After two years in one spot Sarah Connor feels the need to move on before they get too comfortable. They move to a new city where John starts school and meets a mysterious girl. However, danger strikes, and Sarah and John are caught in another struggle for their survival.

Sarah makes contact with an old friend to ask a favor, while John decides to pay a visit to Sarah's ex and Cameron makes a new friend. Together they infiltrate a resistance safe house and discover they are not alone. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison realizes that Sarah is still alive and a dangerous person from Sarah's past is reawakened.

Sarah reevaluates the capabilities of her friend Andy's computer after he enters it in a chess competition. During the competition Sarah meets a stranger with a history similar to hers. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison finds remnants from a past terminator battle.

Flashing in and out of consciousness, fighting for his life Derek Reese recalls his future life battling the machines in 2027. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to explain the past to Charley.

Sarah finds herself in a business transaction with a mysterious business man named Sarkissian, who claims to be in possession of the stolen Turk computer system and wants an exorbitant amount of money for it. Derek recalls his childhood before the so-called Judgement Day in 2011, when a nuclear war triggered by Skynet will destroy the world. Agent Ellison finally discovers that the terminator Cromartie is impersonating an FBI agent, and makes arrangements to apprehend him.

After the Jeep explosion, John's 16th birthday makes him confront the fact that he's destined to be alone. Meanwhile, after Cromartie's massacre, Agent Ellison must face off against both the Feds and his faith.

Sarah and Cameron investigate a nuclear power plant; John grows less enthusiastic about academics but flourishes socially with the help of a new friend; Catherine Weaver gets another piece of the puzzle for her pet project.

Derek and Sarah must outwit Cromartie after he kidnaps Charley's wife, and they must weigh the consequences in rescuing her. Meanwhile, John finds himself unable to choose between Cameron and Riley.

Sarah and John hit the road without Cameron and Derek to stay with Charley Dixon, where she reveals to Charley that her cancer may have emerged. Meanwhile, a computer worm infects John Henry.