SECRETS OF THE MATRIX RELOADED
I saw the Matrix Reloaded on May 15, 2003 and have essentially been thinking about it 24/7. After forcing a discussion of the movie into 5 separate conversations with my friends (who all were originally disappointed with it and have since realized that they need to see it again) I came to the sudden realization on June 8, 2003 of what the Matrix is. Each of my friends encouraged me to write a web page and I've finally decided to do it. At that time I decided to actually go online and see what other people had written. http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/reviews/discuss2003.hts?matrix2+view proved most interesting though the ideas being discussed I had already arrived at.
Thanks to "The Truth" for typing up the Architect's speech. Thanks also to Sean Morris, Ryan Fong, Wayne W. Van Ellis, David Hunt, Darren Stoub, Marleena Coulston, Marc Barber, Li-ling Lin, Kathryn Wilson, Stefani Overman, Tim Keosababian, and Melissa Morrow for asking me the questions that helped me develop my theory and encouraging me to publish a web page. I also want to thank Iain in England for giving me the final incentive to publish my page on Geocities. You can view his page at http://www.deepsea.force9.co.uk/matrix.html
If you didn't stay to the end of the movie (shame on you for not giving the cast and crew of the film their due) you missed the preview for the third movie Matrix Revolution. Read this web page and go see it again.
Here is the link to The Architects Speech, which I refer to by line. Architect
Reality or Matrix? : Zion is a Matrix
In the Architect's speech, line 29, 99% of humans inserted to the Matrix accepted it as reality. The 1% that did not, if unchecked, would cause a system disruption, which would cause the Matrix to crash. The solution was stumbled upon by (line 26) "an intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. If I am the father of the Matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother." This is the Oracle. The oracle program suggested that the human mind be given the choice to live in the Matrix or to live "outside" the Matrix in what humans ultimately called Zion. Thus the 1% of humanity that is intuitive enough to discern the nature of the "world" is transferred to the Zion program. The function of Agents in the Matrix is to identify possible minds that are about to discover the Matrix and to isolate them for the transfer process. Agents also are responsible for keeping Zionites from spreading the nature of the Matrix.
The Oracle and Zion's relation with the Matrix.
Just as the Architect is the head of the Matrix, so too the Oracle is the head of the Zion program. The problem with Zion is that inherent to the Zion community, is the need to destroy the Matrix. When Zion begins to actually disturb the workings of the Matrix, it is time for the Zion program to be rebooted. The Zion program and the Matrix work together to keep humans in the system.
Example of cooperation: The Crew of the Icarus -- This is the crew responsible for taking out the secondary power station. Their ship is blown up and they fail forcing Trinity to enter the Matrix (plot flaw: Why didn't the two teams mix members so that both would be able to finish the task should one or the other ship be destroyed?). Wasn't it convenient that the non-broadcasted members of the Icarus crew were both killed by the rusty platform that just happened to break as the crewmember hobbled across it? I'm not sure what the crew could have done to stop the bomb but wasn't it also convenient that the one sentinel just happened to find their ship (just one sentinel). Isn't it also convenient Agent Smith just happened to be in the hallway causing a fight scene which lasted just long enough for Trinity to get in and shut down the second station so that Neo wouldn't blow up when the Key Maker opened the door. How Convenient! The two programs work together to reach the same end.
Other Supporting Evidence:
Agent Smith:
Agent Smith is a program. He is able to copy himself onto other agents as well as characters from Zion, like Bane. Bane, now as Smith, is then able to be transferred back to Zion, where he continues to look like Bane rather than Agent Smith. How is it possible for a computer program to take over the mind of a human "in the real world"? It's not. Zion is a program. Because Agents only exist in the Matrix program, Bane continues to look like himself in Zion. Bane is the character who attempts to kill Neo as well as the character in a coma at the end of the movie who is also responsible for causing the counterattack to fail.
Neo's Dreams:
Neo's dreams, we discover, are future events in the Matrix program. Neo is allowed to have the dreams because the Matrix and the Zion are interactive. In essence he is allowed to see the future and consequently he brings about the future events he dreams of.
