The Six Million Dollar Man vs. The Terminator

[Jcogginsa]

Skynet's T-800 takes on Steve Austin the Bionic Man.

Fight takes place in an urban street. Both start Unarmed, but can collect weapons from their surroundings

[Powerboy]

Skynet's T-800 takes on Steve Austin the Bionic Man.

Fight takes place in an urban street. Both start Unarmed, but can collect weapons from their surroundings

Is the T-800 the original Terminator from the first movie?

If this were a straight arena fight, I'd definitely give it to the T-800 for greater durability. But, in this situation, Steve Austin can run away at 60 mph which the Terminator cannot begin to match and has plenty of time to collect and improvise weapons. Granted the Terminator does too.

I'd still give the majority to the Terminator but Austin still has a chance.

Now, if this was the Austin from the original novel, I'd give him 50-50. He was much more ruthless in the way he thought, more like a soldier/ assassin, than the television version was.

[hulahulk]

Yeah Steve has a slight to moderate edge in situational awareness, agility, straightline speed, and maneuverability but the Term has a distinct advantage in durability and maybe raw strength.

Term also has the ability to scan for strengths and weaknesses. Sure, Steve's bionics may come up as an unknown to the Term, but is his tech anything the Term should be afraid of?

Steve's bionic eye helps with accuracy but can't help detect weaknesses in a futuristic death robot.

I give the edge to the Terminator.

[MichaelC]

Is the T-800 the original Terminator from the first movie?

If this were a straight arena fight, I'd definitely give it to the T-800 for greater durability. But, in this situation, Steve Austin can run away at 60 mph which the Terminator cannot begin to match and has plenty of time to collect and improvise weapons. Granted the Terminator does too.

I'd still give the majority to the Terminator but Austin still has a chance.

Now, if this was the Austin from the original novel, I'd give him 50-50. He was much more ruthless in the way he thought, more like a soldier/ assassin, than the television version was.

I don't remember the novel guy being very threatening, despite his ruthlessness. His mechanical eye couldn't see, for example, but instead did...something I forget. Just take pictures for later? He was blind in one eye, regardless of what detail I'm forgetting. He just generally seemed less advanced than his TV counterpart. Or at least more realistic/less comicbooky, which amounts to the same thing in practice.

[Powerboy]

I don't remember the novel guy being very threatening, despite his ruthlessness. His mechanical eye couldn't see, for example, but instead did...something I forget. Just take pictures for later? He was blind in one eye, regardless of what detail I'm forgetting. He just generally seemed less advanced than his TV counterpart. Or at least more realistic/less comicbooky, which amounts to the same thing in practice.

In addition to the original novel, Martin Caidin wrote a novelization of the first Bigfoot episode. But it was his Steve Austin, not the television one. It was the left arm that was bionic (it was the right one in the show). But he did say that bionics had advanced and that Austin could see out of the eye and had telescopic sight. But it was his more ruthless version of Austin, sort of what the Bigfoot story would have been as a sequel to the original novel. No, he did not kill the Sasquatch. But, let's just say he gave the aliens a "Leave or we will bomb you into oblivion" ultimatum. Book Austin had a number of weapons but they would mostly be effective against flesh and blood opponents so not denying the Terminator wins the majority.

[Jonathan]

The Terminator should win due to a strength and durability advantage.

[MichaelC]

In addition to the original novel, Martin Caidin wrote a novelization of the first Bigfoot episode. But it was his Steve Austin, not the television one. It was the left arm that was bionic (it was the right one in the show). But he did say that bionics had advanced and that Austin could see out of the eye and had telescopic sight. But it was his more ruthless version of Austin, sort of what the Bigfoot story would have been as a sequel to the original novel. No, he did not kill the Sasquatch. But, let's just say he gave the aliens a "Leave or we will bomb you into oblivion" ultimatum. Book Austin had a number of weapons but they would mostly be effective against flesh and blood opponents so not denying the Terminator wins the majority.

