piece of bulky Skynet obsolescence, but its superior treads and phenomenal speed make it worthy addition to the machines ground battle strategy.
Moto-Terminator
The Robot: A deadly type of motorcycle, the Moto-Terminators emerge from their holding cells and zoom down the Harvester terminators before hitting the ground. Working in cahoots with the larger machines, they are primarily used to round up stray humans.
Appearances: Two Motos hunt down Marcus, Kyle and Star in Terminator Salvation, and later on John captures one and reprograms it in order to infiltrate Skynet.
Special Skills: Their advanced sensory capabilities allow them to slalom around any obstacle.
T-70
The Robot: Compared to the later revisions to its design, the T-70 was a remedial first attempt by Cyberdyne to design an 8-foot humanoid infantry machine. Initially deemed too valuable to send into direct combat, the limited numbers were put to use protecting Cyberdynes precious workstations before they became obsolete.
Appearances: These James Cameron-designed badboys made their only appearance during the Universal Studios ride, T2 3D: Battle Across Time in which they are unveiled as Cyberdynes first mobile infantry unit.
Special Skills: Without a neural net processor it is immune to human interference and cannot be reprogrammed.
T-600
The Robot: The T-600 marked Skynet's advancement from using non-humanoid machines to distinctly human-esque infiltration units. Its latex rubber skin is often the first element of its disguise to disintegrate during battle, after which they become easier to spot by resistance fighters.
Appearances: It gets a mention by Kyle Reese in The Terminator, pops up as a prison guard in The Sarah Connor Chronicles but really shines in Terminator Salvation when Stan Winston's revamped version hunts down Kyle and Star, and nearly kills John.
Special Skills: Its hefty 800-pound endoskeleton can take a beating, and if necessary it can run at speeds of up to 40 mph.
T-700
The Robot: At first glance, the T-700 appears to be the same machine as the franchises most recognisable Terminator, the T-800 (heck, even John Connor couldn't tell them apart in Salvation). However, it actually bridges the gap between the rubbery-faced T-600s and the flesh-covered T-800s. This machine wasn't built for infiltration, though, hence its lack of faux-human outer layer.
Appearances: In Terminator Salvation, John and co. stumble across a factory full of the evil bots in various stages of assembly. It also featured on most of the films promotional materials.
Special Skills: Its dark chrome endoskeleton might seem like aesthetic flair, but make no mistake about it... thats the sign of a sturdier metal that enables the T-700 to endure lengthy stints in combat.
