N
Neo ION
FADE IN:
INT. COMPUTER SCREEN
On a computer screen; so close it has
no boundaries.
A blinking cursor pulses in the
electric darkness like a heart
coursing with phosphorous light,
burning beneath the derma of black-
neon glass.
A phone begins to ring, we hear it as
though we were making the call. The
cursor continues to throb,
relentlessly patient, until --
MAN (V.O.)
Yeah?
Data now slashes across the screen,
information flashing faster than we
can read:
SCREEN
Call trans opt: received.
2-19-98 13:24:18 REC:Log>.
WOMAN(V.O.)
Is everything in place?
SCREEN
Trace program: running.
We listen to the phone conversation as
though we were on a third line. The
man's name is Cypher. The woman,
Trinity.
TRINITY (WOMAN)
(V.O.)
I said, is everything in
place?
The entire screen fills with racing
columns of numbers. Shimmering like
green-electric rivers, they rush at a
10-digit phone number in the top
corner.
CYPHER (MAN) (V.O.)
You weren't supposed to
relieve me.
TRINITY (V.O.)
I know but I felt like
taking a shift.
The area code is identified. The
first three numbers suddenly fixed,
leaving only seven flowing columns.
CYPHER (V.O.)
You like him, don't you?
You like watching him?
We begin moving toward the screen,
closing in as each digit is matched,
one by one, snapping into place like
the wheels of a slot machine.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Don't be ridiculous.
CYPHER (V.O.)
We're going to kill him.
Do you understand that?
He's going to die just
like the others.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Morpheus believes he is
the One.
Only two thin digits left.
CYPHER (V.O.)
Do you?
TRINITY (V.O.)
I... it doesn't matter
what I believe.
CYPHER (V.O.)
You don't, do you?
TRINITY (V.O.)
If you have something to
say, I suggest you say it
to Morpheus.
CYPHER (V.O.)
I intend to, believe me.
Someone has to.
The final number pops into place--
TRINITY (V.O.)
Did you hear that?
CYPHER (V.O.)
Hear what?
SCREEN
Trace complete. Call
origin: #312-555-0690.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Are you sure this line is
clean?
CYPHER (V.O.)
Yeah, 'course I'm sure.
We move, still closer, the electric
hum of the green numbers growing into
an ominous roar.
TRINITY (V.O.)
I better go.
She hangs up as we pass through the
numbers, entering the netherworld of
the computer screen. Suddenly, a
flashlight cuts open the darkness and
we find ourselves in--
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - NIGHT
The hotel was abandoned after a fire
licked its way across the polyester
carpeting, destroying several rooms as
it spooled soot up the walls and
ceiling, leaving patterns of permanent
shadow.
We follow four armed POLICE OFFICERS
using flashlights as they creep down
the blackened hall and ready
themselves on either side of Room 303.
The biggest of them violently kicks in
the door. The other cops pour in
behind him, guns thrust before them.
BIG COP
Police! Freeze!
The room is almost devoid of
furniture.
There is a fold-up table and chair
with a phone, a modem, and a Powerbook
computer. The only light in the room
is the glow of the computer.
Sitting there, her hands still on the
keyboard, is TRINITY; a woman in black
leather.
BIG COP
Hands behind your head!
Now! Do it!
She slowly puts her hands behind her
head.
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - NIGHT
A black sedan with tinted windows
glides in through the police cruisers.
AGENT SMITH, AGENT BROWN, and AGENT
JONES get out of the car.
They wear dark suits and sunglasses
even at night. They are also always
hardwired; small Secret Service
earphones in one ear, the cord coiling
back into their shirt collars.
AGENT SMITH
Lieutenant?
LIEUTENANT
Oh @#%$.
AGENT SMITH
Lieutenant, you were given
specific orders--
LIEUTENANT
I'm just doing my job.
You gimme that Juris-my-
dick-tion and you can cram
it up your ass.
AGENT SMITH
The orders were for your
protection.
The Lieutenant laughs.
LIEUTENANT
I think we can handle one
little girl.