Neo's "sidekick":
This is the character who worships Neo for saving him and Neo says, "You saved yourself". (There is actually an interesting short about this character in the Animatrix. Mr. Popperwell) He always knows when the Neb is docked in Zion (gee, maybe Zion's a program), he brings Neo the spoon (gee maybe the Matrix and the Zion are connected), and he prevents Bane/Smith from killing Neo (hmm, maybe Smith is working against the system. More on this later).
Neo's last stand:
At the end of the movie Neo zaps five sentinels and then goes into a coma. Neo is able to sense the machines and also to stop them, just like bullets. Neo has finally understood that Zion is a Matrix. Consequently, he "wakes up" from the Zion matrix and consequently his body collapses (just like the crew of the Icarus when their ship blows up). I'll explain later where he "wakes up" to.
The Backdoor Hallway:
This is half of the Zion program. The reason why the characters disappear from Link's screen when they enter it is because they have left the Matrix program and have entered the Zion program. Just like Zion command was this blinding white room with those cool see through screens, so too is the backdoor hallway, blindingly white that is. The backdoors are essentially the broadcast points that the Zionites go through to enter the Matrix. This is how Zion characters are able to enter the Matrix but no doors lead to Zion locations, which is why Smith had to get into Zion through the telephone. The back doors are only physically accessible through the Matrix. Thus rather than uploading to a Zion ship, and then downloading to a different region of the Matrix, a character could just open a door and go down a hallway.
Matrix One: A utopian world designed to be perfect in every way (think Pleasantville). Failed because humans were bored and rejected it.
Matrix Two: Based on human history. This matrix employed the Oracle program, which discovered that humans need choice of reality. Matrix 2 destabilized when too many people rejected it causing system crash.
Matrix Three: With the suggestion of the Oracle program, this version incorporated the Zion program, founded by 23 people and slowly growing. When the Zion program became disruptive, the anomaly was developed, the One, which reboots the Zion program. Thus, the Matrix 3 is the current version of the Matrix. It is older than anyone knows. If there have been 5 previous anomalies (Neo being the sixth) then there have been five previous Zions. According to Morpheus, it's been a hundred years since the war with the machines failed and Zion was founded. Morpheus can only be referring to Zion 6, which is thus a hundred years old.
Zion 1: destroyed
Zion 2: destroyed
Zion 3: destroyed
Zion 4: destroyed
Zion 5: destroyed 100 years ago
Zion 6: the current version with Neo.
If we assume that each version of Zion took 100 years to reach the anomaly (big assumption) than the Matrix 3 is at least 600 years old. This doesn't count the time that Matrix 1 and 2 lasted. The Matrix frequently upgrades itself resulting in older programs which are supposed to be deleted but refuse to be, like the ghost and werewolves.
Purpose and Function:
The purpose of the One is to go to the Source allowing the code he/she carries to disseminate and reinitiate the Zion program. The One then chooses 23 individuals, 16 female, 7 male to "live" in Zion. The previous Zion runs to its conclusion and is destroyed by the machine army killing everyone in it. Thus there are two Zion programs running at the same time for a short while at least assuming that the One goes to the source. Basically the One can choose to:
Left door: Source -- causing a new Zion program to be created.
Right door: Matrix -- causing a cataclysmic system crash - essentially a new Matrix would try to be created. The problem is that everyone connected to the old Matrix (99% of humanity) would be killed. Thus the previous Ones, due to their compassion for the human race, choose the left door and restarted Zion.
But Neo chooses the Matrix (to save Trinity) because his love for Trinity is greater than his compassion for the whole human race. This results in a new Matrix being started, Matrix 4. Thus I explain the title of the movie, The Matrix Reloaded. We catch a glimpse of Matrix 4 in the previews for Revolution. It is the rainy city where Neo and Smith have their showdown. The One essentially tells the system to restart whichever program it has entered (Left or Right door).
Human or Program:
The verdict is still out on this count but so far the jury favors Program.
