10 Things To Remember Before The Matrix Resurrections

After almost twenty years since the first Matrix film, Neo and Trinity have returned for a new adventure. The jury is out on the divisive fan reaction, but there are still countless viewers who have returned to jack back into the Matrix and get a dose of nostalgia.

Upon review of The Matrix: Resurrections, there are many questions that viewers may be asking themselves. Some elements feel familiar while others are as foreign as when the first film came out. Whether you rewatched the first trilogy in preparation or not, some details of the world may be a little fuzzy. But here is what you need to remember when watching the fourth installment.

The White Rabbit

Neo’s first clue that the world was not what he thought it to be appeared in the original Matrix film. This visual cue is pretty cut and dry. Neo sees the white rabbit as a tattoo on someone’s arm. Morpheus instructs Neo to follow the rabbit down the rabbit hole.

This is a familiar idea for those who watch The Matrix. The franchise is highly reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. And there is no better way to clue Neo into his true reality in The Matrix: Resurrections than bringing back this classic reference.

Agent Smith

Played by the incomparable Hugo Weaving, Agent Smith has some of the best quotes. As a computer program, Smith was intent on getting the codes to Zion and ending the human rebellion. He and Neo had a captivating relationship as they were each other’s equals in many ways.

Though he was dispatched in the original Matrix trilogy, it should be noted the importance of his villainy. And because of his status as a program, it is entirely likely that he will return in the 4th installment so viewers should keep their eyes peeled for a new version of the agent.

Deja Vu

There are many clues that the Matrix is not reality. Agent Smith played many computer tricks on Neo. But one of the most telling is the aspect of deja vu. True deja vus do not exist in the Matrix. When someone sees or experiences deja vu, it is because something was changed in the programming.

Neo sees his deja in the form of a black cat. Black cats are often considered to be unlucky. This clue can crop up at any time in The Matrix: Resurrections as once again, Neo is trying to get out.

Neo’s Powers

Neo was essential to the original Matrix because he was special. Morpheus was certain that he was The One and would be able to save the human race. Neo can do this in many ways, the first of which is his ability to dodge bullets. Also known as Bullet Time, Trinity remarks that humans can’t normally move as fast as agents.

Neo later learns that his powers far exceed that. Not only can he dodge bullets but stop them altogether. He can also bend the Matrix to allow himself to fly. There may be some questions viewers have after The Matrix: Resurrections, but his powers are beyond repute.

The Oracle

Some programs are out to help the human race, not hurt them. One of these programs is called The Oracle. She takes different forms over the course of her appearances, but she is always there to do one thing. She tells the truth. She is instrumental in helping Neo save Morpheus at the end of The Matrix. Though Neo doubts himself to be The One, The Oracle assures him that she told him what he needed to hear to save Morpheus.

The Oracle is a mainstay of The Matrix Trilogy. And even if only a few actors are returning for the fourth film, The Oracle is still part of The Matrix’s original DNA.

Zion

The mythology of The Matrix evolved throughout the original trilogy. Neo sees the last human city for the first time with his own eyes in The Matrix: Revolutions. Humans that are freed from the Matrix live in relative harmony together near the Earth’s core and far away from the machines.

Though some fans were disappointed in The Matrix: Revolutions, the introduction of Zion is important. The human city brings hope to the freed minds as they hope to one day win the battle against the machines. Now that Neo is trapped in the Matrix once again, it stands to reason that there is some form of a human city remaining. And they need to free Neo to make sure their way of life remains.

The Sentinels

Sentinels, or squiddies, are another weapon the Matrix has against the human race. Even when they are no longer jacked into the Matrix, the human race is not free.

Sentinels are robot squids that search for human life. The only weapon people have against them is an EMP. These tracking machines are formative foes and often the main obstacle Neo and the crew run into when outside of the Matrix. To bring The Matrix: Resurrections back to form, these machines should be included.

The Architect

The Matrix does not exist on its own. Machines use it as a form of subjugation for their human crops. But there is always someone behind the programming. The first Matrix was built as a utopia, but humans could not accept that as a reality.

The Architect is the person behind the Matrix that Neo has come to know. The Architect built this version of the Matrix and though life is not always easy, it is believable enough that people are enslaved by it. The Architect is another form of imprisonment. Since there is a sequel to the original trilogy, it is clear that either the Matrix continued to exist. Or perhaps another Matrix was created by another Architect.

The Stunts

When The Matrix first premiered, the visuals were unlike anything else of the time. While some fans with unpopular opinions about The Matrix dislike the action sequences, they should not be discounted. Characters dressed in leather and sunglasses demonstrating great athletic feats was a concept that was copied by many films after the fact. The Matrix had a cool factor that has not been replicated since.

The return of The Matrix is another opportunity to see the iconic stunts again. With backflips and gun battles, there is something that The Matrix: Resurrections will have to include if it is going to live up to the original.

Neo And Trinity Died

One of the most important things to remember about the original trilogy was how it ended. The final film seemed to have a definitive conclusion to the series because Neo and Trinity do not survive. When flying to the machine city, Trinity is impaled in the hovercraft. Neo dies freeing humans from the Matrix and destroying the control of machines.

For The Matrix: Resurrections to make sense, this will have to be explained. Neo and Trinity return but it is important to know in what way. Is it as the title suggests that they have truly been resurrected? If anyone can defeat death, it’s Neo and Trinity.

About The Author

Carolyn Jenkins
(109 Articles Published)

Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King.

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