Agent Smith nods to Agent Brown as
they start toward the hotel.
LIEUTENANT
I sent two units. They're
bringing her down now.
AGENT SMITH
No, Lieutenant, your men
are already dead.
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
The Big Cop flicks out his cuffs, the
other cops holding a bead. They've
done this a hundred times, they know
they've got her, until the Big Cop
reaches with the cuffs and Trinity
moves --
It almost doesn't register, so smooth
and fast, inhumanly fast.
The eye blinks and Trinity's palm
snaps up and the nose explodes, blood
erupting. Her leg kicks with the force
of a wrecking ball and he flies back,
a two-hundred-fifty pound sack of limp
meat and bone that slams into the cop
farthest from her.
Trinity moves again, bullets raking
the walls, flashlights sweeping with
panic as the remaining cops try to
stop a leather-clad ghost.
A gun still in the cop's hand is
snatched, twisted and fired. There is
a final violent exchange of gunfire
and when it's over, Trinity is the
only one standing.
A flashlight rocks slowly to a stop.
TRINITY
@#%$.
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
Agent Brown enters the hotel while
Agent Smith heads for the alley.
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
Trinity is on the phone, pacing. The
other end is answered.
MAN (V.O.)
Operator.
TRINITY
Morpheus! The line was
traced! I don't know how.
MORPHEUS (MAN)
(V.O.)
I know. They cut the
hardline. This line is not
a viable exit.
TRINITY
Are there any Agents?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes.
TRINITY
@#%$it!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
You have to focus. There
is a phone. Wells and
Lake. You can make it.
She takes a deep breath, centering
herself.
TRINITY
All right--
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go.
She drops the phone.
INT. HALL
She bursts out of the room as Agent
Brown enters the hall, leading another
unit of police. Trinity races to the
opposite end, exiting through a broken
window onto the fire escape.
EXT. FIRE ESCAPE
In the alley below, Trinity sees Agent
Smith staring at her. She can only go
up.
EXT. ROOF
On the roof, Trinity is running as
Agent Brown rises over the parapet,
leading the cops in pursuit.
Trinity begins to jump from one roof
to the next, her movements so clean,
gliding in and out of each jump,
contrasted to the wild jumps of the
cops.
Agent Brown, however, has the same
unnatural grace.
The roof falls away into a wide back
alley. The next building is over 40
feet away but Trinity's face is
perfectly calm, staring at some point
beyond the other roof.
COP
That's it, we got her now.
The cops slow, realizing they are
about to see something ugly as Trinity
drives at the edge, launching herself
into the air.
From above, the ground seems to flow
beneath her as she hangs in flight,
then hits, somersaulting up, still
running hard.
COP
Jesus Christ-- that's
impossible!
They stare, slack-jawed, as Agent
Brown duplicates the move exactly,
landing, rolling over a shoulder up
onto one knee.
It is a dizzying chase up and over the
dark plateaued landscape of rooftops
and sheer cliffs of brick.
Ahead she sees her only chance, 50
feet beyond the point where her path
drops away into a paved chasm, there
is--
EXT. WINDOW
A window; a yellow glow in the midst
of a dark brick building.
Trinity zeros in on it, running as
hard as she can and--
Hurtles herself into the empty night
space, her body leveling into a dive.
She falls, arms covering her head as
the whole world seems to spin on its
axis--
INT. BACK STAIRWELL
And she crashes with an explosion of
glass and wood, then falls onto a back
stairwell, tumbling, bouncing down
stairs bleeding, broken--
But still alive.
She wheels on the smashed opening
above, her gun instantly in her hand,
trained, waiting for Agent Brown but
is met by only a slight wind that
hisses against the fanged maw of
broken glass.
Trinity tries to move. Everything
hurts.
TRINITY
Get up, Trinity. You're
fine. Get up-- just get
up!
She stands and limps down the rest of
the stairs.
EXT. STREET
Trinity emerges from the shadows of an
alley and, at the end of the block, in
a pool of white street light, she sees
it--
The telephone booth.
