The Matrix 5 Can Settle a Controversial Debate About the Most Powerful Character

The Matrix 5 is officially happening, and while basically nothing is known about the film’s story yet, it has the chance to finally settle the debate regarding who the franchise’s most powerful character is. Since the beginning, Keanu Reeves’ Neo has been considered the most powerful character in The Matrix, as he is the One who is able to manipulate the Matrix to his will. However, The Matrix Resurrections introduced a new candidate, creating major competition for the franchise’s original protagonist.

2021’s The Matrix Resurrections finally brought the beloved movie series back, reviving The Matrix nearly two decades after the original trilogy’s conclusion. Now, The Matrix is moving away from the Wachowskis, with Warner Bros. developing a new entry in the franchise. This time, Cloverfield and The Cabin in the Woods‘ Drew Goddard is attached to write and direct, putting The Matrix franchise in the hands of a new creative lead for the first time ever. Very little is known about Goddard’s The Matrix 5, including whether or not Kenau Reeves will return.

The Matrix 5 Could Reveal Whether Neo Or Trinity Is More Powerful

It is hard to imagine The Matrix without Neo or Trinity, as Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss’ characters have been the protagonists since the very beginning. Thus, their return in the first legacy sequel wasn’t a surprise, as fans were dying to know what Neo and Trinity were up to after the seeming defeat of the Machines in The Matrix Revolutions. So, fans were surprised to see that they weren’t aware of the Matrix or the real world when they returned in The Matrix Resurrections.

As it turns out, the code anomaly that makes Neo the One is also shared in Trinity due to their bond. The Analyst discovered this, allowing him to seize control of the Matrix from the Architect and reshape it in his own vision sometime after the events of Revolutions. Eventually, Neo learns about this, with him and a new group of human revolutionaries attempting to locate and awaken Trinity. When the duo is united, they both learn about how much control they have over the Matrix.

By the end of Resurrections, both Neo and Trinity are able to exhibit similar levels of power, something that had never before been seen in the franchise. The film ends with Neo and Trinity flying off together, with them planning on reshaping the Matrix once again. Making Trinity the One as well as Neo was the biggest change that Resurrections featured, as this means that Trinity may be just as powerful as Neo.

Bringing Neo and Trinity back in The Matrix 5 means that they could continue to demonstrate their powers, proving who is the more powerful One. After all, Neo and Trinity weren’t together and at their full power level much in Resurrections. They would have a whole movie to work together if they were the main characters in The Matrix 5, giving them plenty of screentime to display their powers and prove which character has better control of the Matrix.

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Instead, The Matrix 5 Should Abandon Neo’s Story Entirely

While this would be a fun way to settle a debate that has been raging since the release of Resurrections, it doesn’t make for a very compelling story. It would be hard to answer this question definitively, and a whole movie of Neo and Trinity just one-upping each other with their feats doesn’t sound like anything more than fan service. Instead, The Matrix 5 needs to move away from Neo.

The switch from the Wachowskis to Drew Goddard is the end of an era for The Matrix, and with that, it should be the end of Neo’s story. Neo has been the protagonist of four The Matrix movies, and in a world as big as the franchise’s, there are tons of other stories that could be told. Resurrections‘ repetitive story is excusible due to the film being a parody of legacy sequels, but The Matrix really can’t get away with this trick again.

A movie completely centered on Trinity is one option, with this being the best way to continue the setup seen in Resurrections. However, it’ll be hard to justify a Trinity story without having the heavy presence of Neo. Instead, Drew Goddard should completely move away from the legacy characters and focus on a new cast of human revolutionaries. The Matrix has gone through many cycles, so it would be a shame for the entirety of the franchise to focus on just one of them.

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