The
Judgment Day, also known as
J-Day, refers to the day that the
artificial intelligence Skynet becomes self aware and started a nuclear strike on the
America, Russia, and other regions, killing over a billion people.
Sarah Connor first learned about Judgment Day in
1984 from
Kyle Reese, a soldier sent from the future to protect her from an assassination by a
Terminator.
The Terminator
Due to the the impact of
time travel on the
Terminator timelines, the date of the Judgment Day has been altered for several times.
1997
The first specific date of Judgment Day as described by both
Sarah Connor and the
T-800 occurs on
August 29, 1997.
Skynet becomes self-aware at 02:14 am Eastern Time after its activation on
August 4, 1997 and launches nuclear missiles at Russia to incite a counterattack against the humans who, in a panic, tried to disconnect it.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Since Sarah and the Terminator both share the same information (Which it would in any case if both it and Kyle were sent back at the same time to different destinations.
T2: The Future War), this date has not changed as a result of
Cyberdyne managing to reconstruct and create the
Terminators from the remaining parts of the
T-800 sent to 1984 from the future. At this stage, quality may have improved, but the timing has not yet changed.
2003
In Russia, a routine day at sea turns into a nightmare when it seems the US has launched a massive nuclear attack on the rest of the world.
Terminator Salvation: Dark Sky
2004
After Sarah Сonnor, her son
John and the
T-800 destroy
Cyberdyne headquarters and all backups of the research
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the date for Judgment Day is moved to
July 25, 2004 6:18 pm Eastern Time.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Cameron tells
Sarah that Judgment Day is now set to occur on
April 21, 2011. Skynet is destined to go online a few days earlier, 20:11 on
April 19, 2011This event is not prevented, and occurs as predicted with the
T-850 indicating "Judgment Day is inevitable".
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines