A character in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Played by Thomas Dekker
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles · 211 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: in 78 of its 211 quotes
Most scenes with: Cameron (48), Sarah Connor (23), Derek Reese (11)
John ConnorCameron, do you think it's possible for me to know something future John doesn't know?
That's hard to know. It seems unlikely.
John ConnorDo you think it's possible for me to know something you don't know?
Are you asking me if future John kept secrets from me?
John Connor[Nods yes]
I'm sure he did.
This is your fault.
What's my fault?
You're the reason that person is here.
[Sees Cameron's hand twitch] Your John's sister. You can't keep me here.
They don't always like the way I do things. What am I going to do with you?
I don't understand. I don't what you mean.
Child and Family Services respond to complaints. Are you a complainer?
No. No, I never told them anything. What would I even tell them?
You don't belong here. John isn't right for you and you're not right for him. He can't see that. [Steps closer to Riley]
Stop, please. You're freaking me out.
You're unreliable. I don't know what you do.
I'm just John's girlfriend. That's it.
You can't be John's girlfriend. You're a threat. You can't stay here anymore, but I can't let you leave.
You're John's sister.
What am I going to do with you?
Nothing. You can't do anything to me because you're John's sister. Get it through your head. You're just his sister!
[Smiles and turns her head slightly, then turns around on hearing the door open]
John ConnorRiley, come with me.
[Rushes over and hugs John]
John ConnorAll right, go wait outside for me. [Riley leaves] Were you going to kill her?
I don't know what I was going to do.
John ConnorWhat do you mean you didn't know what you were going to do? Since when do you not know what you're going to do?
I don't know. I should have killed her. She's a threat to you.
John ConnorThat is not your decision to make.
[Looking upset] It's usually not a decision.
John ConnorWell obviously it is this time and it's not yours. What's happening with you?
I don't know.
[Cameron works on a pocket watch]
John Connor[Walks in] I can't find her.
She's out there. She'll call you eventually. She always does.
John ConnorCameron, did you --
You know I didn't.
John ConnorWhat have you been doing? You've been out here for hours.
[Turns to face him, holding the pocket watch] Making something for you. [Hands him the watch]
John ConnorWhat is it?
You've tried to fix me. Twice now. It's not working.
John ConnorAnd?
I'm not capable of self termination.
John ConnorSuicide?
I can't kill myself, but you can.
John ConnorWhy would I want to kill you?
You might have to some day. [Watches as John opens the watch, which contains three buttons rather than clock pieces] I've planted an explosive in my skull near my chip. It's a small amount, but it's enough.
John ConnorEnough?
[Puts the watch around John's neck] All you have to do is hit the switch.
John ConnorWhat would future John do now?
Future John doesn't live here. You do.
John Connor[Puts the watch beneath his shirt]
John ConnorWas it you? Did you kill her?
What if I did?
John ConnorDon't play games with me. I need the truth.
I didn't kill her.
John ConnorI want to believe you.
Believe me.
John ConnorSometimes you lie to me.
Yes, I do, but I'm not lying now. I am sorry.
John ConnorYou're sorry? For what?
For your loss.
John ConnorI really wish I could believe that, too.
John ConnorWe were using it for research. To find out what makes them --
Don't! John, just don't. Don't make excuses her. Don't cover for her.
John ConnorI knew about the parts.
I'm not talking about parts. I'm talking about Riley.
John ConnorWell, there's nothing to talk about, is there, because Riley's dead.
How do you think that happened?
John ConnorI don't know. I'm going to figure it out, though.
You know, John. We both know.
John ConnorNo. Cameron didn't do it.
How can you say that? How can you be so sure?
John ConnorBecause I'm sure, and I know her, and she told me.
Yeah, she told you. Just like she told you she destroyed every part we ever captured. Just like she tells us what she does every night when we go to sleep. When she comes back in the morning she's covered in cuts and bruises. Just like she told you she loved you!
John Connor[Bangs his fist on the table] You don't know anything!
John ConnorThere were things I needed to see. I needed to understand.
Do you understand them now?
John ConnorI think so. I'm sorry I doubted you.
John --
John ConnorNo. Not you. Her. [Looks to Cameron]
John ConnorIf you pretend to not know me, I might shoot you in the head. We owe Riley the truth, don't you think? We owe the dead that much.
You're John Connor.
