The Matrix Theories

[Tiberius]

Just finished watching the Matrix Movies with my girlfriend, and I had a thought at the end of Revolutions. Could it be that the entire Matrix is just a game between the Oracle and the Architect? It seems to me that it's possible (although I really need to consider it a lot more and probably watch the movies again from this point of view to see if it works) that the whole trilogy is like a tabletop game or something. The Oracle uses Humans, the Architect, machines. After all, the Architect is described as functioning on equations etc, and the Oracle is used to the more abstract realm of thought and emotions. The Architect deals with the logic of the choice and the probabilities, while the Oracle is more concerned with why the choice was made the way it was.

So I see a situation where the two of them have set up the world (the Source, the fabric on which the game is played), and they set up their pieces - humans and machines - to work against the other to see who would win.

In this idea, everything is a simulation, not just the matrix, but Zion and the machine world itself. Neo isn't a real person, but just a program designed to think he was a real person. Smith isn't a program in a matrix, he's a program running in a simulation of the matrix.

The Architect says that there have been several Matrixes (Matrices?) before. So I can see that maybe some Humans have come close to ending the game, but they all chose to allow Zion to be destroyed and to let it start again from scratch rather than be destroyed by the machines.

This also explains how Neo can have his superpowers in what appears to be the real world.

Any thoughts?

(And please don't degrade this thread into bashing the movies. I know that some people don't like them, but if that's you, please don't post. I'm more interested in discussing the different theories about how it all works.)

 

[Reverend]

I don't think it's a game so much as it is a philosophical argument between the Oracle and the Architect. Honestly, I took that as being fairly implicit, not that much of a mystery to it. Indeed, one of the main issues I have with the storytelling in the later two films is that they strip away any semblance of mystery and just spell everything out.

 

[HIjol]

Hmmmm...interesting take on a trilogy that continues to confound, Tiberius...the explanation Morpheus gives about the Machines growing us as "crops" to use as energy was acceptable to me because that was the character giving the set-up...I will admit to being a little more than lost when we met the Architect...but if your premise is true, then where are the real machines and the real humans...???...still, an interesting take...

 

[Mr Light]

No, I think the movies spell it out pretty clearly. The story was about the Oracle using humans to break the repeating loop the Machines were stuck in, to find a new peaceful co-existance between Man and Machine. Neo could affect the Machines in the real world because of his connection to them, but he didn't have super abilities against non-Machines. He couldn't fly in the real world, etc.

 

[Morpheus 02]

My thought on the Architect...he talks about the 6 "Neos" with Neo alone -- NOT with the Oracle present. This is the Architect who has created an ENTIRE FALSE WORLD....why wouldn't he lie to Neo (if not entirely, then small believable aspects)?

Also, Neo doesn't share this info with anyone, right?

Maybe the W Siblings meant to make the Architect be Captain Exposition...but i like to believe that the Architect is a liar, doing what he can to get the most benefit from humans.

 

[Kemaiku]

I don't think it's a game so much as it is a philosophical argument between the Oracle and the Architect. Honestly, I took that as being fairly implicit, not that much of a mystery to it. Indeed, one of the main issues I have with the storytelling in the later two films is that they strip away any semblance of mystery and just spell everything out.

Yup, all of the trilogy came down to their falling out after her turning her back on the Machines hundreds of years ago.

The Oracle played everybody, the whole damn thing was her messing with the cycle to 'see what would happen'.

All we have now is a temporary truce, slightly more people aware of the system, and a botched rebooted 3.5.5 Matrix which they never did state was stable after what happened.

But that's okay, we have Sati the wonderchild/program to write nice things in to distract everyone.

 

[ITL]

I find the Matrix 101 website to be very helpful in understanding the trilogy.

 

[Gaith]

For me it's these essays by one Brian Takle.

