Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, who co-wrote the script with William Wisher. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong, it is the sequel to The Terminator (1984) and is the second installment in the Terminator franchise. In the film, the malevolent artificial intelligence Skynet sends a Terminator—a highly advanced killing machine—back in time to 1995 to kill the future leader of the human resistance John Connor, when he is a child. The resistance sends back a less-advanced, reprogrammed Terminator to protect Connor and ensure the future of humanity.

The Terminator was considered a significant success, enhancing Schwarzenegger's and Cameron's careers, but work on a sequel stalled because of animosity between the pair and Hemdale Film Corporation, which partially owned the film's rights. In 1990, Schwarzenegger and Cameron persuaded Carolco Pictures to purchase the rights from The Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd and Hemdale, which was financially struggling. A release date was set for the following year, leaving Cameron and Wisher seven weeks to write the script. Principal photography began from October 1990 to March 1991, taking place in and around Los Angeles on an estimated \$94–102 million budget, making it the most expensive film made at the time. The advanced visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), which include the first use of a computer-generated main character in a blockbuster film, resulted in a schedule overrun. Theatrical prints were not delivered to theaters until the night before its release on July 3, 1991.

Terminator 2 earned \$519–520.9 million, making it the highest-grossing film of 1991 worldwide, and the third-highest-grossing film of its time. Critics praised the visual effects, action sequences and cast, especially Patrick's performance as the T-1000 as a great cinematic villain, while criticism was directed towards the film's violence. Terminator 2 won several accolades, including Saturn, BAFTA, and Academy awards. Terminator 2 merchandise includes video games, comic books, novels, and T2-3D: Battle Across Time, a live-action attraction.

Terminator 2 is considered one of the best science fiction, action, and sequel films ever made, as well as equal to or better than The Terminator. It is also seen as a major influence on visual effects in films, helping usher in the transition from practical effects to reliance on computer-generated imagery. Although Cameron intended for Terminator 2 to be the end of the franchise, it was followed by a series of sequels, including Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Terminator Salvation (2009), Terminator Genisys (2015), and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), as well as a 2008 television series.

## Plot

In 2029, Earth has been ravaged by the war between the malevolent artificial intelligence Skynet and the human resistance. Skynet sends the T-1000—an advanced, prototype, shape-shifting Terminator made of virtually indestructible liquid metal—back in time to kill the resistance leader John Connor when he is a child. To protect Connor, the resistance sends back a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator, a less-advanced metal endoskeleton covered in synthetic flesh.

In 1995 Los Angeles, John's mother Sarah has been incarcerated at the Pescadero State Hospital for her violent efforts to prevent "Judgment Day"—the prophesied events of August 29, 1997, when Skynet will gain sentience and, in response to its creators' attempts to deactivate it, incite a nuclear holocaust. John, taken in by foster parents, considers Sarah's beliefs to be delusional and resents her efforts to prepare him for his future role. The T-1000 locates John in a shopping mall, but the T-800 intervenes, coming to John's aid and enabling their joint escape. John calls to warn his foster parents, but the T-800 deduces the T-1000 has already killed them. Realizing the T-800 is programmed to obey him, John forbids it from killing people and orders it to save Sarah from the T-1000.

The T-800 and John intercept Sarah during an escape attempt but Sarah flees in horror because the T-800 resembles the Terminator that was sent to kill her in 1984. John and the T-800 persuade her to join them, and they escape the pursuing T-1000. Although distrustful of the T-800, Sarah uses its knowledge of the future to learn that a revolutionary microprocessor, being developed by Cyberdyne Systems engineer Miles Dyson, will be crucial to Skynet's creation. Over the course of their journey, Sarah sees the T-800 serving as a friend and father figure to John, who teaches it catchphrases and hand signs while encouraging it to become more human-like.

Sarah plans to escape to Mexico with John, but a nightmare about Judgment Day convinces her to kill Dyson. She attacks Dyson in his home, but realizes she cannot kill a person and relents. John arrives and reconciles with Sarah while the T-800 convinces Dyson of the future consequences of his work. Dyson reveals his research has been reverse engineered from the damaged CPU and severed arm of the 1984 Terminator. Believing his work must be destroyed, Dyson, Sarah, John, and the T-800 break into Cyberdyne, retrieve the CPU and the arm, and set explosives to destroy the lab. The police assault the building and fatally shoot Dyson, but he detonates the explosives as he dies. The T-1000 pursues the surviving trio, cornering them in a steel mill.

Sarah and John split up to escape while the T-1000 mangles the T-800 and briefly deactivates it by destroying its power source. The T-1000 assumes Sarah's appearance to lure out John but Sarah intervenes and, along with the reactivated T-800, pushes it into a vat of molten steel, where it disintegrates. The T-800 explains it must also be destroyed to prevent it from serving as a foundation for Skynet. Despite John's tearful protests, the T-800 persuades him its destruction is the only way to protect their future. Sarah shakes the T-800's hand and, having come to respect it, helps lower it into the vat. Before its destruction, the T-800 gives John a thumbs-up. As Sarah drives down a highway with John, she reflects on her renewed hope for an unknown future, musing if the T-800 could learn the value of life, so can humanity.

## Cast

- Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator: a reprogrammed Model 101 Series 800 "T-800" Terminator that is composed of human tissue over a metal endoskeleton
- Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor: a self-trained soldier who is dedicated to preventing the rise of Skynet
- Edward Furlong as John Connor: Sarah's son who is destined to lead the human resistance in opposition to Skynet
- Robert Patrick as T-1000: an advanced, shape-shifting, prototype Terminator that is composed of liquid metal
- Earl Boen as Dr. Peter Silberman: Sarah's doctor at Pescadero State Hospital
- Joe Morton as Miles Bennett Dyson: Director of special projects at Cyberdyne Systems Corporation

The film's cast also includes Jenette Goldstein and Xander Berkeley as John's foster parents Janelle and Todd Voight, Cástulo Guerra as Sarah's friend Enrique Salceda, S. Epatha Merkerson and DeVaughn Nixon as Dyson's wife Tarissa and son Danny, and Danny Cooksey as John's friend Tim. Hamilton's twin sister Leslie Hamilton Gearren appears as the T-1000 impersonating Sarah when Hamilton is also on-screen. Twins Don and Dan Stanton portray a guard at Pescadero State Hospital and the T-1000 imitating him.

Other cast members includes Ken Gibbel as an abusive orderly, Robert Winley, Ron Young, Charles Robert Brown, and Pete Schrum as men who confront the T-800 in a biker bar, Abdul Salaam El Razzac as Gibbons, a Cyberdyne guard, and Dean Norris as the SWAT team leader. Michael Edwards portrays the John Connor of 2029 and Hamilton's infant son Dalton Abbott portrays John in a dream sequence. Co-writer William Wisher cameos as a man photographing the T-800 in the mall, and Michael Biehn reprises his role as resistance soldier Kyle Reese in scenes that were removed from the theatrical release.

## Production

### Development

The Terminator had been a surprise hit, earning \$78.4 million against its \$6.4 million budget, confirming Schwarzenegger's status as a lead actor and establishing James Cameron as a mainstream director. Schwarzenegger expressed interest in a sequel, saying "I always felt we should continue the story ... I told [Cameron] that right after we finished the first film". Cameron said Schwarzenegger had always been more enthusiastic about a sequel than he was, because Cameron considered the original a complete story.

Discussions to make a sequel stalled until 1989, in part due to Cameron's work on other films such as Aliens (1986) and The Abyss (1989), but also due to a dispute with rights holder Hemdale Film Corporation. Hemdale co-founder John Daly had attempted to alter the ending of The Terminator against Cameron's wishes, nearly resulting in a physical confrontation. A sequel could not be made without Hemdale's approval as Cameron had surrendered 50% of his rights to the company to get The Terminator made. Cameron had also sold half of the remaining stake to his ex-wife Gale Anne Hurd, producer and co-writer on the first film, for \$1 following their 1989 divorce. By 1990, Hemdale was being sued by Cameron, Schwarzenegger, Hurd, and special-effects artist Stan Winston for unpaid profits from The Terminator.

Schwarzenegger, aware Hemdale was experiencing financial difficulties, convinced Carolco Pictures to purchase the film rights to The Terminator, having worked with the independent film studio on the big-budget, science fiction film Total Recall (1990). Owner Mario Kassar described the rights acquisition as the most difficult deal Carolco ever conducted. He accepted a \$10 million offer for Hemdale's share, considering it a sum fabricated to ward him off, and paid Hurd \$5 million for her share. Prior to development, the total cost of the acquisition rose to \$17 million after factoring in incidental costs.

Kassar told Cameron that in order to recoup his investment, the film would proceed with or without him, offering Cameron \$6 million to be involved and write the script. The film would become a collaboration between several production studios: Carolco, Le Studio Canal+, Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment, and Hurd's Pacific Western Productions. The studio also had an existing U.S. distribution deal with TriStar Pictures, which stipulated that the film be ready for release by May 27, 1991, Memorial Day.

