Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

We’re nearing the end, which means it’s time to up the stakes and start separating the players. Sarah and John head toward a safe house where a few surprises await them. Derek and Cameron head to weapons storage and find a few surprises there. In other news: John Henry’s been playing on the internet and he met a predator. But the surprise is on the audience when we hear who or what it really is.

Previously: Hello, season one, and meet Charley, Sarah’s ex. The writers would like us to know she loved him madly and left him to jump to the future (“Pilot” 1.1). Cameron told her they jumped over her death from cancer (“Gnothi Seauton” 1.2). Charley’s wife becomes collateral damage when she dies (“The Mousetrap” 2.3) after being kidnapped by Cromartie. Sarah saw dots, got shot over said dots, and is the only person left standing after Kaliba cleaned house. In quick succession, we also see  that according to Cameron, Jesse was pregnant, now she’s not. Riley got killed by Jesse. Now it’s time to move.

Sarah’s packing the last few toiletry items and as she pauses, we get another damn voice over. Joy. Either the writers need to do these every episode, or never again, because this getting my hopes up only to dash them on the rocks is getting annoying. But anyway, this time around,  we're treated to a story of the jungle, appropriate as we’re flashing back to a younger Sarah and an even younger John tromping through said jungle. As the camera zeroes in on the pair trudging through the foliage, we hear about the Old Man of the Forest, El Viejo, who hunts and kills and leaves his prey to rot. For his waste, he’s condemned by the gods to live as a half-beast and protect the forest – his curse to always protect, always be vigilant. Sound like anyone we know?

Young John calls to Sarah and she joins him, smiling at the brightly colored parrot he’s found. He wants to know why they’re so far from camp and she tries to tell him it’s part of the game they're playing. Except it’s not a game, it’s training, and he's known it for awhile. He may only be about eight or so, but he’s got his mom pretty figured out bu now. Sarah reminds him that if they call it a game, they can pretend it's fun and besides - the point is to listen to her. He insists he does, she just doesn’t talk much. Back in the present, John comes in silently to take the last bag. No one's talking very much anymore.

Downstairs, Cameron’s carrying large boxes around and Sarah asks Derek how long it will take him to pack up the weapons storage unit. He tells her it will take awhile, there's a lot there, and she reminds him to get to the safehouse before dark. It can be hard to find. “I can follow directions.” “You can also make mistakes.” Ah. So Sarah has decided to play the blame game and Derek’s it. Everyone, including Derek, just kind of stares as Sarah piles on that they wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt because of his mistakes, would they? Cameron’s the first to react, rattling off the coordinates of the desert safehouse. At least she knows where it is. There’s another terse exchange with Sarah and John decides to cut it off right then and there. They’re starting over, all of them - whatever happened here was no one’s fault. Sarah looks unconvinced, but says nothing as John takes his last bag and heads out the door. They get into the family product placements – John and Sarah in the SUV, Derek and Cameron in the truck – and drive away so the camera can pan lovingly over the house one last time.

Back in John Henry’s Play Pen, the AI in question has constructed an island fortress to go with his Bionicle toys. Savannah looks impressed and asks if she can play, showing off her little collection of rubber duckies. John Henry says no, there are no duckies in the Bionicle canon, so they would be inappropriate. This makes Savannah sad. Her friend won’t let her play. Me? I think that’s a good thing, but John Henry doesn’t and he asks her what’s wrong. He even offers to loan her one of his figures, but she wants to play with her duckies (I don’t blame her – rubber duckies are awesome). To add to the guilt trip, she also says the duckies are sad. Can’t he change the rules so the ducklings can play?  John Henry considers and then slowly says, “Yes. We can change the rules.”

See all those things flying out a nearby window? Those are the moral rules Ellison’s been teaching John Henry flying right out – undone by a little girl and her duckies. Rules can be changed.

Savannah moves over and begins playing as an ominous power-drain sound whines and the lights flicker. Everything goes black and John Henry slumps down – when he comes back online, the readouts behind him are orange instead of their normal blue, and schematics of his endoskeleton appear. Working his jaw oddly, like he doesn’t quite know what it is, he drops the toy in his hand and reaches out for Savannah, taking hold of her arm. She tries to pull away and a disjointed voice starts speaking, “What. Is. All this. About?” Savannah keeps trying to free herself, but she can’t. An image of the AI hardware appears and the voice now intones, “I know. What this is. About.” John Henry releases Savannah. She runs away with a shriek and he stands, crossing to the cabinet that houses his primary hardware. With an awesome slide into first, Matt the Tech sweeps in and hits a kill switch. John Henry and the entire room shuts down as Catherine and a Savannah-holding Ellison stand in the doorway.

… Da-da-dum-da-dum! Clank!