Obviously hurt, she starts down the
concrete walk, focusing in completely,
her pace quickening, as the phone
begins to ring.
Across the street, a garbage truck
suddenly turns U- turns, its tires
screaming as it accelerates. Trinity
sees the headlights of the truck
arcing at the telephone booth as if
taking aim.
Gritting through the pain, she races
the truck, slamming into the booth,
the headlights blindingly bright,
bearing down on the box of Plexiglas
just as--
She answers the phone.
There is a frozen instant of silence
before the hulking mass of dark metal
lurches up onto the sidewalk--
Barrelling through the booth,
bulldozing it into a brick wall,
smashing it to Plexiglas pulp.
After a moment, a black loafer steps
down from the cab of the garbage
truck. Agent Smith inspects the
wreckage. There is no body. Trinity is
gone.
His jaw sets as he grinds his molars
in frustration. Agents Jones and Brown
walk up behind him.
AGENT BROWN
She got out.
AGENT SMITH
It doesn't matter.
AGENT BROWN
The informant is real.
Agent Smith almost smiles.
AGENT SMITH
Yes.
AGENT JONES
We have the name of their
next target.
AGENT BROWN
The name is Neo.
The handset of the pay phone lays on
the ground, separated in the crash
like a severed limb.
AGENT SMITH
We'll need a search
running.
AGENT JONES
It's already begun.
We are sucked towards the mouthpiece
of the phone, closer and closer, until
the smooth gray plastic spreads out
like a horizon and the small holes
widen until we fall through one--
Swallowed by darkness.
The darkness crackles with
phosphorescent energy, the word
'searching' blazing in around us as we
emerge from a computer screen.
The screen flickers with windowing
data as a search engine runs with a
steady relentless rhythm.
We drift back from the screen and into--
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT
It is a studio apartment that seems
overgrown with technology.
Weed-like cables coil everywhere, duct-
taped into thickets that wind up and
around the legs of several desks.
Tabletops are filled with cannibalized
equipment that lay open like an
autopsied corpse.
At the center of this technological
rat-nest is NEO, a man who knows more
about living inside a computer than
outside one.
He is asleep in front of his PC.
Behind him, the computer screen
suddenly goes blank. A prompt appears.
SCREEN
Wake up, Neo.
Neo's eye pries open. He sits up, one
eye still closed, looking around,
unsure of where he is. He notices the
screen.
He types 'CTRL X' but the letter 'T'
appears.
NEO
What... ?
He hits another and an 'H' appears. He
keeps typing, pushing random functions
and keys while the computer types out
a message as though it had a mind of
its own.
He stops and stares at the four words
on the screen.
SCREEN
The Matrix has you.
NEO
What the hell?
He hits the 'ESC' button. Another
message appears.
SCREEN
Follow the white rabbit.
He hits it again and the message
repeats. He rubs his eyes but when he
opens them, there is another message.
SCREEN
Knock, knock, Neo.
Someone knocks on his door and he
almost jumps out of his chair.
He looks back at the computer but the
screen is now blank.
Someone knocks again. Neo rises, still
unnerved.
NEO
Who is it?
CHOI (O.S.)
It's Choi.
Neo flips a series of locks and opens
the door, leaving the chain on. A
young Chinese MAN stands with several
of his friends.
NEO
You're two hours late.
CHOI
I know. It's her fault.
NEO
You got the money?
CHOI
Two grand.
He takes out an envelope and gives it
to Neo through the cracked door.
NEO
Hold on.
He closes the door. On the floor near
his bed is a book, Baudrillard's
Simulacra and Simulations. The book
has been hollowed out and inside are
several computer disks. He takes one,
sticks the money in the book and drops
it on the floor.
Opening the door, he hands the disk to
Choi.
CHOI
Hallelujah! You are my
savior, man! My own
personal Jesus Christ!
NEO
If you get caught using
that--
CHOI
I know, I know. This never
happened. You don't exist.
NEO
Right...
