While the ever-evolving technological enemy grows stronger, 16-year-old John begins taking the steps necessary to embrace his destiny as the savior of mankind. John finds himself caught between his fearless protector, the beautiful but potentially dangerous cyborg, Cameron, and his new love interest, Riley Dawson, who represents freedom but also a potential risk to his safety. John's mother Sarah Connor is as determined as ever to keep her son alive, and his uncle, Derek Reese, continues to fight alongside the Connors.

Prompted by the return of terminators into their lives, Sarah and John Connor decide to stop running and focus on preventing the launch of Skynet. They are aided by Cameron, a terminator who poses as a student at John's school, and transports herself and the Connors into the year 2007. With not only the terminators, but also FBI agent James Ellison out to get them, they set out to try stopping Skynet, once and for all.