### Writing

With a scheduled release date, Cameron had six to seven weeks to write the sequel. He approached his frequent collaborator and The Terminator co-writer William Wisher in March 1990. They spent two weeks developing a film treatment based on Cameron's vision to form a relationship between John Connor and the T-800, a concept Wisher believed was a joke. Their treatment diverged from the "science fiction slasher" theme of the original, focusing on the unconventional family bond formed between Sarah, John, and the T-800. Cameron said this relationship is "the heart of the movie", comparing it to the Tin Man receiving a heart in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Cameron's concept featured Skynet and the resistance each sending a T-800—both played by Schwarzenegger—into the past, one to kill John and the other to protect him. Wisher believed a fight between two identical Terminators would be boring. The pair briefly considered a larger "Super-Terminator", but found it uninteresting and adopted an early idea Cameron had for The Terminator—a liquid-metal Terminator resembling an average-sized human in contrast to Schwarzenegger's large frame. The first half of their concept concluded with the destruction of Skynet's T-800, forcing it to use the T-1000, its ultimate weapon. Although he once considered removing the T-1000 altogether, Cameron solidified it as the only antagonist. Cameron and Wisher had the T-1000 take on the appearance of a police officer, allowing it to operate with less suspicion. Wisher found it challenging to depict the T-800 as "good" without making it non-threatening at the same time. The pair decided to give it the ability to learn and develop emotions, becoming more human over time. They kept the T-800's dialogue brief, relying on the audience to infer a lot of meaning through "small bites". Its catchphrase, "Hasta la vista, baby", was something Wisher and Cameron said after their telephone calls.

Wisher developed the first half of the treatment at Cameron's home over the course of four weeks, while Cameron worked on the latter half. Many pages were removed, including a "convoluted" subplot about Dyson, and a massacre of a camp of survivalists helping Sarah. Cameron, who did not consider the budget while writing, had to cut some elaborate scenes, including a nine-minute opening that showed a time travel machine being used in 2029. Wisher and Cameron also frequently conferred with special-effects studio Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to determine which ideas were achievable.

Cameron and Wisher analyzed the first film to help envision each character's development and evolution. Cameron believed Sarah's knowledge of the future would isolate her, forcing her to associate with survivalists and become a self-sufficient commando. She was written to have become an emotionally cold and distant character comparable to a Terminator, especially when deciding to go after Dyson. Instead of beginning the story with Sarah, John is placed with a foster family to increase tension. John's character was inspired by the 1985 Sting song, "Russians", with Cameron recalling, "I remember sitting there once, high on E ... I was struck by [the lyrics] 'I hope the Russians love their children too'. And I thought ... The idea of a nuclear war is just so antithetical to life itself'. That's where [John] came from". They spent three days refining the script before flying to Cannes, where Terminator 2 was announced in early May 1990. Schwarzenegger initially struggled with portions of the script, once asking "What is 'polyalloy'?" He also expressed concern about his character's non-lethal depiction, which conflicted with his action-hero persona and portrayal of the character in The Terminator. Cameron explained he wanted to defy audience expectations. Schwarzenegger requested: "Just make me cool".

### Casting

Schwarzenegger became interested in reprising his role after finding the character more complex and sympathetic than in the previous film. To accurately portray a fearless and emotionless machine, he trained extensively with stunt coordinator Joel Kramer to remain unaffected by fire and explosions around him. Schwarzenegger earned \$12–\$15 million for his involvement. Carolco had been blamed for the increase in exorbitant salaries paid to actors, having paid Schwarzenegger around \$11 million for Total Recall (1990). They justified the expense as the value of their leads' wide appeal in markets outside the U.S. To lessen the immediate financial burden, Carolco paid most of Schwarzenegger's salary with a financed \$12.75 million Gulfstream III jet.

Cameron refused to re-cast Hamilton's role but developed plans to work around her absence if she chose not to return. Negotiations were protracted but concluded promptly after Cameron informed Carolco the script could not be finished until he knew if Hamilton would be involved. Hamilton received roughly \$1 million, which she described as "quite a bit more" than her earnings for The Terminator but expressed disappointment at the pay disparity between her and Schwarzenegger. Hamilton requested Sarah exhibit a "crazy" demeanor, explaining that after years of living with the impending doom of humanity, she believed Sarah would have transformed into an untamed entity, a warrior combined with a psychologically unstable woman. She continued: "[The T-800] is a better human than I am, and I'm a better Terminator than he is". Cameron considered giving the character a facial scar but determined applying it daily would be difficult. Hamilton undertook extensive preparation for her role, working with a personal trainer for three hours a day, six days a week, and maintaining a strict, low-fat diet, losing about 12 pounds (5.4 kg) of body weight. She also received judo and military training from former Israeli commando Uziel Gal. Between training, filming, and spending time with her infant son Dalton, Hamilton averaged only four hours of sleep per day. She described her experience as "sheer hell" but enjoyed showing off her new physique. Hamilton's twin sister, Leslie, was also cast in scenes where two versions of Sarah appear on-screen simultaneously.

Patrick, who was living in his car, was one of several actors in their late 20s considered for the T-1000 role. Cameron wanted a lithe actor resembling a newly recruited police officer to contrast with Schwarzenegger. According to Cameron, "If the [T-800] series is a kind of human Panzer tank, then the [T-1000] series had to be a Porsche". Casting director Mali Finn believed Patrick had the "intense presence" they wanted. Patrick auditioned by acting like an emotionless hunter and later participated in a screen test to judge the way lighting worked with his skin and eyes. For his character, he drew inspiration from Schwarzenegger's performance in The Terminator and observed hunting creatures—reptiles, insects, cats, and sharks. Patrick's facial expressions were based on those of an eagle, keeping his head tilted down to imply constant forward movement. He also employed a mixture of military posture with martial arts to express a fluid motion that differed from the T-800's rigid movements. The role demanded Patrick be lean and fast, requiring peak physical shape. He learned to sprint without displaying heavy breathing and exhaustion, and received specialized training from Gal. Weapons master Harry Lu taught Patrick to operate and reload weapons, such as the T-1000's Beretta 92FS, without looking and eventually without blinking. Singer Billy Idol was originally cast for the role before a motorbike accident seriously injured his leg. In a 2021 retrospective, Cameron said Idol had an interesting aesthetic but in hindsight, he probably would not have cast him. Singer Blackie Lawless of the rock band W.A.S.P. was also considered but deemed too tall.

Furlong, among hundreds of other prospects, secured the role at his last audition. Cameron believed that early candidates for the role of John Connor were either overexposed in other media or came from advertisement backgrounds, which trained them to be happy and perky. Furlong had no acting experience and was discovered by Finn at the Boys & Girls Club in Pasadena. Cameron described Furlong as having a "surliness, an intelligence, just a question of pulling it out". He was required to take acting lessons, learn Spanish, and be able to ride a motorcycle and repair guns. Joe Morton believed his casting as Miles Dyson had to do with Cameron wanting a minority character to be integral to the changing of the world. Morton avoided interacting with the cast so that their on-screen relationships would seem believably distant. The role of Dyson was reduced after the preferred casting choice, Denzel Washington, declined it because the role mainly required him to act scared.

### Filming

The planned three months of pre-production was reduced to meet the release schedule, leaving Cameron without the time he wanted to prepare all aspects before filming began. Over a week, he spent several hours each day choreographing vehicle scenes with toy cars and trucks, filming the results, and printing the footage for storyboard artists. There was no time to properly test practical effects before filming so if effects did not work, the filmmakers had to work around them. Principal photography began on October 8–9, 1990, with a \$60 million budget. Scenes were filmed out of sequence to prioritize those requiring extensive visual effects. Schwarzenegger found this difficult because he was meant to convey subtle signs of the T-800's progressive humanity and was unsure what was fitting for each scene. Cinematographer Adam Greenberg, who also worked on The Terminator, described the greater scope of the sequel as the most daunting prospect. Where he had been able to shout instructions to his crew on the original film, he used one of 187 walkie-talkies to conduct efforts over an expansive area.

The production was arduous, in part because of Cameron, who was known for his short temper and uncompromising "dictatorial" manner. The crew made T-shirts bearing the slogan "You can't scare me—I work for Jim Cameron". Schwarzenegger described him as a supportive but "demanding taskmaster" with a "fanaticism for physical and visual detail". Even so, by the 101st day of filming, Schwarzenegger and Hamilton were frustrated by the high number of takes Cameron performed, spending five days just on close-ups of Hamilton in the Dyson home. To stay on schedule, Cameron worked through Christmas and persuaded Schwarzenegger to cancel a visit to American troops in Saudi Arabia with U.S. President George H. W. Bush to film his scenes.

The production filmed in many locations in and around Los Angeles. The now-destroyed Corral bar in Sylmar is where the T-800 confronts a group of bikers. Location manager Jim Morris chose Corral because it was raised above ground, allowing the scene to take place over different levels. The 1991 police beating of Rodney King took place at the same location a week after filming, being captured on the same videotape a spectator used to capture the filming of the biker bar scenes. On one occasion, a woman who was oblivious to ongoing filming walked into the bar. When she asked Schwarzenegger, who was wearing only a pair of shorts, what was going on, he replied: "It's male-stripper night". Executives suggested cutting the scene to save money but Cameron and Schwarzenegger refused.

The T-1000 arriving in 1996 was filmed at the Sixth Street Viaduct, and John hacking an ATM at a bank in Van Nuys. His foster parents' residence is situated in the Canoga Park neighborhood, deliberately chosen for its generic appearance. The Terminators confronting John takes place inside Santa Monica Place mall, although exterior shots were captured at Northridge Fashion Center because there was less traffic. In the subsequent scene, Patrick's training allowed him to outrun John on his dirtbike, so the bike's maximum speed was increased. The T-1000 continues its pursuit using a truck, in a scene filmed at the Bull Creek spillway. Other locations include the Lake View Terrace hospital, standing in as Pescadero State Hospital, and the Petersen Automotive Museum used as its garage. In a 2012 interview, Hamilton said she suffered permanent partial hearing loss after not wearing earplugs during the hospital elevator scene, where the T-800 fires a gun, as well as shell shock from months of exposure to violence, loud noise, and gunfire. Elysian Park serves as the site of Sarah's apocalyptic dream, and scenes at the Dyson home were captured at a private property in Malibu. The Cyberdyne Building's destruction was filmed at an abandoned office in San Jose, scheduled for demolition. To bring a heightened sense of authenticity, real members of the Los Angeles Police Department's SWAT division were featured in the scene, although Cameron embellished their tactics to be visually interesting. In a spontaneous decision during Morton's death scene, Cameron opted to detonate nearby glass to examine its visual impact.

