Matrix Reloaded

Most of the freed humans are black/Asian. It could mean one of the following (or a combination thereof):

• The test program was run on the wrong test subjects:
  Architect: "[The Mother] stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99% of all test subjects accepted the program, as long as they were given a choice".
  Maybe they took too many whites as test subjects.
• Maybe whites are deceived by the matrix easier.
• If you are black and suffer from low-income, work exploitations, starving (Africa at the end of the nineties) you are more likely to reject the 'System'.
• If you are good-for-the-Matrix then the-Matrix-is-good-for-you and rewards you with pleasures, that weaken your 'escaping will'. Thus the whites are the rich on the planet and the blacks are the poor.
  Cypher: "I don't want to remember nothing...I want to be rich. You know, someone important, like an actor."
  Agent Smith: "Whatever you want, Mr. Reagan."
  Well, submission and reward.
  • Interesting sideswipe #1:
    Reagan tries to be an actor. Hehe...
    Reagan wants to be important and forget everything: Ronald Reagan got Alzheimer. Some scientists link Alzheimer to irresponsibility, believe it or not.
  • Interesting sideswipe #2:
    Cypher [Original Matrix 1 shooting script] (talking to Trinity): "I'll go back to sleep and when I wake up, I'll be fat and rich and I won't remember a goddamn thing. It's the American dream."
• The fight humans vs. machines was basically a fight between industrialized countries (=the white race) and the town '01' (=the home town of the machines), which was located in Saudi-Arabia (if I judge correctly from Animatrix). Thus maybe a lot of whites and Arabs got killed, while Asians and blacks survived.
  • An important sub-thought: Most whites in the Matrix could be fake whites (= programs). Because so many blacks survived, it could mean, that the whites are inserted into the Matrix to keep the known races ratio constant. Remember the boss of Neo, Mr. Rhineheart? He is white would be the perfect program:
    Mr. Rhineheart: "You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously you are mistaken. This company is one of the top software companies in the world because every single employee understands that they are part of a whole. Thus if an employee has a problem, the company has a problem. The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson. Either you choose to be at your desk on time from this day forward or you choose to find yourself another job. Do I make myself clear?"
    Neo: "Yes, Mr. Rhineheart, perfectly clear."
    Is there any difference to an agent talking?
• Since the Architect said that the Matrix is older than Neo thinks...
  Architect: "The Matrix is older than you know"
  ...it may mean that keeping humans in the cocoons took place for a very long time already. Since blacks are used to a sunny climate but the sky is darkened now it could mean that they feel (subconsciously) more uncomfortable (in their cocoons) than whites.
• Maybe there are other underground groups freeing people from the Matrix. Since Morheus' group is 'blacker' they may have a greater affinity towards other blacks. If there would be another group in, say, Turkey, maybe they free a lot of Turkish people to other places far away from Zion and both groups don't know anything about each other.
• Weak argument:
  Architect: "Those that refused the program...a minority"
  He could mean the minority of blacks in the western world. Too word picky, if you ask me.

I personally love the idea of a movie where blacks and Asians are the clever ones, the bringers of progress and the fighters for freedom. This makes the movie more special than it already is. Here are a few examples of 'White contra Black':

• The antagonists (=opponents) of Neo are white:
  • The agents, especially Smith
  • The Merovingian
  • Cypher. Typically enough in Matrix 1 he wants to get back into the Matrix
  • Bane (possessed/infected by Smith) is white
  • Cain and Abel
  • The superwhite albino twins (Twin One and Twin Two)
  • Sparks, the Matrix operator of the 'Logos' always complains
  • The Architect is white.
    Marginal note: The actor Helmut Bakaitis was born in Germany. If one doesn't believe 'Whites are evil' then at least one is acknowledged that the 'Germans are bad ass'. At least in movies.
  • In Matrix 1 Neo and Morpheus enter a training program (with the woman in the red dress).
    Morpheus: "What do you see?... The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy... If you are not one of us, you are one of them."
    There are only white persons visible (except Morpheus).
  • Choi is white (the boy-friend of the girl with the white rabbit tattoo):
    • Choi: "Hallelujah. You're my savior, man. My own personal Jesus Christ."
      Neo: You get caught using that...
      Choi: Yeah, I know. This never happened. You don't exist."
    • Neo: "You ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"
      Choi: "Mm, all the time. It's called Mescaline. It's the only way to fly."

