History NightmareFuel / TerminatorDarkFate

* Just the fact that the Rev-9 looks nowhere near as impressive or as intimidating as its predecessors. It can blend in anywhere at any time without needing to shapeshift and catch someone off guard.
** And the scenes of it blending into human society are incredibly unnerving because the damn thing blends in ''so well''. There's virtually no way to tell that it isn't human until it starts killing.
*** Even worse is that Rev-9 doesn't just look normal. ''He acts human, too.'' Upon first being transported to the present, he sees one witness and rather than just killing her instantly, [[FauxAffablyEvil he cheerily greets her as his liquid metal skin copies her clothing, as he just smiles and stares at her.]] Throughout the film he's like this, bantering with civilians and military personnel just to get to his targets easier; as a result, he seems less like a persistent machine and more like a chilling sociopath with ungodly powers.

* Rev-9 getting stabbed by Grace's power source, which is enough to overload it immediately and leave it flailing around emitting electronic noises. And since this is also the first time a Terminator endoskeleton opens its mouth on its own, this may be the first time you get to see a Terminator ''screaming in agony''.

** That's still nothing compared to the extent of its ScarilyCompetentTracker talents and the SinisterSurveillance it can perform. [[ScreensAreCameras Cellphones]], security cameras, {{surveillance drone}}s, satellites... the Rev-9 can hack into ''anything connected'', analyze millions of files in record time and perform {{facial recognition|Software}} to track down its preys. There might not be a single safe spot on Earth for Dani to hide for a sustained amount of time. Even Sarah Connor's LuddWasRight / CrazyPrepared patterns can't escape it for too long.

With James Cameron now back in the helm of a new ''Terminator'' project, the scare factor being as strong as the original ''Terminator'' duology was a certainty - however, with the DarkerAndEdgier tone this film is taking, James outdoes himself and ends up bumping up the terror a few extra notches.

** It's so much worse from Sarah's viewpoint. You've just defeated a megalomaniacal artificial intelligence and saved the world from certain destruction. You're relaxing on a beach with your son, proud that you protected him and that he can safely grow up to become the hero of the future. You look over one direction and you see an eerily familiar man with sunglasses...''[[AdultFear who then draws a gun on your child]]''...

** Imagine how it is for John. Three years after losing the closest he had to a father figure, he suddenly sees what seemed like his Uncle Bob BackFromTheDead...and then it turns out that he came back just to shoot him dead. A ruthless HopeSpot for the poor kid.

* John Connor's death. He and Sarah are hanging out in a bar on the beach when a T-800 walks up and [[WouldHurtAChild shoots him point blank in the chest. Sarah tries to wrest the gun away from the Terminator, but the machine throws Sarah off and delivers the killing shot before calmly walking away while Sarah cradles John's body in her arms, all while a demented version of the Terminator theme builds up until the title comes on-screen.]]

* Rev-9's first defeat. Carl and Grace wrap a chain over Rev-9's mouth, ''ripping his cheeks open while emitting a hellish zombie-like roar'' before Carl tosses him into an ''industrial turbine'' - and you actually get to see him being grinded into bits as he's left desperately fumbling to regenerate - and is screeching all the way through until the turbine explodes, incapacitating everyone else. What's worse - ''Rev-9 survives this, at the cost of his liquid metal half, one arm, and at least a few hydraulics and wires.'' Any other Terminator would have been completely obliterated from this.

* Rev-9's first defeat. Carl and Grace wrap a chain over Rev-9's mouth, ''unhinging his jaw'' before Carl tosses him into an ''industrial turbine'' - and you actually get to see him being grinded into bits as he's left desperately fumbling to regenerate - and is screeching all the way through until the turbine explodes, incapacitating everyone else. What's worse - ''Rev-9 survives this, at the cost of his liquid metal half, one arm, and at least a few hydraulics and wires.'' Any other Terminator would have been completely obliterated from this.

* John Connor's death. He and Sarah are hanging out in a bar on the beach when a T-800 walks up and [[WouldHurtAChild shoots him point blank in the chest. Sarah tries to wrest the gun away from the Terminator, but the machine throws Sarah off and delivers the killing shot before calmly walking away while Sarah cradles John's body in her arms.]]

*** Even worse is that Rev-9 doesn't just look normal. ''He acts human, too.'' Upon first being transported to the present, he sees one witness and rather than just killing her instantly, [[FauxAffablyEvil he cheerily greets her as his liquid metal skin copies her clothing, as he just smiles and stares at her.]] Throughout the film he's like this, bantering with civilians and military personnel just to get to his targets easier.

* Carl's first appearance in the third act is accompanied by a [[DarkReprise hellish, hollow distortion]] [[HellIsThatNoise of Uncle Bob's]] Leitmotif from [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay T2]] - the same one that played during the sequence mentioned directly above. And then he turns to face Sarah.

* Rev-9's first defeat. Carl and Grace wrap a chain over Rev-9's mouth, ''unhinging his jaw'' before Carl tosses him into an ''industrial turbine'' - and you actually get to see him being grinded into bits as he's left desperately fumbling to regenerate - and is screeching all the way through until the turbine explodes, incapacitating everyone else. What's worse - ''Rev-9 survives this, at the cost of his liquid metal half and one arm.'' Any other Terminator would have been completely obliterated from this.

* The damage that Carl suffers in the final battle is nothing short of horrific, with half his face gone and his flesh ripped off both his hands before the rest of it burns away in a fire, revealing his endoskeleton for all to see.