The final highway chase was filmed along the Terminal Island Freeway near Long Beach, of which a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) stretch was closed to traffic every night for two weeks. Scenes set during the future war of 2029 were filmed in the rubble of an abandoned steel mill in Oxnard, California, in a one-half square mile (1.3 km<sup>2</sup>) space that was enhanced with burned bicycles and cars from a 1989 fire at the Universal Studios Lot. Terminator 2's ending was filmed in the closed Kaiser Steel mill in Fontana, which Greenberg made appear operational mainly through lighting techniques. Despite appearing to be actively smelting steel, the mill was frigid and dangerous because of the moving machinery and high catwalks. The T-800's thumbs-up during his death was added during filming (Hamilton considered it too sentimental). Six months of filming concluded on March 28, 1991, about three weeks behind schedule.

### Post-production

Terminator 2 was edited by Conrad Buff IV, Richard A. Harris, and Mark Goldblatt, who said although there was more time to edit than on The Terminator, it was still relatively small given the greater scope of the sequel. They described the complexity of scenes such as the final battle between the Terminators, which required a seamless combination of live-action, practical effect shots, and CGI. After having to rush editing at the end of The Abyss, Cameron limited filming on Terminator 2 to five days a week so he could help edit the film on weekends from the start of filming.

Several scenes were deleted, in part to reduce its running time. These include Kyle Reese appearing to Sarah in a dream and encouraging her to continue fighting, Sarah being beaten in the hospital, the T-1000 killing John's dog (a scene the animal-loving Patrick was not a fan of), John teaching the T-800 to smile and discussing whether it fears death, the T-1000 malfunctioning after being frozen in the steel mill, and additional scenes with Dyson's family. Schwarzenegger unsuccessfully rallied to retain his favorite scene, in which John and Sarah modify the T-800's CPU, allowing it to learn and evolve. Sarah attempts to destroy the CPU but John defends the T-800. The scene was replaced with dialogue indicating the T-800 already possesses the ability to learn. The scripted ending depicted an alternative 2029 that was filmed at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia, in which an aged Sarah narrates how Skynet was never created while John, now a senator, plays with his daughter. To make the film more evocative and memorable, Cameron changed this scene to one in which the characters look out at the road ahead.

The production ran until about two days before the film's theatrical release. Delays were mainly caused by the rendering of shots at Consolidated Film Industries, the most difficult of which was the T-1000's death. Co-producer Stephanie Austin said the production crew worked twenty-four-hour shifts and slept on site. The 137 minute long release print was delivered to theaters the night before its release. There were two private pre-release screenings: one for family, friends, and crew at Skywalker Ranch and another in Los Angeles for studio executives. Austin said, "People were stamping their feet and clapping for ten or fifteen minutes", at which point the crew knew they had succeeded. During test screenings the ending was well received, and was described as a "touching" favorite scene.

The minimum estimated cost to produce Terminator 2 had been \$60 million, dwarfing the budget of the first film. Cameron and Schwarzenegger said the final budget, excluding marketing, was about \$70 million, and the cost of making the film was about \$51 million. According to Carolco executives Peter Hoffman and Roger Smith, the film cost \$75 million before marketing, saying Terminator 2 was only "modestly" over budget. Including marketing and other costs, the film's total budget is reported to be between \$94 million and \$102 million. Kassar said he had secured 110% of the budget from advances and guarantees of \$91 million, including North American television (\$7 million) and home-video (\$10 million) rights, and \$61 million from theatrical, home-video and television rights outside the U.S. The distribution deal with TriStar Pictures earned it a set percentage of the budget—an estimated \$4 million. News sources labelled Terminator 2 the most-expensive independent film ever and predicted it would "bankrupt Carolco".

### Special effects and design

A 10-month schedule and about \$15–\$17 million of Terminator 2's budget was allocated to the entirety of its special effects, including \$5 million for the T-1000 alone, and a further \$1 million for stunts, at the time one of the largest-ever stunt budgets. Four main companies were involved in creating the 150 visual effects. ILM under special effects supervisor Dennis Muren managed the computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects, Stan Winston Studio the prosthetics and animatronics, Fantasy II Film Effects developed miniatures and optical effects, and 4-Ward Productions were responsible for creating a nuclear explosion effect. Pacific Data Images and Video Image provided some additional effects. The cost and time involved in producing CGI meant the effect was used sparingly, appearing in 42–43 shots, alongside 50–60 practical effects.

Produced near the advent of CGI, realizing the T-1000 was a risky endeavor as there was no backup plan in place if the CGI did not work as intended or could not be composited effectively with Winston's practical effects. The computer systems needed to animate and render the T-1000 CGI cost thousands of dollars alone, but creating the character also relied on a variety of practical appliances, visual illusions, and filming techniques. A team of up to 35 at ILM were required for the five minutes of screen time the T-1000's effects appear, and the process was so complex that rendering 15 seconds of footage took up to ten days.

### Music

The Terminator composer Brad Fiedel returned for the sequel, working in his garage in Studio City, Los Angeles. Film industry professionals regarded his return with concern and skepticism as they believed his style would not suit the film. Fiedel quickly realized he would not receive the finished footage until late in the production after most effects were completed, which made it difficult to commit to decisions such as use of an orchestra because, unlike ambient music, the score had to accompany the on-screen action. Fiedel and Cameron wanted the musical tone to be "warmer" due to its focus on a nobler Terminator and young John. Fiedel experimented with sounds and shared them with Cameron for feedback.

While The Terminator score had mainly used oscillators and synthesizers, Fiedel recorded real instruments and modified their sounds. He developed a library of sounds for characters such as the T-1000, whose theme was created by sampling brass-instrument players warming up and improvising. Fiedel said to the players, "You're an insane asylum. You're a bedlam of instruments." He slowed down the resulting sample and lowered the pitch, describing it as "artificial intelligent monks chanting". Cameron considered the "atonal" sound "too avant-garde", to which Fiedel replied, "you're creating something that people have never seen before, and [the score] ought to sound like something people have never heard before to support that".

Tri-Star asked Schwarzenegger to arrange a tie-in music video and theme song for the film. He chose to work with rock band Guns N' Roses because they were popular and there was "a rose in the movie and bloody guns". The band offered the use of "You Could Be Mine", the debut single from their album Use Your Illusion II (1991). The music video, featuring Schwarzenegger as the T-800 pursuing the band, was directed by Stan Winston, Andrew Morahan, and Jeffrey Abelson. Patrick unsuccessfully lobbied to use "Head Like a Hole" by Nine Inch Nails as the tie-in song, in part because his brother, Richard Patrick, was their tour guitarist. Wisher suggested using "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers as the T-800 puts on the biker clothes. Although Cameron did not like the idea, Wisher said he later found Cameron had used the song but had forgotten it was his idea. "Guitars, Cadillacs" by Dwight Yoakam also features in Terminator 2.

## Release

### Context

The summer theatrical season, spanning from mid-May to early September, was anticipated to witness strong competition among studios. Fifty-five films were slated for release compared to thirty-seven in 1990. Release dates underwent frequent changes as studios aimed to evade direct competition and optimize their films' chances of success to compensate for the 20% increase in film production costs since 1990. This increase was partly attributed to hefty salaries demanded by stars who also claimed a portion of the film's profits. Moreover, revenues from box-office receipts, video sales, and television-network deals were on the decline. Films scheduled for release included City Slickers, The Naked Gun 21⁄2: The Smell of Fear, Only the Lonely, Hudson Hawk, The Rocketeer, What About Bob?, and Point Break. Terminator 2 was among the films expected to do well, along with Backdraft, Dying Young, and the year's predicted top film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It was also seen as having strong international appeal. An unnamed studio executive said audiences were seeking escapist entertainment such as comedy or action, and avoiding films about less-positive subject matter.

### Marketing and promotion

Schwarzenegger was involved in Terminator 2's marketing and merchandising campaign, which was estimated to be worth at least \$20 million. By 1991, advertising for Terminator 2 was ubiquitous with high audience recognition and despite its U.S. R rating, which restricted the film to audiences aged 17 and over unless accompanied by an adult, merchandise was mainly aimed at children. Tristar contributed about \$20 million for marketing, which included a \$150,000 teaser trailer that was directed by Winston and depicts the construction of a T-800. Trailers ran for six months before the film's release. Tristar incentivized cinema staff to play it frequently by offering chances to win Terminator 2-branded goods and tickets to the premiere. Fast-food restaurants and soft-drink manufacturers, such as Subway and Pepsi, also offered Terminator 2-themed food and drink, alongside promotional posters.

The premiere took place on July 1, 1991, at the Cineplex Odeon in Century City, Los Angeles. According to Fiedel, it was treated as a major event, unlike the premiere of The Terminator, during which the audience was skeptical or laughed at the wrong times. Celebrities in attendance included Maria Shriver, Nicolas Cage, Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, and Furlong's date Soleil Moon Frye.

