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The Matrix 4 can clear up some lingering questions from the original movies. The high-concept world of The Matrix is one that naturally invites speculation, interpretation and ambiguity thanks to its philosophical science fiction themes. The original movie in 1999 revealed 20th century Earth as we knew it was an illusion, and mankind had, in fact, been taken over by machines centuries prior. The remnants of humanity had since been plugged into a simulation, while a small band of rebels in the real world tried to break their minds free with brightly colored pills and Alice in Wonderland references.

The first movie's mythology alone was more than enough to be getting on with, but The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions dived deeper down the rabbit hole, expanding on Neo's powers as The One, revealing the true history of Zion and further explaining the function of the Matrix. A trilogy was never going to be enough to cover every nook and cranny of the Wachowskis' lore, but after a lengthy hiatus, The Matrix 4 has been confirmed and is currently set for a 2022 release. The upcoming continuation will once again star Keanu Reeves, while Carrie-Anne Moss will also be returning.

The announcement of The Matrix 4 raises some pertinent questions. For example, how do Neo and Trinity both come back after seemingly dying in the previous movie, and how much time will pass between The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix 4? However, the following will focus exclusively on questions that already existed within the Matrix franchise and have remained unanswered over many years. Here are the biggest mysteries The Matrix 4 can address.

Did Neo Create Peace Between Man & Machine?

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The big question of the original Matrix trilogy is, of course, whether or not Neo's sacrifice paid off? Forging a pact with the Machines, Neo was able to bring an end to hostilities by defeating Agent Smith, and the Matrix was rebooted as a result, but how long did that peace last? Humans had been at war with the Machines for hundreds of years, and it would be unrealistic for the two sides to suddenly get along after The Matrix Revolutions. How does human society coexist with the Machines? How do the Machines power themselves without their human batteries? Do factions determined to continue fighting appear on either side?

It seems inevitable that The Matrix 4 will address this question, no matter how far into the future the new story is set. Any advancement in the timeline will reveal whether Neo's truce was respected, or whether Earth simply wasn't big enough for both species to exist harmoniously. The fact that Neo is returning for another film isn't a promising sign for mankind, and indeed, a second war did break out in The Matrix Online.

Did The Architect Keep His Promise?

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Hand in hand with the status of Neo's truce is whether or not The Architect kept his promise. At the end of The Matrix Revolutions, The Oracle questions whether humans will finally be permitted to disconnect from the Matrix, and the Architect assures her that his word will be kept, since he's nothing like those untrustworthy humans. Despite masquerading as a happy ending, humanity's release gives rise to a whole heap of questions. Firstly, how will humans react to being released from the Matrix? With more liberation surely comes more characters like Cypher who regret their decision and desire to be plugged back in. Additionally, artificial intelligence has a reputation for getting its own way via sneaky rule loopholes. The Machines could probably come up with a solution that allows them to enslave humans while still technically adhering to the terms of the truce. Despicable.

How Much Did The Oracle Foresee?

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In the first three Matrix movies, The Oracle acts as a Machine-made program designed to understand human nature, and she manipulates Neo and others to ensure events play out as predicted. The Oracle essentially engineers a situation where humanity can "win," by introducing love to make The One choose a different door, and allowing Smith to become more powerful to give Neo leverage against the Machines. But The Matrix has never really explored why The Oracle helps humanity win. Did the Machines underestimate her programming and potential for empathy? Or did The Oracle's predictive algorithm see beyond The Matrix Revolutions, meaning the friendly program has been playing a much larger game since the very beginning. It would be a huge surprise if The Oracle didn't feature in The Matrix 4 in some form, and hopefully she'll take the opportunity to divulge her true intentions.

What Happened To Neo & Trinity's Bodies?

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The Matrix Revolutions doesn't exactly cast question marks over what happened to the bodies of its two deceased leads. After Neo and Trinity both die during their mission to the Machine City, what becomes of their remains feels academic. However, this became a major plot point in The Matrix Online, contributing to the outbreak of a second war. Both bodies mysteriously disappeared and Morpheus aggressively lobbied the Machines to return his fallen friends, albeit to no avail. It's not currently clear whether or not The Matrix 4 will take the video game's storyline into account, but what became of Neo and Trinity's corpses is a detail that will need to be addressed when the pair make their return.

