# Matrix Ending **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2002, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485 "2002-12-29T07:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/1 "2002-12-29T07:35:30Z")
Matrix is one of my favorite movies of all times, however, the final shot always confused me…the one where Neo flys into the sky. Is this supposed to mean anything? If they had ended the movie with the scene prior, it would have made more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/2 "2002-12-29T08:03:19Z")
Nero being able to fly is just symbolic of his growing mastery over the Matrix’s environment. Of similar significance is that the phone tracing routine (with all the green computer-screen numbers) is almost identical to the scene at the very beginning of the movie, when Trinity’s call gets traced and she is almost arrested. Instead, Neo jams up the call and causes the trace to fail. His monologue is actually pretty threatening to the Agents. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/3 "2002-12-29T11:20:22Z")
Along the lines of what BE already said, Neo’s flying hearkens back to Morpheus’ advice that “there are some rules that can be bent, others can be broken” (or words to that effect), with the implication that gravity is one of the bendy, not breaky ones. But, well, there he goes. And since even the Agents are land-bound, I guess it’s implied that Neo is that much more powerful/versatile/you get the idea than they are. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/4 "2002-12-29T12:17:50Z")
I think it symbolizes freedom. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/5 "2002-12-29T15:18:27Z")
I think this belongs in Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/6 "2002-12-29T19:12:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Czarcasm \* > \*\*I think this belongs in Cafe Society. \*\* But I asked for people’s analysis of the ending, which coincidently is an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/7 "2002-12-29T19:49:05Z")
Yeah, but its an analysis of a movie ending so it gets put into Cafe Society. I never liked that ending. I could have done without the whole flying thing. All it did was confuse people as to what was going on. Basically it was meant to show that Neo had become the one and was able to do whatever he wanted in the Matrix. ---
**Author:** ![WPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d26b3c/32.png) [@WPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WPL)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/8 "2002-12-29T20:05:38Z")
It’s a superhero film. Neo has a dual identity. He’s faster than a speeding bullet and able leap tall buildings in a single bound. At the end, he steps out of a telephone booth and flies. But I agree with Bryan Ekkers. Neo’s ability to fly shows that he is no longer bound by the Matrix’s rules. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/9 "2002-12-29T20:22:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WPL \* > **It’s a superhero film. Neo has a dual identity. He’s faster than a speeding bullet and able leap tall buildings in a single bound. At the end, he steps out of a telephone booth and flies.** And that trenchcoat he’s wearing does look an awful lot like a cape, when viewed from the right angle. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/10 "2002-12-29T20:28:10Z")
I cannot tell you how impressed I am that no one yet has drawn a connection between Neo flying and Christ’s ascension into heaven. There may be hope yet. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/11 "2002-12-29T20:50:02Z")
Well, such a connection wouldn’t necessarily be _wrong_ you know. The movie does have a character named “Trinity” in it. This is not to say the movie is just a Christian parable, but it clearly uses Christian imagery (along with imagery from other religions and myths). And **skaterboarder87** , he just moved your thread; as the forum description says, “if it’s about art or entertainment, it goes here”. You shouldn’t take it personally or think you’ve been “dissed” or something. Besides, **skaterboarder87** , I won’t lie to you. Every single man or woman who has stood their ground–_everyone_ who has fought a moderator–has died. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/12 "2002-12-29T20:56:41Z")
> [@](#): > > I cannot tell you how impressed I am that no one yet has drawn a connection between Neo flying and Christ’s ascension into heaven. There may be hope yet. Christ parallels are a dime a dozen. If I had been in charge of the ending, it would have used an Elisha parallel. The agents would taunt Neo, saying “Go up, thou pale trench quasi-goth!” and then a couple of bears would pop out of nowhere and rip them apart, and _then_ Neo would have flown off. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/13 "2002-12-29T22:52:25Z")
Not to mention the fact that Neo died and came back to life as a god… **KneadToKnow** , what is wrong with making Christ comparisons? Seems clear that was the filmmaker’s intent. ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/14 "2002-12-29T23:50:45Z")
Like the line where Neo’s friend tells him “You’re my Savior, my own personal Jesus Christ?” ---
**Author:** ![username\_for\_rent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@username\_for\_rent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/username_for_rent)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/15 "2002-12-30T01:38:30Z")
Neo’s freind is named Choi by the way. The reference to Christ is one that few catch, first the resurrection, then the ascension into heaven, and of course his most faithful apostle Morpheus. The movie is chocked full of philosophical references. Remember the book Neo keeps his bootlegged programs in?😉 **Possible Spoiler** - - - Apparently there is another reference to Christ in the 2nd movie. Morpheus is atop a semi headed for disaster. Morpheus makes a comment(parapharased as I don’t know) “I must have faith in Neo” and jumps off only to be caught in midair by flying Neo. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/16 "2002-12-30T01:50:48Z")
> [@](#): > > The movie is chocked full of philosophical references No, the movie is “chocked full” of quasi-philosophical references. It is Philosophy Lite at best (and that’s being damn charitable), and what makes me sad about it is the number of young people who are doomed to grow up thinking it’s _deep_. And for those who have pointed out that comparisons between Neo and Christ are not wrong, I will second what **Drastic** said. It’s not that they’re wrong. It’s that they’re _too easy_ and evidence of how shallow the story really is. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/17 "2002-12-30T02:04:02Z")
Or perhaps the references to Christ all exist in the mind of the viewer, which is often how symbolistic images are meant to be interpreted. One could derive plenty of allusions to Christ in Sesame Street if one were to look hard enough. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/18 "2002-12-30T02:12:33Z")
KneadToKnow: Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you expect from an action movie? Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of my favorite movies, but if I want something deep I’ll read a book. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/19 "2002-12-30T02:18:40Z")
That’s all I’m asking, **sturmhauke**! My hope springs eternal. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485/20 "2002-12-30T02:24:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*That’s all I’m asking, **sturmhauke**! My hope springs eternal. \*\* For an action movie, it’s pretty damn deep (in comparison, mind you). It’s also as deep as it needs to be. Just because the movie doesn’t reference (or as might be the case, reference lightly) various religious artifacts doesn’t change the incredible scenario it presented. That in and of itself was plenty of brain candy for me to feast on for some time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/matrix-ending/145485.md?page=2)