"Terminator: TSCC" (Season Two) Quiz

Answer: Shirley Manson (Catherine Weaver)

"If I had my way, if I had my way
If I had my way, I'd burn this whole building down."

In her first major acting role, Scotswoman Shirley Manson of the rock band Garbage portrays the enigmatic T-1001 (liquid metal Terminator) who assumes the identity of Catherine Weaver. In this, her debut episode, ZeiraCorp CEO Weaver procures the intelligent, chess-playing A.I. known as the Turk. Weaver makes the bold claim to ZeiraCorp employees that her cryptic and curiously named new A.I. project, Babylon (named after a city in the Bible), will "change the world."

The song "Samson and Delilah" (alternatively titled, "If I Had My Way"), was performed by the Grateful Dead in the 1970s, and by Blind Willie Johnson in 1927. It is based around the Biblical story of Samson, whose God-given strength relied on his hair remaining uncut, and his betrayer, Delilah. Shirley Manson's version for "T:TSCC" features some altered lyrics, more suited to the events that occur as it is being played. Ironically, at the end of the episode, John cuts his hair.

Answer: Carrots and apples

Riley: "You're full of carrots and apples."
John Connor: "Carrots and apples?"
Riley: "Yeah, carrots and apples. You know, happy thoughts."
John Connor: "I don't think that's really...an expression."

This conversation (not to mention Riley's Lego "protection" robot made for John) hints at the as-yet unknown truth about Riley. More puzzle pieces fall into place when, in flashbacks of the future, we hear Australian Resistance fighter Jesse Flores use the same "carrots and apples" expression. Revealed in later episodes, Jesse brought Riley back in time, so that John would develop feelings for Riley and, when Cameron was forced to kill her, John would turn against Cameron. Ultimately, Jesse herself kills Riley, framing Cameron, whom she believes has a corruptive influence upon John.

Answer: George Laszlo

George Laszlo's was the likeness Cromartie chose for himself, when he had to regrow the living tissue over his metal endoskeleton. Laszlo was soon terminated by Cromartie, but received the blame for Cromartie's massacre of 20 FBI agents. Due to this "excitement" the struggling actor's career posthumously receives a surge in popularity.

As Cromartie places his captive, Michelle Dixon (Charley's wife), into a trap that makes use of mousetraps, he recounts the device's history: the mousetrap was invented in 1897 by James Atkinson. According to Cromartie, its record of snapping shut in 38 thousandths of a second has not been beaten, and "it is hard to build a better one." Cromartie's own "mousetrap" for John is very nearly successful. With Michelle in the T-888's hands, Charley has little option but to call for Sarah's help, leaving John alone with Cameron. John, trying to ditch Cameron to hang out with girlfriend Riley, has a narrow escape, but Michelle was not so fortunate: Cromartie's trap costs her life.

Answer: A bracelet

Allison Young from Palmdale, California leads a miserable existence on post-apocalyptic Earth, where she lives in a tunnel and eats garbage for dinner. Under interrogation by ruthless Terminator Cameron, she claims that the bracelet she wears was a birthday present from her sister, though in reality it is a pass allowing her to enter John Connor's camp. Cameron finds the same bracelet on other members of the Resistance, and confronts Allison with her lie.

Her last words a declaration of loyalty to John Connor, Allison's neck is brutally snapped by her metal look-a-like, Cameron.

Answer: He would die, saving John Connor's life.

While Sarah protects Marty, Derek and John "babysit" the Martin Bedell the Terminator is searching for. With the assistance of other Presidio Alto cadets (who believe it is a training exercise), Derek sets a trap for the Terminator. The T-888 eerily traverses the dark woods, heading for the trap; the scene is narrated by Marty and Sarah reading from "The Wizard of Oz" (for Marty's book report). Derek fires his rifle, John sets off the detonator - the Terminator is still oncoming, heading for Bedell. John tries a risky, last-ditch effort: he calls out to the Terminator, identifying himself and initiating a Mission Override for the machine. John uses himself as bait, luring the Terminator into just the right spot so that when Derek fires, it falls into a pit of tar, which is quickly lit aflame by John. The Terminator has been terminated.

After witnessing these things, Bedell (who was considering leaving the academy) has to be told about the future, and the fact that he would play an important role in the war. His military training would be invaluable in the Resistance, which he would help John Connor to form. After the mission's completion, Derek, who knew Bedell in the future, tells John the truth about his importance: he would take Derek's place in a suicide mission to rescue Kyle Reese. Forty prisoners, including John Connor, were rescued that day. "He died for you," Derek tells John. "We all die for you."