### Box office

Terminator 2: Judgment Day opened in the United States and Canada on July 3, leading into the Independence Day holiday weekend. It had the highest-grossing Wednesday opening with \$11.8 million. Between Friday and Sunday, the film grossed \$31.8 million from 2,274 theaters, an average of \$13,969 per theater, making it the number-one film of the weekend ahead of The Naked Gun 21⁄2 (\$11.6 million) in its second weekend and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (\$10.3 million) in its fourth. Over the five-day holiday weekend (Wednesday to Sunday), Terminator 2 grossed \$52.3 million, becoming the second-highest opening five-day total ever behind Batman's \$57 million in 1989, It set a record opening for an R-rated film and for an Independence Day weekend. The opening week audience was evenly split between adults, teenagers, and children, about 25%–30% of whom were women, although Tri-Star said the figure was higher. The film benefited from repeat viewings by young audience members. One theater chain executive said: "... nothing since Batman has created the frenzy for tickets we saw this weekend with Terminator. At virtually all our locations, we are selling out ... the word-of-mouth buzz out there is just phenomenal". Industry professional Lawrence Kasanoff said it was an "open secret" that despite the R rating, children were seeing the film, remarking "When T2 opened, I saw kids skateboard up to the ticket window ..."

It retained the number-one position in its second weekend, grossing \$20.7 million, ahead of the debuts of One Hundred and One Dalmatians (\$10.3 million) and Boyz n the Hood (\$10 million), and in its third weekend with \$14.9 million, ahead of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (\$10.2 million) and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (\$7.8 million). Terminator 2: Judgment Day fell to number two in its fifth weekend, grossing \$8.6 million against the debut of the comedy Hot Shots! (\$10.8 million). It remained in the top-five highest-grossing films for twelve consecutive weeks and the top-ten highest-grossing films for fifteen weeks. In total, Terminator 2: Judgment Day spent about twenty-six weeks in theaters in a total of 2,495 cinemas, and grossed \$204.8 million, making it the highest-grossing film of the year, ahead of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (\$165 million), Beauty and the Beast (\$145 million), and The Silence of the Lambs (\$130 million). This also made it the thirteenth-highest-grossing film of its time, behind Back to the Future (1985), and the highest-grossing R-rated film. The Los Angeles Times estimated after the theater and distributor cuts, the box-office returns to Carolco would be well over twenty percent of the film's cost.

Outside the U.S. and Canada, Terminator 2: Judgment Day set numerous box office records. In the United Kingdom it had a record three-day opening weekend of \$4.4 million (and a one-week record of \$7.8 million) and went on to gross at least \$30 million. In France it grossed a record \$9.5 million in its opening week (the biggest opening since Rocky IV) and \$16 million in two weeks. In Germany it grossed a record \$8 million in five days and also had a record Australian opening weekend of \$1.9 million. In Thailand it was the highest-grossing western-hemisphere film ever with a gross of \$1.2 million. The film also performed well in Brazil and grossed at least \$51 million in Japan. Internationally, the film grossed about \$312.1 million, making it the first film to gross over \$300 million outside of the U.S. and Canada. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is estimated to have grossed a worldwide total of \$519–\$520.9 million, making it the year's highest-grossing film, and the third-highest-grossing film ever, behind 1977's Star Wars (\$530 million) and 1982's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (\$619 million).

## Reception

### Critical response

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released to general acclaim. Many reviews focused on the state-of-the-art physical, special, and make-up effects, which were roundly praised as "revolutionary" and "spectacular", particularly those relating to the T-1000 as a "technological wonder". Several publications wrote Cameron's ability to realize cinematic action blockbusters was unmatched. Janet Maslin said at his best, despite occasional lapses into melodrama, Cameron's work is akin to that of director Stanley Kubrick. Both Maslin and The Austin Chronicle commented on the kindness and compassion in the film. The Austin Chronicle contrasted it to the lack of a moral message in The Terminator and Travers described it as a "visionary parable" but they, alongside others, criticized Terminator 2's "muddled" message about protecting the value of human life and peace by using extreme violence to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, war, and technological reliance.

Reviewers generally agreed the narrative early in the film is stronger than the one near the end. Owen Glieberman said the first hour has a genuine "emotional pull" and according to Roger Ebert, the initial concept of a boy finding a father figure in a Terminator that is learning to be human is "intriguing", but Glieberman said the narrative weakens once Hamilton's character joins the group. Travers and Corliss wrote it stumbles after hours of relentless action and a "conventional climax". Despite this observation, Glieberman praised the final battle between the T-1000 and the protagonists. Empire's review and Terrence Rafferty found the film's narrative less satisfying and idea-driven than that of The Terminator. Glieberman said despite it being an effective and witty thriller, Terminator 2: Judgment Day comes across as an expensive B movie when compared with "visionary spectacles" such as the Mad Max series and RoboCop (1987). Kenneth Turan said Terminator 2's action scenes succeed without the extreme gore and violence of RoboCop.

Ebert and Maslin, among others, appreciated the twist on Schwarzenegger's public action-hero persona by making him a hero who does not kill his enemies. David Ansen and Glieberman found humor in the T-800's non-lethal methods and efforts to become more human-like. Maslin and Hinson agreed, as in The Terminator, Schwarzenegger's role is perfect for his acting abilities. Hinson said Schwarzenegger portrayed more humanity as a machine than he did when portraying normal people. In contrast, Empire suggested the change was a concession to Schwarzenegger's young fans and Peter Travers chose the T-800's death as a "cornball" scene that is out of place for the actor and film.

Several reviewers praised the T-1000 character for the combination of Patrick's "chilling" expressionless performance and the advanced special effects, which create an implacable, "showstopping" villain. Empire called the character "one of the great monsters of the cinema". Glieberman said the character's absence from much of the film's second act is to the film's detriment, and Hinson wrote the T-1000 lacks any "soul" and thus a way for the audience to identify with it. Critics generally agreed Hamilton portrays a "fierce" female hero with an impressive physique that lets her outshine another action hero, Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley in Cameron's Aliens (1986). Other publications found Sarah Connor's narrations about peace to be "heavy-handed", overused, and "unintentionally amusing". Furlong was praised for giving a natural performance at a young age, and Hinson wrote despite limited screentime, Morton made an impression. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A+" on a scale of A+ to F.

### Accolades

At the 1992 Saturn Awards, Terminator 2: Judgment Day received awards for Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director (Cameron), Best Actress (Hamilton), Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Furlong), and Best Special Effects, as well as nomination for Best Actor (Schwarzenegger). It also won Favorite Motion Picture at the 18th People's Choice Awards. For the 45th British Academy Film Awards, Terminator 2 received awards for Best Sound (Lee Orloff, Tom Johnson, Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers) and Best Special Visual Effects (Stan Winston, Dennis Muren, Gene Warren Jr., Robert Skotak), as well as a nomination for Best Production Design (Joseph Nemec III).

The 64th Academy Awards earned Terminator 2 four awards: Best Makeup (Winston and Jeff Dawn), Best Sound (Orloff, Johnson, Rydstrom, and Summers), Best Sound Effects Editing (Rydstrom and Gloria S. Borders), and Best Visual Effects (Muren, Winston, Warren Jr., and Skotak), as well as nominations for Best Cinematography (Adam Greenberg) and Best Film Editing (Conrad Buff, Mark Goldblatt and Richard A. Harris). It was the first film to win an Academy Award when its predecessor had not been nominated. It received six awards at the 1992 MTV Movie Awards, including: Best Movie, Best Action Sequence ("L.A. Freeway Scene"), Best Breakthrough Performance (Furlong), Best Female Performance (Hamilton), Best Male Performance (Schwarzenegger), and nominations for Best Song From a Movie ("You Could Be Mine"), Best Villain (Patrick), and Most Desirable Female (Hamilton), as well as a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Cameron and Wisher).

## Post-release

### Aftermath

Terminator 2: Judgment Day launched the careers or raised the profiles of its principal actors. According to industry professionals, Schwarzenegger became the top international star ahead of actors such as Mel Gibson and Tom Cruise. It also marked the start of a lasting friendship between Schwarzenegger and Cameron, who formed a "midlife crisis motorcycle club" and reunited for the action film True Lies (1994). Cameron and Hamilton began a romantic relationship in 1991, married in 1997, and later divorced. In 1992 Cameron was given a five-year, \$500 million contract by 20th Century Fox to produce twelve films.

Furlong became a highly sought after actor and Patrick found dealing with his new-found recognition difficult as people asked him to impersonate the T-1000. Despite the film's success, Carolco reported 1991 losses of \$265.1 million, which was caused by the financial problems of its other films and subsidiaries. Support from investors failed to prevent the studio filing for bankruptcy in 1995 and its assets, including Terminator 2, were sold to Canal Plus for \$58 million.

### Home media

In December 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released on VHS and LaserDisc. It was a popular rental in the U.S. and Canada, with a record 714,000 copies shipped to retailers, and it became the best-selling rental by mid-January 1992. Varèse Sarabande released Fiedel's score, which spent six weeks on the Billboard 200 record chart, peaking at number 70. The theme song "You Could Be Mine" peaked at number 29 on the U.S. Billboard 100, and performed well in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Canada.