Neo nods as the strange feeling of
unrealness suddenly returns.
CHOI
Something wrong, man? You
look a little whiter than
usual.
NEO
I don't know... My
computer...
He looks back at Choi, unable to
explain what just happened.
NEO
You ever have the feeling
that you're not sure if
you're awake or still
dreaming?
CHOI
All the time. It's called
mescaline and it is the
only way to fly.
He smiles and slaps the hand of his
nearest droog.
CHOI
It sounds to me like you
need to unplug, man. A
little R and R. What do
you think, Dujour, should
we take him with us?
DUJOUR
Definitely.
NEO
I can't. I have to work
tomorrow.
DUJOUR
Come on. It'll be fun. I
promise.
He looks up at her and suddenly
notices on her black leather
motorcycle jacket dozens of pins:
bands, symbols, slogans, military
medals and--
A small white rabbit. The room tilts.
NEO
Yeah, yeah. Sure, I'll go.
INT. APARTMENT
An older apartment; a series of halls
connects a chain of small high-
ceilinged rooms lined with heavy
casements. Smoke hangs like a veil,
blurring the few lights there are.
Dressed predominantly in black, people
are everywhere, gathered in cliques
around pieces of furniture like jungle
cats around a tree.
Neo stands against a wall, alone,
sipping from a bottle of beer, feeling
completely out of place, he is about
to leave when he notices a woman
staring at him.
The woman is Trinity. She walks
straight up to him.
In the nearest room, shadow-like
figures grind against each other to
the pneumatic beat of industrial
music.
TRINITY
Hello, Neo.
NEO
How do you know that name?
TRINITY
I know a lot about you.
I've been wanting to meet
you for some time.
NEO
Who are you?
TRINITY
My name is Trinity.
NEO
Trinity? The Trinity? The
Trinity that cracked the
I.R.S. D-Base?
TRINITY
That was a long time ago.
NEO
Gee-zus.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I just thought... you were
a guy.
TRINITY
Most guys do.
Neo is a little embarrassed.
NEO
Do you want to go
somewhere and talk?
TRINITY
No. It's safe here and I
don't have much time.
The music is so loud they must stand
very close, talking directly into each
other's ear.
NEO
That was you on my
computer?
She nods.
NEO
How did you do that?
TRINITY
Right now, all I can tell
you, is that you are in
danger. I brought you here
to warn you.
NEO
Of what?
TRINITY
They're watching you, Neo.
NEO
Who is?
TRINITY
Please. Just listen. I
know why you're here, Neo.
I know what you've been
doing.I know why you
hardly sleep, why you live
alone and why, night after
night, you sit at your
computer; you're looking
for him.
Her body is against his; her lips very
close to his ear.
TRINITY
I know because I was once
looking for the same
thing, but when he found
me he told me I wasn't
really looking for him. I
was looking for an answer.
There is a hypnotic quality to her
voice and Neo feels the words, like a
drug, seeping into him.
TRINITY
It's the question that
drives us, the question
that brought you here.
You know the question just
as I did.
NEO
What is the Matrix?
TRINITY
When I asked him, he said
that no one could ever be
told the answer to that
question. They have to see
it to believe it.
She leans close, her lips almost
touching his ear.
TRINITY
The answer is out there,
Neo. It's looking for you
and it will find you, if
you want it to.
She turns and he watches her melt into
the shifting wall of bodies.
A sound rises steadily, growing out of
the music, pressing in on Neo until it
is all he can hear as we cut to--
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT
The sound is an alarm clock, slowly
dragging Neo to consciousness. He
strains to read the clock-face:
9:15AM.
NEO
@#%$@#%$@#%$.
EXT. SKYSCRAPER
The downtown office of Meta CorTechs,
a software development company.
INT. META CORTECHS OFFICE
The main offices are along each wall,
the windows overlooking downtown.
RHINEHEART, the ultimate company man,
lectures Neo without looking at him,
typing at his computer continuously.
Neo stares at two window cleaners on a
scaffolding outside, dragging their
rubber squeegees down the surface of
the glass.
