I am one of the people who thought The first Matrix was an incredible movie experience (and I still think that way whenever I see it), but I was disappointed when the sequel(s) came out. I've always tried to keep an open mind and have been reading all the theories and conclusions that have been posted on the internet these past months. I thought I may have missed what the W-brothers were trying to say in their work. I have seen (5x) and bought The Matrix DVD reloaded. I have also recently bought The Matrix Revolutions DVD. No matter what I think of the 3 movies, I still think it was one of the most original and thought provoking pieces of cinema in recent years.
Alas, even now, I still feel the same way when I first saw Revolutions. I think that the ending of Revolutions was a bit of a let down considering the purpose of the first movie was to free every human from The Matrix. I accepted the fact that certain purpose was changed in Reloaded and Revolutions with the additions of "free willed" programs, but I did not like the ending where I thought everything basically looped back to the beginning with Neo and Trinity sacrificing their lives to restart a program. I know I will be getting some angry replies stating that I don't understand the ending, but I believe that I did understand the ending. I just didn't like it. I thought that nothing was resolved. The Matrix was still being run by The Architect; A being/program who has killed millions of human beings trying to perfect The Matrix. I can't imagine The Architect just realized, after all these years, he could live alongside humans and vice versa.
I would like to suggest a different ending. Well not exactly a different ending, but more like an extended ending. One where Neo’s body does die (right after he gets taken over by Smith), but instead of his program going back to the source after the power surge, Neo's mind/program evolves to a higher state of being. A state where it becomes powerful enough to disrupt the source and takes over as The New Architect of The New Matrix. I thought in each of the movies, Neo was evolving into “The One”. I would have plotzed in my pants if the last scene of Revolutions was that of the Oracle talking to a person in the shadows whom we assume is The Old Architect and after the Oracle states that a new age of Man and Machine has risen, the shadow slowly reveals itself as Neo. I think this ending would have satisfied the people who wanted a closure to the trilogy and the rest of the fans. I don’t think this ending would drastically change the essence of the series. There would be a more stable peace, Neo would be sympathetic to both humans and machine because of all the experiences he has been through, the people still plugged into The Matrix now have a “real” choice to stay or be unplugged, and finally Mr. Silver could still make his video games, comic books, and even more movies (God Forbid!). What do you all think about this.
Thank you for your time.
You know, I was with you on the not accepting moral equaivalence with the machines thing... and then as soon as you suggested your own ending, that went right off the page for me... sorry, but that is way worse- Neo 'Transcends' into a higher being and turns everything into Hippie Happy Land? Oh Lord no...
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"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"
Seeing as how the movies are Live Anime, i would shoot myself, after shooting the bros. and joel silver, if they had done that. It doesn't need to have closure, and if you cannot understand the ending, either watch it again, or have someone explain it. alternate endings, however, won't accomplish anything.
I believe I understood the ending, JediHDM, but it was an ending that I didn't agree with. Sorry if you didn't like my suggested ending. I personally think that full closure on an incredible story like this was what I wanted and not just a happy hollywood ending. Self sacrifice for the good of the many or someone you love is a great theme. I'm one of those people that thought Neo's sacrifice (as well as Trinity's) was wasted. Now I don't believe Neo as "The One". He is sort of a filler or substitute player until the real ONE arrives. If I have deduced things correctly, another "One" program will be introduced back into this New Matrix sometime in the future. But this time, he/she will try to help both machine and man to live together in harmony. It seems every iteration of The One has to accomplish more than it's predecessor. If this is true, how many more resets of The Matrix must we go through until there is no need for machine to enslave man and man to fear machine. Please tell me if there are things wrong with my conclusions.
Full closure was not necessary for the enjoyment of this series. As i have said many times before, this movie was done exactly like an anime, albeit a live action one, thus the ending being 'open' is nothing new. The Brothers told us a long time ago, they would be true to themselves and to the Matrix story way before they were true to the fans and what the fans wanted, and if the fans weren't happy, that is the fans problem, not theirs. They made these movies not so they could be rolling in dough, but because they had a message they wanted to get out, and if you are unhappy with the message, fine, but you cannot change the ending just because it didn't suit your 'fairytale ending' type of mindset. We have discussed this at length for the past six months, and for much longer before that, and there is not another ending could make me any happier about the series than what happened. The Bros. are amazing minds, they have read much more than i have, and posibly much more than everyone i know, and they used this amazing library of information, on everything from fiction to religion, from philosophy to politics, created this wonderful...symphony of ideas that assaulted the mind and forced the viewer to think, to reason, to problem solve.