Answer: Why is a math book so sad?

Weaver first enlists Dr. Sherman's help with her "daughter" Savannah, who has not only lost her father, but her "mother" has undergone some serious changes. Savannah is reluctant to talk to the psychologist, but there is no doubt she is very scared of her "new Mommy" and wants her old Mommy back. Curiously, Weaver attempts to learn about human relationships, so as to better interact with Savannah - the result is quite creepy. Weaver next asks Dr. Sherman's advice regarding the Turk, who realizes it is an advanced machine because it understands humor, evidenced in its joke. In a later episode, Dr. Sherman is killed when John Henry (Project Babylon/The Turk's new name, chosen by Sherman) steals the building's power and traps Sherman in the basement, without ventilation.

So, why is a math book so sad? Because it has so many problems! A cute joke, I thought. In case you haven't heard the other jokes I gave as options, here are the answers: the chicken crossed the road to get to the other side, of course. The acorn said "geometry" (Gee, I'm a tree!), and six's fears were because it knew that seven ate nine (7, 8, 9).

Answer: He believes Ellison will lead him to the Connors.

Cromartie: "Skynet does not believe in you like I do."
Agent Ellison: "Believe? What do you believe?"
Cromartie: "You will lead me to the Connors."

Cromartie has displayed a kind of "faith" in Ellison since the FBI massacre at the end of Season One. Immediately after the massacre, Ellison, the sole survivor, undoubtedly felt that death was inevitable as he came face-to-face with the clearly nonhuman Cromartie - but Cromartie simply walked away. At their next confrontation, Ellison promised that he would never lead Cromartie to Sarah Connor, saying, "I'll never do the devil's work." Cromartie responded, "We'll see." Cromartie's faith may be misplaced (or perhaps, simply work out differently than he expected), but in "Brothers of Nablus" he still believes.

Answer: The events are divided into the "stories" of each major character.

The episode is divided into the stories of Sarah, Cameron, John, Ellison, Derek, and Cromartie - each giving a slightly different perspective on events. John (unbeknownst to any of his protectors) takes Riley to Mexico, to see the village where John lived as a child. Unfortunately, John "Baum" is recognized as John Connor, Cromartie tracks John to Mexico (with Sarah tied up in his vehicle's trunk), and Ellison gets involved when he hears of John Connor's arrest. John's phone call to Derek, an alarm code, sends Derek and Cameron to Mexico, as well.

Following Cromartie's slaughter at the jail, he seals his fate by following Ellison into the village church - it's a trap! "Have you come to repent?" Ellison asks Cromartie, who replies, "I'm looking for John Connor." Well, you found him, Cromartie - gunfire pours down upon Cromartie from multiple directions. The death blow is dealt by John Connor. Cromartie's chipless body is buried for retrieval later, his chip is destroyed. It's all over - or is it?

Answer: The wife's unborn child has immunity to a Skynet bio-weapon.

The Fields (David, Anne, and Lauren) are a troubled family; Anne's unborn child is the result of an affair. Anne ends up losing her husband, and because she broke the rules to call her "boyfriend" Roger, the machine finds them once more, undoubtedly killing Roger. Though fatally wounded herself, she carries her child to term, and baby Sydney is delivered by her own sister, Lauren. Now having lost both parents, Lauren begins a new life with her sister, awaiting Judgment Day.

In the future, Derek recalls how Sydney would save the lives of him and his girlfriend, Jesse. Eagle Rock bunker has been ravaged by a Skynet bio-weapon, but there is one survivor to be rescued: Sydney Fields. Jesse soon contracts the deadly plague, and is rapidly deteriorating; the three make it back to Serrano Point, but Derek has been infected as well. Fortunately, Sydney's blood is able to be used to make a curative for the plague, and Derek and Jesse receive their injections from her sister, Lauren.

Answer: A list was left for them by an unknown time-traveler.

"Automatic for the People" provides the set-up for all these storylines, when a man, shot through the chest, enters the past and heads for the Connor home. Nearly dead by the time Sarah finds him, he only manages a few words regarding Serrano Point and stopping Greenway. Following these scanty clues, Sarah infiltrates Serrano Point, a nuclear power plant that would be important in the future war, and thwarts Skynet's plans for it.

But after the Serrano mission, Sarah notices a trail of blood outside her home - following it to the basement, she finds a list written on the wall in blood! It contains names and places, symbols and numbers.

This is how the Presidio Alto and Martin Bedell, Dr. Sherman, and the Fields family become part of Sarah Connor's mission.