A "Special Edition" LaserDisc was released in 1993, featuring a 15-minute extended version of the film that restored deleted scenes, interviews with cast and crew, storyboards, designs, and unrestored deleted scenes. Cameron stated he did not use the label "Director's Cut" because he considered the theatrical releases to be definitive and the extended versions as opportunities to restore "depth and character made omissible by theatrical running time". The theatrical version was released on DVD in 1997. In 2000, an "Ultimate Edition" DVD was released, containing the theatrical and "Special Edition" cuts, and a new "Extended Cut", containing a scene of the T-1000 inspecting John's bedroom, and the alternate ending. Terminator 2 special effects coordinator Van Ling supervised the release. The "Extreme Edition" was released in 2003, featuring the theatrical and "Special Edition" cuts, a remastered 1080p image, Cameron's first commentary, and a documentary about the film's influence on special effects.

Terminator 2 was released on Blu-ray in 2006, followed in 2009 by a "Skynet Edition" that contains the theatrical and "Special Edition" cuts, and commentaries with the cast and crew. This release includes a limited collector's set containing the Blu-ray, the "Ultimate" and "Extreme" editions on DVDs, a digital download version, all extant special features, and a 14-inch (360 mm) T-800 skull bust. A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version that includes a standard Blu-ray and digital version, was released in 2017. This release also offered a collector's option that includes one of 6,000 life-size replicas of a T-800 skeleton forearm, each signed by Cameron and individually numbered, the soundtrack, the theatrical, "Special", "Extended", and 2017 3D remaster cuts, and "Reprogramming the Terminator", a documentary that includes interviews with Schwarzenegger, Cameron, Furlong, and others.

### Other media

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was marketed with numerous tie-in products, including toys, puppets, trading cards, jigsaw puzzles, clothing, a perfume named "Hero", and a novelization by Randall Frakes that expands on the film's ending. In 1991 Marvel Comics adapted the film into a comic book, which was followed by expansions of the Terminator 2 narrative, including Malibu Comics's "Cybernetic Dawn" and "Nuclear Twilight" (1995–1996), Dynamite Entertainment's "Infinity" and "Revolution" (2007), and the T2 novel series by S. M. Stirling in the early 2000s. Several video game adaptations of Terminator 2 were published, including a pinball machine and an arcade game in 1991. The arcade game was popular enough to be ported to home consoles as T2: The Arcade Game. Multiple studios developed widely differing adaptations for home consoles, includingTerminator 2 for Game Boy and Terminator 2 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). A later adaptation was developed for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and a different game was published for home computers. Merchandise for Terminator 2: Judgment Day was estimated to have generated \$400 million in sales.

In 1996, T2-3D: Battle Across Time, a live-action attraction, was opened at Universal Studios Florida, and later at locations in Hollywood and Japan. The twenty-minute attraction was co-written and directed by Cameron and cost \$60 million to produce, including live-action stunts and a \$24 million, 12-minute, 3D film starring Schwarzenegger, Hamilton, Patrick, and Furlong as their in-world characters, making it the most-expensive film per minute produced of its time. In it, Sarah and John attempt to stop Cyberdyne, which has developed Skynet. They are confronted by the T-1000 but saved by the T-800, which returns to 2029 with John to defeat Skynet and its latest creation, the T-1000000.

### 3D remaster

Cameron oversaw a year-long 3D remaster and subsequent theatrical re-release of Terminator 2: Judgment Day in August 2017. Cameron said: "If you've never seen it, this'll be the version you want to see and remember". Cameron made visual modifications to the film to fix errors that had bothered him, including the addition of windshield glass to the T-1000's truck, which fell out during its stunt fall and reappears in later scenes, concealing the obvious use of stuntmen for Furlong and Schwarzenegger during the same scene, concealed more of Patrick's nudity during his introduction, and brightened the visuals. The 3D remaster's theatrical release was seen as a disappointment, earning about \$562,000 in its debut across 386 theaters compared to the 3D re-release of Cameron's Titanic in 2012, which fetched \$17 million.

## Themes and analysis

### Themes

A central theme of Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the relationship between John Connor and the T-800 that serves as a surrogate for the father (Kyle Reese) he never knew. Cameron said: "Sure, there's going to be big, thunderous action sequences, but the heart of the movie is that relationship", comparing it with the Tin Man getting a heart in The Wizard of Oz. As with Cameron's earlier film Aliens, Terminator 2 focuses on compassion and parental figures, depicting the T-800 as a relentless protector and father figure to John, against the equally relentless T-1000. The T-800 is designed to emulate humans for infiltration purposes but as it grows and evolves, its emotions become real and it learns from John to feel grief. The T-800 chooses to sacrifice its life to ensure the survival of everyone else. In 1991 essayist Robert Bly wrote elderly men were not offering suitable role models for young men, and in Terminator 2, Sarah denounces the many men in her past who failed to be a father for John, except for the T-800. Once its role is complete, the T-800 leaves John for his own good after stating it lacks the emotions John must rely on.

While John teaches the T-800 about humanity, his biological mother Sarah has become less human because of her knowledge about the future. Cameron said: "She's a sad character—a tragic character ... she believes that everyone she meets, talks to, or interacts with will be dead very soon". This theme of machine-like humans links with Cameron's and Wisher's choice to make the T-1000 appear as a police officer because thematically they believed it represents humans who should have empathy for others becoming more machine-like and detached from their emotions. The SWAT team at Cyberdyne shoots Dyson, an African American, without warning. Cinephilia described Dyson as the most-human character in the film, an intelligent, optimistic family man who represents real-world encounters between police forces and people of color, compared to their encounter with the Caucasian T-800, during which they warn him before opening fire.

Following her escape from the state hospital, Sarah appears to embrace John but is actually checking him for injuries, forgoing any emotional attachment for the practicality of ensuring his survival and bringing about his destiny as a future leader. The T-800 is portrayed as a better parent than Sarah, offering him undivided attention while Sarah remains distant and focused on the future rather than the present. Philosophy professor Richard T. McClelland notes Sarah acceptance of the T-800 as John's surrogate father is such that she leaves it in control of John when she leaves to kill Dyson. Sarah's dream about the nuclear holocaust that will kill six billion people, including her son, incites her to kill Dyson before he can complete the work that will bring about Skynet but when the moment comes, she is unable to fully forsake her humanity and murder him with no emotion. Cameron described this as a question of humanity's worth if we abandon it to win the battle for its existence. Compared to the bleak, nihilistic theme of the first film, Terminator 2 emphasizes the concept of free will and the value of human life. Schwarzenegger quoted the film's line "no fate but what we make", saying people have control over their own destinies.

Terminator 2 also comments on the use of violence. On its release, reviewers were critical of Terminator 2: Judgment Day's message about preserving peace through violence. Owen Gleiberman stated "reckless indifference" to human life is intrinsic to the film but the T-800 maiming people rather than killing them potentially condemns victims of violence to a life of pain. Cameron described the film as the "world's most violent anti-war movie", and said it is about people struggling with their own violent natures. In particular, Cameron had been concerned by the original antagonist T-800's status as a cultural icon and power fantasy as a lethal, unstoppable force of strength and power, and chose to redefine it in Terminator 2, retaining the power fantasy without taking lives. Cinephilia said it is not morally possible to recover from killing people so Terminator 2 is about redeeming the T-800 and Sarah.

### Analysis

According to Professor Jefffrey A. Brown, there was a growth of female-led action films in the wake of Alien's success. Brown believes this reflected the increase in more women assuming non-traditional roles and the division between professional critics—who perceive a masculinization of the female hero—and audiences who embrace characters regardless of gender. The hyper-masculine heroes played by Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Jean-Claude Van Damme were replaced with independent women who are capable of defending themselves and defeating villains in films such Terminator 2 and The Silence of the Lambs. Brown said these female characters often perform stereotypical male actions and have muscular physiques rather than feminine, "soft" bodies. He considers Hamilton's undershirt to be symbolic of typically male action heroes such as John McClane and John Rambo, as well as women displaying masculine traits such as Rachel McLish in Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992).

Despite the emphasis on strong femininity, Hamilton's character remains secondary to Schwarzenegger's. Sarah's efforts to defeat the T-1000 fall short until the last-minute intervention of the T-800. Author Victoria Warren said this allows the female character to be strong enough to be admired but not strong enough to undermine the male protagonist's masculinity. Professors Amanda Fernbach and Thomas B. Byers said the rigid form of the T-800 represents reactionary masculinity that is in direct opposition to the gender-bending T-1000, which represents a post-modern, fluid nature that is outside traditional norms and in opposition to patriarchy and the preservation of the traditional family.

Author Mark Duckenfield said Terminator 2: Judgment Day can be seen as an unintended allegory for the decline of United States industries against successful Japanese technology firms with the cutting-edge T-1000 representing Japan against the older, less-advanced T-800. The U.S. industries, which were sometimes seen as villains during the economic boom of the 1980s, are seen as more sympathetic in the face of obsolescence, just as the T-800 is presented as friendlier and still powerful but no longer overwhelmingly so. Duckenfield considers the final scene, which takes place in a steel mill—a place of American industry—symbolic. According to Warren, Terminator 2 reflects Cold War American values that emphasized principles of American culture, in particular individualism and rejection of government intervention. The institutions the film's protagonists should be able to rely on, such as the government, the police, and technology, are the ones attempting to stop them because they do not believe in the protagonists' doomsday prophecy.

