FAQ for
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for The Matrix Reloaded can be found here.

The Architect explains, essentially, that the entire construct of the known world, including the Matrix itself, Zion, Neo, and the Agents, all exist as part of an intentionally dystopic society, devised by the Machines. That is, the first Matrix to which the Architect refers is claimed to have failed due to it being too perfect for humans. Agent Smith mentions the same in the first Matrix movie: it was an actual utopia; however, as humans subconsciously experience misery and suffering as an inherent part of life, they rejected it as being too perfect, and as a result, it was a monumental failure. And there was always an 'anomaly' present, a person who could control and manipulate the Matrix at his will, far beyond the abilities of the Machines.

Because of this, changes were made to the entire approach, such that instead of being able to achieve 100% satisfaction with the Matrix itself and thus achieve 100% human crop yields, a loss of 1% (hence the 99% figure) was acceptable when faced with the alternative of mass rejection (e.g., 0% human crop yields): the Matrix was programmed to be a representation of 20th century Earth, at the peak of its civilisation.

Thus, the Machines were able to control that 1% and the Anomaly, by offering them a choice, i.e. allowing them to escape from the Matrix and giving them the illusion that they could free themselves and humanity from the Machines. Zion was intentionally built as an escape for those unwilling to accept the false construct of the Matrix and was seeded with an initial core group of liberated humans, given the ultimate goal of finding "The One" (the Anomaly), who would assist them in their efforts against such an impossible chore as liberating billions of humans from their "prison" one at a time. However, due to their purpose, the number of inhabitants of Zion could only grow as they liberated increasing amounts of humans-- to the point of becoming too much of a liability; for, should too many humans be liberated, they would be a threat, both by creating excessive crop loss by exponentially liberating increasing amounts of people from the Matrix, as well as being able to threaten the machines in the real world militarily.

The only logical solution, therefore, was to regularly prune the inhabitants of Zion by exterminating all of them at once, so that nobody would remain to tell the tale. The machines would force "The One" to choose new seeds for the next Zion who would know nothing of this ploy, or they would kill all humans in stasis (and themselves, if necessary), should he refuse. The cycle would repeat over and over again. At least, that's how it normally works.

Every prior incarnation of Neo was programmed with a general dedication to the human race, such that, when given the choice between either:

* Returning to the Matrix and causing the mutually-assured destruction of both species; or,

* Allowing Zion to fall intentionally and subsequently re-seeding Zion to start the whole cycle over again,

The choice would be clear: he would undoubtedly choose re-seeding Zion (hence the reason why Neo is even speaking to the Architect in the first place). However, this particular version of the Matrix (and consequently The One) is different in that the events that were set in motion by the Oracle also foster a relationship with a particular individual of the human race-- Trinity.

At the conclusion of the third movie, the risk of allowing such a thing to happen is tentatively validated by the Architect and the Oracle in that:

* The war between humans and machines is finally able to end in peace;

* Both populations allow the other to survive due to Neo's sacrifice for both human and machine alike; and,

* Humans who, on their own volition, reject the matrix would be allowed to leave it.

Another difference in this version of the Matrix is that the One had inadvertently 'infected' a program (Agent Smith), which caused the Matrix to make Smith increasingly stronger in order to balance the Anomaly (Neo) out. However, this countermeasure went completely unchecked to the point where Smith was a greater threat to the Machines than the humans, further forcing the Machines into seeking a compromise. Effectively, this ends the forced enslavement of the human race (i.e., there will always be plenty who will want to remain in the Matrix as long as the Zion humans don't forcibly free them), while ensuring the mutual survival of both humans and machines (i.e., the humans will no longer be ritualistically killed, and the machines will have plenty of power from the willing inhabitants of the Matrix).

