Warning! Spoilers Ahead for The Matrix: Resurrections
the saga of Neo (Keanu Reeves), who had sacrificed himself to usher peace between the humans and the Machines at the end of Revolutions, The Matrix: Resurrections is, at its core, a love story. Resurrections premiered in theatres on December 22, 2021, and is available for streaming on HBO Max.
The opening scene in Resurrections mirrors that of 1999s The Matrix, with an altered version of Trinity engaging in an intense fight sequence with the agents. Through a series of events, red pill renegade Bugs (Jessica Henwick) is able to meet the modal version of Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), and they seek out Neo within the matrix with the intention of unplugging him. Although Neo is unaware of his past, frequent glitches in the matrix and his unexplainable pull towards Tiffany/Trinity, make him question his immediate reality, along with the narratives crafted by his own mind.
Thoroughly tongue-in-cheek and explosively meta in nature, Resurrections weaves its magic by alternating between sharp commentary, fresh elements, and franchise nostalgia, which works well in its favor for the most part. While The Matrix trilogy has been symbolic of a great many things, from being a trans allegory to being a critique of hyperreal postmodernism, it has always been about love at its core. The ending of Resurrections is a celebration of the space that exists between binaries, and the potential harkening of a new world, with greater hope for humankind.
The Analyst's Plan
Neo’s therapist, played by Neil Patrick Harris, is revealed to be the Analyst halfway through the narrative. Similar to the Architect in of function and motivation, the Analyst sees a window of opportunity after Neo’s sacrifice, seeing beyond mere facts and figures, unlike his predecessors. While Neo’s truce with the Machines had ushered in an era of peace, discord strikes soon due to a scarcity of power, leading to the Machines turning on one another. In an attempt to create a better, more stabilized version of the matrix, the Analyst spends a great amount of time and resources modifying and healing the bodies of Neo and Trinity, attempting to activate their source codes in a way that would allow him to manipulate them better. Realizing that the two did not hold innate value for the Machines on their own, the Analyst decides to keep Neo and Trinity near one another in the same version of the matrix in order to keep it stabilized.
The core reasoning behind the same is the fact that humans generate maximum electrical output when existing in the unique space of fear and yearning, wherein overpowering hope and crippling fear go hand in hand. Based on Neo and Trinity’s unconditional bond in past versions of the matrix, the Analyst comes to the conclusion that the two of them together would inevitably create massive instabilities within any construct. However, if the two are situated close enough to one another without true access to what the heart truly yearned for, this endless cycle of suffering would power the Matrix in unprecedented ways, stabilizing the rest of the population, urging minimal chances of rebellion. The reason why this plan works for the better part of 60 years is the fact that apart from repressing the pair’s memories, the Machines were able to alter Neo’s DSI loop, making it impossible for blue pills to trace him within the simulacrum.
How Neo Freed Trinity From The Matrix
After Neo is made aware of the truth by Bugs and Morpheus, he naturally wishes to free Trinity, which understandably disrupts the motivations of several people. Smith (Jonathan Groff) does not wish to be controlled by the Analyst, and Neo’s return to the matrix jeopardizes his freedom, creating conflict between the two. On the other hand, Neo’s return to the real world endangers the peace and prosperity in IO, leading Niobe to deter Neo from leaving the city and retrieving Trinity. However, Neo, along with the crew of the Mnemosyne, finds a way to do the same, although a now grown-up Sati (Priyanka Chopra-Jonas) warns him that her return must be her own choice. Etching an elaborate plan, Neo walks into Simulatte, asking the Analyst for a meeting with Trinity, proposing that if she chooses to him, they be allowed to leave, and if not, he will return to his pod. This scene is a reversal of the choice offered by the Architect in Revolutions, but most importantly, it is the greatest test of faith, and of the love between Neo and Trinity.
