»Unified Theory of the Matrix«

Well, it looks like I couldn't stay away very long before I had some new thoughts. These thoughts aren't new in the sense that no one's ever thought of them, but they're new to me as far as considering them as a viable option for explaining everything. And try to read with an open mind. If you think I'm forgetting something, it's very possible I'm simply leaving that item until further down. If you've reached the end and I've still left out or forgotten something, then by all means point it out.

There were some misconceptions I realized I had as well as one or two motivational factors I had totally neglected. First and foremost is the misconception that the anomaly is some sort of glitch. In reality, there is no glitch. None whatsoever. The anomaly is referring to people, not code. Keep in mind that whenever the Architect speaks about people, he thinks of them as variables in an equation. The anomaly, therefore, is a technical reference to all the people that rejected the Matrix.

As a result of there being no glitch, there is also no system-wide crash as a result of a glitch. There is indeed a crash, but it's not related to an ever-growing glitch. When the Architect informs Neo of a crash that will kill everyone connected to the Matrix, he's not merely making a prediction--he's making a threat. The Architect is trying to blackmail Neo into doing what he wants him to do. So the crash is not inevitable--it's something the Architect has to choose to make happen. And if he chooses not to make it happen, it won't.

The Architect is unable to present a choice to humanity to accept or reject the Matrix without making both options viable. What I mean by that is that he cannot offer the option to leave without that option actually being available. This is due entirely to his programming, which keeps him from lying. I believe the Merovingian has similar programming (he never reneges on a deal), but that's a different discussion. This point is vitally important for my unified theory because it's the most necessary component in getting the cycles started. It is his inability to lie that compels him to make sure that Zion exists. He is not compelled to make it easy to get there (the vast majority of those who refuse the Matrix never do), but he does need to make sure that it exists and that it is technically possible to be freed from the Matrix. In essence, the Architect himself is responsible for the anomaly. He is a slave to his own nature. He is unable to make 100% of the people accept the Matrix, and he is unable to simply kill all those who reject it. By agreeing to use the Oracle's idea, he is agreeing to also not only ensure that there is a way out but that the people who make it out survive so they can free others. However, he is not forced to allow them all to live indefinitely. It does not go against his programming to kill them all when Zion gets to a certain size (the integral anomaly, or 250,000 Zionites), and start the process over again. This leads me to my next point.

Zion does not exist because of the One. The One exists because of Zion. The Architect's plan for taking care of Zion works great without the One--at least for one cycle. He could allow Zion to grow to a certain size, destroy it, and then let some people free to rebuild it and start the cycle over. Except that scenario has one little problem. If the machines let the humans go free, they would be helpless without the machines' intervention. The machines would have to nurse them back to health, train them to fight, and help them rebuild the city. That just might be a tad bit suspicious, don't you think? The solution to the problem is to have them all be rescued by another human so it doesn't appear that the machines are actually behind everything. But now you have another problem--explaining how this one human was able to free himself while billions of others couldn't. This would also raise suspicions. The solution to that problem is to build him up as a sort of super-human. The Oracle, knowing full well about the nature of humanity and their religious systems, would be aware that the idea of a gifted messiah would be accepted. Maybe not by everyone, but by enough that suspicion would be shifted away from the machines as somehow being behind everything. So the end of the cycle is related to the size of Zion, not the appearance of the One. The Architect said, "You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed." He did not say, "Zion is about to be destroyed because you are here." A subtle difference, but one that cannot be ignored. The One's very existence is because of Zion. If you re-read the conversation between Neo and the Architect, you'll see that this is true.

The One is planted into the Matrix at the time just before Zion is to be destroyed. He needs to be alive at the time this happens so that he can handpick the next batch of humans to rebuild Zion. In order to understand the cycles and the One's place in them, you have to start with the beginning of a cycle and work your way backwards. The One's main purpose is to start a new cycle. He does have a role to play at the end of a cycle as well, but it's related to the fact that he's really there for the next cycle that's about to begin. In order for him to be believable as a messiah, he must have powers that others don't have and couldn't have. This is accomplished by granting the One with the programming of the Matrix. This is the code that he carries, not some glitch. At the end of a cycle, when he disseminates the code he carries, he is reinserting the prime program and reloading the Matrix. It never made sense to me why dumping a glitch onto the computer mainframe caused the system to be reloaded. Have you ever restarted your computer by loading a glitch into it? No, of course not. You reload a computer by using the original discs carrying all the essential data. There's no glitch involved in this process. And the fact that the Architect says that this dissemination is temporary is because the prime program is given right back to the One right after the Matrix is reloaded. Why? So he can have his powers back and impress the first 23 people with his god-like abilities, that's why.

Having the prime program in your head does not in and of itself give you powers. Your mind must be freed and your consciousness must be altered. There are things to see and learn in the Matrix, and a human with the prime program in his head has the potential to become very enlightened, indeed. In the first movie, Cypher briefly mentions to Neo about image translators working for the construct to translate code into images. With the prime program in his head, Neo is able to do that in reverse: take the images from the Matrix and translate them into the original underlying code. When he is able to pull back the curtain in Oz and see the mechanics that control the once-scary wizard, the Matrix no longer has power over him. He has power over it. The entire process is powered by the Source, and Neo soon learns about his connection with it. The more Neo learns about himself, the more he is able to accomplish.

