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Why Neo & Trinity [SPOILER] At The End Of Matrix Resurrections
Caution: Spoilers ahead for The Matrix Resurrections
After both are fully awakened and their powers restored in the closing moments of The Matrix Resurrections, Neo and Trinity return to confront The Architect—but why do the two choose to stay after all that has happened? Following the release of The Matrix Revolutions in 2003, it's fair to say most people didn't expect to see either Neo or Trinity on the big screen again, given that the film ended with both characters seemingly dead. Add to that the stated reluctance of the Wachowski sisters to make another Matrix movie and the franchise seemed finished. Still, one should never say never, as the 2021 arrival of The Matrix Resurrections proved.
Outside of some leaks here and there, the actual plot details for The Matrix Resurrections were kept pretty close to the vest of co-writer/director Lana Wachowski, this time directing without her sister Lilly. It was clear enough that both Neo and Trinity were coming back, but how they managed to do so was anyone's guess. With the release of Resurrections comes the reveal that machines meticulously "rebuilt" both individuals, repairing their bodies—depicted in a particularly graphic scene—in order to activate their "source codes".
According to The Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris), the machines determined that there was something special about Neo and Trinity, and when they were in each other's lives, huge amounts of energy were produced. The trick was to have them close, but not too close, as that risked waking their real selves to the reality of the Matrix. That's exactly what happened by the end of The Matrix Resurrections, after an unlikely assist by Neo's nemesis Agent Smith. As Resurrections ended, Neo and Trinity both seemed to possess the powers of The One, and elected to return to the Matrix for their own reasons.
Why Neo & Trinity Stay In The Matrix At The End Of Resurrections
It might seem weird that after everything Neo and Trinity did to escape the Matrix's control at the end of The Matrix Resurrections, they turned around and chose to continue operating within it. Considering their newfound powers though, the decision makes more sense. For the first time, there appear to be two "Ones," both gifted with incredible abilities within the virtual world. While the ultimate desire for Neo, Trinity, and the human resistance might be to one day end the Matrix entirely and try to salvage Earth for mankind, even if that goal is possible, it'll take a long time.
In the meantime, Neo and Trinity can use their powers to try and make the Matrix a better place for its inhabitants to live, as well as slowly but surely offer those inhabitants a chance to take the red pill and wake up from their collective dream. Under the control of The Analyst, the Matrix had become much worse, with The Analyst using tactics to manipulate the humans within, including preying on the susceptibility of people to conspiracy theories. Unlike The Architect, who seemed more content to sit back most of the time as some kind of dispassionate observer, The Analyst program appears to be straight-up malevolent, harboring outright hatred and disgust for humanity, even as he uses them to power his version of the Matrix. With Neo and Trinity now active and unrestrained within the Matrix, The Analyst's grip on his human batteries has grown much less tight.
Can Neo & Trinity Really Remake The Matrix?
The prophecy of The One that Morpheus first relates to Neo in the first Matrix movie does suggest that the primary feature of The One is to manipulate the matrix at will. This has certainly been seen by some of Neo's powers in the past, and Neo and Trinity sure seem confident that their collective powers will enable them to remake the matrix in their own image. The Analyst petulantly suggests they paint the sky with rainbows, which to his surprise, they seem open to doing. Neo says this change could be used to remind those inside the Matrix what a free mind can do, which makes it seem like such changes will be used toward waking up more blue pill humans.
As to whether Neo and Trinity can just remake the Matrix from the ground up, that's a tougher question. They both can clearly manipulate aspects of the Matrix and are strong enough to attack and humiliate their former captor The Analyst. At the same time, it's doubtful The Analyst, much less his machine bosses, are just going to give up control of the matrix to Neo and Trinity and move on. They need the Matrix to power their own cities and continue their artificial lives, and if the end goal of Neo and Trinity is to one day unplug the Matrix completely, The Analyst certainly can't allow that to happen. Neo and Trinity may set out to remake the Matrix, but they likely won't be doing it unhindered.
How Neo & Trinity's Resurrections Ending Sets Up The Matrix 5
For what it's worth, both co-writer/director Lana Wachowski and star Keanu Reeves seem pretty certain that a Matrix 5 won't happen. That said, there was a time both of them insisted on the same thing about a Matrix 4, and now The Matrix Resurrections exists. Whether setting up a sequel was Wachowski's intention or not, the ending of The Matrix Resurrections definitely does that in a tantalizing way, as many franchise devotees have been left curious to see what exactly Neo and Trinity will do with their newfound "control" of the Matrix. As mentioned above though, The Analyst still exists, which sets the stage for further conflict.
While Neo and Trinity's combined One powers might make it seem like targeting them within the Matrix could be futile, it's also possible that the programs within the virtual world could conspire with the machines outside of it to target Io and try to take out Neo and Trinity's physical bodies. There's also the wildcard in the mix known as Agent Smith. Smith saved Neo and Trinity from The Analyst near the end of The Matrix Resurrections, but only out of self-interest, as Neo going back to sleep would've done the same to Smith. If it becomes advantageous to him, Smith could easily flip sides and begin working against Neo and Trinity again, lending the machines a formidable ally.
