12 Movies Where The Villain Emerges Victorious

Okay, Arnie's third outing as the catchphrase-spewing Terminator is not a great film. But there's one thing you can't take away from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines; it has the least cliched ending in the franchise.

Because it is as formulaic as action thrillers come, the audience was expecting a predictable climax. Sure enough, the film concludes with the hero sacrificing himself to defeat the Terminator, just like the last two films. John Connor and Claire then make their way to Crystal Peak, where they believe Skynet's core is located so they can shut it down before it nukes the planet.

Upon reaching Crystal Peak, John sees that its a nuclear fallout shelter and Skynet doesn't have a core, meaning it cannot be stopped. Realising that judgment day is inevitable, he has no choice but to accept his fate as the leader of the Resistance while atomic bombs reign down upon the world.

Rise of the Machines can't hold a candle to the first two films but you have to commend the writers and director for committing to such an ambitious ending to one of the most beloved sci-fi series of all time.