YouTube video "Film Theory: Neo ISN'T The One in The Matrix Trilogy"
The Film Theorists YouTube channel has a video called "Film Theory: Neo ISN'T The One in The Matrix Trilogy".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkMU1mKdwPI
Interesting imo.
I responded with my own take about who was the crucial person/thing in the Matrix trilogy.
I don't think the key to the story is the One. It's the Oracle.
The Architect with the help of the Oracle created the matrix to help keep humans alive (by keeping their minds occupied).
But the matrix program only worked if humans were given choice. But choice over time lead to anomalies in the programming. Until enough anomalies built up until someone was born in the matrix who could control it.
This One was then taken to the Architect. And the Architect scared the One into choosing to reload the One's programming into the Source.
The scare tactic was that if this wasn't done, that there would be a system crash which would kill everyone in the matrix. All the previous Ones chose to reload their programming which resulted in a reboot of the matrix, the destruction of Zion and a rebuilding of a new Zion.
But the Oracle got involved with Neo so that he and Trinity would fall in love. Because of their love Neo refused to reload his programming into the Source.
As a result agent Smith became the system crash and was absorbing programs in the matrix. He even absorbed the Oracle.
That was the gamble of the Oracle. That if Smith became so powerful that he was a threat to the machines, then the machines would make a deal with Neo. To allow Neo to connect with Smith (to keep Smith from crashing the system including the machine city).
The babyface machine made the deal with Neo for peace. Neo connected to Smith while Neo was connected to the Source. That allowed the Smith program to be downloaded to the Source.
As part of the deal, this time Zion would not be destroyed and the people connected to the matrix would be allowed to disconnect if they wanted and be free of it.
So whether Neo or agent Smith was the One is not the key to this whole thing.
The key was the Oracle who messed up the Architect's system which had been working for quite a long time.
She wanted the machines and the humans to work together and that was the way she made it happen.
BB ;-)
it is just in my opinion - imo - 🌈