Talk:Matrix (fictional universe)/Proposed merge

The Matrix is the main setting of the Matrix series of science fiction films, comics and games.

Overview

In the dystopia the series depicts, Earth is dominated by sentient machines. Humans are grown in pods and are connected by cybernetic implants to an artificial reality called the Matrix, which keeps their minds under control while the machines use the thermal energy of their bodies as an energy source. The virtual reality world of the Matrix consists primarily of a vast unnamed megacity which resembles human civilisation around the turn of the 21st century.

The majority of humans connected to the Matrix are unaware of its true nature. However, most of the central characters in the series know that it is not real, and as a result can partially bend the simulation's physical laws in order to perform superhuman feats.

The virtual world is first introduced in The Matrix. The Animatrix short film "The Second Renaissance" and the comic "Bits and Pieces of Information" show how the initial conflict between humans and machines came about, and how and why the Matrix was first developed. Its history and purpose are further explained in The Matrix Reloaded.

History

Version one

The Architect created the first version of the Matrix. According to him in The Matrix Reloaded, it was designed as a perfect world, with no wars, plagues, or dangers of any sort. People, due to human nature, began to reject this utopia; according to Agent Smith, this rejection caused "entire crops" of humans to die.

Version two

Instead of the "perfection" of the first, the second version of the Matrix simulated a more "dangerous" world with wars, plagues and more hellish environments. Much to the frustration of the Architect, this version was also a failure.

Version three

The creation of a third version was suspended until a way could be found of dealing with mankind's unpredictable nature. The solution was stumbled upon by the Oracle, a program created to understand the human psyche. The Oracle found that 99% of humans would accept the system if given a subconscious choice to accept or reject the Matrix. However, the remaining 1% could eventually become dangerous to the stability of the Matrix if left unchecked. This problem was solved by allowing this 1% to reject the Matrix and create a settlement of their own called Zion.

However, the Matrix would eventually crash, killing everyone connected to it. The machines needed something to prevent this. In order to keep the rebel inhabitants of Zion under control, they created the concept of the One, and a prophecy that this person would free humanity. The One would also be instrumental in the smooth restarting of the Matrix. Before the Matrix would crash, Zion would be attacked and the One would meet the Architect, and would be told the truth about the Matrix and his following task:

"The function of the One is now to return to the Source allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the Prime Program. After which you will be required to select from the Matrix twenty-three individuals — sixteen female, seven male — to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the Matrix. Which, coupled with the extermination of Zion, will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race."

The survivors would be told the prophecy of the One, but would not be allowed to know of the cycle of the Matrix's renewal, each time believing it to around the year 2100 when they were revived, and the first time anyone had been freed from the Matrix.

The "One cycle" was put into effect, with the machines maintaining control of the system for five full cycles and five Ones. However, the sixth One, Thomas A. Anderson, was different to his predecessors in a way the machines had not expected. The previous Ones had all felt a general attachment to people, and had chosen to prolong the Matrix in order to avoid the extinction of the human race; Neo, however, loved a particular woman, Trinity, a hacker who the Oracle had told would fall in love with the One. Neo rejected the rational idea posed by the Architect to save humanity and instead made the irrational decision to save Trinity from an attack by an Agent.

In turn, this led to more system crashes and the allowance for Smith, a rogue Agent corrupted and strengthened by a previous encounter with Neo, to spread throughout the Matrix like a virus. He became a threat to both machines and humans alike and so when the One struck a deal with the machines — in the form of "Deus Ex Machina" — to get rid of Smith in return for peace, it agreed. Neo battled Smith, but eventually realised that the only way to win was to allow Smith to imprint over himself, enabling the machines to delete the rogue program. Peace was restored, and the inhabitants of Zion were allowed to survive.

Version four

The conclusion of The Matrix Revolutions shows a fourth version of the Matrix world, in which any people that wish to leave the Matrix are allowed to do so. The Matrix Online takes place in this version of the Matrix.

Geography

The City

Image:Districts alpha.png Map of the Matrix Megacity from The Matrix Online

The Matrix consists primarily of a vast unnamed megacity. The Wachowski brothers provided the designers of the The Matrix Online with a map of this city, which is split into four main districts: Downtown, International, Richland and Westview. The map indicates that the actual shape of the city is the Y-shaped symbol seen at the end of the code sequence in The Matrix Revolutions.

Influences

The city is an amalgamation of various present-day cities, in particular Sydney, Australia, where the majority of the films were shot; Oakland, California, where the car chase scenes in The Matrix Reloaded were filmed; and Chicago, Illinois, where the Wachowski brothers were born and raised.

Although such distinctive landmarks as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House were digitally removed or shot around, there are several clearly Australian features visible throughout the first movie in particular:

Buildings: Sydney Tower is visible on the construct TV screen. Various Sydney skyscrapers are also recognisable.

Companies: AWA Limited, AMP Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Dymocks Booksellers, MMI

Signage: Non-American spelling such as "Authorised personnel only" or "In case of fire, do not use lift" appears occasionally, although in some cases this may be because production designer Owen Paterson is Australian rather than use of Australian locations.

The highway scenes were shot on a specially-constructed set at the Naval Air Station Alameda near. However, the preceding chase sequence from an underground car park was shot in various Oakland streets. The Transbay Tube is also prominently seen. Marsh Road, Whipple Road, and Woodside Road are names of streets that are accessed from Highway 101 in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Most of the street and landmark names referenced in the films are from Chicago. Examples include Wabash and Lake, Franklin and Erie, State Street, Balbo Drive, Cumberland Ave, the Adam Street Bridge and the Loop Train. Some street names however, such as Paterson Pass and Wu Ping Ave are derived from names of production staff. Early drafts of the screenplay also stated that the city was Chicago.

Club Hel

Image:clubhel.jpg The Merovingian and Persephone at Club Hel

Club Hel is featured in The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix Online It is a nightclub run by the Merovingian, a ruthless, powerful program. This nightclub appears to cater to people with goth and other fetishes. It is here that Morpheus, Trinity, and Seraph meet with the Merovingian to barter for Neo's escape from the Train Station, a computer construct run by the Merovingian's henchman, the Trainman. After Trinity starts a fight and creates a Mexican standoff with the Merovingian, Neo is eventually freed.

The name of the club is an allusion to the possible purposes in the Matrix of the Merovingian and his wife, Persephone. In Greek mythology, Hades, the god of the underworld, kidnapped and marries a young maiden named Persephone.

The club is an over the top depiction of a Fetish nightclub. Many view this as an expression of co-director Larry Wachowski's not so secret turn in personal life (during production of the final two films in the Matrix Trilogy, Larry became romantically connected with Professional Dominatrix Ilsa Strix).

Other locations

The Matrix Reloaded features a mountainous region.

The revelation that the Matrix films and games take place in a single megacity was surprising, as there are several references to other places and cultures throughout the series. It is not, however, stated that there are no other cities, just that the movies and games take place in the same exceptionally large megacity.

During Neo's online search for Morpheus, the headline "Morpheus eludes police at Heathrow Airport" and an Arabic newspaper appear, suggesting that London and the Middle East exist in the Matrix world (unless the City airport is called "Heathrow").
The presence of an airport and a post office in Enter the Matrix implies that City-dwellers can travel to other cities and countries.