* Carl's first appearance in the third act is accompanied by a [[DarkReprise hellish distorion]] [[HellIsThatNoise of Uncle Bob's]] LeitMotif from [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay T2]]. And then he turns to face Sarah.
--> '''"Carl":''' ''Sarah Connor.''

** Add in the fact that it can shed its "skin" to be in two places at once... Skynet is apparently an old dog that's learned some new tricks.

*** Even worse is that Rev-9 doesn't just look normal. ''He acts human, too.'' Upon first being transported to the present, he sees one witness and rather than just killing them instantly, [[FauxAffablyEvil he cheerily greets them as his liquid metal skin copies their clothing, as he just smiles and stares at them.]] Throughout the film he's like this, bantering with civilians and military personnel just to get to his targets easier.

* [[spoiler: John Connor's death]]. He and Sarah are hanging out in a bar on the beach when [[spoiler: a T-800 walks up and [[WouldHurtAChild shoots him point blank in the chest. Sarah tries to wrest the gun away from the Terminator, but the machine throws Sarah off and delivers the killing shot before calmly walking away while Sarah cradles John's body in her arms.]]]]
** It's so much worse from Sarah's viewpoint. [[spoiler:You've just defeated a megalomaniacal artificial intelligence and saved the world from certain destruction. You're relaxing on a beach with your son, proud that you protected him and that he can safely grow up to become the hero of the future. You look over one direction and you see an eerily familiar man with sunglasses...''[[AdultFear who then draws a gun on your child]]''...]]
** [[spoiler:John's death]] immediately undoes much of the VillainDecay the Terminators have undergone in previous films. After the T-1000, T-X and T-3000 failed to get the job done despite their steadily more advanced abilities, a T-800 akin to the one in the original film [[spoiler:gets the drop on the Connors and kills John]] using little more than what made it so effective hunting humans in the future - its ability to blend in, and the fact you don't see it for what it is until it's too late...

* Rev-9 [[spoiler:getting stabbed by Grace's power source, which is enough to overload it immediately and leave it flailing around emitting electronic noises. And since this is also the first time a Terminator endoskeleton opens its mouth on its own, this may be the first time you get to see a Terminator ''screaming in agony''.]]
* Rev-9's first defeat. Carl and Grace [[spoiler:wrap a chain over Rev-9's mouth, ''unhinging his jaw'' before Carl tosses him into an ''industrial turbine'' - and you actually get to see him being grinded into bits as he's left desperately fumbling to regenerate - and is screeching all the way through until the turbine explodes, incapacitating everyone else. What's worse - ''Rev-9 survives this, at the cost of his liquid metal half and one arm.'' Any other Terminator would have been completely obliterated from this.]]

** It's so much worse in Sarah's viewpoint. [[spoiler:You've just defeated a megalomaniacal artificial intelligence and saved the world from certain destruction. You're relaxing on a beach with your son, proud that you protected him and that he can safely grow up to become the hero of the future. You look over one direction and you see an eerily familiar man with sunglasses...''[[AdultFear who then draws a gun on your child]]''...]]
* Carl's first appearance in the third act is accompanied by a [[DarkReprise hellish distorion]] [[HellIsThatNoise of Uncle Bob's]] LeitMotif from [[Film/Terminator2JudgementDay T2]]. And then he turns to face Sarah.

** Just the fact that the Rev-9 looks nowhere near as impressive or as intimidating as its predecessors. It can blend in anywhere at any time without needing to shapeshift and catch someone off guard.

** [[spoiler: John Connor's death]]. He and Sarah are hanging out in a bar on the beach when [[spoiler: a T-800 walks up and [[WouldHurtAChild shoots him point blank in the chest. Sarah tries to wrest the gun away from the Terminator, but the machine throws Sarah off and delivers the killing shot before calmly walking away while Sarah cradles John's body in her arms.]]]]
*** It's so much worse in Sarah's viewpoint. [[spoiler:You've just defeated a megslomaniacal artificial intelligence and saved the world from certain destruction. You're relaxing on a beach with your son, proud that you protected him and that he can safely grow up to become the hero of the future. You look over one direction and you see an eerily familiar man with sunglasses...''[[AdultFear who then draws a gun on your child]]''...]]
** Carl's first appearance in the third act is accompanied by a [[DarkReprise hellish distorion]] [[HellIsThatNoise of Uncle Bob's]] LeitMotif from [[Film/Terminator2JudgementDay T2]]. And then he turns to face Sarah...

** Rev-9 [[spoiler:getting stabbed by Grace's power source, which is enough to overload it immediately and leave it flailing around emitting electronic noises. And since this is also the first time a Terminator endoskeleton opens its mouth on its own, this may be the first time you get to see a Terminator ''screaming in agony''.]]
** Rev-9's first defeat. Carl and Grace [[spoiler:wrap a chain over Rev-9's mouth, ''unhinging his jaw'' before Carl tosses him into an ''industrial turbine'' - and you actually get to see him being grinded into bits as he's left desperately fumbling to regenerate - and is screeching all the way through until the turbine explodes, incapacitating everyone else. What's worse - ''Rev-9 survives this, at the cost of his liquid metal half and one arm.'' Any other Terminator would have been completely obliterated from this.]]
** The damage that Carl suffers in the final battle is nothing short of horrific, with half his face gone and his flesh ripped off both his hands before the rest of it burns away in a fire, revealing his endoskeleton for all to see.