theories about The Matrix.

ittedly, The Matrix Resurrections debunked many of the most popular fan theories by presenting a wholly original story that retconned several areas of existing lore. While this sequel certainly isn’t the best Matrix movie to have been made, it was definitely a bold and original one. Not only did it frame the context of Neo and Trinity’s relationship inside the Matrix, but it also doubled down on some concepts that had been widely disregarded by fans. This made it a fairly unpopular sequel, but it’s crucial for understanding this franchise more deeply.

The Machines Might Have Had A Deeper Reason To Imprison Humanity In The Matrix

Perhaps The Matrix Was Actually A Mercy

One fascinating theory about The Matrix seemingly suggests that humans are the villains in this story, not the machines. One Reddit speculates that perhaps the humans were only being kept in the Matrix as a way of controlling a more violent species, with the machines keeping them blissfully unaware of the conflict as a kind of mercy. Where the other option is fighting humans until both species are wiped out, it seems much kinder to simply place them into a universe where they can live in peace. Perhaps this is what the machines were doing by creating the Matrix.

The conflict between humans and machines is a central idea in the Matrix movies, most obviously shown during the war on Zion in The Matrix: Revolutions. However, it’s always been clear that there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Neo is the only objective source of authority on the subject, and even he doesn’t know everything during the original trilogy. There have been several outlandish Matrix theories since the first movie’s release over 25 years ago, but this certainly seems like one of the more believable ones.

The theory even suggests that humans were given a way to exit the Matrix if they don’t approve of their existence there, which we know to be true from Neo’s escape in the first film. The sequels certainly make this idea more complex through the introduction of the Architect, but the general idea remains the same. Perhaps the machines placed humans into the Matrix to hold them blissfully unaware of the raging conflict outside - but they didn’t want to imprison them, so they left a route to freedom and subsequent coexistence.

The Machines’ Real Purpose For The Simulation Would Solve The Matrix’s Biggest Plot Hole

This Theory Overcomes The Human Battery Problem

Of course, the movies explain this slightly differently. In the Wachowskis’ canon, the reason for the machines’ creation of the Matrix is to use humanity as a kind of energy source for their new civilization. After defeating the humans and essentially winning the war, the machines needed some way to power the new world they wanted to build - and humans were the perfect energy source. By keeping humanity alive, the machines ensured they could use our mental energy to keep their new civilization strong and powerful.

This works within the confines of The Matrix movies because it juxtaposes the idea of humans relying on machines for survival, which is a key theme within the franchise. The films often comment on our increasing reliance on technology in the modern world, and by inverting this idea and presenting the humans as batteries instead, the Wachowskis make an effective commentary on this idea. However, the idea of docile human minds powering an entire civilization has long been a major plot hole in The Matrix - and one that this Reddit theory manages to resolve.

Matrix’s Forgotten Movie Corroborates This Theory About The Machine’s True Intent

The Animatrix Sheds Some Truth On The Matter

Although there’s little proof to back up this theory in the main Matrix franchise, one key piece of evidence can be found in the series’ most underrated project: The Animatrix. This feature-length animated anthology features nine short films that all take place at different points in The Matrix’s timeline, exploring areas of this story that hadn’t been thoroughly developed in the films. The most interesting of these stories that pertains to this theory is “The Second Renaissance,” a prequel to the original trilogy that details the creation of the Matrix.

If the humans were the ones who started the war, it logically follows that the machines weren’t the aggressive party - meaning they would be more likely to opt for a peaceful solution, as the Reddit theory supposes.

This short film offers a more detailed insight into what triggered the war between humans and machines, concluding that the conflict was ultimately started (or at least escalated) by humanity. This was a major shake-up to The Matrix’s existing lore, but it definitely makes sense when paired with this interesting theory. If the humans were the ones who started the war, it logically follows that the machines weren’t the aggressive party - meaning they would be more likely to opt for a peaceful solution, as the Reddit theory supposes.

The Matrix Resurrections’ Machine Civil War All But Proved This Theory Wrong

The Latest Sequel Seemingly Debunks The Theory

Unfortunately, the latest installment in the Matrix franchise seemingly debunked this theory without even realizing it. While it doesn’t retcon any of the information from The Animatrix, it uses the character of The Analyst to double down on the idea of humans being used as batteries. This polarizing antagonist is revealed to be the mastermind behind a faction of the machines that opposed Neo’s truce at the end of The Matrix: Revolutions on the grounds that it would reduce the amount of power being exported by the comatose humans.

This seemingly confirms that humanity truly is being used as a large-scale battery pack in The Matrix series, disproving the idea that they’re merely being held in stasis to discover their path to coexistence. While many fans were underwhelmed by The Matrix Resurrections and the major changes it made to the series’ lore, it’s clearly important to the canon, and its implications can’t be ignored.