RHINEHEART
You have a problem with
authority, Mr. Anderson.
You believe that you are
special, that somehow the
rules do not apply to you.
Obviously, you are
mistaken.
His long, bony fingers resume clicking
the keyboard.
RHINEHEART
This company is one of the
top software companies in
the world because every
single employee
understands that they are
part of a whole. Thus, if
an employee has a problem,
the company has a problem.
He turns again.
RHINEHEART
The time has come to make
a choice, Mr. Anderson.
Either you choose to be at
your desk on time from
this day forth, or you
choose to find yourself
another job. Do I make
myself clear?
NEO
Yes, Mr. Rhineheart.
Perfectly clear.
INT. NEO'S CUBICLE
The entire floor looks like a human
honeycomb, with a labyrinth of
cubicles structured around a core of
elevators.
VOICE (O.S.)
Thomas Anderson?
Neo turns and finds a FEDERAL EXPRESS
GUY at his cubicle door.
NEO
Yeah. That's me.
Neo signs the electronic pad and the
Fedex Guy hands him the softpak.
FEDEX GUY
Have a nice day.
He opens the bag. Inside is a cellular
phone.
It seems the instant it is in his
hand, it rings. Unnerved, he flips it
open.
NEO
Hello?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Hello, Neo. Do you know
who this is?
Neo's knees give and he sinks into his
chair.
NEO
Morpheus...
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I've been looking for you,
Neo. I don't know if
you're ready to see what I
want to show you, but
unfortunately, we have run
out of time. They're
coming for you, Neo. And
I'm not sure what they're
going to do.
NEO
Who's coming for me?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Stand up and see for
yourself.
NEO
Right now?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes. Now.
Neo starts to stand.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Do it slowly. The
elevator.
His head peeks up over the partition.
At the elevator, he sees Agent Smith,
Agent Brown, and Agent Jones leading a
group of cops. A female employee
turns and points out Neo's cubicle.
Neo ducks.
NEO
Holy @#%$!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes.
One cop stays at the elevator, the
others follow the Agents.
NEO
What the hell do they want
with me?!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I'm not sure, but if you
don't want to find out,
you better get out of
there.
NEO
How?!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I can guide you out, but
you have to do exactly
what I say.
The Agents are moving quickly towards
the cubicle.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
The cubicle across from
you is empty.
NEO
But what if...?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go! Now!
Neo lunges across the hall, diving
into the other cubicle just as the
Agents turn into his row.
Neo crams himself into a dark corner,
clutching the phone tightly to him.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Stay here for a moment.
The Agents enter Neo's empty cubicle.
A cop is sent to search the bathroom.
Morpheus' voice is a whisper in Neo's
ear.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
A little longer...
Brown is talking to another employee.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
When I tell you, go to the
end of the row to the
first office on the left,
stay as low as you can.
Sweat trickles down his forehead.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Now.
Neo rolls out of the cubicle, his eyes
popping as he freezes right behind a
cop who has just turned around.
Staying crouched, he sneaks away down
the row, shooting across the opening
to the first office on the left.
INT. EMPTY OFFICE
The room is empty.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Good. Outside there is a
scaffold.
NEO
How do you know all this?
Morpheus laughs quietly.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
The answer is coming, Neo.
There is a window in front
of you. Open it.
He opens the window. The wind howls
into the room.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
You can use the scaffold
to get to the roof.
NEO
No! It's too far away.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
There's a ledge. It's a
short climb. You can make
it.
Neo looks down; the building's glass
wall vertigos into a concrete chasm.
NEO
No way, no way, this is
crazy.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
There are only two ways
out of this building. One
is that scaffold. The
other is in their custody.
You take a chance either
way. I leave it to you.
Click. He hangs up. Neo looks at the
door, then back at the scaffold.
NEO
This is insane! Why is
this happening to me? What
did I do? I'm nobody. I
didn't do anything.
He climbs up onto the window ledge.
