T:SCC Season 2 Episode 3: "The Mousetrap"

SF: discuss futuristic sci-fi series, ideas, and crossovers.

Moderator: NecronLord

The designation of this episode it T-

5
6
24%
4
13
52%
3
5
20%
2
0
No votes
1
1
4%
 
Total votes: 25

User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

T:SCC Season 2 Episode 3: "The Mousetrap"

Post by Thanas »

....will be broadcasted today at 8:00 EDT.

The episode is called the mousetrap, written by John Wirth and directed by Bryan Spicer of "24" fame.
Cromartie kidnaps Charley's wife, and Sarah and Derek attempt to rescue her, while John finds himself caught between Cameron and Riley.
Let us all hope that the show does not take too big a rating hit despite going up against 24.

As an aside, if you are the nimwit who autovotes 1, I expect you to at least have the courage to explain yourself.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Strider
Youngling
Posts: 145
Joined: 2007-12-25 11:06pm
Location: Boston: It's a happy place, except that it's not.

Post by Strider »

I wonder just how heavy those Skinjob Terminators are. (Clearly, heavy enough to sink.) However, wouldn't the extra weight and mass make it more difficult for them to go undercover? They might be unable to sit on unsturdy stools, have to watch for weak floors, etc; not to mention the cover difficulties probably involved in Vick's marriage.
“I can kill demons. I can crash cars. Things are looking up!”
User avatar
Elaro
Padawan Learner
Posts: 493
Joined: 2006-06-03 12:34pm
Location: Reality, apparently

Post by Elaro »

Strider wrote:I wonder just how heavy those Skinjob Terminators are. (Clearly, heavy enough to sink.) However, wouldn't the extra weight and mass make it more difficult for them to go undercover? They might be unable to sit on unsturdy stools, have to watch for weak floors, etc; not to mention the cover difficulties probably involved in Vick's marriage.
Does it have something to do with the fact that our bodies are composed of 70% water?
"The surest sign that the world was not created by an omnipotent Being who loves us is that the Earth is not an infinite plane and it does not rain meat."

"Lo, how free the madman is! He can observe beyond mere reality, and cogitates untroubled by the bounds of relevance."
User avatar
Strider
Youngling
Posts: 145
Joined: 2007-12-25 11:06pm
Location: Boston: It's a happy place, except that it's not.

Post by Strider »

Elaro wrote:
Strider wrote:I wonder just how heavy those Skinjob Terminators are. (Clearly, heavy enough to sink.) However, wouldn't the extra weight and mass make it more difficult for them to go undercover? They might be unable to sit on unsturdy stools, have to watch for weak floors, etc; not to mention the cover difficulties probably involved in Vick's marriage.
Does it have something to do with the fact that our bodies are composed of 70% water?
Us being 70% water means we have a density roughly the same as water (slightly less). This means we naturally float and can swim easily, since the denser, heavier water displaces our bodies. Cromartie sank, even though physically he is much, much stronger than any human. This means his density is greater than that of water, since if it wasn't he would be able to swim easily with his strength and coordination. Water has a density of 1 g/cc, and most metals have densities of order 5 g/cc. Even though his metal terminator frame is probably less than half his total volume, it's obviously enough to make a significant difference.

I had previously assumed the skinjobs were made of some ultra lightweight supermetal alloy to better simulate a person, but this is apparently not the case. You could probably get a lower limit on the average skinjob density by finding out what the maximum dead metal weight a very strong swimmer can support is and figuring out the net density of the swimmer and the weight. Cromartie's lower limit density is probably a bit higher than even that, counting in his immense strength, coordination, and endurance advantages.
“I can kill demons. I can crash cars. Things are looking up!”
User avatar
Singular Intellect
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 2392
Joined: 2006-09-19 03:12pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Post by Singular Intellect »

I just finished watching both the new episodes for season two, and I quite enjoyed them. PS: Thank you youtube for being my current TV source!!

So far my favorite scene was where John had to remove the chip from Cameron stuck between the trucks; it was, frankly, very unnerving to see a Terminator machine 'begging' in such a manner, while professing love for him. Cameron is obviously a rather unique model, which really makes it that much more emotionally understandable from John's point of view. Is this machine really more than meets the eye, or just an advanced ruthless killer capable of exploiting human emotions to it's advantage? Either one could easily be the case, and uncertainty is keeping me hooked so far.