## Legacy

### Cultural influence

Terminator 2 is considered a highly influential film, setting a benchmark for sequels, action set pieces, and visual effects. Cameron and special-effects supervisor Dennis Muren said the groundbreaking special effects in Terminator 2 demonstrated the possibilities of computer generated effects and without it, effects-focused films such as Jurassic Park (1993) would not have been possible. Various publications have referenced Terminator 2's influence on special effects, describing it as the most important special-effects film since Tron (1982), and began the era of reliance on CGI effects for films such as Jurassic Park and The Matrix (1999). In 2007 the Visual Effects Society, an entertainment-industry organization of visual effects practitioners, named Terminator 2 as the 14th-most-influential visual-effects film of all time, and the T-1000 is listed by Guinness World Records as the "first major blockbuster movie character generated using computers". According to The Guardian, the film's "groundbreaking" effects led to "CGI laziness", a reliance on computer graphics over practical effects, stunts, and craft. A 2014 Entertainment Weekly article said Terminator 2 contributed to the contemporary Hollywood high-budget, science fiction epic film, and a reliance on turning films into franchises targeted at young audiences and broad demographics. Den of Geek described it as one of the most influential blockbusters since the thriller Jaws (1975). Several filmmakers and creative leads have named it as an influence on their work, including Steven Caple Jr., Ryan Coogler, Kevin Feige, and Hideo Kojima.

With a \$94–102 million budget, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was the most expensive movie made in its time, and, as of 2023, it remains Schwarzenegger's highest-grossing film. Alongside her appearance in The Terminator, Hamilton's Sarah Connor became regarded as one of the greatest and most-influential cinematic female action heroes and an iconic character. Patrick's T-1000 is considered one of the most iconic cinematic villains. He made cameo appearances as the T-1000 in Wayne's World (1992) and Schwarzenegger's Last Action Hero (1993). In Last Action Hero, Stallone replaces Schwarzenegger as the T-800 on the Terminator 2 poster. The T-800's line "Hasta la vista, baby" is considered an iconic piece of movie dialogue that is often quoted. Schwarzenegger also used it in speeches during his political career. Terminator 2: Judgment Day has been referenced in a variety of media, including television, films, and video games. The biker bar scene was recreated for a 2015 advertisement, which featured Schwarzenegger, for the video game WWE 2K16—the bar patrons were replaced with WWE wrestlers.

### Retrospective assessments

Since its release, Terminator 2: Judgment Day has been assessed as one of the best action, science fiction, and sequel films ever made. Terminator 2 and The Terminator are generally considered as the standout films in the Terminator franchise, with each taking turns in the top spot. Some publications have listed Terminator 2 among the greatest films made.

In 2001 the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked Terminator 2 number 77 on its 100 Years ... 100 Thrills list, recognizing the "most heart-pounding movies", and the 2003 list of the 100 Best Heroes & Villains ranked the T-800 character as the forty-eighth-best hero. The 2005 list of the 100 Best Movie Quotes listed the T-800 dialog line "Hasta la vista, baby" as the 76th-best quotation, and the 2008 AFI's 10 Top 10 named Terminator 2 as the eighth-best science fiction film. To mark Schwarzenegger's 75th birthday in 2022, Variety listed Terminator 2: Judgment Day as the best film in his 46-year career.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes offers a approval rating from the aggregated reviews of critics, with an average score of . The website's critical consensus says: "T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi/action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters". The film has a score of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 22 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". During Terminator 2's 30th anniversary in 2021, Cameron, among others, said despite using older models of cars, the film's visuals still compare well with contemporary films. Cameron also said Terminator 2 remains relevant because artificial intelligence had become a ubiquitous reality rather than a fantasy. In 2006 Terminator 2 was listed at number 32 on Film4's 50 Films to See Before You Die list, and is included in the film reference book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Rotten Tomatoes lists it as one of 300 essential movies and at number 123 on its list of 200 essential movies. Popular Mechanics and Rolling Stone jointly listed it alongside The Terminator as the third-best time travel film ever made. Rolling Stone's reader-voted list of the best sequels ranks Terminator 2 second behind The Godfather Part II (1974), and Empire readers ranked the film 17th on its 2017 "100 Greatest Movies" list.

## Sequels

Cameron said he had no intentions for further sequels, believing Terminator 2 "brings the story full circle and ends. And I think ending it at this point is a good idea". Wisher and Cameron wrote the script with the intention of leaving no option for a sequel. Even so, four sequels followed: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Terminator Salvation (2009), Terminator Genisys (2015), and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), though none replicated the successes of The Terminator or Terminator 2.

Schwarzenegger returned for all but Terminator Salvation, while Cameron and Hamilton returned only for Dark Fate, a direct sequel to the events of Terminator 2. Although better critically received than other post-Terminator 2 sequels, Dark Fate is also considered a failure. Analysts blamed audience disinterest on the diminishing quality of the series since Terminator 2, and repeated attempts to reboot the series. Fans also criticized Dark Fate's opening scene, in which a T-800 kills Furlong's teenage John Connor. Entertainment website Collider wrote this retroactively damages the ending of Terminator 2. A television series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009), also takes place after the events of Terminator 2, and ignores the events in sequels Terminator 3 and beyond.

1991 film directed by James Cameron

Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department

Films that won the Academy Award for Best Makeup

Films that won the Best Sound Editing Academy Award

Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award

Films that won the Best Visual Effects Academy Award

Films with screenplays by William Wisher Jr.

Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation winning works


2/3rd Battalion (Australia)

The 2/3rd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised for service during the Second World War as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), it was formed in October 1939 in Sydney and was attached to the 16th Brigade, 6th Division, the first formation raised as part of the 2nd AIF during the war. Deploying to the Middle East in early 1940, it saw action in North Africa, Greece, Crete, and Syria in 1941–1942 before returning to Australia following Japan's entry into the war, and was one of only two Australian infantry battalions to fight against all the major Axis powers of the war: the Germans, Italians, Japanese and Vichy French.

In 1942–1943, the battalion took part in fighting along the Kokoda Track before returning to Australia where it spent over a year training and being rebuilt. In December 1944, the 2/3rd returned to New Guinea to take part in the Aitape–Wewak campaign and remained there until the war ended. Following the end of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded on 8 February 1946 in Brisbane. The battalion's battle honours are perpetuated by the Royal New South Wales Regiment.

## History

### Formation

Upon the outbreak of the Second World War the Australian government decided to raise an all-volunteer force for service overseas, due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which restricted the deployment of the part-time Militia to only those areas considered to be Australian territory. This force was known as the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF), and the 6th Division was the first to be raised. As a unit of this formation, the 2/3rd Battalion was formed at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, on 24 October 1939. Along with the 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/4th Battalions, the 2/3rd was assigned to the 16th Brigade.

Although initially the infantry battalions of the 6th Division adopted the Australian battalion structure of two rifle companies, a support company, a light machine gun platoon and an administrative headquarters, they soon switched to the British structure with four rifle companies – each consisting of three platoons with three sections – and a headquarters company consisting of signals, carrier, pioneer, anti-aircraft, transport, administrative and mortar platoons.

The battalion's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Vivian England, an officer who had fought in the First World War and had continued to serve in the Militia after the war, commanding the 55th Battalion. Personnel for the battalion were raised from an area around New South Wales that is known by the Aboriginal name of "The Werriwa". This area is bounded by a line from Sydney to Bega in the south, and from Bega, west to the Snowy Mountains, Cooma, Canberra, Yass, then north to Sydney through the Goulburn and Liverpool areas. The men were enlisted from 20 October onwards, and by 3 November 1939 the battalion was formed. The colours chosen for the unit colour patch (UCP) were the same as those of the 3rd Battalion, a unit which had served during the First World War before being raised as a Militia formation in 1921. These colours were chocolate over green, in a horizontal rectangle, although a 3 mm border of gray was added to the UCP to distinguish the battalion from its Militia counterpart, which would also go on to serve with distinction during the war.

Following a brief period of training at Liverpool and Ingleburn, the battalion took part in a farewell march through Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald of 4 January 1940 gave an account of their farewell march: "The long khaki columns thrilled the hearts of Sydney as it had not been so moved for a quarter of a century since that still, spring day in 1914 when the first A.I.F. marched through the same streets on its way to Anzac and imperishable glory; the marching was magnificent." Afterwards, the battalion sailed in the first troop convoy to leave Australia on 9–10 January 1940, embarking upon the transport Orcades. They disembarked at El Kantara on the Suez Canal on 14 February 1940, and from there they were trucked to their camp at Julis in Palestine, where they undertook further training.

### First actions: North Africa, 1941

The first engagement that Australian troops were involved in during the Second World War came at Bardia, a major Italian military outpost in the north of Libya. The 16th Brigade broke through Bardia's western defensive perimeter at dawn on 3 January 1941, when the 2/1st Battalion breached the wire defences and swung left before advancing. The 2/2nd Battalion followed suit, swinging to the right, and the 2/3rd then moved straight through the breach. Late in the day, a counter-attack by Italian tanks threatened the 2/3rd Battalion's headquarters, until a hastily organised defensive action led by the commanding officer, England, and a platoon of anti-tank guns restored the situation. Meanwhile, the 17th Brigade led a diversion to the south. Although the 16th Brigade was able to capture Bardia in the late afternoon of 4 January, resistance continued, and fighting did not cease until the next morning. Over 40,000 Italians were captured along with significant amounts of equipment and material – including food and ammunition – which was in short supply. A significant amount of alcohol was also captured by the Australians in Italian dugouts inside the 2/3rd's position around Wadi-el-Ghereida. During this period, the 2/3rd lost five officers and 56 men killed or wounded.