Another ability that having the prime program and the power of the Source allows you to have is for your mind and your body to be disconnected. Morpheus said that your body cannot live without the mind. But the One is the exception to the rule. The One also has the ability to keep from dying while in the Matrix, if he believes it strongly enough. Everything the One is able to do ties in with his personal beliefs. That is another reason why the Oracle ensured that he is set up as a messiah. If you don't have high aspirations of what you can achieve, you never will. You can only go as far as you believe you can. That is how Trinity brought Neo back from the dead in the first movie. She taught him that the One can't be dead. When Neo believed her, he came back to life. He was only dead as long as he believed he should be. That is why there is such a huge difference in Neo after he comes back to life. That is the point where his consciousness expands enough that he can see the code behind the images and stop the bullets from even hitting him. He doesn't even have to look at Smith to block all of his punches. Once he realized the sheer power available to him, that is when he made a giant leap forward in freeing his mind. The rules of the Matrix are built so that this is possible. It is not the same in the train station, where these rules do not exist. It is because of Neo's ability to keep death at bay that the Architect allows the agents to attack as ferociously as they do. It is mostly to keep up appearances, but it is also a fairly safe bet that they will be unable to kill the One no matter how hard they try. The agents are kept in the dark about which person is the One, however, so that Zion rebels have enough time to train him until he reaches the point where he realizes that he truly is a god in the Matrix--just like the Trainman is a god in Mobil Ave.

There are other aspects to discuss, but I think I'll leave it at that so you guys can make your replies and observations. But I'm feeling confident that I'm on to something, and I'm really curious about what you all think of it.

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First and foremost is the misconception that the anomaly is some sort of glitch...The anomaly is referring to people, not code. Keep in mind that whenever the Architect speaks about people, he thinks of them as variables in an equation. The anomaly, therefore, is a technical reference to all the people that rejected the Matrix.

Right on.
I took out a sentence in there because the Matrix does have glitches (matriculated?) But everything else is "on the one". The Anomaly is the rejection of the matrix slash rebellion against it.

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there is also no system-wide crash as a result of a glitch. There is indeed a crash, but it's not related to an ever-growing glitch.

True.

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When the Architect informs Neo of a crash that will kill everyone connected to the Matrix, he's not merely making a prediction--he's making a threat. The Architect is trying to blackmail Neo into doing what he wants him to do. So the crash is not inevitable--it's something the Architect has to choose to make happen. And if he chooses not to make it happen, it won't.

Well-a...The arc is simply referring to what happened before with the first two matrixes. They crashed. Why? Because those in them did not have a choice to accept it or not and the human mind knew there is something wrong. (intuition) What causes the crash this go-'round? "Failure to comply with this process ["select 23 individuals from the Matrix...to rebuild Zion"]" Zion's destruction = everyone waking up gets killed just like in the first 2 matrices -> waking up = death. In either event there is no real choice. More on this later. But to quote to again from another thread:

FeralBoy wrote:

I'm trying to figure out if there's a connection between the people that died in this very first version of the Matrix and the system-wide crash with which the Architect informs Neo will happen if he doesn't go through the door to his right. They're the same as far as the idea that everyone hardwired to the system dies, but are the reasons for it the same?

So it's not a threat. Just like the statement of Trin's death is not a threat. They are statements of logical progression of things.

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The Architect is unable to present a choice to humanity to accept or reject the Matrix without making both options viable.

Duh.

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What I mean by that is that he cannot offer the option to leave without that option actually being available.

Double-Duh.. Forgive me. I'm just feeling humorous right now.

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his programming, which keeps him from lying.

The Wachowski's keep him from lying. Lol! Meaning for the allegory to work, having characters that lie would confuse the message for the audience would have to do alot of detective work to figure out when they are being told the truth, an obvious challenge in a movie classified as sci-fi about a simulation of reality. Lying characters on top of that? Too much! lol

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to make sure that Zion exists. He is not compelled to make it easy to get there (the vast majority of those who refuse the Matrix never do), but he does need to make sure that it exists and that it is technically possible to be freed from the Matrix.

Agreed. But this involves more than just Archie.

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In essence, the Architect himself is responsible for the anomaly.

He admitted that. "While this answer functioned, it was obviously fundamentally flawed, thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly"

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He is a slave to his own nature. He is unable to make 100% of the people accept the Matrix, and he is unable to simply kill all those who reject it.

That is the nature of Control itself. The machines, ironically, are every bit as enslaved to the matrix as the humans in the pods. In that they need it to exist.

"Just what is control?" - Councilor Hamann

It is a pickle no doubt about it.

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By agreeing to use the Oracle's idea, he is agreeing to also not only ensure that there is a way out but that the people who make it out survive so they can free others. However, he is not forced to allow them all to live indefinitely.