    On the other hand he says:

    • Neo: "You ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"
      Choi: "...Hey, it just sounds to me like you need to unplug, man."

  However, I agree, not every black/Asian is good and not every white is bad. Is the white rabbit [Matrix 1] good or bad? Are the white Zion operators bad?

• When Neo exits the elevator in Zion the crowd that is waiting for him is mostly black/Asian.
• The heroes (Neo, Morpheus...) are running around dressed black (however, the Agents do too)
• Does anyone of of the main players not have black/dark hair?
• The rave party (an excellent 3 minutes scene) is mostly blacks/Asians only dancing to tribal beats.
• The Wachowski brothers wanted even Neo to be black: The Chicago Sun Times reported (01.Jul.2002) that Will Smith (black) was one of the candidates for Neo's leading role. Smith refused, his wife 'Jada Pinkett Smith' plays 'Niobe'.
  Fun with names: Will Smith-Agent Smith.
  Please see the (small) section Trivia about who turned down role offers. 
• Keanu Reeves' father is half Hawaiian, half Chinese. Keanu's mother is English. Keanu Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon (a country in Asia).
• The actor 'Hugo Weaving' (Agent Smith) was born in Nigeria (Africa).
• Animatrix's episode "Final flight of the Osiris" features mainly blacks and Asians.
• Animatrix's episodes use a Japanese manga/ anime style.
• The letters of the Matrix are Japanese-like
• The fighting is Kung-Fu (Asian martial arts) style with samurai weapons.

What I want to say: Since every little word ('Matrix'), symbol ('pi') or color ('red vs. blue') is important in these movies this cannot be a pure coincidence. This must have a meaning. Hell, the Oracle is even feeding black crows instead of white/grey pigeons.

I somehow disagree with a statement like this:

• The biggest part of the earth's population is black and Asian.

Well the earth is not that black and not that Asian as shown in the rave scene (where they dance and Trinity + Neo make love). And the earth is not that little Indian and Hispanic. Besides they speak American English thruout the movie. The Merovingian speaks with a French accent (merely because he likes it?) as does his wife, what shows, that if somebody speaks American English he speaks it because it's his own language rather than it's an American movie.

• Black hair and dark skin are dominant genetic characteristics.

Well, 100 years (when the first were freed) are not enough to make everybody black.

It has also been supposed that the original freed 23 individuals may have been mainly black/ Asian. This is a good argument. However there is an indication that the original 23 have become the council: It is said that the council (as shown in Matrix 2) consists of 18 people: 12 women+ 6 men. That makes twice as many women as men. The same applies to the 23 freed original inhabitants of Zion: 24 people (16 women+ 7 men+ 1 male 'One'), thus also twice as many women as men. Thus the council in Matrix 2 can be the still living originally freed people.

Another thought: Who says that you always look like your body in your cocoon? Maybe most of the cocoonists are black, but project themselves as whites? Maybe that's the reason why nearly every freed person is black/Asian?

A trivia thought: It has been reported that the Wachowski brothers have stolen the original matrix idea from another writer. To be more accurate: This writer is a black woman, Sophia Stewart. Could this be the reason why so many black heros are involved? And so many heroic women? Whatever, I like it.

However, I may be totally wrong. For all those who dislike this ethnicity/ race idea and want to write me an email about it: Thank you very much that you took your time and read my site down to this point.

What do you think? Send me your thoughts !!