And i disagree with your view of what a happy hollywood ending is. Your 'fairy tale ending' is EXACTLY what Hollywood would have made the movie end like, and it is exactly what the Bros. were trying to stay away from. Neo didn't die, he is still alive. Read the threads in this forum, because we have debated these very ideas for months before 11/5, and we have come to conclusions...
Neo IS the One. As has every other anomaly in every other iteration of the matrix. Neo, however, was able to overcome what he was supposed to do, and do what he NEEDED to do, which was bring Human and Machine back to equal. He did this by realizing what the Oracle was telling him, and by doing what was right, even if that's not his original plan. He is the ultimate dynamic thinker, changing plans to suit the need on the spot, without hesitation. This is evidenced by His stopping the Sentinels with his mind, even though he had no idea what he was doing; by letting Smith take him over, even though he had no intention of giving up. The anomaly was used by the machines, until they had built up a religion around the Anomaly, calling him the ONE, and forcing him down the path they choose for him, until he is faced with a choice; reset the matrix and allow humanity to thrive, or don't reset the matrix and allow all of humanity to perish. Despite what he 'knew' would happen, Neo risked saving Trinity, because his love was so pure, so true, that he was willing to risk everything to save her, even if that meant humanity would perish. None of the other anomalies had experienced love, so their choice was easy. Neo, one could say, was more human than all the other Ones, thus, he was able to make the necessary choice to end the war. Neo knew that Trinity was going with him, and he allowed it, because, in a egotistical way, he didn't want to be alone for what happened. But he had to be alone, not just physically, but in love as well...Trinity had to die. From a standpoint of how to accomplish the impossible, that is how to save humanity, Trinity had outlived her usefulness...So that when the time came, if Neo had to sacrifice himself, he would not hold back because of her. And he did have to sacrifice himself. Neo knew that he would most likely die when he made the deal with Deus ex machina. He would rather have died saving them, than be the only one left alive if he failed. So, when the Oracle, speaking through Smith, said "everything that has a beginning, has an end, Neo", he knew what he must do. Everything became so clear to him. He finally understood Smith, and the Oracle, and the Architect. He understood everything that was plaguing him, every doubt, every question, were gone. His purpose was before him, and he reached out with both hands. He allowed Smith to overtake him, because the equation would remain balanced until Neo was no longer there. However, in Neo's selfless act, something happened, something unforeseen, but understood. Neo transcended himself, transcended his physical body, his mental cell. It is symbollically expressed by the Lotus, the flower which Neo's glowing body seems to make, which, in Hindi traditions is symbolic of the common man transceding himself, and becoming a deity, just as the lotus rises up out of the muck of thee river, and yet, remains pure white.
The anomaly arises from the collective doubt of all those still in the Matrix. They accept the Matrix, yes, but there is still a shadow of a doubt that the Matrix is not real. That doubt continues to grow and collect, until the buffer of doubt has reached it's capacity. This causes a new anomaly to occur. While the anomaly is still alive, the doubt is funneled into him, but when he dies, the buffer once again begins to build. Neo did not die. If he did, instead of a glowing body on the 'funerary barge', we would see just a dead body. Neo, before meeting the deus ex machina, did not glow. This is a fact. however, after Smith is eradicated, his body very prominantly glows, and him, together with the barge, create a lotus blossom of light, with Neo at the center. This is why i know he is not dead. He is now fully connected to the machines, but still completely human. He has become a god-man, connected to the matrix by his mind, with no connection necessary, but he may never be 'alive' in the sense of walking around, again. However, on a side note, one should think of the Arthurian legends, as Omega points out, that the King, Arthur, sailed away to Avalon on a barge, to be healed, and if ever the need arose, he would return, to save his country. Denmark has a similar story (not to be rude, just not exactly sure what to call it other than a story..myth, legend?). The machines, i dare say, never wanted to enslave the human race. All they wanted was peace. But after repeated attempts, the machines finally decided something must be done, for humanity and machinity(?) to cohabitate. So they designed the Matrix, so that, one day, perhaps humanity would learn that cohabitation is possible, and they could allow them to live together. It is entirely up to the humans as to how long the peace lasts. The machines have never wanted anything other than peace. Neither one need fear the other any longer. Man has learned to fear the machines, and to live with them, is a necessity. Machines have always known that cohabitation is possible, but requires both sides to be on equal footing. there is no more need of any more anomalies, because the humans that doubt can finally be freed without consequence. The humans that don't desire to leave can remain in the Matrix for their entire lives, and millions will continue to live in the Matrix. In fact, they cannot support all the humans, especially if they were freed right now, because they cannot grow enough food to sustain them, they cannot live outside until they clear the skies, they cannot live together until they create more dwelling places. It is necessary, right now, for the matrix to continue, perhaps indefinitely.
i realize that is a lot to read...and it is a lot to type...but if there is anything else i have not covered that you would like covered, feel free to ask.