And the machines are (not just arc) agreeing to make sure that there is an alternative to reject the matrix for - Zion.

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It does not go against his programming to kill them all when Zion gets to a certain size (the integral anomaly, or 250,000 Zionites), and start the process over again.

I'm still investigating whether it is the size of Zion's population alone or if it involves other factors such as their awareness of what's going on, their technological advancement, and so forth. But okay, I follow your flow.

To conserve space and time, I will just say that paragraph 5 is

From para. 6:

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The One's main purpose is to start a new cycle.

"at last to the moment of truth, wherein the fundamental flaw is ultimately expressed, and the anomaly revealed as both beginning and end."

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the Architect says that this dissemination is temporary is because the prime program is given right back to the One right after the Matrix is reloaded.

Or because they will need it again eventually.

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So he can have his powers back and impress the first 23 people with his god-like abilities, that's why.

Or so the meme can be perpetuated until the time I just spoke of.

Now for 7 and 8 together:

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...the Architect allows the agents to attack as ferociously as they do. It is mostly to keep up appearances, but it is also a fairly safe bet that they will be unable to kill the One no matter how hard they try. The agents are kept in the dark about which person is the One...

The agents work for the system. Saying he allows them or orders them is like saying Dubya controls the police because they work for the government. The government and the matrix are designed to function without the micromanagement or active involvement of those at the top. Neo has to face the agents because while in the matrix, he is subject to the system they work for. He beats them because he is beyond them just as he is beyond the other "rules" of the matrix but like gravity and other rules, they do not go away just because he can break/beat them. Think about what would happen if an agent started to become aware of his part in the cycle and chose not to be in the dark anymore. Yes, you guessed it -- --> "I'm sick of this reality, this zoo...whatever you want to call it!"

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I think I'll leave it at that so you guys can make your replies and observations. But I'm feeling confident that I'm on to something, and I'm really curious about what you all think of it.

So do I. And I await other responses, too. Especially yours ("other aspects")

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Double-Duh.. Forgive me. I'm just feeling humorous right now.

Yeah, yeah. I deserve that. But hey, I said from the very beginning that I'm slow. And I knew I'd get that comment from somebody. Well said.

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The arc is simply referring to what happened before with the first two matrixes. They crashed.

I'm wondering if that's something that's well established, or simply a theory based on the vague quote from Smith that entire crops were lost. Is there any other quote that substantiates the idea that the first two Matrices actually crashed, as opposed to some other explanation of crops being lost? Perhaps the people's physical bodies could not handle the continuous strain of their mind trying to free itself but having no ability to do so. Perhaps they all went insane. Personally, I think the theory that the first two Matrices crashed came from the idea that the anomaly is a glitch. But if you can prove it, I'll change my opinion. If you can't prove it, then I stand by my opinion that the crash spoken of by the Architect is a threat rather than an observation of what will happen naturally.

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The machines, ironically, are every bit as enslaved to the matrix as the humans in the pods. In that they need it to exist.

Exactly right. Man is estranged from Machine, yet the two live together in a symbiotic relationship. The only way the two sides know how to relate to each other is to find a way to use the other side. They don't yet know how to co-exist as equals. But that's what the Oracle is trying to change.

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I'm still investigating whether it is the size of Zion's population alone or if it involves other factors such as their awareness of what's going on, their technological advancement, and so forth.

Good point. And there could be a whole list of pre-determined criteria on which the Architect bases his final decision to pull the plug on Zion. Size may only be one factor among many.

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Or because they will need it [the prime program] again eventually.

Even though my argument includes the fact that the One reloads the Matrix, I'm still not sure why it's necessary. My theory has removed the danger of a crash, so with that out of the way, I'm not sure what a reload accomplishes. It's annoying for the Merovingian, but he's got safety measures in place. I once wondered if the reload was similar to the concept shown in the movie Dark City where periodically the Strangers would put everyone to sleep, wipe their memories, then start them over in new lives. That would make the most sense, especially to keep rolling back the Matrix to starting around 1999. Humans can't help themselves but progress technologically, and the reload could be a way to make sure that their memories are wiped and they're always brought back to the same starting point. It helps the Architect maintain control when the population is always several hundred years behind the machines technologically.

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The agents work for the system. Saying he allows them or orders them is like saying Dubya controls the police because they work for the government.

I know you like that analogy, but that's not what I'm trying to describe. What I'm trying to describe isn't micromanagement, but more on the order of a single order that only has to be made once, such as "DON'T KILL THE ONE." The Architect knows exactly who the One is, and all he has to do is order them once not to kill him. Agents follow orders, and further management beyond that would be unnecessary. There could be parameters attached to the order, including how they're supposed to act when in his vicinity and how they can fight him and make it look good.

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Think about what would happen if an agent started to become aware of his part in the cycle and chose not to be in the dark anymore. Yes, you guessed it -- --> "I'm sick of this reality, this zoo...whatever you want to call it!"