John ConnorYes, I am.
Where is she? The metal.
John ConnorIf she were here, you'd be dead. You know that. Could you please give me your gun? You're not going to shoot me. You know, I've been running from the machines my whole life. They tried to kill my mom before I was even born. When I was twelve they sent one after me. I was a kid and I was stupid. I didn't know what it was all about. Both times future me sent someone back to stop them. The first time it was a soldier. His name was Kyle Reese, and he died saving my mother's life. The second time it was a machine, and I used to wonder why I did that. Why I took that chance. I don't wonder anymore. Human beings can't be replaced. They can't be rebuilt. They die and they never come back. You know, it wasn't Derek who told me, if that's what you're wondering. He loves you, Derek. You and me, we're the only things he has in this world. The only things. He's like Riley in that way. See, she made mistakes. Small things, sometimes. A word or a phrase. Carrots and apples. I'm guessing that's yours. When we were in Mexico she heard my real name, she ignored it. A man took my picture and she destroyed his camera. She put herself between me and a machine that was hunting me. So one day I realized she wasn't treating me like John Baum, she was treating me like John Connor.
When was that?
John ConnorI don't remember exactly. It was a bad day, though. A bad day. Anyway, I started following her, and the rest was easy and hard.
She wanted to tell you.
John ConnorI know, but she didn't. [Looking at the cuts on Jesse's face] She do that to you? See, she figured out what you really had planned. Figured it out before I did. I couldn't figure out why she would tell the school counselor, or go to DCFS. She didn't, did she? I only understood after I saw how you'd hurt her. That's when I knew what you tried to do and how it went wrong.
You saw her. I'm sorry.
John ConnorYeah. Everybody says that. The thing is, this is all my fault. I knew Riley was in trouble. I didn't help her. I should have, but I didn't. I knew what she was. I didn't try to stop her.
You wanted it to be real.
John ConnorMaybe I wanted to win.
You didn't want to be John Baum. You wanted to be John Connor.
John ConnorThat's just the thing, isn't it? I am John Connor. [Throws a packed bag at Jesse's feet] Go. Go.
Just like that?
John ConnorJust like that. If I have to live with this, so do you.
What if it worked?
John ConnorWhat?
If the cyborg had murdered the girl or if I could have made you believe that she had.
John ConnorWould I have sent Cameron away? Would I have killed her? No.
Well, it's a damn shame then. It's a damn waste.
John ConnorWhat do they think of me? In the future, what do people think?
If you're asking if people agree with everything you do, of course not. If you're asking if everybody loves you. Love's a lot to ask for. You can't do what you do and expect everybody to agree or to love you.
John ConnorWhat is it that I do?
You lead.
John ConnorAnd they follow.
We follow. We rise or fall on your shoulders. Humanity rises or falls, but we're always watching.
John ConnorFor me to make a mistake?
For you to be human.
[Punches John lightly on the arm]
John ConnorWhat the hell?
Bug slug.
John ConnorBug slug? Are you serious?
We just passed it.
John ConnorWe haven't played bug slug since I was like, eight. You can't just start playing without telling me.
Fine. We're playing bug slug.
John ConnorWhat if I don't want to play?
Too late. Already started.
John ConnorAre you feeling all right?
I feel great.
John ConnorYou feel great. Why?
We have been on the road together for a while, that's all.
John ConnorWhat's so great about it. [Smiles at Sarah, who returns his smile] Hey, just don't teach bug slug to Cameron. She could do some real damage.
John ConnorI want to tell you something.
Yes?
John ConnorIt was not my idea to ditch you and Derek. I thought we were going to meet you in the desert and my mom took this detour off to Charlie's. I thought you knew.
She had her reasons.
John ConnorShe was pretty damn pissed at Derek about the whole Jesse thing. Who wasn't? I guess none of that matters now.
You'll miss him.
John ConnorWell, there's no use crying out it, is there? I'm sure future me would beat my ass if I did.
Future you knows what it means to lose people you love. It happens to him, too. Your mother ditched us because she was going to ditch you. She was going to leave you with Charlie.
John ConnorNo. No, that's insane.
She found a lump in her breast.
John ConnorYeah, a transmitter. I know.
She thought it was cancer.
John ConnorWell she had a lump. It makes sense.
She's lost weight.
John ConnorWhat?
