Terminal Velocity Is a Balance, Not a Limit

A falling object accelerates until the drag pushing up equals the weight pulling down; from that moment the net force is zero and the velocity stops changing. Nothing forbids faster speeds — the balance simply moves. Because drag depends on speed and area while weight depends on mass, a heavier skydiver in the same posture settles at a higher terminal velocity, and opening a parachute does not reduce weight at all: it multiplies the area, so the same weight is balanced at a far lower speed.