Hanging onto the frame, he steps onto
the small ledge. The scaffold seems
even farther away.
NEO
I'm going to die.
The wind suddenly blasts up the face
of the building, knocking Neo off
balance. Recoiling, he clings harder
to the frame, and the phone falls out
of his hand.
He watches as it is swallowed by the
distance beneath him.
NEO
This is insane! I can't do
this! Forget it!
He climbs back into the office just as
a cop opens the door.
NEO
@#%$!
EXT. SKYSCRAPER
The Agents lead a handcuffed Neo out
of the revolving doors, forcing his
head down as they push him into the
dark sedan.
Trinity watches in the rear view
mirror of her motorcycle.
TRINITY
@#%$.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
Close on a camera monitor; wide angle
view of a white room where Neo is
sitting at a table alone. We move into
the monitor, entering the room as if
the monitor was a window.
At the same moment, the door opens and
the Agents enter. Agent Smith sits
down across from Neo. A thick manila
envelope slaps down on the table. The
name on the file: 'Anderson, Thomas
A.'
AGENT SMITH
As you can see, we've had
our eye on you for some
time now, Mr. Anderson.
He opens the file. Paper rattle marks
the silence as he flips several pages.
Neo cannot tell if he is looking at
the file or at him.
AGENT SMITH
It seems that you have
been living two lives. In
one life, you are Thomas
A. Anderson, program
writer for a respectable
software company.
You have a social security
number, you pay your taxes
and you help your landlady
carry out her garbage.
The pages continue to turn.
AGENT SMITH
The other life is lived in
computers where you go by
the hacker alias Neo, and
are guilty of virtually
every computer crime we
have a law for.
Neo feels himself sinking into a pit
of @#%$.
AGENT SMITH
One of these lives has a
future. One of them does
not.
He closes the file.
AGENT SMITH
I'm going to be as
forthcoming as I can be,
Mr. Anderson. You are here
because we need your help.
He removes his sunglasses, his eyes
are an unnatural ice- blue.
AGENT SMITH
We know that you have been
contacted by a certain
individual. A man who
calls himself Morpheus.
Whatever you think you
know about this man is
irrelevant. The fact is
that he is wanted for acts
of terrorism in more
countries than any other
man in the world. He is
considered by many
authorities to be the most
dangerous man alive.
He leans closer.
AGENT SMITH
My colleagues believe that
I am wasting my time with
you but I believe you want
to do the right thing. It
is obvious that you are an
intelligent man, Mr.
Anderson, and that you are
interested in the future.
That is why I believe you
are ready to put your past
mistakes behind you and
get on with your life.
Neo tries to match his stare.
AGENT SMITH
We are willing to wipe the
slate clean, to give you a
fresh start and all we are
asking in return is your
cooperation in bringing a
known terrorist to
justice.
Neo nods to himself.
NEO
Yeah. Wow. That sounds
like a real good deal. But
I think I have a better
one. How about I give you
the finger--
He does.
NEO
And you give me my phone
call!
Agent Smith puts his glasses back on.
AGENT SMITH
You disappoint me, Mr.
Anderson.
NEO
You can't scare me with
this Gestapo crap. I know
my rights. I want my
phone call!
Agent Smith smiles.
AGENT SMITH
And tell me, Mr. Anderson,
what good is a phone call
if you are unable to
speak?
The question unnerves Neo and
strangely he begins to feel the
muscles in his jaw tighten. The
standing Agents snicker, watching
Neo's confusion grow into panic.
Neo feels his lips grow soft and
sticky as they slowly seal shut,
melding into each other until all
traces of his mouth are gone.
Wild with fear, he lunges for the door
but the Agents restrain him, holding
him in the chair.
AGENT SMITH
You are going to help us,
Mr. Anderson, whether you
want to or not.
Smith nods and the other two rip open
his shirt. From a case taken out of
his suit coat, Smith removes a long,
fiber-optic wire tap.
Neo struggles helplessly as Smith
dangles the wire over his exposed
abdomen. Horrified, he watches as the
electronic device animates, becoming
an organic creature that resembles a
hybrid of an insect and a fluke worm.
