Arnie already had the guns and ammo and it wasn't like the owner could stop him from walking out, not even with a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.
So, what gives? Why did Arnie shoot the gun shop owner?
Shall we play a game?
He didn't have money to pay the guns...
shareBecause he's a "TERMINATOR"....he answered this questioned to young John Connor in TII.
shareIt's Dick Miller.
shareBecause he couldn't buy a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun!!!
shareDude woulda called the cops if he didnt try shooting Arnold himself. The Terminator didn't want anyone getting in the way of his mission.
shareI thought that was obvious.
shareYeah but killing someone with a gun raises local attention due to the sound. While I can understand being armed like that, the power to reach out and touch someone, it makes no sense to create a ruckus when you can effectively kill them silently and not get people looking your way. T2 proves that the Terminator understands how to deal with people without having to kill them outright, even when they are an obstacle.
But hey, they also sent a cyborg back that could mimic any voice he hurt but still speaks with a heavy German accent in early 1980s Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, most of the predator-prey kind of sci-fi films depend on lapse of logic on the part of the clearly superior predator to make the story more compelling. The Terminator could have done dozens of things differently and nearly guaranteed success. Instead he went around brute forcing everything with little tactical grace.
NOT killing him wasn't an option. This is NOT he T2 T-800. It had no money. It was going to steal the guns, that is a forgone conclusion. You can argue that he didn't have to shoot him, but not killing wasn't going to happen.
shareYou realize most peoples' complaints are that the Terminator should have choked him to death or broke his neck instead of shooting him since someone might be outside and hear the gunshot.
shareI never said not killing him was an option. My wording was a bit cumbersome but the point I was trying to make was that the terminator didn't have to jump to shooting someone to kill them. Even in the first movie he kills at least one person without having to use gunplay. Why didn't he just shoot Matt instead of fighting it out? I guess that's just another failing of the same logic.
shareYou kind of did (say that).
"T2 proves that the Terminator understands how to deal with people without having to kill them outright, even when they are an obstacle. "
Why did he used a gun to kill the first Sarah Connor or Ginger, but not Matt? Because an action sci fi flick without gun fights would be boring.
AGAIN "My wording was a bit cumbersome but the point I was trying to make was that the terminator didn't have to jump to shooting someone to kill them."
Or do I have to get on my knees and beg your forgiveness?
It's not as much as it would be boring without a gun fight but at least the gun fights should make sense. I like writers who take the time to throw in a clever mechanism like that. But, hey, I guess that's just me.
"It's not as much as it would be boring without a gun fight but at least the gun fights should make sense. "
No, it's exactly that. It already killed two people with it's hands. The gun shop scene was a chance for them to show something new. Make a splash. Why did he kill the first Sarah Connor with a gun and not his hands? Because at some point an action movie needs guns and shootouts.
A simple reason - the Terminator couldn't PAY for the fuckin' things.
shareThere a number of reasons, covered in the topic. I'll add that he might've been testing the weapon and also put simply, that it's a Terminator.
shareHe's a terminator not a stealinator.
share