 

[theenglish]

For me, the movies represent the cycle of life, death and rebirth. The family in the subway in the third movie provide the clue that hindu beliefs play a role in the understanding of the movie. The Oracle, Architect, and Neo represent incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu, and Krishna in this context. Of course, there are many other aspects to the film but if you adopt the approach that it is about embracing the cycle rather than ending it then the films make a lot more sense. IMO.

 

[bbjeg]

I always had a theory that the "real world" was another layer of the matrix, with harder restrictions for those who require a harder purpose (which would better explain Neo's wireless abilities). I wouldn't mind if they made a part 4 with that premise, along with the question; Can humans and machines get along after what transpired?

 

[Tiberius]

Hmmmm...interesting take on a trilogy that continues to .but if your premise is true, then where are the real machines and the real humans...???...still, an interesting take...

Who knows? If my idea is true, the on;y "real" characters we ever meet are the Oracle and the Architect. Everyone else is either a program, a simulation or a simulation of a simulation.

 

[Tiberius]

No, I think the movies spell it out pretty clearly. The story was about the Oracle using humans to break the repeating loop the Machines were stuck in, to find a new peaceful co-existance between Man and Machine. Neo could affect the Machines in the real world because of his connection to them, but he didn't have super abilities against non-Machines. He couldn't fly in the real world, etc.

I don't buy this. How could he have the power to wave his hand and destroy the machines in the real world? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Also, bear in mind that the explanation you gave does work as an "in-game" explanation that you'd give the characters, but that doesn't make it real. If I'm playing Tomb Raider, and if I could talk to Lara, I could say, "Okay, you need to rescue rescue your friend from Mathias, and you can only do this by destroying the body of the sun queen..." It would make sense to Lara, and someone watching it without knowing it's a simulation would be convinced that this is what is actually happening, but that doesn't change the fact that it's not a real explanation, just an in-game explanation and it isn't what's really happening.

Yup, all of the trilogy came down to their falling out after her turning her back on the Machines hundreds of years ago.

The Oracle played everybody, the whole damn thing was her messing with the cycle to 'see what would happen'.

Or it was about her manipulating the characters that they had created so she could eventually win the game.

All we have now is a temporary truce, slightly more people aware of the system, and a botched rebooted 3.5.5 Matrix which they never did state was stable after what happened.

We never saw any of the "real" characters after what happened, so they could have had the equivalent of being packed away back into the box after you finish playing.

 

[Kemaiku]

Until an official continuation comes out explicitly stating the real world was something else, I'll stick with what was presented.

 

[Mr Light]

<<How could he have the power to wave his hand and destroy the machines in the real world? It just doesn't make sense to me.>>

Neo's brain wirelessly contacted the Machines. He doesn't need the Matrix hookup anymore he can just run on the wifi.

 

[Tiberius]

<<How could he have the power to wave his hand and destroy the machines in the real world? It just doesn't make sense to me.>>

Neo's brain wirelessly contacted the Machines. He doesn't need the Matrix hookup anymore he can just run on the wifi.

And how exactly does an organic brain wirelessly communicate with machines? Even assuming that Neo's brain somehow had the ability to transmit the signals required, how did he know what signals to transmit? It's not like he had the Sentinel control drivers installed.

 

[theenglish]

<<How could he have the power to wave his hand and destroy the machines in the real world? It just doesn't make sense to me.>>

Neo's brain wirelessly contacted the Machines. He doesn't need the Matrix hookup anymore he can just run on the wifi.

And how exactly does an organic brain wirelessly communicate with machines? Even assuming that Neo's brain somehow had the ability to transmit the signals required, how did he know what signals to transmit? It's not like he had the Sentinel control drivers installed.

Mr. Light's explanation, I think, is essentially the correct one. After becoming the One, Neo never entirely breaks his connection to the Matrix.

He wirelessly communicates to the Sentinels through the Matrix to simply shut down. Similarly, his sight regarding machines is due to him being connected to the Matrix that basically transmits his position relative to the machines. By interpreting the code, he develops a limited concept of sight.

