[tenguzero]

Just picked it up tonight, watched it for the second time (first at the theater.) Man, the Matrix movies ALWAYS take a second watch to really get your head around the stuff. For anyone REALLY into the series, I highly suggest the book "The Matrix and Philosophy" wonderful stuff. Now, as far as what I understand of what is going on...

Alright. After viewing The Matrix Reloaded (newly purchased on DVD by myself :-) I've got a rough concept of what's going on. The architect had designed the original Matrix, which he has had to "reload" 5 times- this being the sixth incarnation. Each time, "The One" chose the door to salvation for the Matrix, which was the logical choice, since there was no variable to sway his decision. This time, however, "The One," Neo, had developed the emotional attachment to Trinity- it is this love that guides him to choose a different path, the one not chosen by the previous 5 incarnations. However, this path ALSO leads to the damning of The Matrix, and the subsequent PERMANENT destruction of Zion (which had been destroyed previously each time- except that "The One" made the decision that reloaded the Matrix, in effect restoring the program from square one, back at the beginning of the "awakening" of the people, prior to the destruction of Zion.) See the vicious loop going on here? If what I'm lead to believe is true, then ZION AND THE ENTIRE "REAL WORLD" ARE JUST ANOTHER ELABORATE PART OF THE PROGRAM!!! Hence, Neo's abilities being available to him in the "Real World," since it is STILL the program running, just that this is a part of the program that was never accessed, due to it never getting this far. Now, Zion is destroyed, but they are still alive- however, the clock is ticking, because they can't survive forever without the headquarters.

Now for the parts I've yet to figure out (I'm assuming these will be revealed in Revolutions) First: What does (ex)Agent Smith have to do with the plot. His newfound existence "outside" the boundaries of the Agent program, and ability to replicate himself are apparently a result of his interaction with, and subsequent destruction by Neo. This poses interesting questions as to how it was that he came about- has some sort of new anomaly been created, somethng unforseen by The Architect? Second: By my reasoning, they're STILL in the program- what does this mean for the outcome? The Architect didn't seem too surprised to see Neo choose the door on his left, so does that mean The Architect already knows the outcome of whatever it is they will do now? He did note that the Machines have an alternate source of power, one that doesn't involve harvesting humans (apparently as a fail-safe were the eventual situation to happen- "The One" deciding to choose a new door.)