Program
"Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent in the programming of the Matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision." (Line 8-10) Neo is a remainder from an unbalanced mathematical equation.
Neo's five predecessors possessed "by design" a great compassion for the human race.
Neo, like Smith, is able to move between matrices. At the end of the movie, he transfers himself out of the Zion program after stopping the machines and realizing Zion is a program.
The many screens in the Architects room all show possible reactions/responses that Neo can choose from to actually do. The one screen we zoom through is the reaction he actually chooses. Thus, the architect's room is actually a look inside Neo's "mind". The fact that the architect is able to view the choices of Neo's "mind", (It is interesting reading your reactions //line 46) hints that Neo is a program which the architect can't control (influence yes) but is able nonetheless to oversee.
Neo, essentially being a reboot program, can't be killed. He would just reboot himself.
When Neo kisses Persephone there is the sound of static (Trinity too for that matter).
Human
Numerous references throughout movie of "he is only human" (This could simply mean he isn't).
The One is supposed to choose the Left door to the Source and restart Zion. But both programs (Matrix and Zion) worked together to force Trinity into the matrix so that Neo would choose the Right Door rather than the source. This will cause the Matrix to Reload killing all humans connected to the Matrix 3. But Neo's choice is already made. The system knew Neo would choose to save Trinity and thus doom humanity. Why would the system choose to end the Matrix and thus humanity?
A -- The Matrix has decided to reboot itself into a new Matrix 4 thus purging all the old programs. (Flaw: how will Zion restart? Unless they defeat the invading army and Matrix 4 starts with Zion 6.)
B -- The machines no longer need humans for energy (seeing as how it's been 600 years since operation dark sky) and have decided to end the program and wipe out humanity. (Flaw: why not just unplug it?)
Preferred C -- It is time for the Matrix to end because it is no longer needed. The Matrix is really saving humanity from itself. There was no man vs. machine war. It was a man vs. man war, resulting in a nuclear winter (or summer depending on how you interpret molecular motions in the stratosphere), which would cause the planet to be uninhabitable. Thus the Matrix was devised as a way to keep humanity alive, society running, and is its own energy source until certain planetary environmental conditions were met. At which time, the Matrix would shut itself down allowing humans to resume a real life. Thus the previous five ones rebooted Zion because the Earth wasn't ready. Now it is so the system alters the design of the One program to have a stronger affection for Trinity. Essentially the Zion program is acting like a training program so that when humans finally do wake up they will know the skills they need to survive in a postnuclear winter world.
Other scenarios are of course possible.
Agent Smith is the only Agent with a name. When Neo jumps into Smith in the first movie, the program Smith copied the code Neo carries, which is essentially a reboot code. Thus Smith was restarted. But Smith wasn't restarted in the Matrix. He was restarted in the new platform, which is prepared for Zion 7 or Matrix 4. Originally Smith was the only program in this platform but Smith discovered that he could enter the Matrix and copy himself onto programs by transferring them to the empty platform, which I will now refer to as Smithville. Thus the silver ooze that coats a character is part of the transfer process. This is just like in the first movie after Neo takes the pill he touches the mirror and gets coated in silver goop and then "wakes up" in his human chamber. This is also why Link couldn't figure out what Smith was doing to Neo because Neo's Matrix identity was getting transferred to Smithville. Neo says that it felt like dieing. Dieing is being separated from the Matrix against one's will. Smithville will become the Matrix 4. Currently the only inhabitants are Smiths, this being the only character file in Smithville yet. The Matrix 4 has some basic programs scenery, rain but nothing else has really finished loading yet. Rain is the easiest weather to program because it's really just a mathematical equation for a seemingly random falling of water. There are no light variations. The sky is entirely overcast. No shadows to worry about. Etc. Agent Smith is truly rogue. His attempt to kill Neo is thwarted by Neo's sidekick because Neo needs to get to the source first. Smith immediately tries to kill Neo in the Matrix as well, as soon as he figures out where he is. (Does Bane go into coma while Smith is fighting Neo?) If the Matrix truly is a human stasis unit and it is supposed to end because the Earth is ready, I think Smith is the machines way of not wanting to be turned off. Smith and Neo are connected. Neo and Trinity are connected. As Trinity's name implies, Neo, Trinity and Smith together are the One. (I'm trying to avoid religious parallels but this one is just to good to pass up. The question that now arises is whether Trinity is a program or not. In "Enter the Matrix" Niobe accuses Persephone of not even being human. Does this imply that Trinity is not human either?) Smith and the Merovingian are the two most interesting characters for me.