I think about this aspect of Smith quite frequently. It amazes me how hardly anybody points out the fact that he acted somewhat rebellious even before he was freed by Neo. He was the most human of all the agents, and we find out later that he was created to be Neo's opposite. That, the fact that he calls the Oracle "mother" and the mentioning of him being beaten by Seraph points to a whole other storyline that's just begging to be told.

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I know you like that analogy [dubya - lol!], but that's not what I'm trying to describe. What I'm trying to describe isn't micromanagement, but more on the order of a single order that only has to be made once, such as "DON'T KILL THE ONE." The Architect knows exactly who the One is, and all he has to do is order them once not to kill him. Agents follow orders, and further management beyond that would be unnecessary.

But even this measure is unnecessary. Let's give it another analogy drawing from my knowledge of your studies. God sent his son to earth, but did not give any orders to the authorities to give orders to their subordinates not to do anything to him until the appointed time. No. What he did was make that son stronger (holy spirit) so that no one COULD touch him until he withdrew that protection. It is similar here.

The Arc designs and makes improvements to the matrix. He does not direct Agents, KeyMakers, weather programs by direct command. I challenge any and all to support any contrary notion. He maintains the system of control that has become necessary to extend outside the matrix with this third version. THE SOURCE, however gives Neo the authority over all of the matrix so that no act becomes necessary. It would be unnecessary, redundant, and would cause more problems that it would solve to let agents in on the "game".

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I'm wondering if that's something that's well established, or simply a theory based on the vague quote from Smith that entire crops were lost.

Well compare it to all the comments that pertain to the same event. The Arc's words about what he had to do to the design of this matrix and why are good places to start and then discernment will convince you as to how to understand what happened, not intell.

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I think the theory that the first two Matrices crashed came from the idea that the anomaly is a glitch.

I don't know where you get that but if it is a 'glitch', the Arc says that is a problem with humanity, not his program.

"The inevitability of its doom is apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being."

You Guys!

Started reading. Cant read/consider all. Bad Tinnitus man. But you know me… love to comment.

Not dissing anyone (as I said haven’t read all)


* Anomaly Neo is: its Him the Anomaly (M2)

* You are the eventuality of an anomaly – I can’t eliminate, despite sincerest efforts. -Architect.

* Ergo those that refuse the program Constitute…

* Those who become aware of the Matrix must possess a rare degree of Intuition (Animatrix).

Intuition: (Dictinary.com)

a. The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes; immediate cognition. See Synonyms at reason.
b. Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight.

2. A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression.


Might I be so bold as to say this Intuition IS the Anomaly

It 'Constitutes' the difference between those who awake TO something (Absolute) from those who don’t (whatever you want to believe)

Whatever you ‘want’ to Believe and the Truth. Not a truth but the Truth. Established, but not yet fully realised.


The Anomaly/Intuition is the dawning of a New Age/Day, ‘emerging’, from beginning to end, fulfilled in a ‘One’ - awakened to All (Those that refuse etc/Intuition).

Become Alive to Spirit. God is Spirit. And his worshipers must worship in ‘spirit and truth’.

The obvious ‘crash’ feared and avoided (Reload etc) is the simple truth of balance: That if One does not become accountable for ALL, then all must die – stay in bondage to the Matrix/doom of mankinds demise. The Anomaly amongst other things is the push toward change/freedom from this ‘demise’ and unbalances the equation - Law that that keeps everything 'in check'.

Hence the coming of the One and Smith his counterpart.

IT IS DONE

Inev, way to keep us on track spiritually! Your reasoning is the very same one that I used a long time ago when I hypothesized that this intuition of which you spoke is a form of the Gift that Neo has. I theorized that this Gift comes in all forms, whether it be ESP, telekinesis, or bending the rules of a virtual computer program. I stated that the existence of this Gift in the mind of a human is the very thing that led to their rejection of the Matrix and their subsequent ability to bend the rules of the Matrix. There was never an explanation given as to how they got it, because it was just understood that a certain percentage of humanity had it. And as it neared the dawning of the New Day, the number of people with the Gift increased dramatically. People with the Gift have it in varying degrees and with different manifestations. I proposed that some had the ability to sense the Gift in other people, and that Morpheus was one of these people. He was able to find Neo before Neo had displayed any abilities, because Morpheus could sense the Gift inside him.

Granted, I don't really subscribe to this idea anymore, but some of your statements made me remember it. Your statements about an awareness of a truth that has not yet been realized caused me to think of the following passage from the New Testament:

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By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8-10

I love that passage because it proves that amidst all the literal interpretations of the Old Testament and the promises and laws contained therein, the father of the Israelites had the intuition that what had been promised to him was not of this world. A few verses later Paul clarifies further what he's talking about:

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These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

Good stuff, Maynard!

Another thought I have been having about Neo was the systems denial of his power and subsequent attack upon him. Undoubtedly his humanity was identified and in the light of this the systems failure to quantify His Power over Machines seeing him as only human. The fact that not even the Oracle could see where this would end, it being ultimately Neo’s vocation, makes Him God.