John ConnorHey you remember me, right? Squirrel runs around the tree?
Dives into the hole, scurries up the other side.
John ConnorThat's right.
You taught me how to tie my shoe.
John ConnorI did. At Doctor Sherman's.
He died.
John ConnorI know.
I liked him.
John ConnorMe too.
He was my friend. That man that got hurt at my house, was he your friend?
John ConnorYeah he was.
I'm sorry
John ConnorMe too.
It's all my fault.
John ConnorThat's not true.
The teacher told me. Mommy told me too. Not to talk to John Henry. That if I did, bad people will come our house and hurt us.
John ConnorWho's John Henry?
He's my friend. At my mommy's work.
John ConnorWhat does he do there?
He lives in the basement.
John ConnorHe lives there?
My mommy says that people wouldn't understand.
John ConnorOh well, I understand. I had an imaginary friend too when I was your age.
He's real. He talks. I'm teaching him how to sing.
John ConnorWhy does he live in the basement then?
He can't leave. There's a cord in the back of his head.
John ConnorA cord?
In the back of his head.
John ConnorDo other people talk to John Henry?
Mr. Ellison.
John ConnorMr. Ellison?
He works for my mommy. He teaches John Henry stuff.
John ConnorWhat kind of stuff?
How's the girl?
John ConnorShe's fine. She was just telling me about her friend, John Henry. The man with the cord in the back of his head, in the basement of her mother's work, plugged into a big computer. And this is him [Shows a picture of George Lazlo on his laptop.] Oh, it gets better. She says that Mr. Ellison has been teaching it things.
I destroyed that chip.
You destroyed a chip.
John ConnorI don't think it's Cromartie. I think it's something else. Something bigger. Something worse.
Cyberdyne all over again.
John ConnorWhy did they need the body?
The technology can be reversed engineered and used as a platform.
John ConnorYeah I know all that. But they're not using it for the parts. They're... playing with it.
[referring to James Ellison] I should've killed him. I'm going to kill him.
You're not going to kill him.
He can't be trusted.
No one can be trusted.
But I only wanna kill him.
No one is going to be killed. [looks towards Savannah who's rather scared.] No one is going to be killed.
John ConnorI need a computer. I need to do research.
You want the blueprints for the Los Angeles County Jail.
John ConnorDo I?
So you can plan how to get your mother out. But I'm not going to let you do that. You should know that by now.
John ConnorI do know that by now.
There's nothing else there. There's nothing hidden there. No secret message there for her escape. I am to tell you this from your mother: Leave this place. As soon as it is safe, leave this place. Do not think of her. Do not come for her. Leave. [Looks to Cameron] You are to make sure that he does. [Moves to leave, but stops] We lose everybody we love.
John ConnorShe said that?
No.
Hasta luego.
Let me repeat: I had nothing to do with your mother's arrest. If I had, there would be a SWAT Team outside your door right now.
John ConnorAnd the same thing would happen to this SWAT Team that happened to your last one.
Catherine Weaver would like to meet you.
John ConnorWhy?
She wants to thank you for saving Savannah.
John ConnorWell she just did.
Your mother wanted to meet her.
John ConnorWell, when my mother gets out, trust me, she will
I told Ms. Weaver that you would never come without your mom. She said if that was the case I'm supposed to ask one question. She says I'm supposed to ask you. [Looks to Cameron] Will you join us? She says she hopes you'll know what that means.
John ConnorDo you know what that means?
No. I don't. Please leave now, Mr. Ellison. I think you've said enough.
John --
You've said enough, Mr. Ellison. I won't ask you again. [Watches as Ellison leaves] He upset you.
John ConnorMe? I think he upset you.
You know that's impossible.
John ConnorIs it?
You said it yourself, John. I'm just a machine.
CameronSummer Glau · 98 quotes
Sarah ConnorLena Headey · 73 quotes
Derek ReeseBrian Austin Green · 28 quotes
James EllisonRichard T. Jones · 17 quotes
Charley DixonDean Winters · 9 quotes
Catherine WeaverShirley Manson · 7 quotes
JesseStephanie Jacobsen · 7 quotes
EricBilly Lush · 4 quotes
Riley DawsonLeven Rambin · 4 quotes
CromartieGarret Dillahunt · 3 quotes
Greta SimpsonCatherine Dent · 3 quotes
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.