Alright I saw the 4th movie and how they ended it they are totally making it a 5th and probably a 6th where they win the war against machines (since milking a cash cow is always good). I watched the first two movies recently after not them since like 1995-97 and I gotta say they hold up pretty friggin well after so long especially that the first was made in 1984 and the second in 1991. I would rather watch them more compared to the newer stuff. Watching them now that I am not a kid anymore. I picked up on alot more details that you miss as a kid and don't appreciate for a good compelling storyline. And it actually had me holy shitting I did not see that one coming 2 times with the first film and about 3 with the second.
Anyways enough about how awesome the first 2. The third and forth though >:C they are unnecessary IMO. And I totally ripped the two of them a new asshole with how much I bitched when I discovered some messed up details. So now I am left debating 2 things should I just buy the first 2 and acknowledge them as the only terminator movies for their sheer awesomeness and superb story or do I tell myself the first 2 happen in a parallel universe opposite of 3,4,5 and possibly a 6? and acknowledge them as a unique way of telling the storyline in different universes.
Why a parallel universe you may ask? Well its rather simple. WATCH THE MOVIE CLOSELY AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY. In the first two they constantly say stuff about how the future is not set in stone yet. IT CAN BE CHANGED. But number 3 and 4 roll around and now they took everything and turned it upside down saying how the fate of the future is inevitable and it was only being delayed. No matter how hard they tried they could never change the future as much as they hoped. If they did this alternate ending scene in Terminator 2 instead of teh 30 sec monoloug at the end, it would further my theory on this. Terminator 2 - Alternative Ending HQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQs0PZHmlqE&feature=related#lq-hq) Therefore concluding why I believe both sets of terminator movies are in different universes.
If anyone has a better theory about this I am open to it if you have proof :3