Statements like "you are all that stands in his way" and "You cannot stop him but I can …He did it, he saved us" Confirm Neo as the The One. The One In whom are woven the sky and the earth and all the regions of the air, and in him rest the mind and all the powers of life. Known as the ONE leaving aside all other words. He is the bridge of immortality.

The Wach. Bros have stated multiple meanings especially in names. Although ‘Neo’ could be likened to anyone who chooses his path toward discovery, who he is in Analogy to is Mightier than all…

I am the way and the truth and the life

And when he is seen in his immanence and transcendence, then the ties that have bound the heart are unloosened, the doubts of the mind vanish, and the law of Karma works no more.

One of the things that I find interesting about the movies when compared to traditional Christianity is how the trilogy ends. If you make a direct comparison to the New Testament, then the movies end basically at the point when Christ is in the tomb. Neo has died, but he has not yet been resurrected (as far as we know).

In the game Matrix Online, Morpheus had begun the process of reconstructing Neo's RSI. See these pictures for an example.

Now that is subtext!

You guys have hit it didn't you. Now that you know the subtext of the story, then you can decipher all that is taking place therein. Or can you?

Good stuff, y'all.

I've known the subtext for a long time, and I KNOW Inev's had a grasp of it for longer than that. My understanding of the symbolism of the movies started when I first read Brian Takle's essays way back before the third movie even came out. Those essays prepared to have a better understanding of what I saw when I finally did go see the third movie. I wasn't like so many others who scratched their heads and thought the ending sucked. So that part's never been a problem. I just like the technical aspects of a movie to be coherent and logical as well. It would be annoying to me personally if there was oodles of symbolism, but the plot was full of holes and nonsense. I may not have talked about the symbolism until now, but that's only because I wasn't interested in talking about it until I'd figured out the other stuff first. Make sense?

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I wasn't interested in talking about it until I'd figured out the other stuff first. Make sense?

But of course, a lot of us feel (felt) the same way (took the same path).

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I may not have talked about the symbolism until now...

What? Wasn't it FeralBoy who helped reveal Inev's 777th post on the old mxo boards? That marked a turning point.

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It would be annoying to me personally if there was oodles of symbolism, but the plot was full of holes and nonsense.

I feel ya. But rest assured they thought this thing out. "The Wach. Bros have stated multiple meanings..." The actions of the characters, their words, and even what they were trying to do are all significant and lend to a "unified" understanding of the films.

Edit: I would be negligent if I fail to commend you, Feral, for making this thread esp. the name of it. For so many that haven't joined in on the discussion yet seem to take the stance that any ol' interpretation somebody makes of the film is just as valid as any other as if the W's just made the films to serve that purpose. So good move!

*takes deep breath and once again attains Zen-like calm*

Ah, that's better. Now that I've stopped feeling defensive, I will reply with a modicum of rationality. Heh.

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Wasn't it FeralBoy who helped reveal Inev's 777th post on the old mxo boards? That marked a turning point.

Dude, I had totally forgotten about that. And maybe you can help me out with the "turning point" part, because that's about the time that I stopped being active in the Matrix Online forum. What exactly happened after that? Where did the conversations go? How did Inev react to all of it?

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rest assured they thought this thing out. "The Wach. Bros have stated multiple meanings..." The actions of the characters, their words, and even what they were trying to do are all significant and lend to a "unified" understanding of the films.

I really do believe that, especially now that I have the understanding that I do. Getting rid of the anomaly-as-a-glitch idea really helped me out big time. Assigning the anomaly to people instead of some glitch affected all the other variables in the equation and began to make the entire storyline gel together as a coherent whole.

I keep coming back to the idea that Neo was indeed modified by the Architect, but he was only as powerful as he believed he could be. Once Trinity convinced him that he was the One and couldn't be dead, he believed it and came back to life. This marked a huge turning point for him. So did so many other events in all three movies, but that one really stands out to me at the moment for some reason.

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I would be negligent if I fail to commend you, Feral, for making this thread esp. the name of it. For so many that haven't joined in on the discussion yet seem to take the stance that any ol' interpretation somebody makes of the film is just as valid as any other as if the W's just made the films to serve that purpose. So good move!

Thanks, man. I totally disagree with that kind of mindset, especially if you know anything about the Wachowski Brothers and the intentional way they did everything they did. Once they had their finalized scripts that they were happy with, they did not deviate from them one iota while shooting. They knew what they wanted, and the movies exactly reflect it.

I guess if I had to bring up one item that still perplexed me for a short time after creating this thread, it would be why the Keymaker is considered an Exile. But after thinking about if for a while, I simply came to the conclusion that the Architect has set up the Matrix so that anything that helps Zion or the One is by default to be considered an enemy of the system--even if it serves his purpose.

That would mean that there are two purposes--a lower purpose and a higher purpose. The agents are at the lower purpose--where they have a pre-assigned mission to dispose of anything that has been listed as a threat to the system. I suppose you could say that there is a certain degree of freedom within those parameters, where they prioritize which threats are more important to neutralize than others. When the agents encounter several different targets, they go after the one that is the highest priority. In the case of the car chase in Reloaded, the Keymaker had the highest priority--even moreso than Trinity, Morpheus or the Twins.