This thread needs a sticky. Jedi just answered every question that any newbie will ever ask. I especially liked the comment of King Arthur, it's exactly what I thought of when I saw this movie the first time...Also, I never really noticed the Lotus untill the 5th time I saw the movie...Weird that I wouldn't notice something that obvious
Thanks for your well written and thought out response, JediHDM. I have read it all, have given thought to what you have written, and have come away with some enlightenment. I very much liked the reference to The King Aurther Myth and the Lotus blossom, though I haven’t change my mind about the way I feel about the ending in Revolutions.
I still believe that the Matrix is still a type of control and the human race is not totally free (paraphrasing Morpheus from The Matrix) unless this control is gone. I don’t mean that the machines should be destroyed or even The Matrix, just for the machines to find a different power source. I know it will take time and I wouldn’t want to nonchalantly destroy The Matrix just to free all the humans. That would create more problems which you stated JediHDM. A vast number would be killed by the shock and others would be angry someone destroyed their “lives” only to show them a world with an unknown future. Also, the program who is running The Matrix: The Architect, is responsible of the deaths of millions of humans, even if it were for a just cause, which I have doubts about. There is no reason, I can think of, for someone or something to kill vast numbers of living beings to make them realize that they could live with another life form even though they did the same thing to your kind. The wounds would be too raw from the war for some of the humans to accept peace (maybe the machines would accept) and all this will become another cycle of death.
From what you wrote JediHDM, and what from I understand, the people who know the truth about The Matrix and the others who have doubts about it can be set free if they want to be. But what about the people who still think The Matrix is the real world (there are some left, I believe)? Do we leave them alone and let them live their virtual lives without knowing the truth? I remember in The first Matrix movie, Morpheus never told Neo the real reason of The Matrix, but had to experience it. That must mean the people who are still unaware of their surroundings have to be unplugged or it will not register in their minds they are living in a program. But if the machines won't let these people be unplugged, there will be doubt. The Architect never told The Oracle he would set the people free who were unaware of The Matrix. And how will the the machines know to set the people free who are in doubt? Will the Agents new purpose be to check every person to see if there is doubt in them then tell them about The Matrix, but then most people won't believe them unless they take the red/blue pill, but that means they have to be unplugged then replugged back if they don’t like what’s out there? But from The Matrix movie, people who are of a certain age would not be able to handle the truth (shades of Jack Nicholson). Then you won't be able to unplug anybody over 12 yrs (Just my guess). These are just some of the things bothering me. I keep feeling there will still be the coming of "The One" and nothing has been fully resolved. (Please, don't try to say it mirrors The readings of The Bible where Christ will come back when man needs him again. I didn't buy the Neo/Christ parallels, because Neo was never betrayed by his own race and Neo never believed in what he was doing until the end. I do not feel he is/was The Savior/One)
Don't get me wrong. I still love The Matrix and have respect on what the W-brothers were trying to do with the Trilogy. I just don't agree with how they ended it and if you can sway my opinions about it, I would be the first one to apologize and shout out " I have seen the light!" In the meantime, I will still have my doubts…
this is a hot topic....the "ending" however..people tend to misunderstand what this "ending" was supposed to be, and that was, not an ending at all, it was left open for a reason, yes for more merchandise to come along (MxO, exc.) but thats not the point...i would have been diddipointed if there WAS closure at the end of these films, as thier intended purpose was to "provoke thought" (which i guess the majority of movie going noth america (canada, andUS, as well as Britian) tend not to like doing much........The ending is the ending and thiers no way to change it so let it be, its a good "ending" and hay at least the "ending"is doing what it was intended to do, since we are constantly talking about it.......
KMC Community Forums
One fan's opinion and solution to an ending
Apr 13th, 2004 12:49 PM
Too Funny!
You're not outta the woods yet, Jedi.
