Note: I have not yet seen the second movie, so I do not know if any of this resolved in it.
We all know that the “power plant” ,:rolleyes:, explanation is too stupid for words, so what is the real reason for the Matrix?
I think that we will find out that it is so the computer can tap into the vast computing power of the human mind. It will be the bit that despite all of the machines mighty power, there is some bit of humanity, or creativity that eludes them. Because of this they decide to keep the humans around. There was some hints to this. I remember reading a short story that was either on The Matrix DVD or on the website that was about a woman who should have died in a mountain climbing accident, but was brought back by an agent because of the interesting work she was doing in AI research.
Well, the idea that the AI’s are tapping into the unused brain power of the humans, is the most common of the alternate Matrix explainations that don’t violate the laws of thermodynamics like the one given in the movie. Maybe the Matrix is even running partially on the people’s brains; allowing people like Neo and Trinity who know it isn’t real to bend the rules because the simulation is literally all in their heads.
The other explantion that I have seen is that, deep in their programing, the AI’s have a sort of Asimov-like Zeroeth law, that forces them to keep people alive, at least most of them, and the Matrix is how they do it.
Though Morpheus’ explanation of the batteries theory in the Matrix could easily be discredited (how on Earth would Morpheus know, anyway? He could be wrong, etc) the “Animatrix” episode “The Second Renaissance (Part 2)” makes it pretty clear that the battery reason IS the reason. And it was written by the Bros. so it looks like we’re stuck with it.
Oops, forgot to add that the reason the Second Renaissance episode is more trustworthy is that it is done from an “omnipotent narrator” perspective.
Actually, isn’t it supposed to be from Zion’s archives? In which case, having it and Morpheus agree would be likely, and the real reason may be something completely different. Let’s hope…
Spoiler for Matrix 2 (I have yet to see it, but this is from what I’ve heard)
Zion is part of the matrix anyway, so there’s no reason for it’s archives to be anything more than a smokescreen.
My running theory is that there is no ‘real world’, merely endless layers of matrices. Each time you think you’re in the real world, you will eventually find it’s just another ‘matrix’ and ascend to another level of it, or die; one of the two anyway. Each level is neither more nor less real than the previous, it’s just different.
Here’s my theory. It’s a little convoluted, but it seems like a crappy enough plot twist for the bros.
First you have the Zion elder talking to Neo about how people need machines and machines need people. Next comes Colonel Sanders (cleverly disguised as "The Architect) talking about how humans wouldn’t accept the perfect reality. Lastly the revelation that there are many levels to the matrix. Leads me to believe that the machines are both using the humans as power and protecting them until the surface is inhabitable so they can live together in peace. The matrix, in all it’s villainy, is simply there to give the human mind something to do/ fight against until the world is good again.
There you go. Hope I’m wrong, cause it’s really cheesy
I’d like to see it revealed that The Matrix is really a biological preserve for genetically inferior humans, while a race of superior humans - bred through eugenics or gene tampering or what-have-you - have vacated the planet entirely and went off to the stars. I’d find it to be a delicious irony…
I’ll second this. I just got to see The Animatrix on the big screen on Saturday night as part of the Seattle film festival, and this is indeed referred to in the named segment as solid, verified history by an omnicient-sounding narrator.
In the world of The Matrix, human beings are indeed used as a power source by the machines.
And The Force is caused by midichlorians.
You may now commence banging your head on your desk.