The higher purpose revolves around the cycles and ensuring that they occur according to plan with minimal deviations or complications. Zion is part of this, as well as Neo. The Architect is forced to allow Zion to exist so that he's not lying when he offers humanity the choice to reject the Matrix. Zion, then, becomes a necessary component as a control measure to make sure that all those who make it out go to the same prechosen location. And the One is a control measure for making sure Zion gets set up again after it's been destroyed. But even though these higher level control measures are necessary, they must be treated as threats by the lower levels. When you look at it that way, it only stands to reason that anything that helps the higher levels would also be considered a threat. And that's why the Keymaker is considered an Exile, despite the fact that he has a purpose in helping the One reach the Source. And even though it's never explicitly stated as such, the Oracle is probably treated as an Exile as well, which would explain her need to have Seraph as a protector. This also helps to set her up in the eyes of Zion as a trustworthy ally (the enemy of my enemy is my friend).

Then there is probably a higher PURPOSE that is being served that lead to the ending that no one knew was coming and did not plan for. More on that later.

The KeyMaker is an exile because "it is done". It is interesting why he is a "primary target". Just because they say, "the exile is the primary target" doesn't mean that he is primary because he is an exile. The twins were exiles too but they weren't primary, they were incidental, just like Morph and Trin.

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that's about the time that I stopped being active in the Matrix Online forum. What exactly happened after that? Where did the conversations go? How did Inev react to all of it?

Now that is a long story. I'll let Inev take up that topic.

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Then there is probably a higher PURPOSE that is being served that lead to the ending that no one knew was coming and did not plan for.

Yes, that's exactly right. A third level of purpose that is above the Architect, Merovingian and even the Oracle. This level is providence. It interferes when it wills to in order to accomplish its own hidden purposes. This is pure speculation (as anything pertaining to providence in the movies usually is), but my theory is that the Oracle is subservient to providence. And I'm not talking about providence in the sense of a deity, but more like an impersonal concept of fate or destiny. You can assign whatever meaning to it that you like, because it will never be defined. It's not important that it's defined, because all that matters is that you understand its status as being above all and through all. If you want to be literal, then providence comes in the form of the Wachowski Brothers themselves. As the writers of this story, they control the outcome and are the gods of the Matrix mythology.

Anyway, back to my theory about the Oracle and providence. I believe that the things that the Oracle sees and knows via the Sight are shown to her through providence. What I mean by that is that the Oracle does not control what she sees but is merely an observer of those things that are shown to her. It's not like she has a crystal ball that she can peer into, ask specific questions, and get an answer. Rather, she makes use of the cards she's dealt, tries her best to understand them, and uses all the wisdom at her disposal to utilize them as best as she can. In other words, she's in the same predicament as the rest of us. Destiny has chosen her to be an oracle and to be able to see things with the Sight so that she might pass on these things to the people that are supposed to hear it. She can do no more, and like Rama Kandra, she has learned not to resent her karma. She knows that we are all here to do what we're all here to do, but she will be as active a participant that she can. She sees things via providence not so that she can write it down and amuse herself with the knowledge she has, but so that it can be used and become something active and explosive. The information she is given through the Sight is designed to be an agent of change.

Neo is in the same situation. He did not choose to see Trinity falling to her death. This vision came to him. The only limitation on what we're shown is whether or not you understand the choice you see yourself making in the vision. Providence only shows you as much as you can comprehend. The Oracle comprehends much more than Neo throughout the trilogy (up until the end perhaps), and therefore sees more. But not even she can see past choices she doesn't understand. And that is where the limitation of destiny becomes apparent. But providence shows just enough so that when the time comes you will be ready and know why you are doing what you're doing. Because Why is the only true power.

Fantastic explanation Feral

Aye. Nicely application of various quotes. Now you know more than you ever did!

Haven't been here for a week or so (Hurricane Rita... I'm fine so no worry's) but I suspect you might have wanted me to respond. So... I will heh.

I like the fact that you turned your previous thinking on it's head, I don't agree with it, but it is a good way to problem solve. Neo exists because of Zion. This statement itself is true, at least in part. But I think the opposite is also true, Zion exists because there will be a Neo. Of course this line of thought only holds true if you consider a few prepositions as true.

1. The machines do not know who will become the One (especially outside of the Oracle, since she may have a good idea, but who knows if she shares her info with archy?).

2. Because 1. is true, Zion is used to both locate and train the eventual integral anomaly, i.e. the One. Zion also serves as a dumping ground for some portion of the 1%. These two roles for Zion do not contradict each other, instead they reinforce each other. Not only do you get rid of some of the 1% but you have a use for them later down the rode. You are banking on people populating Zion if you are the machines.

The anomaly is often misunderstood, especially because it can potentially refer to different things, which are in the end one of the same. That doesn't make sense right now, but stay with me and I'll try to clear that up.