The Twins are leftover programs from a previous version of The Matrix. When The Architect created the first Matrix, it was an utopian society with heavenly figures (including angels). The human psyche rejected this environment, and it crashed. The second version of The Matrix was the complete opposite of the first. It was a dystopian society with supernatural mythological figures (including ghosts, werewolves, and vampires.) The human psyche also rejected this environment, resulting in a crash. When the third and stable version of The Matrix was created, programs from previous versions were considered obsolete, and many were purged. Some went to work for The Merovingian, who protected them from deletion. This included The Twins (ghosts), Vlad (vampires), and Cujo (werewolves). Seraph (who was an angel from the first version, which is why he is called wingless by one of The Merovingians henchmen), was once employed by The Merovingian like the others, but betrayed them to protect the Oracle (he was subsequentely tortured by The Merovingian for this and had his wings cut off).

The answer is given in Revolutions. The machines in the real world are all connected to a "singular consciousness", the birth of Artificial Intelligence described by Morpheus in the original Matrix film. This consciousness is otherwise known as "The Source". The machine connection is a remote one or some sort of wireless signal. Having touched The Source (i.e. - meeting with the Architect) and having the data needed to reboot the Matrix, Neo is at this point simultaneously in possession of his human brain but also connected to the singular consciousness. In other words, his is also now a wireless connection. Hence, the reason Neo says, "Something's different. I can feel them." The machines are all separate entities but all connected to this one ("The Source"). Now Neo is as well. He is thereby able to harness this power and stop the sentinels. However, Neo wasn't ready to handle the signal surge and collapsed in a comatose state, no longer in control of just where this wireless signal would be directed. The signal (Neo's residual self-image) is then captured and held in a program limbo derived from the Source but undetected as an existing realm, so to speak. This limbo (the Train Station) was created by the Trainman, a program in service to the Merovingian. This connection forged by Neo's visit to the Architect and his subsequent decision to return to the real world made him, unknowingly, unique. Neo became simultaneously human and machine in a sense. This would ultimately put him in the position to negotiate for peace between humans and the machines. This, as the story unfolded, is exactly what happened.

Nothing. The Machines did not think it could happen because they could not understand choice.

The Merovingian has no connection to Smith, other than the universal connection that all programs have with one another. Agent Smith served a deletion program until he became viral. Merovingian served as a sort of control protocol. Smith has only one purpose which is destroying Neo (and later the human race) and the Merovingian has nothing to do with it.

At first, the Oracle only seems to be on his side. She is a computer program that is just as dependant on humans for energy as the rest of the Machines, so keeping them hooked to the Matrix is in her best interest. However, a Matrix design that was satisfactory for all humans couldn't be found. As the Architect explains, it was the Oracle who coincidentally found a solution for the Matrix anomaly: by allowing those humans that rejected the illusion of the Matrix to escape, and by giving them the illusion that they could defeat the Machines, a temporary balance could be created. Providing the 'One' with this information was all part of the Machines' plan to keep both the free people and the ones connected to the Matrix in check. Later, she points Neo to The Keymaker, who will inevitably lead him to the Source, so he can reset the system.

However, being separate entities, most programs started to develop signs of individuality, together with sentiments and emotions. Agent Smith is a good example, as he shows signs of anger, exasperation and even loathing. The Oracle is no exception. She told people "what they were meant to hear", which was always what the Machines' intention for them was. But after five versions of the Matrix/Zion, she started to have other thoughts, feeling that a different system could be possible, without the need for repression.

It is not her place to explain to Neo anything that he is not ready for, but she can lead him down the path that is intended for him. She cannot explain to him what she cannot herself understand, but she seems to understand that something must chance, even though the outcome could be potentially disastrous. Subsequently, the Architect says that she "played a very dangerous game". The ultimate choice, and the choice about allowing Smith to assimilate her, are beyond her measure of understanding.

Tank was wounded by Cypher in the first film. Yet in this film, he has been replaced as Operator by Link. When Link is talking to Zee, she says she lost two brothers to the Nebuchadnezzer (Tank and Dozer). It can be assumed that Tank either died of his wounds (perhaps a staph infection claimed him) or he was killed on a mission in between the films.