Summary
The release ofTerminator Zeroon Netflixmakes it the first entry in the long-runningTerminatorfranchise not to feature the Connor family in any way, includingJohn Connor. Not only does this allowTerminator Zeroto stand out on its own, but it also helps the anime break free from the curse of recasting John Connor once again.
Starting withTerminator 2: Judgment Day, six different actors have portrayed John Connor throughout the movies, for better or worse. While some proved to be well-written and acted versions of the character, others suffered from a poor script and execution that left audiences with a bitter taste.
6Nick Stahl
Terminator 3 Subverted Expectations But To Disappointing Results
With John Connor being an adult inTerminator 3: Rise Of The Machines, many would expect John to have grown up into a strong heroready to be a rebel leader. Instead,Nick Stahl’sportrayal of the character is revealed to be a drunken transient living on the streets, and fans were not happy with this version.
It was a bold move to subvert expectations, butRise Of The Machinessuffered by making John the farthest thing from a heroic character. For over half of the film’s runtime, John is an unlikable, whiny, and uncaring person who feels nothing like John, who was so much more mature for his age in the previous movie. He improves as the film goes along, but still feels like a far cry from the John Connor of legend.
5Michael Edwards
The Silent And Scarred Leader Of The Human Resistance
There is not much to say aboutMichael Edwards’take on John Connor, since he is only shown briefly inTerminator 2: Judgment Dayduring the opening Future War sequencetaking place in the post-apocalypse. However, in the literal seconds that audiences see him, it is clear that he has been through a lot of action, as shown by his scar.
There was an alternate ending toTerminator 2that showed a bright future with an older Sarah observing an adult John Connor with his own family. Even then, Michael Edwards had no dialogue, but he showed how John could be a great resistance leader and a family man, depending on the timeline.
4Jason Clarke
Evil John Connor Showed Potential That Was Wasted By Terminator: Genisys
The conceptTerminator: Genisyspresents is not a bad one. With Skynet losing the Future War, it makes one last attempt to win by converting John Connor intoa powerful model of Terminatorknown as the T-3000. WithJason Clarketaking over the role, it could have been one of the better twists in the franchise, but this take on John Connor was wasted on a lackluster movie despite having a strong actor in the role.
The biggest problem with Jason Clarke’s evil John Connor is that the role was spoiled in all the marketing forTerminator: Genisys. In the movie, it is treated as a massive reveal when almost every viewer knew it was coming going in. Also, sinceGenisyswas only the first part of a planned and canceled new trilogy, many of the ideas that could have made John Connor more interesting never came to be.
3Thomas Dekker
Sarah Connor Chronicles Fleshed Out John Connor On TV
BeforeTerminator Zero,Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicleswas the first TV series in the franchise. It focused on John Connor during his high school and young adult years, withThomas Dekkertaking on the role. While the series had many ups and downs, Thomas Dekker delivered when it came to portraying John, showing him as the future Resistance fightertaking on horrific robotsas well as an angsty teenager.
Unfortunately,The Sarah Connor Chronicleswas canceled after two seasons, so John’s story was never completed. However, the changes that Thomas Dekker’s John goes through feel more natural and in line with what was established withTerminator 2, even when he makes rash decisions or butts heads with Sarah over certain choices.
2Edward Furlong
Judgment Day Introduced John Connor To The World
Most fans think ofEdward Furlong inTerminator 2: Judgment Daywhen they think of John Connor. This is when the character was officially introduced, but in a way, it subverted expectations as well. He starts as a sassy and bratty thief who shows little respect, but this is mainly due to his upbringing by Sarah. He even uses the Terminator to harm someone who is simply concerned about his well-being.
However, asTerminator 2progresses, John shows more humility and arguably more humanity than Sarah and the Terminator do in certain sequences. His bond with the T-800,played by the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger, is an unorthodox portrayal of a surrogate father and son, but it helps show how much John grows up throughout the movie’s runtime, and how he’s on the first steps to becoming a hero.
1Christian Bale
Terminator: Salvation Brought John’s Character Arc Full Circle
InTerminator: Salvation,Christian Baleplays John Connor. However, this version of John has dealt with Terminators his whole life, which has made him a rugged warrior. He’s heartless and distrustful, but as the story unfolds, he realizes that being unfeeling would make him no different from what he’s fighting, and he becomes the leader that Skynet has feared since the first movie.
John Connor and Marcus Wright’s stories collide, allowing John to shine, especially in the latter half of the story when he infiltrates Skynet to save dozens of human hostages from being destroyed by the Resistance. Christian Bale gave an intense performance inTerminator: Salvation,just as he did with Batman, and could have become the signature face for John if he’d stuck with the series.