Neo is refered to as the anomaly, this is true. "It is him, the anomaly, do we proceed? yes, he is still... only human."

The anomaly is also referenced outside of Neo... "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."

However, Neo also represents the literal personification of the anomaly. Not unlike Christ in that he was both god, and yet fully human. Because of this anomaly Neo is different then the rest of us, but he remains fully human nonetheless. He is both of the Anomaly, and therefore the anomaly, and also he is Neo, the human. This is pointed out throught the trilogy, my favorite is Niobe however. She does not believe the One or the anomaly will end the war, she she does believe in Neo, the human.

As for the glitch, I'm not sure that it is a misconception. The matrix is a program, it is code and the anomaly represents a danger or problem to this program and it's code. It sounds simuliar to a glitch to me, maybe not the best term, but it's one way to word it.

Now the anomaly is created by people, it is their choice that creates it. This choice that is anomalous to what everyone else is doing. It is this choice that is the problem, it does not fit the purpose of the matrix, which is to turn a human being into a battery. The matrix is designed to keep people inside. That is it's purpose, you must remember how rigid the machine society is on everything having a purpose or it is deleted. The only way to solve for the anomaly, is to change the very purpose of the matrix. Neo achieves this when he asks for peace between man and machine. While the matrix does still serve the purpose of powering the machine city, it now enables those who want out, to get out. They can leave, and live in peace, they can make that choice without fear of being murdered by the machines in Zion. What was stopping them from allowing Zion to exist in peace to begin with? They can not trust the humans based on their past experience, and continued observance. Circumstances (Smith, Neo) have now forced them to make that leap of faith, and purpose changes with this move.

The architect is trying to blackmail Neo, but I do not think his threats are completely idol. Zion will be destroyed, and I supsect most in the matrix would have died eventually had the matrix not reached it's new purpose, it's Revolution, or at least it's recycleing. Hehe, Matrix prequal title Matrix Recycled. Although... I don't think this would have meant the end of the human race. We know there have been two failed matricies (spelling?) and that we humans are still here. I suspect they just start "growing" us back, but the loss of most of their human batteries would be a substantial hit to resources no doubt. Not unlike Hammonds smashing of the machines = air not as safe, no water, ect.

Ok, got to the part where you mentioned the reload of a computer through origonal disks as opposed to a glitch. This is true, but the architect has the original disks, he is rebooting for a reason, to recycle this glitch, this anomaly. He takes a look at the code, patches the system, reboots, and Neo remains the personification of that particular anomaly, but the system is starting fresh. Every new mind that chooses to reject the programiing is feeding the next eventual anomaly. Neo would be in this case essentially contained, and because he is human he will eventually die. Problem solved. I'm not so sure the prime program is in Neo's head, infact I think it is not. It is the anomaly that is in his head, it is the anomaly that is taken apart and examined, and after this is done and a patch is ready the reinsert the prime program themselves (themselves being the machines).

I think that's enough for now, I'm sure I've rehashed stuff I've already said, but you wanted responses so don't complain lol.

I'm really enjoying these discussions about as much as watching the movies themselves. I'm glad we have you Hex, Feral, Inev, and Loct (at least sometimes). It's nice to have a second home now that some of us are exiled from the MxO boards.

Mobil_Ave_Neo. Glad you're involved in these discussions as well. Are you involved or plan to get involved in MxO?

I only care about the storyline, not the game itself.

The storyline seems to be stagnated for a while, but I already took some of the facts from it to support my old and new theories.

Hex, sorry I didn't respond earlier. I got swept up in the other thread and totally left this one hanging. Thanks for reminding me about it.

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The machines do not know who will become the One (especially outside of the Oracle, since she may have a good idea, but who knows if she shares her info with archy?).

If you believe that the phenomenon of the One occurs completely outside of the Architect's control, that leads to a couple of possibilities:

1) The emergence of the One is a randomly occurring event that may or may not happen. It's not tied to anything measurable and it can't be forced or guaranteed in any way. And even if it does happen more than once, there's no way of knowing how far apart these appearances will be since they're random.

2) The emergence of the One is a direct result of the systemic anomaly. It's a predictable event because it's tied to the progression of the anomaly, which may or may not be measurable by the Architect. For the sake of simplicity, I'm just going to assume that it's entirely measurable.

The problem with the first scenario is that if the One occurs randomly, that hardly qualifies as a control measure. Someone like the Architect wouldn't rely on something as random as that to take care of a problem. Therefore I reject this theory.

The second scenario is much closer to the truth than the previous scenario, especially due to the Architect's statement that Neo is the eventuality of an anomaly. The word "eventuality" can mean either a possibility or a guaranteed result (I wish the Wachowski Brothers had chosen a different word because of that very reason). The thing that bothers me, however, is that I get a general sense from the scene with the Architect that Neo has been special his whole life and the Architect has always known it.