It certainly brought to mind the idea of a human loving a machine that mimicks humanity relatively well, and it's certainly plausible.

I mean hell, I have something of a moderation affection for my inhuman car. A machine thats looks gorgeous and can easily pass for human? Scary shit...damn that evil Skynet! :lol:
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Well, this episode was a bit better than the last one, but not by much. Mainly, my pet peeve was John acting like an idiot again. Ditching your only efficient protection for playing dress up? :roll: Yeah, not very impressive thinking. If I had reason to believe metal robots were after me, I would be very much inclined to want one at my side permanently.

Cromartie pulling the gun was a bit stupid - he is far stronger than any human, he could simply have pulled John's head off.

I didn't think they had the guts to kill of Charlie's wife, yet they did.

Cameron's programming is still glitchy. But that's a given considering they didn't even look at her chip. I hope the new computers were there for rebuilding that chip reading machine.

I am not impressed with the acting by Leven Rambin (Riley) so far. The pregnant lady was far more amusing than her in this episode. Hopefully she'll improve, or I will be rooting for a termination soon.

Aside from that, it was entertaining. An average episode. I kinda see a pattern here from last season - awesome premiere, followed by some filler eps until they come out with the heavy hitters for sweeps. Which is a bad decision IMO.

3.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Singular Intellect
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 2392
Joined: 2006-09-19 03:12pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Post by Singular Intellect »

Thanas wrote:Well, this episode was a bit better than the last one, but not by much. Mainly, my pet peeve was John acting like an idiot again. Ditching your only efficient protection for playing dress up? :roll: Yeah, not very impressive thinking.
You do realize this John here is still basically a kid who's had this identity forced upon him that he wants nothing to do with? He's desperately wanting a real life of his own, even if he knows it's not in the cards, right?
If I had reason to believe metal robots were after me, I would be very much inclined to want one at my side permanently.
Yes, I'm sure you'd wouldn't want contact with the opposite sex or have any yearning for your own 'normal' life, so much so that your young self will occasionally break some common sense rules just to at least have a taste of that freedom...

Frankly, his character is coming along great as far as I'm concerned. I expect him to lash out and resist his 'destiny', pining for the life he knows he can't have.

He's a human being, and a young one at that. I'm not going to buy anyone's bullshit that a normal boy would throw himself into this macho military role and not have any realistic normal human desires beyond that. Especially since he knows armageddon is just around the corner where virtually all of life's luxuries and pleasures are going down the drain, and his chances for at least having a tiny bit of that before it's gone forever are disappearing fast.

One should be amazed at his strength of character; a lot of young people simply couldn't handle that kind of presssure or sacrifice without being majorly depressed, possibly even suicidal.
Gerald Tarrant
Jedi Knight
Posts: 752
Joined: 2006-10-06 01:21am
Location: socks with sandals

Post by Gerald Tarrant »

3. I wasn't pleased with Cromartie's planning in this one. He should have had an actual bomb under the chair, or some bug to track Sarah Conner and Crew. John's in trouble without Derek and Sarah, so blowing them up would be a serious blow to John, as an alternative tracking them would also have been useful. I would have thought T-888's were better schemers.
The rain it falls on all alike
Upon the just and unjust fella'
But more upon the just one for
The Unjust hath the Just's Umbrella
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Bubble Boy wrote:
Thanas wrote:Well, this episode was a bit better than the last one, but not by much. Mainly, my pet peeve was John acting like an idiot again. Ditching your only efficient protection for playing dress up? :roll: Yeah, not very impressive thinking.
You do realize this John here is still basically a kid who's had this identity forced upon him that he wants nothing to do with? He's desperately wanting a real life of his own, even if he knows it's not in the cards, right?
So what? He is still acting like an idiot. Understandable, maybe, but definitely not smart.
Yes, I'm sure you'd wouldn't want contact with the opposite sex or have any yearning for your own 'normal' life, so much so that your young self will occasionally break some common sense rules just to at least have a taste of that freedom...
Yeah, let's see. He managed to do that just fine without acting like an idiot last season, which you must have missed. Neither with Morris nor with his chem partner did he ever act as stupid as this. Your point was?
Frankly, his character is coming along great as far as I'm concerned. I expect him to lash out and resist his 'destiny', pining for the life he knows he can't have.
He managed to do that last season without being an idiot.