After this, the Allied forces advanced to the fortified naval outpost of Tobruk. The 6th Division attacked the perimeter defences early on 21 January, following a week of continuous bombardment from both land and sea. The 2/3rd Battalion was tasked with breaching the outer Italian defences for the 2/1st Battalion to pass through. Following the initial breakthrough, the 2/3rd then advanced west along the inner ring of defences, attacking a number of Italian posts as they went. Tobruk fell the next day, with the Italians surrendering to Brigadier Horace Robertson, the commander of the 19th Brigade. The Italian flag was taken down and in the absence of an Australian flag, a signaler from the 2/4th Battalion tied his slouch hat to the flag staff and hauled it up to the top. The battalion's losses during the fighting for Tobruk were seven officers and 50 men killed or wounded.

Following the capture of the town, the 2/3rd garrisoned Tobruk, although B Company was detached to the 19th Brigade for its assault on Derna, and remained there after its capture on 30 January. Prime Minister Robert Menzies interrupted his journey from Australia to England to address the troops after the capture of Tobruk. On 7 March 1941, the battalion left Tobruk, along with the rest of the 6th Division, to bolster the Allied defences in Greece. On the eve of the battalion's next campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Lamb assumed command from England, who had been criticised for his handling of the battalion during the fighting around Bardia.

### Reverses in Greece and Crete, 1941

On 18 March 1941, the 2/3rd Battalion sailed from Alexandria aboard HMS Gloucester, arriving in Greece and landing in the port of Piraeus on the following day, after a 22-hour voyage during which their convoy had been attacked numerous times by Axis aircraft. After the invasion of the country on 6 April, they were moved north to attempt to turn back the German forces. The following day they occupied Veria, and on 12 April the 6th Division was grouped together with the 2nd New Zealand Division and a lone British brigade to form an Anzac Corps. This formation did not last long, however, as the Greek government requested Allied forces withdraw from Greece on 16 April before ceasing organised resistance on 18 April. Due to a series of withdrawals elsewhere, the battalion was forced to pull back from its positions at Veria and did not come into contact with the Germans until 18 April when they attempted to block passage of the Tempe Gorge. Fighting alongside the 2/2nd Battalion and New Zealanders, the rearguard action was successful and enabled the Allies to withdraw to the south. Brigadier Arthur Allen, commander of the 16th Brigade, later wrote of this encounter: "it was a fantastic battle. Everyone was on top, with no time to dig in, and all in the front line, including artillery, Bren carriers and infantry, as well as headquarters, with transport only yards in the rear. Some confusion could be expected in the circumstances, with every weapon firing and aircraft almost continually strafing from above. If you saw it in the cinema you would say the author had never seen battle."

With the Germans enjoying numerical superiority on the ground, and with the Luftwaffe in total control of the skies, they then captured the township of Tempe. Although fierce rearguard fighting continued while the Australian and New Zealand forces withdrew to a new defensive line at Thermopylae, the situation deteriorated. An official evacuation plan was issued on 21 April, and on 25 April – Anzac Day – parties of evacuating Allied troops marched through Athens on their way to the coast. The 2/3rd Battalion embarked from Kalamata on 27 April. The 2/3rd's casualties during the campaign amounted to 14 killed, 31 wounded and 62 captured.

While the majority of the 2/3rd Battalion was successfully evacuated to Egypt, a small force of 141 men were evacuated to the island of Crete instead, after the transport ship they were on was sunk. Having formed the rearguard during the withdrawal from Greece, they had embarked separately from the main body, being taken aboard the Costa Rica. During the voyage to Alexandria, the transport had been attacked by German aircraft, and as it sank, they were ordered to abandon ship. After being rescued by Royal Navy destroyers, the troops were transported to Crete, where they were formed into a composite battalion with men from other units of the 16th Brigade, and together the unit became known as the 16th Brigade Composite Battalion.

With only limited small arms and ammunition they moved to positions above Kalives on the shores of Suda Bay to undertake garrison duties in anticipation of a German attack on the island. Following the German invasion on 20 May 1941, some of these troops saw direct action against German paratroopers. After the Allied evacuation from the island a week later, they undertook active patrols around the island before being evacuated on 31 May 1941 aboard HMS Phoebe. They arrived in Alexandria on 1 June 1941. Two 2/3rd Battalion men were killed during the fighting on Crete, and one was wounded. Fifty became prisoners of war. Meanwhile, the rest of the battalion had concentrated in Palestine, where it was rebuilt in advance of its next campaign.

### Securing Syria and Lebanon, 1941–1942

Australian troops from the 7th Division were already fighting in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign when the re-formed 2/3rd Battalion, along with the 2/5th Battalion and the 6th Division Cavalry Regiment, were committed as reinforcements, to help bring the 7th Division up to strength. In a bitter campaign that lasted 28 days, Vichy French forces attempted to resist the Allied invasion, which had been launched in order to deny the Germans the use of Vichy territory to launch attacks against Egypt. Against a modest Allied force with only limited armour and artillery, the well-equipped French force outnumbered the attackers and had the advantage of holding the mountainous terrain. Having contributed a company to garrison duties around Sidon in Lebanon, and provided 100 men to help re-form the shattered 2/1st Battalion, the 2/3rd was understrength – consisting of only 21 officers and 385 other ranks – when it entrained at Majdal in Palestine on 18 June 1941 to join the campaign.

Initially, after arriving from Palestine, the battalion was committed to forming a block on the road between Damascus and Deraa; they were later committed to an attack to sever the Beirut road around Mezze, as part of wider fighting around Damascus on 20–21 June. On the evening of 20 June, the battalion advanced to help relieve the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade which had become surrounded, and during a series of confused night-time actions, captured several forts to the west of Mezze. After a French counterattack on Fort Sarrail, most of the battalion's headquarters company was briefly captured, including the 2/3rd's commanding officer, Lamb, who was wounded in the action. An Australian counterattack early on 21 June freed the captured personnel, though, and together with a successful defensive action in the Barada Gorge, helped force the Vichy defenders in Damascus to surrender. The following week, with Major John Stevenson, the battalion's second-in-command, in charge, the 2/3rd was transferred to the British 16th Brigade. Operating with British and Indian forces on the right flank, the 2/3rd launched an unsuccessful action at Jebel Mazar on 24–28 June, where they were tasked with capturing the high ground overlooking the main road, along which the Australians were advancing.

After this, the battalion came under command of the re-formed 17th Brigade, which was reconstituted to bring the 7th Division up to full strength as it operated along the coast. Despite being well below strength – consisting of just two companies with a total of 300 men – it joined the fighting at Damour on 6–10 July, advancing along the Darmour River and leading the 17th Brigade's advance. Amidst heavy fighting the Allied forces slowly advanced simultaneously along the coast and inland, finally overcoming the Vichy French defences. Following the armistice on 14 July, the troops remained in Syria until January 1942 preparing defences and undertaking other garrison duties. The battalion's casualties during the short campaign amounted to 16 killed and 77 wounded.

### Garrison duties in Ceylon, 1942

Following Japan's entry into the war in December 1941 the decision was made to bring the 6th Division back to bolster the Allied defences in the Pacific, and the 2/3rd Battalion left the Middle East on 10 March 1942, aboard the steamer Orontes. The original intention was that they would be sent to reinforce Java; however, while they were at sea concerns about a Japanese attack on Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) prompted the diversion of the 16th and 17th Brigades to Colombo, and they arrived there on 21 March. The freighter Ben Rennies, carrying the battalion's vehicles, arrived shortly afterwards and the 2/3rd took up defensive positions in the southeast part of the island, which was considered to be the most likely location for a Japanese invasion force to land.

On 5 April, a Japanese naval force sortied from the recently captured Andaman Islands and launched a series of attacks by carrier-based aircraft on Colombo and Trincomalee. Another attack occurred on 9 April. Little damage was done on land, but both the British and Australian navies suffered losses. Regardless, the Japanese failed to sustain their initial momentum and the expected invasion did not occur. Nevertheless, men from the 2/3rd Battalion were kept busy for the remainder of their time preparing defences, manning anti-aircraft positions and undertaking jungle training, while receiving instruction in lessons learned from operations in Malaya and Singapore. The men were taught how to use the jungle according to author Paul Ham "...to 'melt' into the foliage; to retrace their steps at night; to use camouflage properly; to detect human presence by crushed twigs and disturbed leaf mould; to move silently over undergrowth. To build shelters; and to discern human from animal sounds."

In July, British forces were sent from India to relieve the Australian troops in Ceylon. Preparations were made for the 2/3rd Battalion to return to Australia, and after embarking upon the SS Westernland, they arrived in Melbourne on 8 August 1942, having returned via the southern route away from the Japanese submarines patrolling the east coast. After this, the troops all received two weeks home leave, staggered from the time of their arrival. The final group had their leave cut short after only three days, however, when they were recalled by urgent telegram. The 16th Brigade was again on the move, this time to Port Moresby in New Guinea, where the fighting against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track was reaching a critical stage. After a short voyage, the brigade arrived at Port Moresby on 21 September 1942.

### Fighting in New Guinea, 1942–1943

Following their arrival at Port Moresby, the 16th Brigade along with the 25th Brigade, prepared to relieve the forces on the Kokoda Track. With the Australians having finally halted the Japanese advance, the fresh troops would be tasked with launching a counterattack to drive the Japanese back to Buna in the north. Consequently, throughout October, November and into December, the 2/3rd Battalion took part in three major actions: Eora Creek (22–28 October), Oivi (5–12 November), and an action on the Sanananda Track (21 November – 19 December).

On 3 October, General Douglas MacArthur spoke to the 16th Brigade's commander, Brigadier John Lloyd, at Ower's Corner, at the foot of the Kokoda Track: "Lloyd, by some act of God your Brigade has been chosen for this job. The eyes of the Western world are upon you. I have every confidence in you and your men. Good luck and don't stop." The 16th Brigade arrived at Templeton's Crossing on 19 October, just three days behind the 2/25th and 2/33rd Battalions, whom they relieved. The following day the 16th Brigade continued the advance but found that the Japanese had withdrawn to Eora Creek, where they had established a strong defensive position.

