Sublimely utilitarian: The T-1000

t-1000

The objective:

This is the sixth in a series of posts showcasing the sublimely utilitarian. To qualify, a product must understand and address its purpose perfectly, must comprise nothing that isn’t essential. But it must also go beyond the expected – it must suprise, pleasure and delight. It must respond to this great saying: “Only do something if it is necessary, but if it is necessary, do it beautifully.”

The product:

The T-1000.

Its qualifications:

  1. The T-1000 is difficult to detect. Made from mimetic poly-alloy, it can assume the form of other objects or people of equal mass. It can disguise itself as a policeman, a tiled floor or your foster mother.
  2. The T-1000 is close to impossible to destroy. It has no central brain, power source or other weak spot for potential targeting. It can recover from shotgun fire, liquid nitrogen attack or an exploding truck. Any part of it that you shoot off can convert to a liquid state and via self-propulsion reunite with the central mass.
  3. The T-1000 can instantly extrude blade-like weapons from any part of its body.
  4. The T-1000 is fast, strong, intelligent, adaptable and persistent. It will not rest until it has hunted you down.

Our verdict:

Regularly included in lists of greatest movie robots of all time, the T-1000 is a unified, holistic entity. It is not overly large, has no inbuilt projectile weapons or lasers, and cannot transform into a fighter jet. It needs none of this trickery: the poly-alloy that allows it to shapeshift also provides all the weapons it needs. It is the perfect close-range killing machine.

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