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Westworld's Morpheus Makes Season 4's Matrix Parallels Worse
Those Matrix comparisons are only gaining momentum in Westworld season 4. Ever since Westworld premiered in 2016, audiences have patiently awaited the day Robert Ford's robotic hosts overthrew humanity, and the apocalypse has finally arrived in season 4. Charlotte Hale oversees an AI revolution that leaves humanity blissfully unaware they're being controlled by mechanical overlords exploiting mankind from the shadows.
Immediately, Westworld season 4 drew comparisons to The Matrix, more specifically The Matrix Resurrections. The long-awaited 2021 sequel sees Keanu Reeves' Neo mysteriously return from the dead under a brand new identity, working as a video game designer who creates stories based on the repressed memories of past events. Neo gradually discovers that his world isn't real, and humanity has once again been enslaved inside a simulated reality by the villainous Machines. In Westworld season 4, Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores - another all-powerful protagonist - also returns from the dead, also has a completely different identity, and also works as a video game designer that bases stories on her former life. Mirroring Neo in The Matrix Resurrections, Dolores then slowly discovers her world has been constructed by robots as a means of oppressing humanity.
The glitchy resonance between Westworld and The Matrix hits even greater heights in season 4, episode 5 ("Zhuangzi"). Daniel Wu plays Jay, who audiences already met as a human resistance fighter belonging to Frankie's group. In "Zhuangzi," Jay leads a group of fellow rebels into the hosts' human city to rescue an "outlier" - a term used to describe someone waking up to the truth. The resistance movement apparently makes these raids often, sneaking into enemy territory, grabbing their new recruit, and getting out before the hosts notice. Jay's role is almost identical to Morpheus from The Matrix. Just like the Westworld rebels, Morpheus has a method of knowing when humans are beginning to wake up. His team (Trinity, Cipher, Switch, etc.) then enters the simulation, rescues its target, and unplugs before the Agents realize. Given how heavily Westworld season 4 was already riffing on The Matrix, the similarity between Jay and Morpheus rescuing humans from captivity is difficult to ignore.
Westworld Season 4, Episode 5 Makes Christina More Like Matrix 4'S Neo
As well as handing over Morpheus' job to Jay, Westworld season 4 continues to push Christina's storyline closer to Neo's in The Matrix Resurrections. "Zhuangzi" shows James Marsden's Teddy opening Christina's eyes to the truth, explaining how she can psychically manipulate the world around her. Teddy strongly implies that Dolores is special, somehow integral to maintaining this fake environment. Though not yet confirmed, her influence would represent another major parallel to The Matrix Resurrections, where Neo and Trinity form the foundation of the Analyst's simulation. Also interesting is how Neo valiantly attempts to shake Trinity, his one true love, out of her "Tiffany" persona in The Matrix Resurrections. His efforts are echoed by Teddy's trying to convince Christina she's actually Dolores in Westworld season 4, episode 5.
Later in the episode, Charlotte Hale herself appears under the guise of Christina's "old friend from college." As they reminisce over old times, it becomes clear that Hale is keeping watch over Dolores by posing as someone she trusts. Again, this detail will inspire déjà vu from anyone who watched The Matrix Resurrections. Just as Hale pretends to be Christina's friend in Westworld, Neil Patrick Harris' Analyst acts as Neo's therapist for the very same reason - keeping tabs on his world's most powerful inhabitant.
Westworld continues Sunday on HBO.
