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If the liquid metal T-1000 can become anything it touches, why does it choose to be humanoid most of the time? Humans aren't very efficient; is there anything stopping it from becoming some other thing that can shoot more guns at a time and run faster?

Hans Olo
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Stormblessed
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  • I've slightly edited the question to make it more concise, ie human -> humanoid. Feel free to revert if you think it changes the meaning of your question. – Hans Olo Sep 10 '19 at 10:33
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    It's not. On at least one occasion it has three hands (in da chopper) – Valorum Sep 10 '19 at 10:39
  • @Rebel-Scum how does making the question longer make it more concise? Are there any instances of it not being a human that would make using the word humanoid more accurate? – Darren Sep 10 '19 at 13:46
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    @Darren Human != humanoid. Asking if T-1000 is human, then the answer is clearly no, as T-1000 is not flesh & blood etc etc. Humanoid refers to the more general human-like shape (two arms and two legs, a torso, a head etc), so it's more clear (perhaps concise was the wrong word there). – Hans Olo Sep 10 '19 at 14:14
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    Since it looks like you are asking for an "in universe" answer, I will leave this as a comment. As for the movie-creation part: It is well known that human-like non humans is really really scary. The uncanny valley is a known thing. Thus for the movie to be a better thriller, the robot should be alternating between very human-like and human-like-but-not-at-all because it is the changes between them we find extra scary. Ref the first time you realized John's mom actually was the T1000... It is a part of what makes the movie successful. – Stian Sep 10 '19 at 16:18
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    I'm pretty sure the T800 (Arnie) says it can change shape but cannot replicate complex machines (or moving machines, or something like that) or chemicals such as explosives. – AdamV Sep 10 '19 at 17:18
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    If you're going to be looking for someone, it helps to blend in. A five-armed-bazooka-wielding-12-foot-tall demon might encourage the target to hide better. – Misha R Sep 10 '19 at 19:33
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    Because it would probably be expensive to shot movie with fulltime cgi at that time – Askar Kalykov Sep 10 '19 at 19:40
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    If "can become anything it touches" is an accurate description of its abilities (it's a long time since I saw the film), then it doesn't matter that "Humans aren't very efficient" – they just have to be more efficient than anything else nearby. Which – if it "cannot replicate complex machines" – probably means humans or dogs. – TripeHound Sep 11 '19 at 14:33
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    @MishaR That would be a Terminator movie I'd like to see! – Hans Olo Sep 11 '19 at 18:56
  • It allowed the trailer to confuse people about Arnold and the T-1000 which looked like a cop. – Almo Sep 11 '19 at 19:14
  • "It cannot do Complex Machinery & Systems" As defined and described in the Movie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-1000 | https://terminator.fandom.com/wiki/T-1000. Search for Complex in these pages and you'll see. – Alex S Sep 11 '19 at 20:41
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    What do you mean by humanoids not being efficient? Even though it's shaped like a humanoid it can still run very fast and perform feats of great strength (keeping up with John on his motorbike and taking on Arnie in a fight) – komodosp Sep 12 '19 at 07:52
  • "Ref the first time you realized John's mom actually was the T1000". Can't believe someone thought that was his mum! – Rupe Sep 12 '19 at 11:09
  • Nice bike. Other than the ergonomic factor and the rule of cool, and the difficulties of making a film where the floor invisibly kills you, an infiltrator will use the system to its advantage. Why does the T-1000 vanish at the hospital? – Mazura Sep 23 '19 at 00:18

6 Answers6

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As a Terminator its primary mission is infiltration and assassination. While it probably can make itself into a big cat that can run faster, that wouldn’t be very covert. Also, it needs physical contact with things to copy them.

We see it disguise itself as a floor in Judgement Day.

enter image description here

It wanted to stay hidden and then assume the form a guard. And while it is difficult to destroy, it isn't indestructible. Too much attention and the government would try to end it.

