Stranger Things Star Linda Hamilton Reveals the Best-Case Future for Terminator Sequels

Linda Hamilton going from Sarah Connor to a Stranger Things villain is one of those career pivots that makes total sense once you see it. And if you were holding out hope she might suit up as Sarah again... you might want to let that go.

So, is Linda Hamilton done with Terminator?

Short answer: that is very much how she feels. In a 2024 chat with THR, Hamilton was asked if she would ever return to the franchise that made her an icon. Her answer was dry, brutal, and kind of perfect:

"AI writing the next Terminator movie. And they kill me off before we start. That is the best scenario."

That pretty much shuts the door on more Sarah Connor from her end. But the last time we saw Sarah on screen, she was still breathing. More on that in a second.

Who she plays in Stranger Things Season 5

Hamilton shows up in Season 5 as Dr. Kay, and yes, she is a villain. She is the head scientist running the military occupation of Hawkins and she has picked up Dr. Brenner's old playbook. Key goal: find Eleven, keep her alive.

Fun little behind-the-scenes wrinkle: Hamilton was already a fan of the show before the Duffers reached out. And once she signed on, the creators basically retrofitted the character to her strengths. They say they always pictured Dr. Kay as military and very unlike Brenner, but once Hamilton came aboard, they ditched the lab-coat vibe and leaned hard into a tactical, no-nonsense presence. If you have Sarah Connor in your cast, you use the intensity.

Wait, what actually happened to Sarah Connor?

The Terminator continuity is a mess, so let’s keep this to the Terminator: Dark Fate timeline (the one that ignores T3, Salvation, and Genisys):

• In 1998, a T-800 sent by Skynet kills John Connor. Sarah survives.
• Grief turns her into a rogue Terminator hunter. For years, she follows mysterious tips and wipes out the machines that slip through.
• She teams up with Dani Ramos. Together they take down the Rev-9.
• An older T-800 intervenes in the finale. In the fight, the two cyborgs go over the dam and are vaporized.
• Sarah doesn’t die. In the final moments, she has clearly moved forward and is essentially passing the torch to Dani.

Could Hamilton return anyway?

Technically, yes. Dark Fate leaves the door open. But based on that THR quote, she is not looking back. If she ever changes her mind, there is runway. Just don’t bet on it.

Where to watch

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is currently airing on Netflix (USA). Should Hamilton ever pop back into Terminator, I will happily eat my words — but for now, enjoy her chewing scenery as Dr. Kay.