On a related note, the blue sky developed by the Oracle at the end comes directly from Trinity seeing the sky earlier in the movie. Presumably, her memories are uploaded after she dies and this allows the Oracle (somehow through the little girl) to see what sky really looks like. Prior to that the machines were apparently just "guessing".

 

[Kemaiku]

Yes, he "touched the Source" ie was connected to the Machine Maneframe while in the Architects chamber, located there.

He was the first human to ever leave it again the way he did, it had unintended consequences as his mind was further removed from his body to be uploaded to it.

On being replaced to his body, he retained...for the lack of a better term, a wifi connection to the Source, and anything in it in his location. Notice he only ever shows this ability near a Hovercraft (the Hammer was still close by when the Nezzy went up, Logos out in the no mans land) or the Machine city itself, near broadcasting equipment.

 

[Tiberius]

After becoming the One, Neo never entirely breaks his connection to the Matrix.

He wirelessly communicates to the Sentinels through the Matrix to simply shut down. Similarly, his sight regarding machines is due to him being connected to the Matrix that basically transmits his position relative to the machines. By interpreting the code, he develops a limited concept of sight.

and...

Yes, he "touched the Source" ie was connected to the Machine Maneframe while in the Architects chamber, located there.

He was the first human to ever leave it again the way he did, it had unintended consequences as his mind was further removed from his body to be uploaded to it.

On being replaced to his body, he retained...for the lack of a better term, a wifi connection to the Source, and anything in it in his location. Notice he only ever shows this ability near a Hovercraft (the Hammer was still close by when the Nezzy went up, Logos out in the no mans land) or the Machine city itself, near broadcasting equipment.

My point is that an organic human brain has no wireless capacity whatsoever. Neo can't communicate with ANYTHING wirelessly. If the movies had established that there were some telepathic people, then I could buy it, but there's NOTHING in the movies to indicate that anyone could use their mind to affect other things without the use of technology. Given that Neo had no access to such technology at the time, his ability to stop the sentinels makes no sense.

 

[theenglish]

After becoming the One, Neo never entirely breaks his connection to the Matrix.

He wirelessly communicates to the Sentinels through the Matrix to simply shut down. Similarly, his sight regarding machines is due to him being connected to the Matrix that basically transmits his position relative to the machines. By interpreting the code, he develops a limited concept of sight.

and...

Yes, he "touched the Source" ie was connected to the Machine Maneframe while in the Architects chamber, located there.

He was the first human to ever leave it again the way he did, it had unintended consequences as his mind was further removed from his body to be uploaded to it.

On being replaced to his body, he retained...for the lack of a better term, a wifi connection to the Source, and anything in it in his location. Notice he only ever shows this ability near a Hovercraft (the Hammer was still close by when the Nezzy went up, Logos out in the no mans land) or the Machine city itself, near broadcasting equipment.

My point is that an organic human brain has no wireless capacity whatsoever. Neo can't communicate with ANYTHING wirelessly. If the movies had established that there were some telepathic people, then I could buy it, but there's NOTHING in the movies to indicate that anyone could use their mind to affect other things without the use of technology. Given that Neo had no access to such technology at the time, his ability to stop the sentinels makes no sense.

No, there are no others. Neo is the ONE. Nobody else can see the code like he can, and no one else touched the source.

That is the in story reason. If you are looking for a broader reason, its Science FICTION and as a viewer you simply need to accept the established rules unless there is a gaping plothole.

 

[Kemaiku]

Humans are grown in the fields, they're altered while gestating to be implanted with a large array of cybernetic implants we're not shown or told the full extent of.

One we do see and is rather important is a large cranial alteration which among other things is where the 'jack' is inserted for connection.

Neo is different to other humans in some way that makes him The One, and touching the Source could alter all kinds of things about his brain long on being returned to his body. But couple that with the cybernetics, the connection port, who knows.