Jack B Nimble
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    It's also more practical for it to be in human form for controlling/driving vehicles – SpacePhoenix Sep 10 '19 at 06:20
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    Also notice that its primary method for finding John is conducting interviews/interrogations and also posing as his adoptive and later actual mother. – Todd Wilcox Sep 10 '19 at 11:41
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    I'm not sure becoming a big cat would make it faster. Humans are the fastest land animals over distance. –  Sep 10 '19 at 12:56
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    @KeithLoughnane Humans are only faster over (long) distance due to endurance, assuming that a killer robot doesn't get tired, other forms would definitely be faster when travelling on foot. – DBS Sep 10 '19 at 13:12
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    @KeithLoughnane, man v horse suggests otherwise – Separatrix Sep 10 '19 at 14:39
  • 4 legs are better than 2. And he could invert the direction of his knees for more efficient mobility. – Jack B Nimble Sep 10 '19 at 14:41
  • I don't know about physical contact, but it seems to at least have to see something in order to transform into it. Since it didn't spawn in a zoo or the Serengeti etc., it would've have had the chance to see a cheetah in order to become one. It might've had a chance to see maybe a housecat, but it seems to maintain a relatively constant volume (notice how widespread it becomes when disguised as a floor), and a Siamese is considerably smaller than a human, as is a falcon or any other speedy creature. A horse is considerably larger, etc. – Darrel Hoffman Sep 10 '19 at 17:43
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    @Separatrix "The fastest" is a bit too strong, but we're definitely extraordinary. It's not surprising we tamed (and were tamed by) wolves and horses, which are two animals that are very similar in endurance. It's also not surprising the human runners won in hot conditions - that's where we have the biggest advantage. Cats don't stand a chance - their main strategy is stalking and pouncing; if a cat can't catch you in a few seconds, you win. Of course, they're usually very good at stalking, and capable of short bursts of extreme speed. For T-1000, a 3-4m tall human shape would work great. – Luaan Sep 11 '19 at 08:51
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    The advantages of humans vs animals have very little to do with shape. It has to do with heat dissipation and processing of lactic acid. Animals can die of exhaustion if you make them move around non-stop for couple hours. Humans, on the other hand, has unique feet and can "switch gears" between fast and slow speed, can maintain walking times of many hours at top form, and can easily dissipate heat with no significant consequence. – Nelson Sep 11 '19 at 08:58
  • "Too much attention and the government would try to end it." Yeah. Try to find it in the office of John Bolton. – David Tonhofer Sep 11 '19 at 12:05
  • @Separatrix and that’s not really even “human v. horse”, but “human v. horse carrying human”! – Stephen Kitt Sep 12 '19 at 11:32
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The T-1000 has no compunction about being non-humanoid (or at least not possessing the statistically usual number of arms, heads and legs) when it suits its needs.

  • It forms stabbing and grasping tools that extend from its hands and arms.

    enter image description here

    enter image description here

    enter image description here

  • It's perfectly happy to have four hands or form a new head.

    enter image description here

It also performs superhuman feats such as running at 40mph, melting through walls and pouring itself in through ceilings but in the main it's operating human-scale machinery and weaponry (as well as acting as an infiltration unit) so it's best off emulating a human most of the time.

Valorum
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    Humanoid doesn't mean that it's identical to humans, just similar, and minor differences like these don't conflict with it. The $6M Man could also run really fast, and amputees have hooks in place of hands. – Barmar Sep 10 '19 at 15:00
  • @Barmar - And the last time you saw someone with 4 arms? – Valorum Sep 10 '19 at 15:07
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    I haven't, but if someone were born with that mutation I wouldn't think they weren't humanoid. – Barmar Sep 10 '19 at 15:07
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    Consider Inspector Gadget -- isn't he humanoid? – Barmar Sep 10 '19 at 15:08
  • Could you please identify the scene with the four hands? – DrSheldon Sep 10 '19 at 21:19
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    @DrSheldon - When the T-1000 jumps his bike into the helicopter. – Valorum Sep 10 '19 at 21:35
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    @Valorum, ever heard of Doc Ock or Goro? ;-) Also Abby and Brittany Hensel had a 3rd arm they had removed, for a reason I can't remember, other than it being basically useless. I know you were being humorous, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymelia – computercarguy Sep 10 '19 at 22:36
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    Downvote. None of this examples is non-humanoid. – motoDrizzt Sep 11 '19 at 07:51
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    @motoDrizzt The first image distinctly shows a different skeletal structure to humans. The second doesn't even have opposable thumbs. The third has four arms. And remember it passing through bars? The default body shape is human, because it's primary function is infiltration. We have no idea what the real limitations of the "body" are - remember that it took its appearance from other humans. But in the end, in all these scenes, it changed the body to suit its current purpose. Why change parts that don't need changing? – Luaan Sep 11 '19 at 08:45
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    Completely agree with @motoDrizzt - in all of those frames, the T-1000 resembles a human, which is the definition of "humanoid" - it does not require two arms, two legs, ten fingers, etc. It just has to resemble a human, which the T-1000 clearly does most of the time. There are humans out there with no arms or extra arms, are you suggesting that they are not just non-human, but not even humanoid? – Nuclear Hoagie Sep 12 '19 at 13:33
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    @NuclearWang - Humans don't typically have 4 working arms. That's not even close to being "humanoid" – Valorum Sep 12 '19 at 13:43
  • @Valorum So you do not consider conjoined twins, or people with polymelia to be human? – Nuclear Hoagie Sep 12 '19 at 14:00
  • @NuclearWang - lol. I don't consider someone with four functional arms as humanoid. – Valorum Sep 12 '19 at 14:03
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    @Valorum you're absolutely wrong about this. The definition of the adjective "android" is "having human characteristics or form; resembling human beings." https://www.dictionary.com/browse/humanoid The suffix -oid means "Of similar form to, but not the same as." https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-oid – RonJohn Sep 12 '19 at 21:38
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    With all due respect for all your other wonderful answers on this site, this one is quite simply completely wrong. – Eric Duminil Sep 13 '19 at 08:06
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I would imagine a lot of it has to do with its programming. Don't forget - at the end of the day it is a machine, and therefore governed by its program.