Let's review his situation, shall we?

Cameron is acting crazy, and she can kill him within seconds. She is the only fighter that can actually defeat a Terminator under normal circumstances. So, the very least he should do is to make sure her chip isn't...damaged or beyond repair before running off. See, I don't mind him rebelling that much, I mind him being an idiot while doing it.
He's a human being, and a young one at that. I'm not going to buy anyone's bullshit that a normal boy would throw himself into this macho military role and not have any realistic normal human desires beyond that. Especially since he knows armageddon is just around the corner where virtually all of life's luxuries and pleasures are going down the drain, and his chances for at least having a tiny bit of that before it's gone forever are disappearing fast.
Nice strawman you've got there.
One should be amazed at his strength of character; a lot of young people simply couldn't handle that kind of presssure or sacrifice without being majorly depressed, possibly even suicidal.
He was showing a lot of signs of PTSD in the last two episodes. And I am not attacking his character. He broved himself to be very brave numerous times. Yet in this season he has acted very, very stupid. Two different things. So get off your high horse.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Anarchist Bunny
Foul, Cruel, and Bad-Tempered Rodent
Posts: 5458
Joined: 2002-07-12 02:08am
Contact:

Post by Anarchist Bunny »

Gerald Tarrant wrote:3. I wasn't pleased with Cromartie's planning in this one. He should have had an actual bomb under the chair, or some bug to track Sarah Conner and Crew. John's in trouble without Derek and Sarah, so blowing them up would be a serious blow to John, as an alternative tracking them would also have been useful. I would have thought T-888's were better schemers.
Had he had an actual bomb under the chair, there would of been no one to call his target and give him all the information he needed to track him down and kill him. Remember, John is Cromartie's target. Doesn't mean he won't kill Derek and Sarah, but if them being alive allows him to find his priority target than its best to leave them alive.

Besides he did leave a bomb for Sarah and crew. One for anyone that went poking around the rest of the building, and one that dropped a cell phone tower onto the bait of the entire trap. Remember? The bombs that killed Charlie Dixon's Wife?

Also what good would a bug on Sarah and Derek been? The whole plan was to lure Sarah Conner out into the desert, locate John Conner, kill or strand Sarah, and kill John. What good would it be to know where their corpse was or how fuck in the desert they were?

Frankly I think it was a very nice multilayered plan in that he sets up an obvious trap, which Sarah would not want to risk John in. Then makes it blatantly obvious that it was just a distraction to pull her away from John so she immediately reacts to warn him and thus leads Cromartie straight to him.

Also, I liked that John is saved by his own means. Cromartie's plan worked, and was only foiled by John's actions(probably more a lucky guess than just luck, since it's been long established that terminators are fucking heavy, although unknown if they had some sort of bouyancy mechanism.
//This Line Blank as of 7/15/07\\
Ornithology Subdirector: SD.net Dept. of Biological Sciences
Wiilite
Image
User avatar
Strider
Youngling
Posts: 145
Joined: 2007-12-25 11:06pm
Location: Boston: It's a happy place, except that it's not.

Post by Strider »

Anarchist Bunny wrote:
Gerald Tarrant wrote: Also, I liked that John is saved by his own means. Cromartie's plan worked, and was only foiled by John's actions(probably more a lucky guess than just luck, since it's been long established that terminators are fucking heavy, although unknown if they had some sort of bouyancy mechanism.
I don't think they *could*, if theyre heavy enough to sink in the first place. Most of this weight is probably due to the metal endoskeleton, so even if parts between metal and flesh are filled with air (which compared to water, weighs essentially nothing), they would probably still be too heavy to swim.

As for swimming power, the most useful thing I could find was this: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2219

It states that a human swimmer with diving fins can sustain 64 N of thrust underwater (moving sideways, but underwater this shouldn't matter). Cromartie would have the possible advantage of being able to make his strokes quicker since he's a robot, but the MAJOR disadvantage of no fins, which means way less surface area to push with. Somewhat surprisingly, that's only an equivalent mass of 15 pounds or so when fighting gravity. This means that if Cromartie massed 15 pounds more than his mass would be if his density was that of water, he would need to kick like some kind of fin-simulating maniac to stay afloat. The density of a person is slightly less than water, and obviously varies with inhalation and exhalation.

