Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ending

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine ending finally delivers the end of the world nuclear destruction. In Terminator, we hear about the future nuclear holocaust that wipes out the world. Terminator 2: Judgement Day shows a frightening dream with a nuclear explosion wiping out Los Angeles. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines ending conveys that fate stays on course to meet a nuclear end.

Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and T-X (Kristanna Loken) fight to the end. In the final minutes, we see John Connor (Nick Stahl) and Kate Brewster (Claire Danes) enter an underground bunker, a military shelter designed to protect high ranking U.S. officials in case a nuclear war breaks out. The computer system is obsolete. We notice the furniture is dated to the Cold War era between the 60's and 70's.

The Terminator detonates himself to destroy the T-X. thus preserving the future of the world. The future of the post-apocalyptic world depends on John and Kate to lead a military alliance against the machines. In an early scene, the Terminator tells John and Kate they are married in the future. They fight together in the human/machine war. 

A high ranking American official is requesting assistance. John attempts to guide the military officer. Time is ticking down. John becomes angry. Kate calms him down to see the truth. John soon realizes the fate of the world has always been in align with ending in a nuclear holocaust. Symphony music begins to play. 

The most powerful ending shows the nuclear missiles launching in an American town. Nuclear missiles hit a Midwest American community, sending a nuclear fire projecting across a farming district. We pull out to outer space, seeing the nuclear missiles hitting worldwide targets. Entire cities are wiped out. Nuclear missiles reach every continent, killing billions of people. 

The nuclear winter begins. Radiative snow falls. The hallway leading up to John and Kate's fallout shelter is shown. A last shot of the Terminator comes into plain sight. The robotic head is covered in snow.

Symphony music stops. Classic Terminator signature instrumental music begins.  

The end.