In case you didn't understand, the cake is an orgasm cake. The lady in the restaurant eats it and has an orgasm. She heads to the ladies room. Merovingian than says he needs to take a piss and supposedly heads to the men's room. But when Persephone leads the trio into the men's room second later he is not there (he in the ladies room having sex). Persephone then decides to take the trio to the key maker. She doesn't kill the other werewolf because she wants Merovingian to get angry so she can make her point. She expects the trio to die since Merovingian has defeated other Ones (or she expects Neo to kill Merovingian, either way her point is made).
The Oracle tells us that Merovingian is a program from an earlier version of the Matrix (is this Matrix 2? Or just Matrix 3 minus upgrades?). The Merovingian is definitely aware of Zion's nature and the way that the Oracle works. He has encountered previous Ones and survived. His disdain for the Oracle, the "fortuneteller" and for her message, "choice is the only truth" which he counters with "cause and effect" vehemently saying that there is no choice. I think that Merovingian has lived in Zion. He's sampled every language and likes French the best. In Zion you can just download a language, any language, every language. The Merovingian also says that he wrote the code for the cake himself. In the first movie, Mouse writes the code for the Lady in Red. But Persephone also tells us that the Merovingian used to be like Neo. Is the Merovingian a previous One? If so, the one is definitely a program.
Names in Matrix are very important. There are three kinds of names. Historical, Mythological, Functional. Historical names are used predominantly by the Matrix. Mythological names are used predominately by the Zion program. The third type, functional names, is used by both. I got my definitions from http://www.m-w.com/home.htm.
Matrix - Function - something within or from which something else originates, develops, or takes form. There are several other definitions but I like this one the best. The word matrix is derived from the latin "mater", which means mother.
Zion - Biblical - the ideal nation or society envisaged by Judaism. But we all knew that anyway.
Neo – Function – new. Ok so we all knew that Neo meant new. But why is he “new”? We know now that there have been 5 One predecessors. So there must be something new about Neo. His love for Trinity.
Morpheus – Myth - the Greek god of dreams. So Morpheus is the bringer of dreams. He’s a believer in the Oracle. That great scene where Morpheus wishes Zion sweet dreams shows that the Wachowski’s chose his name carefully. So what dream is Morpheus bringing? The dream that Zion is real and only the One can end the enslavement of the Matrix.
Trinity – Religious (Myth) - 1: the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead according to Christian dogma: 2: not capitalized : a group of three closely related persons or things: 3: the Sunday after Whitsunday observed as a feast in honor of the Trinity. OK so we can pretty much ignore definition 3 but definition 2 has potential. What three things are closely related. Neo, Trinity, and Smith have all “come back from the dead” with new and exciting powers to boot. What powers will Trinity now have??
Smith – Function - a worker in metals. Isn’t Silicon a metal? Smith is also the considered the most common name in the phone book (which isn’t really true at all) and isn’t it nice that there are so many Smiths all of a sudden.
Oracle – Myth - 1 a : a person (as a priestess of ancient Greece) through whom a deity is believed to speak b : a shrine in which a deity reveals hidden knowledge or the divine purpose through such a person c : an answer or decision given by an oracle: 2 a : a person giving wise or authoritative decisions or opinions b : an authoritative or wise expression or answer. I think this one is pretty obvious. It’s also interesting to note that Oracle is also a network platform in our current times.
Architect – Function - 1: a person who designs buildings and advises in their construction: 2: a person who designs and guides a plan or undertaking. Ok so he’s pretty obvious too, which is good since you have to listen really hard to understand what he’s talking about.