Here the Japanese held the high ground in well-concealed positions that had clear fields of fire into the narrow gorge below. With no other options, the 16th Brigade was forced to assault the Japanese defences frontally, advancing straight up the gorge. Amidst torrential rain and stiff defence, progress was slow as each defensive position had to be dealt with individually. As the water level in the creek rose steadily, the troops came under heavy mortar fire and were attacked with grenades lobbed from the heights above. The supply situation grew desperate too, but by 28 October the 2/3rd Battalion had managed to work its way around the Japanese right flank in preparation for an attack. In the afternoon, the battalion launched its attack, breaking through the Japanese outposts and into the main position. The defenders were overwhelmed and many of them abandoned their weapons as they fled. That night, the remaining Japanese withdrew from the position. The 16th Brigade lost 72 killed and 154 wounded in this action.

Despite the successful action, the superiors of the 7th Division's commander, Major-General Arthur Allen, were dissatisfied by the counter-offensive's rate of progress, and he was relieved of his command the day before the Australian forces won through at Eora Creek. Japanese resistance decreased after that battle, and by 31 September the 16th Brigade was advancing along the eastern fork of the Track through Missima without opposition. On 2 November they passed through the recently abandoned village of Kokoda. Three days later, as the Australians advanced towards the Kumusi River, the 2/3rd Battalion went into battle at Oivi, after coming up against an entrenched force holding the high ground from Oivi to Gorari. The Japanese counter-attacked the next day, and as fighting continued through to 6 November, Major General George Vasey, the new divisional commander, sent the 25th Brigade and the 2/1st Battalion on a successful attack against the Japanese rear at Gorari. The Japanese at Oivi, their supply and withdrawal route cut, were then forced to retreat.

The 2/3rd Battalion's final involvement in the campaign came as the 16th Brigade advanced towards Sanananda in November. They left the Wairopi area on 16 November, with the battalion second in order of march. Tired and drained from the exertions of the last two months, the advance across the swamps of the coastal plain proved heavy work. On the first day they made 6 miles (9.7 km), but after heavy rains the following day and failures in the resupply effort, a large number of men fell behind due to exhaustion. On 19 November, the 2/3rd spearheaded the brigade's advance to the coast. Several Japanese stragglers were taken prisoner and a number of minor contacts followed, but the Japanese defenders withdrew before the Australians could shake out to conduct an assault.

The following morning, the brigade reached the junction of the Sananada and Cape Killerton trails, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the coast. After the 2/1st Battalion was attacked, the 2/3rd Battalion took part in a brigade flanking attack around the Japanese position to the right, forcing the Japanese to fall back. The action, however, had severely depleted the brigade to the point where, with less than 1,000 fit men, it was unable to continue offensive operations. Thereafter activity was limited to patrolling and maintaining a defensive perimeter. In early December the 16th Brigade was relieved by the 30th Brigade. The 2/3rd Battalion itself was relieved on 6 December, returning to Poppondetta with a strength of just six officers and 67 other ranks, before being evacuated back to Port Moresby by plane on 23 December 1942. They were returned to Australia shortly afterwards for leave and to reorganise. During the fighting along the Kokoda Track and the advance north to the sea, the 2/3rd lost 69 men killed and 103 wounded.

### Final campaign: Aitape–Wewak, 1944–1945

After a short period of leave the 6th Division came together again in late January 1943 on the Atherton Tablelands to begin training, and to convert to the more austere jungle establishment. Under this structure, the size of the battalion was reduced by one officer and 106 other ranks, giving the 2/3rd Battalion a total of 803 men of all ranks. At this time, a camp was built from scratch at Wondecla, but it was 12 months before the battalion's ranks were brought to full strength by the return of sick and wounded soldiers. As the battalion began to reform, some who had performed well in the preceding campaigns were recommended for commissioning and were sent to an Officer Training Unit at Woodside, in South Australia. Along with training there was time for recreation including swimming carnivals, boxing tournaments and a 6th Division rugby league championship in which the 2/3rd Battalion was victorious, beating the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion in the final. The team captain, Col Windon, later went on to play for and captain the Wallabies.

During this time the battalion received a number of reinforcements from its associated Militia unit, the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment). This unit had been fighting in New Guinea as part of the 30th Brigade, with whom it had served on the Kokoda Track alongside the 2/3rd as well as the 39th and 49th Battalions, before being returned to Australia, where it had been disbanded. Other reinforcements also arrived from the 16th Battalion, and a new commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutchison took over in April 1943, having temporarily commanded the battalion during the fighting around Eora Creek in the previous campaign.

Due to a combination of political and strategic decisions, it was almost two years before the battalion went into combat again. In late 1944, in order to free up American troops for operations in the Philippines, Australian forces were directed to take over responsibility for operations around Aitape in New Guinea. The 6th Division returned to New Guinea in November 1944, with the final brigade arriving on 31 December 1944. Although basically cut off from resupply, there were around 35,000 Japanese troops in the area, holding the coast past Wewak and into the interior. Supported by food supplies from native gardens in the Torricelli Mountains, the Japanese put up heavy resistance to the Australians' primary tactic of aggressive patrolling.

Tasked with reducing the Japanese, while remaining available to support operations elsewhere, the 6th Division began a limited offensive in the Wewak area. The 16th Brigade was initially held in divisional reserve, occupying a defensive position west of the Raihu River, until in February 1945 it was tasked with securing a forward supply base near Dogreto Bay and clearing up to the Anumb River, about 8 miles (13 km) to the east of the river. They came up against only minor opposition and by 23 February they had crossed the Anumb; less than a month later they had progressed 6 miles (9.7 km) east, occupying the coastal town of But and removing the Japanese from the Dagua area.

During this time, contact with the Japanese was limited to small-scale actions rather than a large general action; nevertheless, these actions caused heavy casualties as the Japanese defended stubbornly. Casualties amongst the Australians were, according to author Eustace Keogh, "heavy in relation to the size of...the numerous small actions the Japanese forced them to fight". In addition, the strenuous nature of the campaign reduced the troops' resistance and ability to undertake proper medical precautions and as a result there were large numbers of sickness casualties. Malaria took a particularly heavy toll, with troops being affected by a particularly strong strain that proved resistant to the normal doses of atebrine. Accidents also resulted in losses. In one incident, seven men from the 2/3rd drowned when the Danmap River flooded amidst a torrential downpour.

Wewak was captured on 10 May 1945, and the 16th Brigade began pursuing the Japanese defenders that had withdrawn inland. They continued until 11 August, when offensive operations ceased after word was received that the Japanese had entered into ceasefire talks. The battalion was in the Mount Shiburangu area on 15 August when news came that the Japanese had surrendered following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The battalion's losses during its final campaign were 51 killed and 76 wounded.

### Disbandment

After the cessation of hostilities, the battalion remained in the Aitape–Wewak area undertaking occupation duties. Its strength was slowly reduced as personnel were repatriated to Australia for demobilisation or transferred to other units for further service. Eventually, the remaining cadre of personnel returned to Australia, and on 8 February 1946 the 2/3rd Battalion disbanded in Brisbane, as one of the most decorated battalions of the 2nd AIF. They had fought all the major Axis powers: the Italians, Germans, Vichy French and Japanese. Alongside the Australian 2/5th Battalion, they were the only Allied troops able to make this claim. During its service a total of 3,303 men served with the 2/3rd Battalion of whom 203 were killed and 432 wounded. Members of the 2/3rd received four Distinguished Service Orders, 16 Military Crosses, 12 Distinguished Conduct Medals, 30 Military Medals, two British Empire Medals and 73 Mentions in Despatches.

In 1948, the Militia units that had fought during the war were re-raised as part of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), and it was decided to entrust the battle honours of the 2nd AIF units to their associated CMF units. As a result, the 2/3rd Battalion's battle honours were passed to the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment), which was reformed around Canberra. In 1960, with the introduction of the Pentropic division into the Australian Army, the CMF was reorganised and the 3rd Battalion (The Werriwa Regiment) was reduced to company strength, forming 'C' Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (3 RNSWR). In 1965, following the abandonment of the Pentropic divisional structure, the 3rd Battalion was reformed in its own right as the individual companies were split up to form new battalions with the old regionally based numerical designations. In 1987, however, following another reorganisation of the Army Reserve which saw a reduction in the number of the infantry battalions across Australia, 3 RNSWR was linked with 4 RNSWR to become 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment (4/3 RNSWR).

## Battle honours

The 2/3rd Battalion received the following battle honours for its service during the war:

- North Africa, Bardia 1941, Capture of Tobruk, Syria 1941, Damascus 1941, Dimas, Damour, Greece 1941, Mount Olympus, Tempe Gorge, South-West Pacific 1942–1945, Kokoda Trail, Eora Creek–Templeton's Crossing II, Oivi–Gorari, Buna–Gona and Sanananda Road.

These battle honours are now carried by the Royal New South Wales Regiment.

## Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 2/3rd Battalion:

- Lieutenant Colonel Vivian England (1939–1941);
- Lieutenant Colonel Donald Lamb (1941);
- Lieutenant Colonel John Stevenson (1941–1943); and
- Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutchison (1943–1946).

Former infantry battalion of the Australian Army

Military units and formations disestablished in 1946

Military units and formations established in 1939