The Terminator Perseverance Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Terminator.

Quote #4

[Sarah tries to escape from the car. Reese pulls her back in, and she bites his hand.]

REESE: Cyborgs don't feel pain. I do. Don't do that again.

SARAH: Just let me go.

REESE: Listen and understand. That Terminator is out there. It can't be bargained with, it can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear, and it absolutely will not stop—ever!—until you are dead.

The Terminator's perseverance is perfectly described here. Unlike the human characters, who have other needs and emotions to contend with—pity, remorse, fear, etc.—the Terminator is programmed to persevere, regardless. Add to that more lives than one of the Mario Brothers, and you've got a seriously difficult antagonist to deal with.

Quote #5

SARAH: He'll find us, won't he?

REESE: Probably.

SARAH: It'll never be over, will it? [Reese doesn't answer.]

In this scene, Sarah realizes the difficulty of persevering against the Terminator. This won't be some fly-by-night operation: she'll need to be in it for the long haul, perhaps for the rest of her life. And even then, she may not succeed.

Quote #6

SARAH: Come on! Come on. No, Kyle. Come on!

REESE: Leave me here.

SARAH: Move it, Reese! On your feet, soldier! On your feet!

Reese's wounds push him to the edge, but Sarah finds her reserve of perseverance and pushes her man on. We don't know where she found that voice, but we know it is not a voice you ignore, gunshot or no.