There could be a compromise, where the Architect doesn't know ahead of time who the next One will be since he's not the one who chooses him. But as soon as somebody becomes the One, he immediately knows. Now, the difficulty then becomes to try to determine how and when someone becomes the One. Is it when they're born? When they're first attached to the Matrix? When they first make the choice to accept or reject the Matrix? When the One first displays his powers? When the One reaches the Architect's chamber? The fact that this seems to be ambiguous makes me wonder if this is the wrong path to go down. Perhaps a lack of evidence for when someone becomes the One is in and of itself an arrow pointing to the opposite idea that the One is manufactured, just like the rest of humanity is grown in fields. But even though the One may be manufactured, his mind must still be freed so that he will know himself and know of what he's capable.

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The anomaly is often misunderstood, especially because it can potentially refer to different things, which are in the end one of the same.

Gee, that sounds like something Intell would say. In all seriousness, though, you're totally right. And the Architect himself even says as much when he indicates that in Neo the fundamental flaw is expressed and he becomes both beginning and end--the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. But the true ONE (not just a capital O but all letters capitalized) doesn't maintain the status quo, but breaks the cycles. He pays for it with his life, whereas by all indications the previous Ones lived out the rest of their lives and died of natural causes. If you're going to break a cycle, you're going to have to make a sacrifice. And just like the Father had to turn his back on Christ just before the sacrifice, Neo went without his Trinity--he faced the sacrifice alone.

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my favorite is Niobe however. She does not believe the One or the anomaly will end the war, she she does believe in Neo, the human.

I love that as well. She doesn't have Morpheus' fanaticism, but she does have faith. She trusts Neo. I find that Niobe's faith is the example that all Christians should have in Jesus. We sometimes focus on the "Christ" aspect so much that He becomes a sort of vague and impersonal doorway to God. In reality, however, we should be focusing on the person of Jesus--who is the express representation of His Father ("if you've seen Me, you've seen the Father").

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The matrix is designed to keep people inside. That is it's purpose, you must remember how rigid the machine society is on everything having a purpose or it is deleted. The only way to solve for the anomaly, is to change the very purpose of the matrix. Neo achieves this when he asks for peace between man and machine.

Dude, that's a fantastic way of describing it! I'm gonna have to remember that one.

intell wrote:

I'm really enjoying these discussions about as much as watching the movies themselves. I'm glad we have you Hex, Feral, Inev, and Loct (at least sometimes). It's nice to have a second home now that some of us are exiled from the MxO boards.

I heartily agree. The "Matrix Universe" thread that currently exists on the game's official forums is very uninspiring.

Couple of things...

On past Ones... I'm not fond of saying Neo is the true One or is somehow supierior or the only one who had to make a sacrifice. While the other One's did just recycle the cosmic juices so to speak, as opposed to creating a new day, they are the foundation on which Neo stood. Just like their was a John the Baptist, a Mosis, an Abrham, and an Isaiah in the Bible, so are their others in this tale who were carriers of the torch so to speak. While Neo did make what we would call the ultimate sacrifice, this does not make those in the past irrelevant.

On the machine's knowledge of who will become the One, I don't think it is random in the sense that it could happen at any time, or it could not happen alltogether. But I do think the anomaly may show no pattern as far as who becomes the One. I think they know only that someone will become this vessel of the source so to speak, like Morpheous, I believe it to be only a matter of time. If being the One is like being in love, it seems to me pretty safe to assume Neo was not the One at birth. He didn't think he was the One balls to bones at all, and only till he was freed and Morpheous began his teaching of Neo did Neo really even consider the idea. "Morpheous... he almost had me convinced." It is my opinion at the end of the first matrix when Neo is resurected by Trinity, that he becomes the One, that he knows it and believes it, and lives it. He starts this path whith his saving of Morpheous, then Trinity in the helecoptor, then choosing to confront Smith. But only in Trinity's love is he finally convinced. This is of course all my opinion and totally unprovable, but it's my take on it, so take it for what it's worth.

Oh... I read the new sentinal... I found the litter messages quite interesting. Nothing to really say their but just thought I'd throw that out.

feralboy wrote:

hexediter wrote: The anomaly is often misunderstood, especially because it can potentially refer to different things, which are in the end one of the same. Gee, that sounds like something Intell would say.

LoL! Sometimes I do sound smart, eh. That is a good one and like you said, he's so right.

hexediter wrote:

On past Ones... I'm not fond of saying Neo is the true One or is somehow supierior or the only one who had to make a sacrifice. While the other One's did just recycle the cosmic juices so to speak, as opposed to creating a new day, they are the foundation on which Neo stood. Just like their was a John the Baptist, a Mosis, an Abrham, and an Isaiah in the Bible, so are their others in this tale who were carriers of the torch so to speak. While Neo did make what we would call the ultimate sacrifice, this does not make those in the past irrelevant.

Another good point and one I will keep in mind. Those 5 predecessors gave what Neo was about to do, more significance.

Yeah, I meant to bring up the sentinel, too. But I forgot. I hope you all get a chance to look throught it.

there is a zion relay in the pyramid eye thing at the top... but I still think the flier info is the most interseting.