Even with all the fuzzyness, we can definitely be sure that increasing a person's density by even 20% (36 lbs for a 180 lb man) should make it difficult if not impossible to swim. Therefore, we can reconcile Terminators being able to maintain cover by not being superheavy and still sinking: they might be ~ 1 1/5 times as dense as a human, nothing that would be noticed unless you make a habit of picking them up or chucking them in ponds.

A counterargument to this might be that if they were that close to the human norm, sacrifices would be made in the metal endoskeleton to get them the rest of the way. I think it's sillier to believe that Cameron masses 200 lbs+ and it doesn't cause cover problems.[/url]
“I can kill demons. I can crash cars. Things are looking up!”
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Strider wrote:Even with all the fuzzyness, we can definitely be sure that increasing a person's density by even 20% (36 lbs for a 180 lb man) should make it difficult if not impossible to swim. Therefore, we can reconcile Terminators being able to maintain cover by not being superheavy and still sinking: they might be ~ 1 1/5 times as dense as a human, nothing that would be noticed unless you make a habit of picking them up or chucking them in ponds.

A counterargument to this might be that if they were that close to the human norm, sacrifices would be made in the metal endoskeleton to get them the rest of the way. I think it's sillier to believe that Cameron masses 200 lbs+ and it doesn't cause cover problems.[/url]
Cameron cannot really weigh 200+ lbs, given the fact that Sarah tossed her out of a window with ease in the first season and that John and Sarah were able to carry her into a wheelbarrow.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Lord_Xerxes
Jedi Knight
Posts: 768
Joined: 2002-08-22 02:21am

Post by Lord_Xerxes »

IIRC she pushed her out of a chair through the window and I think it may have been with John's help.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think two people could work together to pick up 200lbs either.


As far as my opinion of the episode. I gave it a 4. It did a better job than the last as far as continuing the major story-archs. Sorry, but Riley as a distraction is alright, but I'm just not considering her our John at school all that entertaining or a major arch. Maybe it's just that I'm not that intrested in it. I'm hoping John stays true to his word about staying out of school for a while, because it always feels silly to me and dangerous. It never really made sense with me that they'd continue to put him in school when twice now he's been located by Terminators while in one, and nearly located a third time. I understand that it's to try and give him some normalcy in his life, but it never feels like something I could see Sarah going along with and is one of my few but biggest pet peevs about the show.

That being said, the rest of the show handled it's material quite well. I'm sure with what happened to Charlie's wife will further his storyline and get him more involved with the central plots...and I thought it was an intresting way for them to achieve it without having her being outright gunned down. The way it came off was with a long emotional goodbye that I think gives the character plenty of emotional baggage and drive to go with for the rest of the season.

I liked that Weaver has thus far been seen using a different approach to getting to the Connors. If infact that is what her goal is. I'm not yet totally sure wether she's there to help foster Skynet's growth only or still has the primary target in mind.

Lastly, I really liked the image of Charlie tossing down Ellison's bible and it slamming loudly on the coffin lid. I thought it nicely stated "It's time to leave faith aside and take fate into your own hands."
"And as I promised, I said I would read from the bible..." "...And if we could turn our bible to Pslams..."Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones." (Pslams 137:9) So let me ask you a question? Who is the worst influence, God or Marilyn Manson?" "God!" "And if that's not the best fucking example, God HIMSELF killed his own MOTHER FUCKING SON!"-Marilyn Manson

"Don't fuck with a Jedi Master, son..." -M.H in J.A.S.B.S.B
Achieved ultimate Doom (post 666) on Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:38 pm
User avatar
Anguirus
Sith Marauder
Posts: 3702
Joined: 2005-09-11 02:36pm
Contact:

Post by Anguirus »

I was quite impressed. John was being an idiot, but I can forgive that as long he proves to have learned his lesson...Sarah never guessed that Cromartie could listen in on their conversations, after all.

I thought the writing overall was very clever, as was Cromartie's plan. I'm also glad that they didn't get off scot-free, even though Charley's wife was probably the most predictable casualty.