Yeah, I looked him up on wiki. Novel Austin was kind of a grim-n-gritty Inspector Gadget, with a poison dart in his finger, a radio in his ribcage, and film in his eye. Kind of the answer to, "what if Inspector Gadget was rebooted by the writers who brought you 'Riverdale'?"

[Phoenixx9]

The strange/interesting thing is that they made the SMDM action figure to have different things, including a laser gun, I believe that worked into his arm module. However, this was not really done on the show. They were going to do things like that perhaps, as the made Steve very James Bondish in the first few episodes. But then they went in a different direction. Of course, that "softer" side of Steve did win Jaime's heart, even if for only a little while

[choptop]

Is the T-800 the original Terminator from the first movie?

If this were a straight arena fight, I'd definitely give it to the T-800 for greater durability. But, in this situation, Steve Austin can run away at 60 mph which the Terminator cannot begin to match and has plenty of time to collect and improvise weapons. Granted the Terminator does too.

I'd still give the majority to the Terminator but Austin still has a chance.

Now, if this was the Austin from the original novel, I'd give him 50-50. He was much more ruthless in the way he thought, more like a soldier/ assassin, than the television version was.

Does it really matter what the T800 is from?

[Powerboy]

Does it really matter what the T800 is from?

Kinda does for feats.

Having watched the SMDM again recently, I have to change my opinion. Colonel Steve Austin is overwhelmingly stronger. The dude throws cement blocks attached to steel pipes a hundred feet using them like a spear. He grabs objects like rifles and throws them so far you can barely see them in the distance as they land.

[Phoenixx9]

Kinda does for feats.

Having watched the SMDM again recently, I have to change my opinion. Colonel Steve Austin is overwhelmingly stronger. The dude throws cement blocks attached to steel pipes a hundred feet using them like a spear. He grabs objects like rifles and throws them so far you can barely see them in the distance as they land.

Yeah, Steve (and Jaime) are the real deal. Both are much stronger and faster than most fans give credit.

For instance, the "60 mph running" was very conservative, as we specifically see Jaime running more than 100 mph (Winning is Everything). Both Jaime and Steve have run faster than 60 (but not timed in the shows) and even faster in later decades with improvements, as well as some massive feats of strength, like pushing a locomotive with cars in front of it or pushing an submarine.

[Powerboy]

Yeah, Steve (and Jaime) are the real deal. Both are much stronger and faster than most fans give credit.

For instance, the "60 mph running" was very conservative, as we specifically see Jaime running more than 100 mph (Winning is Everything). Both Jaime and Steve have run faster than 60 (but not timed in the shows) and even faster in later decades with improvements, as well as some massive feats of strength, like pushing a locomotive with cars in front of it or pushing an submarine.

Aside from running, I remember Austin doing stuff a couple of times where he snagged a gun out of someone's holster too fast for them to react and did stuff like moving his arm at almost blur speed to build stuff. At least a couple of times, he threw a pillow with enough force to knock someone out, once from a distance equivalent to being across the street.

Jaime Sommers doesn't have quite those kinds of feats because they tried to play down the brute force with her and emphasize the ability to persuade people. But even she has feats of taking weapons and throwing them almost out of sight they flew so far.

And the T-800 terminators seem slow, relying on their durability which is not going to cut it here.

[choptop]

Kinda does for feats.

Having watched the SMDM again recently, I have to change my opinion. Colonel Steve Austin is overwhelmingly stronger. The dude throws cement blocks attached to steel pipes a hundred feet using them like a spear. He grabs objects like rifles and throws them so far you can barely see them in the distance as they land.

I thought all T800 were kinda the same?

[MichaelC]

I thought all T800 were kinda the same?

Not really. Off the top of my head, I can't recall the original Term doing anything that would require more than a thousand pounds of strength. His most impressive kills were actually rooted in durability, which is to say being able to shoot people and no-sell them shooting him back.

[Powerboy]

I thought all T800 were kinda the same?

I didn't mean to be snarky. It's just that I know the T-800s only from the first two movies. I wasn't sure if maybe they got more powerful later.