Here’s a run-through of every known Potential, along with an explanation of their powers, as seen in The Matrix franchise. The premise of Potentials is often shrouded in mystery, as they are often confused with Redpills of the likes of Trinity or Morpheus; however, these were people who existed between worlds, not quite fully awakened to the truth, but no longer fully ignorant of it either.
Potentials were humans who had started rejecting the Matrix to a certain extent, although they weren’t fully awakened. Possessing an almost clairvoyant awareness of the nature of reality, Potentials often displayed special powers and abilities within the simulated framework of the Matrix, to the extent they could alter certain aspects of the system. These children were still termed as Potentials after they were freed, as they were constantly tested to gauge whether they could evolve into full-fledged operatives someday.
Somewhere between the events of The Matrix and The Matrix Revolutions, Neo’s presence within the Matrix, and his role as “the One” triggered a new exodus of Potentials, who were eventually targeted by the Agents in an act of desperation. Neo went to assume the mantle of savior, having taken five adult Potentials to safety. Here’s a look at every known Potential, and the powers they were imbued with outside and within the Matrix.
Spoon Boy
This child was one of the few Potentials privileged enough to be guided by The Oracle, and has been dubbed Spoon Boy, as his real name is not known. Audiences would recognize him from his encounter with Neo when he visits the Oracle for the first time, wherein he demonstrates the illusory nature of reality by seemingly bending a spoon with his mind. He advises Neo to not try and bend the physical object, but instead, bend one’s own self, essentially because the truth is that “there is no spoon.”
While living with The Oracle, Spoon Boy, like the other Potentials, received in-depth training in manipulating objects via telekinesis, while being well-versed in teachings and philosophies that explained the hyperreal nature of the virtual world. In The Matrix, The Oracle makes Neo wait with the other children, making it seem as though they were possibly past or future incarnations of the One. Spoon Boy is featured in a number of The Matrix Comics, including Artistic Freedom and Run, Saga, Run, which chronicled the lives of the Potentials in greater depth.
Saga Talmer
Saga Talmer was a Potential under the guidance of the Oracle, who successfully evaded capture by three Agents and found an exit during that time. Saga’s character is somewhat steeped in immaturity, as she is often dismissive of her unique abilities to alter the Matrix. However, she did prefer the real world as opposed to the illusory nature of the Matrix, which led her to place a frustrated call to an operator. This initiated a trace lock by the Agents, who chased her across the city amid several attempts to terminate her. The character of Saga was introduced in Run, Saga, Run, which was a part of The Matrix Comics Series 2, and was drawn by Keron Grant.
Hope
The character of Hope was first introduced in the comic Burning Hope, written and drawn by John Van Fleet for Series 2, which was included in The Matrix Comics Volume 1. A potential with unique abilities, Hope was a little girl who could alter her RSI, or Residual Self Image, at will within the Matrix. As RSI is the mental projection of one’s digital self, the ability to control it allowed Hope to adopt the body of an elderly woman or a grown man.
Hope’s abilities and clairvoyance were the subjects of much discussion between some Resistance and the Oracle, deeming her as especially gifted. Hope resided in the Church-owned Saint George's Orphanage, which was later severely damaged in a fire, probably caused by Agents due to unspecified reasons. An operative named Link was involved in the extraction of Hope from the orphanage, who eventually rescued her from the Matrix.
Lisa & Ashley
Lisa and Ashley were eight-year-old twin sisters who appeared in the comic Broadcast Depth, which was written and etched by Bill Sienkiewicz. Both children resided aboard a ship that was filled with other Potentials. Their mother, Maggie, was a Redpill operative on the Calappidae, and the twins wanted to surprise her on her birthday by hacking the Matrix to see her. As Ashley jacked Lisa in, the tracking was detected, which directed Sentinels towards the Calappidae. Maggie hugged Lisa, giving her a shell, before the ship was destroyed by the Sentinels, killing her and everyone else on it.
The Healer
The Healer was an adult Potential who appeared in the 2005 video game, The Matrix: Path of Neo. The Healer was adept at concocting healing medicines for the purpose of curing various illnesses, while setting up shop at Red Pill Herbal Remedies in Chinatown. He was rescued by Neo prior to the events of The Matrix Reloaded, during which The Healer believed him to be a demon who had arrived to take him away for his purported arrogance of attempting to cure ailments that were not meant to be interfered with. The Healer’s daughter fell prey to such an ailment, which was miraculously cured by the end of the game.
Chuang Tzu
Chuang Tzu was yet another Potential who is required to be rescued by Neo in The Matrix: Path of Neo. Despite being plugged into the Matrix, Tzu’s mind was already free in more ways than one, as he had the ability to perform stunts and maneuvers like any other Zion operative. A talented fighter who could jump as high as Neo could, Tzu could surprisingly defeat Agents, which is a feat unattained by any other rebel other than Neo himself. In the game, as he is being escorted, Tzu challenges the player to a fight in an attempt to gauge their worth. When Tzu is defeated in the game, Neo’s character gains the 6-Hit Strike Combo.
The Club Kid
Another Potential who needed to be saved by Neo, The Club Kid is an unnamed college-going woman who had inadvertently gotten hold of a magical key, most probably given to her by the Keymaker. This key allowed her to open any door, which eventually led her to Club Hel, a nightclub run by The Merovingian, which was located in the basement level of a building in Mega-City. A group of Exiles or malfunctioned programs capture her at Club Hel, after which Neo takes on a group of Dobermen to rescue her. The Club Kid uses her key to open a weapons locker, which allows Neo to fight his way through. The key is later destroyed, as it placed her at the brink of unnecessary peril.
The Librarian
The Librarian makes an appearance as a Potential in Path of Neo, wherein it is revealed that she became aware of the illusory nature of the Matrix when she noticed that a certain book would infinite self-replicate immediately after she had removed it from its place on a library shelf. Agents Brown and Jones show up in the library to take her away, but Neo arrives on time to save her from them. Initially, The Librarian rejects Neo’s help, as she is rendered hysterical on learning the true nature of the world around her, and the web of lies that emerged as her life’s guiding principle. However, she ultimately realizes that she needs to go with Neo, as she did not have much choice otherwise, being a marked Potential already on the radar of the Machines.
The Security Guard
The Security Guard was a former police officer who was retired after he witnessed Neo running along walls while being mid-combat after the events of The Matrix. What he had witnessed naturally put him in danger, hence he was sent to an abandoned Church tower where he worked as a security guard for six months. As he believed that Neo had been shot dead during their last encounter, he is visibly shocked by his reappearance, which spurs him to flee. However, an Agent intervenes and asks him to shoot Neo, but he hesitates when the Agent puts a gun to his head to subdue him. Neo defeats the Agent and the S.W.A.T. team that had arrived to retrieve the security guard, post which, the Potential goes with him to safety.
