Something I don't get...

Okey dokey people...

At the end of M1, Smith went boom and was still able to return in M2. How does M3 change anything? Surely Smith can still come back? I mean, won't he just refuse to go back to the source, as he did at the end of M1?

Thoughts appreciated

Ahnold

at the end of M1, he had a choice but he was compelled to stay, compelled to disobey. he was obsessed with one thing- destroying neo. he still had the choice to return to the source or not. he didm't wanna be deleted. he knew that that's his purpose but he wanted to kill neo. in M3 the source "went" to smith through neo... thus negating the possibility of a return of the same exact smith because he was already deleted by the source.

^what he said. Smith was defeated in M1, but was deleted in M3. He ain't coming back, unless someone has his "code"

Muchas Gracias. This explains a lot. Gee it's a shame the movies never clarify a lot of these things...

Smith was neutralised in a more official way at the end.