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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Grue" data-source="post: 894296" data-attributes="member: 11989">I thought the subtext of the fundamental flaw of the Matrix was that the system was not truly random.  Falling into predicable patterns and eliminating 'Free Will' (the Merovingen's cause and effect discussion).  I'm not sure Neo has 'Free Will' but the Architect sets up a choice for him to make to determine the shape of the future.  I'm not sure how much of a choice it was however.  Zion (apparently) was set up as a spillover for the rebels of the system (though Zion's population of 250,000 and the suggestion that 1% won't accept the Matrix also suggests the world's population is a lot less than 6-7 billion).  The Architect also comments on Neo's emotional\biological state determining that he has already made the choice (back to the scene with the Merovingen in the restaurant and the women's response to the dessert).  Given that Neo the rebel has already been told, "Hey the last five guys that were here went through the Right Door," and the woman he has the strongest emotional response to is through the Left ("Hey but you have No Hope of saving her.... and Hope definitely isn't a heroic trait.") I'm not sure Neo actually exercised free will.Regarding the predicability of the Matrix, it isn't a system where butterflies in China are randomly creating tornados in Kansas.  The Oracle comments on the ravens (if I remember correctly) and the wind being a program... all aspects of the system are programs.  I think the Oracle's prophecies come from her near total understanding of the human psyche and fact that the Matrix is not random.  I think Neo's foresight\power comes from the fact his subconsious can assimilate and predict the pattern.I'm pretty sure there is at least another level to the simulation.  The 'humans are batteries' thing on the Zion reality could just be device for the Zion humans to do all sorts of horrible things to the humans on the Matrix reality level and not suffer all sorts of psychological damage.  I have no idea what the relationship between humans and the machines\matrix is though.  I think it was somewhat foreshadowed in the scene with Neo and the old councilman on the machine level in Zion (where he talks about the codependency of humanity and the tools of civilization).  I'm not sure where it's headed though I sortof suspect humans (not machines) created the Matrix.</blockquote>

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