It also comes from the future - so Skynet has a different observable world than the "present day" - which may factor in with the programming.

I would make an assumption that his runtime protocols would range something like this:

  • Blend in as human
  • Anyone who discovers you are not human, must be terminated
  • Terminate primary target(s)

Of course this is wild speculation and conjecture.

Terminators are infiltration units - so the less attention they draw to themselves the better.

Invisible Trihedron
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Chris S
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    It might not even have "blend in as human" as an explicit protocal, but rather as an emergent behavior. If you must terminate everyone who discovers you, it's more efficient to simply not have to terminate every person you encounter. The simplest solution to that is to appear to be human most of the time. – Mar Sep 12 '19 at 19:22
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If I remember correctly, the T-1000 needs to transform into something in "its size" and need to use all its liquid metal.

He can't transform into something small because of that and he can transform into something bigger if he can create holes in his shape but he can't transform into something very big that need more liquid metal then he have (without holes).

TheLethalCarrot
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user120366
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  • Sure, but a large tiger or a gigantic swirly wheel thing with nine hands would also have a similar amount of material – Valorum Sep 10 '19 at 19:04
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    Ah yes... Terminator 47: Apocarnival where a t1000 is trying to run down the Connors while they are on vacation. The twist comes at the end when a group of t1000s were mascaraing as the ferris wheel the whole time. – Matt Sep 10 '19 at 21:38
  • Depending on how thin the "skin" wall can be while maintaining structural integrity then the T1000 can potentially become very very hollow. I wouldn't even know where to begin to figure out the math on this. – MonkeyZeus Sep 11 '19 at 13:08
  • @MonkeyZeus, thin enough to disguise itself as a floor without anyone noticing – Separatrix Sep 11 '19 at 13:18
  • @Separatrix That's because the floor is supporting the entire weight of the metallic puddle. It would be interesting to know how much the T1000 could balloon itself in human shape before it collapses. – MonkeyZeus Sep 11 '19 at 13:20
  • @MonkeyZeus: physics.stackexchange.com? – Toni Leigh Sep 12 '19 at 07:23
  • @ToniLeigh I'm not sure if I could formulate a question for that site which wouldn't get immediately closed as off-topic but if you can then I would be happy to support it if you send me the link. – MonkeyZeus Sep 12 '19 at 12:42
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The out-of-universe answer is, of course, that the T-1000, as a villain, needs a face. The face of Robert Patrick, to be exact. It does take a different form on two occasions, but they're exceptions, and of short duration.
Once, the plot required it, obviously the T-1000 couldn't have killed and impersonated Janelle if it didn't look like her. The other occasion with the fat watchman walking over the checkerboard floor was just, well... CGI show off. Don't forget it's an early 90s movie. CGI was super expensive, super awesome, super... cool. Magic. People watched Star Trek TNG and Black or White only because of the CGI back then. Which, at that time, were not just "OK effects" but stuff nobody could even have imagined as being possible before.

You see the same thing (villain face) in "Matrix" where every agent is Mr. Smith (and the few that arent, at the few, selected occasions, are all Mr. Jones and Mr. Brown). Why do civilians who are taken over by agents need to look like Mr. Smith? Well because Neo getting beaten up by the cat lady, or by a stinking hobo in the subway tunnel isn't nearly as "chic". The hobo doesn't have the face of the villain.

In-universe, the T-1000 is a nigh-invincible war robot, but as we see in the movie, it's not bulletproof, nor indestructible. So, avoiding being shot upon first sight is certainly not against mission parameters.

Plus, it has the concrete assignment of killing one particular person. What's the single best approach to do that? Well... get near the person in the form of a normal, harmless human, and then... just kill her. Oh wait, it was the boy who was to be killed in that movie... never mind, all the same. Kill him.

Pulling off a "I am Megatron, Destroyer of Worlds, bow to me or die!" in the middle of L.A. neither helps avoiding trouble with local authorities, it also significantly reduces the likelihood of civilians being willing to help you find your mark, let alone your mark who knows about murderous robots from the future, staying where he is. Really, there exist better strategies for not alarming everybody and their mother than appearing as an obviously non-human killer robot.

Damon
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This answer is only within scope of T1 and T2. It's also speculation, but logical. Skynet is afraid to damage the timeline. There is a reason it does not send 100 terminators all over the place. There is a reason it does not try to detonate a nuclear weapon in a city to kill the targets. Skynet is trying to make sure the future that happens is one where it's created.

This means stealth is the most important prerogative of the mission. If the humans figure out there are robots attacking from the future, all AI research would be suspended. Skynet would not exist.

Because of this both the t-800 and t-1000 do their best to remain human. Anyone that sees them as robots must be killed. Doing something crazy like turning into a horse in the middle of the highway violates this prime directive.

In the end, changing the timeline is Skynet's downfall.

Andrey
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