I wonder why Riley gave away John's location after all that. I was half-expecting (hoping?) to see Cameron beat it out of her. :P
"I spit on metaphysics, sir."

"I pity the woman you marry." -Liberty

This is the guy they want to use to win over "young people?" Are they completely daft? I'd rather vote for a pile of shit than a Jesus freak social regressive.
Here's hoping that his political career goes down in flames and, hopefully, a hilarious gay sex scandal.
-Tanasinn
You can't expect sodomy to ruin every conservative politician in this country. -Battlehymn Republic
My blog, please check out and comment! http://decepticylon.blogspot.com
User avatar
Peptuck
Is Not A Moderator
Posts: 1487
Joined: 2007-07-09 12:22am

Post by Peptuck »

I rate this one a 4. Better than our "Terminator of the week" one last week.

Cromartie's plot was surprisingly complex, and a lot more so than I expected it to be. I thought he was just luring Sarah out into a trap to weaken John. As an aside, Derek chicken-winging the grenade launcher was annoying, for a series that's shown fairly solid gun-handling thus far.

I suppose now John will be a lot more hesitant to ditch Cameron now that he knows Cromartie is ready to exploit his weaknesses. I also get the feeling that Cromartie may end up using Riley in some way.

Cameron's glitchy-ness this episode definitely brings me back to Summer's work with River in Firefly, especially her random non-sequiters. I actually laughed out loud when Cameron said she wanted to kill the bird up in the fireplace.

Weaver's plan is curious, and may rule out her constructing Terminators of her own if she's hunting bits and pieces of other Terminators. She's obviously got an agenda to secure Skynet's future, but one would think Skynet would have given her the tech she needs to develop it, rather than have her scrounge bits and pieces.

Do they have next-episode previews in the Fox website? I had to record this one, and I didn't get the preview at the end of this one.
X-COM: Defending Earth by blasting the shit out of it.

Writers are people, and people are stupid. So, a large chunk of them have the IQ of beach pebbles. ~fgalkin

You're complaining that the story isn't the kind you like. That's like me bitching about the lack of ninjas in Robin Hood. ~CaptainChewbacca
User avatar
eyexist
Padawan Learner
Posts: 207
Joined: 2008-03-18 06:06pm
Location: Look down, back up. I'm on a horse.
Contact:

Post by eyexist »

Peptuck wrote:
Do they have next-episode previews in the Fox website? I had to record this one, and I didn't get the preview at the end of this one.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

Needless to say Monday can't come soon enough.
Member of the PRFYNAFBTFC - Black Ops Division. Captain of the MFS Linda Lovelace
Rainbows make me cry.
User avatar
Anguirus
Sith Marauder
Posts: 3702
Joined: 2005-09-11 02:36pm
Contact:

Post by Anguirus »

Forgot to mention, I gave the episode a 4. I must say, seeing Laszlo as ersatz-Conan on the news was a very nice touch. Wonder if the recognition will cause problems for Cromartie, although he never seemed to slow down in his random murder spree throughout season 1 no matter how obvious he was.
"I spit on metaphysics, sir."

"I pity the woman you marry." -Liberty

This is the guy they want to use to win over "young people?" Are they completely daft? I'd rather vote for a pile of shit than a Jesus freak social regressive.
Here's hoping that his political career goes down in flames and, hopefully, a hilarious gay sex scandal.
-Tanasinn
You can't expect sodomy to ruin every conservative politician in this country. -Battlehymn Republic
My blog, please check out and comment! http://decepticylon.blogspot.com
Gerald Tarrant
Jedi Knight
Posts: 752
Joined: 2006-10-06 01:21am
Location: socks with sandals

Post by Gerald Tarrant »

Anarchist Bunny wrote:
Gerald Tarrant wrote:3. I wasn't pleased with Cromartie's planning in this one. He should have had an actual bomb under the chair, or some bug to track Sarah Conner and Crew. John's in trouble without Derek and Sarah, so blowing them up would be a serious blow to John, as an alternative tracking them would also have been useful. I would have thought T-888's were better schemers.
Had he had an actual bomb under the chair, there would of been no one to call his target and give him all the information he needed to track him down and kill him. Remember, John is Cromartie's target. Doesn't mean he won't kill Derek and Sarah, but if them being alive allows him to find his priority target than its best to leave them alive.
Fine no bomb under the chair, but once they place the phone call, blow up the cell tower, then track them down and kill them. Without Cameron it shouldn't be a problem for him. That's option 1. John has escaped from him before with, so he shouldn't count on always being able to get him. Weakening him by taking out his human guardian's would have been a good bet.

