Welcome to week 6 of Franchise Fight Club, where every fanboy is a victim! Here at Franchise Fight Club, we aim to make sure that every beloved property is given a chance to have an ass beating. We seek the result of every victorious outcome even if it means your franchise is a loser.

This week things will take an interesting turn to the mechanical side. Who would win in a technological battle to the death? Robocop Vs Terminator: Will Murphy’s small dose of humanity give him the advantage? Or will Arnold’s unstoppable lack of emotion to terminate leave Robocop in ruins?

Let’s begin!

Let’s Compare!

Robocop

Robocop is an experimental cyborg unit created to uphold law enforcement for the Detroit Police. Although, mostly machine, Robocop is a whole different beast of cyborg. Within the machine is the flesh, blood, and soul of slain police officer Alex Murphy. He has all the hardcore abilities of a machine but carries the humanity that most technological creations lack. This also gives Robocop human instincts that most bots do not possess.

Besides being a mechanical badass, Roobocop is designed with tremendous features and weapons and is capable of upgrades.

As the 1987 tagline says, “Part man. Part machine. All cop. The future of law enforcement.”

Anything you say can and will be held against you…in the court of Robocop

The Terminator

There are many Terminator models in the franchise but in this battle we’re focusing on the T-800 series. This type of Terminator was the first successful cybernetic unit created by Skynet to have living tissue over its exoskeleton. This gave Skynet abilities to infiltrate the Resistance and kill humans. The cybernetic unit is also famous for being sent back in time and used as an assassin in the films, as well as a protector in T-2.

The T-800 is programmed to do one thing… Kill with no remorse. Unless commanded otherwise by the programmer.

Additional Differences…

  • Robocop  has a vulnerable past with his tragedy and memories of a family. Terminator gives no f*%cks about anyone’s family, except if your last name is Connor.
  • Robocop is an essential unit to the Detroit Police Department. Terminator made the Police Department his bitch by simply walking in and slaughtering every cop in his way.
  • Terminator is somewhat vulnerable with a penetrable skin but a durable exoskeleton. Robocop is completely protected by metal except for the exposure of his mouth.
  • Robocop has 4 prime directives:
    • “Serve the public trust”
    • “Protect the innocent”
    • “Uphold the law”
    • (Classified)

Terminator has one: Terminate!

Which Brings Us To Combat Abilities/Weaknesses

Robocop has a very similar strength to the Terminator as far as having an insanely spot-on targeting system for shooting and scoping enemies. In fact, both movies have similar POVS when you experience their activities first person. Robocop is incredibly strong and is almost like a walking tank when it comes to battle. Robocop also has an impressive Auto-9 (badass handgun) which he keeps holstered within his right leg. As seen in Robocop 3, he has a removable left hand which he can replace with an assault rifle. Did I mention he can also fly?

His greatest strength may be a weakness as well. He is a machine which means he can be reprogrammed to inflict evil. His humanity is also a possible weakness for he has the ability to feel vulnerable and/or doubt. However, it can give him the advantage of thinking outside the box.

Terminator may lack the humanity of Robocop/Murphy, but where it lacks a soul it makes up for having the most complex state-of-the-art artificial intelligence imaginable. The T-800 has the advantage to make detailed studies of weather, atmosphere, emotional states, reading body language, and so much more. The unit also possesses the ability to mimic voices almost to perfection.

The CPU intelligence is another significant advantage for the T-800. Inside the machine is a Neural Net Processor for learning. The internal database contains detailed information on anatomy and physiology to make it more efficient at killing. Not to mention database files on medical training, combat, weapons, tactical strategies.

The only weakness T-800 has is the free will to think creatively on its own. If it were to think outside its own programming, the damn thing would be perfectly unstoppable.

So Who Would Win?

Before I make my final decision, let us see what the Renegade Staff thinks!

Aidan Myles Green As much as I’d love to say Robocop…. Satire doesn’t win fights. Terminator would win. Since he’s modeled after a human, he moves a little more fluidly and with more agility. He’s technically proficient with firearms and other machinery, and while he may not have the built-in weaponry and exterior armor Robocop does, he’s an unstoppable wrecking machine of determined power. The only upper hand I can imagine Robocop possessing is his semi-human intuition, but Terminator has proven time and time again that he’s a formidable opponent for humans and superior machines alike.

Calibertholomew Winfield Oh man. Great choice here. For me it’s like having to choose between children.

I have to go with my boy Robocop. He has that human part of him that is invaluable in a fight. I feel it would just give him more of an edge. With the Terminator, everything is black & white. There’s A & B. There’s never a third option. But Murphy knows that sometimes other routes can be taken, and I believe that would be the deciding factor. Plus, he has the awesome spike, and the fantastic handgun. Also, you never know, he could have one of those canon deals that took down ED-209.

Robocop vs Terminator? I’d buy that for a dollar.

Jesse Blume To be quite honest, I’m not really qualified to talk about this particular contest. The reason for that is…………..I haven’t seen any of the Robocop movies. I know, I know, I should be ashamed. That being said, I do imagine that Terminator would triumph. As I understand it, Robocop has programs that prevent him from harming certain people, but Terminator has so such restrictions beyond what John Connor’s instructions. Terminator has wasted an entire police precinct with ease, and is notoriously difficult to kill.

Shawn S. Lealos Terminator: Yeah, Robocop is a bada$$ but the fact is that The Terminator is all robot and Robocop still has the humanity inside him somewhere. Now, while some have said that is an advantage, I still give a computer more credit to solve problems than the human mind. Robocop will put up a hell of a fight and probably blow some body parts off of the Terminator, but he won’t win this fight in the end. Now, with that said – the T-1000 would wipe the floor with Robocop.

Rick Tym Gotta go with the Terminator. The Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 wiped the floor with all enhanced versions – didn’t matter if it was the T-1000 or the Terminatrix, the original model always found a way. We all love Murphy, but he’s a mix of humanity and machine, and the Terminator keeps on coming even as its cybernetic flesh is melted away and it is reduced to it’s pure, undefeatable machine essence.

Caleb Masters It’s no contest! The Terminator wins in every category. The T-800 alone was enough to annihilate an entire police station full of well equipped and well trained men. Once you begin to get to the more advanced models like the T-1000 that include liquid metal, it’s game over for any one on one adversary.

Robocop is without a a doubt a great character that is undeniably more dynamic and interesting than the Terminator, but ultimately his complexity and humanity are the two things that are going to keep him from being able to match the cold, calculating, precise, and unstoppable spawn of Skynet and Cyberdyne Systems from wreaking havoc in a head to head battle royal.

 

Verdict…

 Terminator Wins!!

Even though Robocop has the ability of thinking outside of his own programming and utilize instinct, the Terminator is too perfectly designed for killing that Robocop can’t compete. The T-800 would discover every weakness on Robocop’s mechanics before he could do any real damage on Terminator. In fact, Terminator could probably reprogram Robocop to kill himself if he restrained him in battle. Not to mention, the Terminator is a lot faster and human-like in battle where Robocop is slow and clunky.  I love both characters but Terminator wins this battle. Poor Murphy.

So, there you have it! Do you agree with this winner? Are you pissed that Robocop lacks the complex technical skills to beat the T-800? Tell us in the comments below!

This week I’ll have a bonus fight between Wolverine Vs. Blade  because I missed last week. Then next week, we’ll be back with next battle involving Hit Girl Vs. Beatrix Kiddo (Kill Bill)! Tune in!