MovieChat Forums > The Terminator (1984) Discussion > What If Sarah and Kyle Had Just Skipped ...

What If Sarah and Kyle Had Just Skipped the State or Country?

posted 7 years ago by Retromogul (1082)
36 replies | jump to latest

How would the Terminator have found them then? The only way he gained Sarah's location following the police station was by impersonating her mother. But what if she had been wise to it and had skipped the state or country?

If Sarah and Kyle had changed their identities and moved to another country, the Terminator may of had to spend an eternity literally searching every corner of the globe. Imagine that...

This question seems to bring up a kinda plot hole or over contrivance. Kyle could have just taken Sarah and kept running instead of settling into a motel room for a day and night making explosives while expecting the Terminator to arrive.

[–] Hans-Wilhelm (1372) 5 years ago

You are correct of course.
If they just relocated 3,000 miles away, went undercover, broke all ties and she changed her identity. Chances are the Terminator couldn't have found her. The Earth is a massive place.
Of course that is a boring movie so it couldn't happen but if the events were real, they could have successfully disappeared.

[–] arflexit (2376) 5 years ago

I posted this above slightly but I'll say it again here for fun of continuing the discussion: there was not really enough time for them to just vanish; the entire duration of the film takes place in under a week; the amount of time Sarah and Reese are together is like under 2 days; most of the first day was spend with him trying to convince her what was going on and evade the Terminator that was right on top of them. Then immediately after they 'escape' they are arrested and do not meet again until they bolt out of the police station during the attack; then it is about 1 day (at most 2 nights) before they are found again.

does Not leave much time to escape out of the immediate area; especially in the 80's and especially since they had no resources; no money, Reese has no identification and after the police station attack are likely persons of interest by other law enforcement. It is not like they can just hop on a plane or steal a boat; well maybe the latter they could but that would be risky since neither of them knew boats but the terminator could learn it a lot faster then them. but I digress. Maybe they could have vanished if they had more time but that is not how it ended up playing out

[–] Who (5146) 5 years ago

They could have made a tv series on this premise. Every week Kyle and Sarah have to escape the Terminator in some exotic location. Dashing around Taipai, then Dubai, then in the Artic Circle, then on the ISS....

[–] mobocracy (902) 5 years ago

In a world of sequels and multi-movie franchises, it makes you wonder if the writers might have gone this direction.

T1 ends with Connor and Reese on the deck of a container ship exiting the port, and the cyborg seeing them, noting the name of the ship and looking up the data on what ports the ship is heading to.

T2 is then set in Hong Kong or something, as Connor and Reese battle the cyborg, only to escape on a plane to Siberia or something.

Lather, rinse, repeat as they escape each time to some new remote location.

[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

Dear god, No!!!

[–] PaladinNJ (21775) 4 years ago

Or maybe use a time machine.

[–] Who (5146) 4 years ago

Yes! Can you imagine the Terminator chasing them around Colonial America or Renaissance Italy? Butter churns being hurled, statues toppling ....

[–] mitzibishi (2013) 5 years ago

She was still clinging to the real world. Its the one place she thought was safe, in the world before a Terminator appeared. Who do you go to if someones trying to kill you, the cop station.

Now its the cops doing the killings.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Skynet would have sent federal cyborgs after him.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7986) 5 years ago

LOL! Since nothing dead will go how do they go about sending real looking badges on them through time?

[–] BooBooCat (652) 5 years ago

Jeez, going through this post and reading people's speculation... I like it, you people are obviously fans!

[–] davodikum (6212) 5 years ago

Even if she moved to the moon. Her son would then not save the world. He would save the moon. So by not completely running off, like a bitch. She trained her son. Which needed to be done.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 5 years ago

Some of you answering the OP seem to be overlooking what he's saying. "The Terminator would just keep looking for her." No shit. It's going to look for her no matter where she is, but his point is that if she puts as much distance between herself and it, it increases the chances it won't find her. Now the movie only takes places over the course of a few days, so it's reasonable she didn't leave LA yet, but asking why they didn't is not a whacked out question. Leaving the state or even the country is a pretty logical point.

[–] rateater (10247) 5 years ago

only had to go as far a detroit. and call doctor detroit ! "nothing can destroy the doctor !" and he had that metal hand.