The film takes place in 2029, where a young Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back in time to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), the future mother of John Connor, the leader of the human resistance against the machines. However, upon arrival, Kyle finds that Sarah is not the damsel in distress he was expecting, but a rebellious and skilled fighter. The two are soon joined by a T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a reprogrammed cyborg sent back in time to protect Sarah.