We can all agree that the best thing Dark Fate did to the franchise is make people finally realize that:
"Huh...Maybe Salvation wasnt so bad."
I always enjoyed Salvation, hell, even more than T3 on the simple fact it didnt copy itself (that was before Genesys). It was different from the future war we have seen and peopl dont realize that its an actual plot point in the movie, John himself says that this isnt the future he was warned about, showing the alterations on the past led to something else
I remember people flipping their shit over CG-Arnie, without knowing that having a deaged arnold was going to be a recurring thing. Marcus was an interesting (tho not explored to its full potential) concept, he was the "protector terminator" of the movie, without it being a copy of the previous movies, I guess I always found the concept of getting hurt, find out you are actually made of metal and then trying to decide what to do now, always kind of fascinating.
Also Bale as John was not bad, it perhaps needed a bit more direction but I could buy him as a John thats still new to the hero thing (since in T1, he wasnt born, T2 was just a kid, T3 he just kind was dragged along for the ride).
At least he gave us this gem
Ooooh yes, before I forget.
Salvation - Intended to kill and replace John, properly listened to the negative criticism and changed it
Dark Fate - Intende to kill and replace John, called the negative criticism reecist and sexist and went through with it anyway.
Salvation - 371,4 million USD
Dark Fate - 2.35 million USD (for now) and its unlikely to surpass Genysis's, making it the lowest point in the entire franchise.
its funny how that goes, right?