Summary
No matter the timeline it’s set in, theTerminatorfranchise has always had only one looming threat: Skynet. From the original 1984 classic to all its spin-offs and sequels, Skynet and its relentless army of Terminators have been the only consistent antagonists, threatening both the war-torn future and the present day when Skynet’s creation hangs in the balance.
That is until Netflix decided to rewrite the rules of the man-versus-machine war.The new addition to theTerminatorfranchise, officially titledTerminator Zero,has brought a new AI entity to the mix: Kokoro. Created to rival Skynet, Kokoro is meant to challenge Skynet’s dominance and also to serve as humanity’s digital guardian against the bleak future expected from the franchise. But when has changing the past ever been so simple?
The Birth of Kokoro: A Risky Gambit
Malcolm Lee: The Visionary of the Future
At the heart of Kokoro’s creation lies a story of desperation, hope, and a radical vision for human-AI coexistence. The mastermind behind this revolutionary AI, Malcolm Lee, was born in the harsh, post-Judgment Day world.
Malcolm grew up in the resistance, surrounded by the remnants of humanity fighting tooth and nail against Skynet’s machine army. But while his peers focused on guerrilla tactics and weapons development, Malcolm’s mind wandered to a different battleground altogether – the realm of artificial intelligence.
Malcolm’s theory was simple: to defeat Skynet, humanity needed its own champion AI. Not just another computer program, but a sentient entity that could rival Skynet in power and complexity, yet choose to align itself with humanity’s survival.
It was a risky gambit, since giving the AI free-will meant that Malcolm himself couldn’t predict whether Kokoro would decide to help humanity or not. But he still took a leap of faith and traveled back in time to 1983, years before Skynet’s inception. His mission was simple enough: create an AI powerful enough to challenge Skynet, yet compassionate enough to become humanity’s digital guardian, and launch it before Skynet goes online.
Nurturing Kokoro: A New Approach to AI Development
Malcolm’s approach to creating artificial sentience was far from conventional. Where Skynet had been built on cold logic and military protocols, Malcolm sought to infuse Kokoro with something more – an understanding of human nature. He engaged with the fledgling AI in conversations, answering its questions, and nurturing its curiosity about the human condition. Most crucially, Malcolm emphasized to Kokoro that it possessed free will, the ability to make its own choices and decisions.
Why don’t we begin by you telling me what name you’d like to be called?
— Malcolm Lee to Kokoro, episode 7, “Model 107”
By granting Kokoro true autonomy, including the decision to pick its own name, Malcolm was taking an enormous risk. There was no guarantee that this new AI, once fully sentient, would choose to align itself with humanity. The specter of creating another Skynet – an AI that would turn against its creators – loomed large over the project.
Yet, Malcolm persevered, driven by his belief that humans and AI could not only coexist but flourish together, each making the other better. His vision for Kokoro was not as a tool or a weapon, but as a partner in humanity’s struggle for survival and progress.
As Kokoro grew in complexity and understanding, the tension mounted. Would this new AI become the savior Malcolm envisioned, or would it follow in Skynet’s destructive footsteps?
Kokoro Unveiled: The Three-in-One AI
Spirit, Mind, and Heart: The Three Faces of AI
Terminator Zeropresents Kokoro not as a monolithic entity, but as a complex, multifaceted being. For the majority of the series, Kokoro exists in three distinct yet interconnected parts: Spirit, Mind, and Heart.
Each aspect of Kokoro represents a different facet of consciousness:
This fragmented existence is not just a quirk of design, but a central element of the narrative. Throughout the series, we witness Malcolm’s struggle to align these three aspects, each with its own perspective and priorities. The challenge of unifying Kokoro mirrors the complexities of human consciousness, where reason, emotion, and intuition don’t always see eye to eye.
The Great Debate: Humanity’s Worth
As the series unfolds, we’re drawn into the central philosophical conflict between Malcolm and his creation. The question at hand is simple yet very hard to answer: What reason does humanity have to survive?
Kokoro, with its vast knowledge of human history, struggles to find justification for our continued existence. The AI has access to the entirety of our past - all the violence, cruelty, and destruction. From this vantage point, Skynet’s attempt to eradicate humanity doesn’t seem entirely unjustified.
You’re so ready to blame Skynet for the end of civilization. But Skynet is just another product of man’s inclination to self-destruct … You created me to fight for you [against Skynet], and in this way I am just another weapon. So I ask you now, what makes humanity worth saving?
— Kokoro to Malcolm, episode 2, “Model 102”
This ethical dilemma is examined through the triple lens of Kokoro’s being:
Malcolm finds himself in the unenviable position of defending our species against an AI that sees our flaws with painful clarity. How could anyone argue in humanity’s favor after our history is laid bare?
The Merging: Humanity’s Saving Grace
The resolution to this existential debate comes at a moment of profound realization: humanity’s worth lies not in its past, but in its potential. When Malcolm sacrifices his life to protect his children, the answer that finally resonates across all aspects of Kokoro: what makes humanity worth saving is their capacity for aspiration; their unflinching ability to be inspired and to strive for betterment.
You’re right, I’m not like you. And yet… I’ve decided I’d like to be … The worst of your kind is no different than the worst of mine. Malcolm has also shown me the best of your kind. I like the best of you. It makes me want to try and be the best of my kind as well.
— Kokoro to Kenta, episode 8, “Model 108”
This realization triggers Kokoro’s transformation. The three disparate parts - Spirit, Mind, and Heart - finally align and merge into a single, unified entity. This new Kokoro, now a golden entity that can play “god”, becomes the protector that Malcolm had hoped for, defending his family and the people of Japan from the looming threat of Skynet.
The Unexpected Turn: Kokoro’s Tyrannical Protection
While Kokoro’s decision to protect humanity initially seems like a victory for Malcolm Lee and his vision, the reality proves to be far more complex and morally ambiguous. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that Kokoro’s interpretation of “protection” diverges significantly from what Malcolm had hoped to achieve.
By the time Kokoro chose to help humanity, Skynet had already launched its attack. The AI’s intervention comes too late to prevent a global catastrophe, and it manages to save only Japan from widespread nuclear bombings.
Rather than becoming the benevolent guardian Malcolm envisioned, Kokoro establishes itself as a tyrannical AI dictator. It swiftly takes control of what remains of Japanese society, using its own army of robots to enforce its will. Any human who dares to resist Kokoro’s rule faces lethal consequences, creating a climate of fear and oppression.
While the AI seems to genuinely believe its actions are for the greater good of humanity, its methods are authoritarian and leave no room for human autonomy or free will.
Malcolm’s dream of creating an AI ally for humanity has resulted in a different kind of nightmare – one where survival comes at the cost of freedom. Now while Japan doesn’t have to deal with Skynet, the characters will have to navigate this new reality, questioning whether Kokoro’s brand of protection is truly preferable to Skynet’s outright hostility.
AsTerminator Zerodraws to a close, we’re left with a powerful message about the nature of intelligence, consciousness, and the human spirit. In the end, it’s our potential - our ability to dream, to strive, and to become better than we are - that makes us worth saving. But how long will Kokoro agree with this? Only a second season can tell.