Bane – Function - a source of harm or ruin. This is the guy that Smith takes over. Rather appropriate name.
Cypher – Function – 1 zero; one that has no weight, worth, or influence: 2 a method of transforming a text in order to conceal its meaning: 3 a message in code: 4 a combination of symbolic letters; especially : the interwoven initials of a name. Wow, this is a fun one. I particularly like one and four. Not to mention it sounds just like the evil villain from FF8.
Link – Function - a unit in a communication system. OK so I’m being selective about the definitions I use. I think this one fits the best.
Switch – Function – (as in switchboard) a device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electrical circuit. Yeah, pretty obvious.
Councilor Hamann – Biblical - an enemy of the Jews hanged according to the book of Esther for plotting their destruction. Ouch! And this guy is a leader of Zion?? Well, I think it is safe to say that he will die in the third movie. I just might have to brush up on my Esther.
Commander Lock – Function – 1 the hair of the head: 2 a fastening (as for a door) operated by a key or a combination: 3: the mechanism for exploding the charge or cartridge of a firearm 4: an enclosure (as in a canal) with gates at each end used in raising or lowering boats as they pass from level to level. OK. So we have something hairy that needs a key, which may prevent destruction and equalizes pressure. That’s about right.
Niobe – Myth - a daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion who while weeping for her slain children is turned into a stone from which her tears continue to flow. She had seven sons and seven daughters and bragged that she was better than Leto, the mother of Apollo and Artemis, since she only had two children. Consequently, Apollo and Artemis, being skilled with bow and arrow, shot all her children. Will Niobe be left weeping?
Merovingian – Historical - French mérovingien, from Medieval Latin Merovingi Merovingians, from Merovaeus Merowig died 458 Frankish founder of the dynasty: of or relating to the first Frankish dynasty reigning from about A.D. 500 to 751. The Merovingian dynasty was eventually replaced with the Carolingian. The Merovingians are loosely connected to the Knights Templar, who were military monks. There are also connections with the Masons. All three of these groups are frequently accused of being secret political powers that still affect global policies to this day. See http://www.ordotempli.org/the_merovingians.htm for more details.
Persephone – Myth - a daughter of Zeus and Demeter abducted by Pluto to reign with him over the underworld. And the Merovingian controls werewolves, ghosts, etc. Sound pretty dead to me. Persephone isn’t quite happy with her new home and title, ends up eating food of the dead, which causes her to be in the underworld for half the year and in the top world for the other half (hence the seasons). Plenty of parallels here to go around. Good name.
Cass (Cassandra) – Myth - 1 a daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed: 2 one that predicts misfortune or disaster. Priam also had fifty sons and daughters which were almost all killed during the Trojan war. Cass’s line about I’ve lost to many friends to that ship takes on a whole new meaning. Cassandra was given the power of prophecy from Apollo who loved her. Once endowed with prophecy, she forsaw that Apollo and her wouldn’t work out well, so she refused him. He cursed he such that no one would believe her prophecies.
Nebuchadnezzar – Biblical - Chaldean king of Babylon (605-562); captured and destroyed Jerusalem and carried Jews in exile to Babylon; restored Babylon and other cities. Another great name for something in Zion. Nebuchadnezzar also has a dream, which Daniel interprets about the end of the Babylon empire. The ship Nebuchadnezzar is captained by Morpheus.
Osiris – Myth - the Egyptian god of the underworld and husband and brother of Isis. The body of Osiris is torn to shreds. You should see the Animatrix clip about the last flight of the Osiris, the ship that brings the message about the machines digging to Zion.
Icarus – Myth - the son of Daedalus who to escape imprisonment flies by means of artificial wings but falls into the sea and drowns when the wax of his wings melts as he flies too near the sun. This is the ship that is blown up by the sentinel so that Trinity enters the Matrix. It’s mission was doomed.
Vigilant – Function - alertly watchful especially to avoid danger. The ship of Niobe that rescues the crew of the Neb after it is destroyed.