Option 2. Don't kill them, plant a tracker on them, I'm sure he could have figured out a way. This gives him a fallback in case his plan of catching John on the Pier fails
Frankly I think it was a very nice multilayered plan in that he sets up an obvious trap, which Sarah would not want to risk John in. Then makes it blatantly obvious that it was just a distraction to pull her away from John so she immediately reacts to warn him and thus leads Cromartie straight to him.
I didn't like it that much, no fall back plan. Think of this like a chess game. Not every move has to be a checkmate, sometimes you attack two things at once, and if you don't get the king, you still get some material gains (Derek, Sarah).

His plan was also silly in that he had no way of knowing what Cameron would do, and she could delay him or expose him enough to wreck his mission. If John hadn't been trying to ditch Cameron it wouldn't have worked, and Cromartie would have gotten very little for his trouble.

A question, 2 bombs at Cromartie's lair? You sure about that? I only saw the cell-phone tower go off, may need to check the DVR again.
The rain it falls on all alike
Upon the just and unjust fella'
But more upon the just one for
The Unjust hath the Just's Umbrella
User avatar
Peptuck
Is Not A Moderator
Posts: 1487
Joined: 2007-07-09 12:22am

Post by Peptuck »

eyexist wrote:
Peptuck wrote:
Do they have next-episode previews in the Fox website? I had to record this one, and I didn't get the preview at the end of this one.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

Needless to say Monday can't come soon enough.
Oh jeez. Cameron, in tears.

Finally, Summer gets to show what she did on the cast audition tapes. I am stoked.
X-COM: Defending Earth by blasting the shit out of it.

Writers are people, and people are stupid. So, a large chunk of them have the IQ of beach pebbles. ~fgalkin

You're complaining that the story isn't the kind you like. That's like me bitching about the lack of ninjas in Robin Hood. ~CaptainChewbacca
User avatar
Anarchist Bunny
Foul, Cruel, and Bad-Tempered Rodent
Posts: 5458
Joined: 2002-07-12 02:08am
Contact:

Post by Anarchist Bunny »

Gerald Tarrant wrote:
Anarchist Bunny wrote:
Gerald Tarrant wrote:3. I wasn't pleased with Cromartie's planning in this one. He should have had an actual bomb under the chair, or some bug to track Sarah Conner and Crew. John's in trouble without Derek and Sarah, so blowing them up would be a serious blow to John, as an alternative tracking them would also have been useful. I would have thought T-888's were better schemers.
Had he had an actual bomb under the chair, there would of been no one to call his target and give him all the information he needed to track him down and kill him. Remember, John is Cromartie's target. Doesn't mean he won't kill Derek and Sarah, but if them being alive allows him to find his priority target than its best to leave them alive.
Fine no bomb under the chair, but once they place the phone call, blow up the cell tower, then track them down and kill them. Without Cameron it shouldn't be a problem for him. That's option 1. John has escaped from him before with, so he shouldn't count on always being able to get him. Weakening him by taking out his human guardian's would have been a good bet.
Not worth the risk. Sarah and Derek came loaded and fully prepped to face the Terminator, Derek mounting a grenade launcher(which in Dungeon and Dragons was shown to take out a T-888 in a shot, although what kind is up to some speculation, in didn't burn like a thermite round, but it also didn't frag since Derek and Cameron were right up close to it, maybe some sort of resistance custom job?). Trying to take them out would of been too great of a risk for not working directly towards their objective. Especially when he left a couple of bombs anyways to try to kill them if not slow them down.
Option 2. Don't kill them, plant a tracker on them, I'm sure he could have figured out a way. This gives him a fallback in case his plan of catching John on the Pier fails
On what? He disabled the vehicles. IIRC no one grabbed Michelle's purse when they left. It'd be difficult to do and worthless had his bombs worked.
Frankly I think it was a very nice multilayered plan in that he sets up an obvious trap, which Sarah would not want to risk John in. Then makes it blatantly obvious that it was just a distraction to pull her away from John so she immediately reacts to warn him and thus leads Cromartie straight to him.
I didn't like it that much, no fall back plan. Think of this like a chess game. Not every move has to be a checkmate, sometimes you attack two things at once, and if you don't get the king, you still get some material gains (Derek, Sarah).
Well, A you keep ignoring the fact that he did try to kill the Derek, Sarah in a manner that would not risk him not being able to engage his target.
His plan was also silly in that he had no way of knowing what Cameron would do, and she could delay him or expose him enough to wreck his mission. If John hadn't been trying to ditch Cameron it wouldn't have worked, and Cromartie would have gotten very little for his trouble.