As suggested in The Matrix Online, the preservation of the bodies might be key in bringing Neo and Trinity back to life, in turn implying that the Machines are behind the revivals. This would offer a neat twist on the original trilogy and could mean The Matrix 4 features a human villain for the first time.

Was Neo The REAL One?

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In The Matrix Reloaded, The Architect reveals that Neo is only the latest One in a series of previous versions, but much goes unanswered when it comes to these unseen predecessors. Some have theorized that every One might've looked exactly like Neo, with the same human cloned each time, repeatedly fulfilling the same role in each build of the Matrix. Certainly, it would be fascinating to delve into the past and explore what the old Ones were like, whether they were completely different characters, and also why they ultimately made the decision to sacrifice Zion.

Another question The Matrix leaves unanswered is whether Neo is "just another" iteration of the One, or whether he's truly special even among that exclusive club. Neo differentiated himself by being the only One to not reset the Matrix, but was this purely because of The Oracle and Trinity, or was Neo inherently special? Was he the true incarnation of The One in the world of The Matrix? With Keanu Reeves returning, this topic is bound to be addressed. The actor could be playing the next regeneration of The One, proving the aforementioned theory that they all looked the same, or Neo's return could indicate that he was always the most special of his kind.

What Happened To The Exiled Programs?

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The final scenes of The Matrix Revolutions show precious little of the rebooted Matrix, save only a sunrise and a conversation between The Architect and The Oracle. It's confirmed that Agent Smith was defeated, and the humans will be offered an exit route from the simulation. However, the fate of the Matrix's exiled programs (the likes of the Merovingian) remains unknown. The Merovingian is an ancient program, so it seems that exiles are able to survive the process of a Matrix reboot, but what would become of them in the new world? With less humans in the Matrix, would the Merovingian and the exiles try and claim the digital world for themselves? Or, sensing the possible termination of the Matrix entirely, would they attempt to somehow transition to the real world, just as Agent Smith did previously? Merovingian actor, Lambert Wilson, is rumored to appear in The Matrix 4.

Are The Twins Still Alive?

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The Ghost Twins were one of the coolest additions to an underwhelming The Matrix Reloaded. Striking in appearance and able to phase through objects like phantoms, these exile programs served the Merovingian, and had no love for either Morpheus' human rebels or the Agents pursuing them. These formidable fighters took part in the middle movie's iconic freeway chase sequence and were blown away by a huge explosion. However, the final shot of The Twins shows both characters entering their translucent, ghost-like mode, which suggests that they didn't die from the blast, despite not making any further appearances. The Twins are a feasible and attractive option for The Matrix 4.

Seraph & Sati

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The Oracle is accompanied by Seraph, her protector, and Sati, a young girl left in her care, and both characters come with unanswered questions. When Neo views Seraph's code, the character shines golden, rather than the usual green color of other programs inside the Matrix, and the Merovingian refers to him as a wingless angel. Consequently, theories have emerged suggesting Seraph's backstory might be more important than the Matrix movies let on. Is he a special type of program? Or could he be one of Neo's predecessors as The One? Should Seraph return in The Matrix 4, it'd be fascinating to learn more of his true nature.

Sati was the child of two exile programs within the Matrix, but was ultimately left under the wing of The Oracle. Sati returns in the final moments of The Matrix Revolutions and it's implied that she's responsible for creating the sunrise beaming over the horizon. The Oracle was always aware of Sati's vast importance as a program born entirely out of love, but her true role in the story is only explored on a metaphorical level. Sati needs to return in The Matrix 4, not only as the apparent master of the rebooted Matrix, but also to answer the mystery of her significance in humanity's future.

Is The "Real World" Just Another Matrix?

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For years, Matrix fans have gone back and forth over whether or not the real world shown in the movies is simply another level of the Matrix - a deeper simulation designed to catch out any "free thinkers." While evidence can be found on both sides of the debate, revealing a "Matrix within a Matrix" would risk rendering the previous trio of films pointless, with Neo essentially fighting for nothing, and this makes such a game-changing twist unlikely. Nevertheless, the theory can't be ruled out entirely, and The Matrix 4 could take place in the next level of the simulation. Theoretically, the entire franchise could alter if this idea became reality, with everything Neo sees and learns after being "freed" in 1999 subject to questioning.

The Matrix 4 (2022)
Release Date: Apr 01, 2022