# Terminator VS Data. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382 "2003-07-28T05:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/41 "2013-06-01T01:14:57Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > By definition, any Terminator sent back to eliminate Soong will be opposed by a time-traveler assigned with protecting the target. Who will in turn impregnate Dr. Soong with Data. Wait.. something isn’t right there ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/42 "2013-06-01T01:54:00Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Who will in turn impregnate Dr. Soong with Data. Wait.. something isn’t right there You’re not thinking fourth-dimensionally; if a male is the target, then – as established in T2 – a robot will be sent back, and no impregnation ensues. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/43 "2013-06-01T05:09:26Z")
Of course, while this thread was dormant, the T-101 accumulated executive experience. That’s surely a game-changer. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/44 "2013-06-01T05:40:43Z")
Data and the Terminator are both fiction, but Data is more intelligent and creative. Since they are fictional characters in a fictional deathmatch I would posit that Data could write the better plan and narrative far more quickly and effectively, thus pulling a dues ex machina while the Terminator was still equipping his Arsenal. The Terminator is a 21st century one trick pony. Data is a 24th century super genius. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/45 "2013-06-01T06:02:29Z")
It depends. Is is the Terminator from the 1st movie or the second one. If from the first movie, Data wins. Because that one is “evil” and Data being “Good”, will triumph over evil. (this is fiction) Now if it is the second movie. Well then we have to figure out who is more good. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/46 "2013-06-01T06:41:13Z")
Data lacks programming for execution style offensive. He defends himself or his shipmates as necessary. The Terminator is a killing machine. All his programming is designed to target and attack. Data might survive if he’s not the Terminators assigned target. Data might be effective defending John Conner, Picard or whoever the target is… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/47 "2013-06-01T13:20:02Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Data and the Terminator are both fiction, but Data is more intelligent and creative. Since they are fictional characters in a fictional deathmatch I would posit that Data could write the better plan and narrative far more quickly and effectively, thus pulling a dues ex machina while the Terminator was still equipping his Arsenal. Since they’re both fictional characters, the good guy will take a beating early on, but learn a valuable lesson to get the intelligent-and-creative win in the rematch. [GalaxyQuest] “Did you guys even _watch_ the show?” [/GalaxyQuest] ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/48 "2013-06-01T14:20:54Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > What’s Data gonna do with Wesley? Threaten to throw him at the Terminator if he doesn’t give up? An interesting idea. A fight to the death between Data and a T-600 (Model 101) terminator. With their only weapons being Wesley and any of the annoying incarnations of John Conner. There’s no love lost between these two emotionless automatons! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/49 "2013-06-01T15:26:19Z")
Data can fashion a weapon out Wesley’s thigh bone a la 2001 and jam up the works until he can build a hydrolic press out of parts of an old VW Beetle and and an Olympus OM-1. Smart guy, that Data. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/50 "2013-06-01T18:13:44Z")
Robocop tries to break it up and youtube videos paint him as the bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/51 "2013-06-01T23:25:30Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Robocop tries to break it up and youtube videos paint him as the bad guy. Data confuses Robocop for a starfleet admiral and stands down leaving Robocop and the Terminator to continue their long standing grudge match. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/52 "2013-06-02T02:37:52Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Data confuses Robocop for a starfleet admiral and stands down leaving Robocop and the Terminator to continue their long standing grudge match. Penis ensues. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/53 "2013-06-02T03:07:38Z")
In which case, Data wins. He is fully functional etc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/54 "2013-06-02T15:26:18Z")
All kidding aside: Data versus liquid-metal Robert Patrick T-1000. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/55 "2013-06-02T15:32:06Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > All kidding aside: Data versus liquid-metal Robert Patrick T-1000. Data, if he’s prepared. If sneak attack, T-1000 ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/56 "2013-06-02T22:35:40Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > In which case, Data wins. He is fully functional etc. So are the T-800’s. You can see terminator schlong in the first movie, before it attacks Bill Paxton and friends. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/57 "2013-06-02T22:51:56Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Why waste a Terminator on eliminating Data? Send one back to eliminate Dr. Soong before he invents Data. > and it’s not a zombie thread, it’s a temporal anomaly So you mean Data was built _before_ Skynet? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/58 "2013-06-03T12:33:54Z")
> [@For You](#): > > So you mean Data was built _before_ Skynet? Data wasn’t built before Skynet; he chatted with Mark Twain before Skynet, sure as Miles Dyson was a big _Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court_ fan. ---
**Author:** ![Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Crocodiles\_And\_Boulevards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crocodiles_And_Boulevards)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/59 "2013-06-03T18:41:53Z")
Is it a Terminator with gears showing or with flesh? If it’s fleshless, I can actually see Data having a big advantage. Arnie’s terminator actually has a few spots on it that look much more fragile and vulnerable to attack than the rest of the chassis. I could see Data analyzing the critical weak spots on the terminator and then quickly snatching out/damaging important hydraulic systems and circuitry. The biggest theme about the terminator was its relentlessness, not its speed and agility. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382/60 "2013-06-03T18:48:58Z")
Data would win\* if he remembered to fight [for the tie](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Strategema). \*That is to say, not lose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminator-vs-data/191382.md?page=4)