He sent him to a crowded area, where he would have easily been able to pick them off, because as far as Cromartie knows, the Conners have not seen him. He doesn't know Cameron identified him at school. Plus its an assumption that they would be able to figure out what he looks like from the news coverage of the FBI raid, even then they had only seen him over TV. All of that give him an advantage to get close enough to shoot John. John just got lucky enough to spot him first.
A question, 2 bombs at Cromartie's lair? You sure about that? I only saw the cell-phone tower go off, may need to check the DVR again.
iirc Derek comes out of the area where the cellphone and signal equipment was with an explosion there too.
//This Line Blank as of 7/15/07\\
Ornithology Subdirector: SD.net Dept. of Biological Sciences
Wiilite
Image
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Gerald Tarrant wrote:Fine no bomb under the chair, but once they place the phone call, blow up the cell tower, then track them down and kill them. Without Cameron it shouldn't be a problem for him. That's option 1. John has escaped from him before with, so he shouldn't count on always being able to get him. Weakening him by taking out his human guardian's would have been a good bet.

Option 2. Don't kill them, plant a tracker on them, I'm sure he could have figured out a way. This gives him a fallback in case his plan of catching John on the Pier fails
I am not so sure either plan wouldn't have constituted a risk for himself. Cromartie has no support base, even less than the Connors. Any loss of limb would be catastrophical. And considering that Derek is wielding a grenade launcher, a weapon which has already destroyed one Terminator in the show, he might very well stay clear of them unless absolutely necessary. The bombing of the celltower had every chance of accomplishing that anyway and had Derek not chanced upon the wire, they would all be dead or severely injured anyway.

As for a tracker, how could he have planted one on them? These are very cautious people after all. I can't think of one plausible scenario, though of course my lack of imagination might be to blame for that.
His plan was also silly in that he had no way of knowing what Cameron would do, and she could delay him or expose him enough to wreck his mission. If John hadn't been trying to ditch Cameron it wouldn't have worked, and Cromartie would have gotten very little for his trouble.
Maybe that was what the gun was for? Terminators are expert shots and Cameron cannot protect John from all angles.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

EDIT: Anarchist Bunny beat me to it. Dammit. :P
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Lord_Xerxes wrote:IIRC she pushed her out of a chair through the window and I think it may have been with John's help.
No, the pushing was all Sarah's doing.

Anyway, we know from Vick that Terminators only weigh marginally more than Humans. "His" wife would have noticed otherwise when they were laying in bed.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
User avatar
Singular Intellect
Jedi Council Member
Posts: 2392
Joined: 2006-09-19 03:12pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Post by Singular Intellect »

Thanas wrote:Anyway, we know from Vick that Terminators only weigh marginally more than Humans.
Depending on your interpretation of Terminator canon, this would obviously be a model variant issue. In Terminator 3, the Arnold model was heavy enough that a big fireman couldn't even budge him while immobile and inactive.
User avatar
Thanas
Magister
Magister
Posts: 30779
Joined: 2004-06-26 07:49pm

Post by Thanas »

Bubble Boy wrote:
Thanas wrote:Anyway, we know from Vick that Terminators only weigh marginally more than Humans.
Depending on your interpretation of Terminator canon, this would obviously be a model variant issue. In Terminator 3, the Arnold model was heavy enough that a big fireman couldn't even budge him while immobile and inactive.
T3 is not canon.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------
My LPs
Post Reply