Although Trinity rejects Neo’s offer initially, her Machine-given name “Tiffany”, triggers her to the point that she realizes who she truly is, and who she is meant to be. Expressing her choice to be with Neo via actions rather than words, Trinity is extracted by Sati, Bugs, and Morpheus, who carry out the delicate process by unplugging her real body and inserting her consciousness with the aid of Bugs. Once unplugged from the matrix, Trinity is free from the Analyst’s influence, and the act of mere physical touch between her and Neo creates a ripple effect powerful enough to introduce chaos and instability inside the matrix. The manner in which Neo saves Trinity underlines the themes of reciprocity - as she was one of the few who believed in Neo being the One, even when he did not believe in himself, it was now Neo’s turn to put his faith in her and grant her the agency she deserves.
Why Trinity Can Fly, Not Neo
After the Analyst activated Swarm Mode, prompting all the blue pill inhabitants of the simulacrum to thwart the pair, Neo and Trinity find themselves cornered on a rooftop, making the decision to jump together. However, mid-jump, it is revealed that Trinity can now fly, as she is the one who single-handedly hoists Neo mid-air. Resurrections, like its predecessors, questions and subverts the concept of the One, establishing that the two are integral aspects of a whole, sharing the powers previously reserved for iterations of “the anomaly” in every version of the matrix. As the current version of the matrix hinged greatly on the source codes of Neo and Trinity, two beings so irrevocably entwined with one another, this possibly grants both of them the powers attributed to the Matrix's One. Love, after all, is an act of democratization, and it is possible that Trinity innately understands the nature of the matrix as well as Neo, emboldened by the purity of their bond. Later on, in the final scene, it is shown that both Neo and Trinity are able to fly, hence it is possible that their powers are shared due to their symbiotic relationship.
What Is Neo & Trinity's Plan With Their New Matrix
As the Analyst no longer has access to both Neo and Trinity’s source codes, it affects the very coding of the matrix, leading to glitches and a complete breakdown of the system. The duo decides to pay a visit to the Analyst, who hopes to talk about of negotiation. However, neither of the two are interested in working out a deal, as they intend to rebuild the matrix in a way that grants the Matrix's blue pilled humans hope, reminding them constantly what a free mind can do. Neo and Trinity’s plan is in direct rebellion of the Analyst’s assumptions that humans innately crave to be controlled, as their intended actions are an antithesis to the way in which Machines like him interpret human urges. While a complete obliteration of the matrix is impossible due to the fact that a certain amount of peace needs to exist between the two factions, it is entirely possible to grant more peace and stability to those imprisoned, although this concept too, is deeply flawed in its own right.
Will There Be A Matrix 5?
Resurrections has one meta end-credits scene, which simply exists to further the film’s critical commentary and subvert expectations associated with such sequences, and which the filmmakers presumably thought was funny. Sprinkling in a “narratives are dead” strain, along with the declaration that the next sequel should be a series of cat videos named The Catrix, the end credits scene does not set up the stage for a potential Matrix 5. While this does not completely rule out future sequels, Lana Wachowski has expressed no intention of continuing the saga, as the final installment neatly ties up a tale of love and shared healing, and a return to home.
What Does The Matrix Resurrections Ending Mean?
The ending of The Matrix: Resurrections heralds a new era, wherein humans are expected to thrive and not be manipulated by Machines within the matrix, as long as Neo and Trinity are in charge. As Neo’s sacrifice brought about unprecedented changes, such as some of the Machines working alongside humans for mutual prosperity and the existence of IO where it is now possible to grow and sustain organic food. The film openly mocks its own legacy, while immersing itself in pure romanticism and the sheer rebellious power of love, reflected in Neo and Trinity’s bond, which extends to the wellbeing of the rest of humanity. The franchise ends (if this is indeed the end), on a note of hope, and a whole new world of possibilities for humans, machines, and programs alike, although the possible paths the narrative might branch into remain as thrilling and unpredictable as it always has been.