Thin, whisker-like tendrils reach out
and probe into Neo's navel. He bucks
wildly as Smith drops the creature
which looks for a moment like an uncut
umbilical cord--
Before it begins to burrow, its tail
thrashing as it worms its way inside.
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Screaming, Neo bolts upright in bed.
He realizes that he is home. Was it a
dream? His mouth is normal.
His stomach looks fine. He starts to
take a deep, everything-is-okay breath
when--
The phone rings.
It almost stops his heart. It
continues ringing, building pressure
in the room, forcing him up out of
bed, sucking him in with an almost
gravitational force. He answers it,
saying nothing.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
This line is tapped so I
must be brief.
NEO
The Agents--
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
They got to you first, but
they've underestimated how
important you are. If they
knew what I know, you
would probably be dead.
NEO
What are you talking
about? What the hell is
happening to me?
MORPHEUS
You're the One, Neo. You
see, you may have spent
the last few years looking
for me, but I've spent
most of my life looking
for you.
Neo feels sick.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Do you still want to meet?
NEO
...yes.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go to the Adams Street
bridge.
Click. He closes his eyes, unsure of
what he has done.
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
It is just beyond the middle of the
night; that time when it seems there
are no rules and everything feels
unsafe. Neo's boots scrape against the
concrete. Every pair of eyes he passes
seems to follow him. Rain pours from a
black sky.
As he reaches the bridge, headlights
creep in behind him. He turns just as
the car slides quickly to a stop
beside him. The back door opens.
TRINITY
Get in.
INT. CAR
A large man named APOC is driving.
Beside him is a beautiful androgyne
called SWITCH, aiming a large gun at
Neo. Window wipers beat heavily
against the windshield.
NEO
What the hell is this?!
TRINITY
It's necessary, Neo. For
our protection.
NEO
From what?
TRINITY
From you.
She lifts a strange steel and glass
device that looks like a cross between
a rib separator, speculum and air
compressor.
SWITCH
Take off your shirt.
He looks at the strange device and the
gun still trained on him.
NEO
What? Why?
SWITCH
Stop the car.
Apoc does.
SWITCH
Listen to me, coppertop.
We don't have time for
ëtwenty questions.' Right
now there is only one
rule. Our way or the
highway.
NEO
Fine.
Neo opens the door.
TRINITY
Neo, please, you have to
trust me.
NEO
Why?
TRINITY
Because you've been down
there, Neo. You already
know that road. You know
exactly where it ends.
Neo stares out into sheets of rain
railing against the dark street beyond
the open door.
TRINITY
And I know that's not
where you want to be.
He closes the door.
EXT. DARK STREET
A moment later the green street lights
curve over the car's tinted windshield
as it rushes through the wet
underworld.
INT. CAR
Neo grudgingly strips off his T-shirt.
TRINITY
Lie back.
Trinity aims the device at Neo, its
glass snout forming a seal over his
navel. Switch snaps a cable into the
front seat cigarette lighter.
NEO
What is this thing?
TRINITY
We think you're bugged.
Try to relax.
She turns a dial and the machine bears
down on Neo's midsection, the cylinder
sucking hard at his stomach.
Neo screams, squinting in pain as
Trinity watches the needle on a
pressure gauge climb steadily.
TRINITY
Come on, come on...
On a small monitor that projects an
ultrasound-like image, we see Neo's
insides begin to slither and churn. He
gasps as something wiggles beneath his
skin inside his stomach.
SWITCH
It's on the move.
TRINITY
@#%$.
SWITCH
You're gonna lose it.
TRINITY
No I'm not. Clear.
The forboding word hangs in Neo's ear
for a moment when Trinity squeezes a
trigger. Electric current hammers into
Neo and rigid convulsions take hold of
him beneath the flickering car lamp
until--
Something finally rockets wetly out of
Neo's stomach through the extractor's
coils.
NEO
Jesus Christ! It's real?!
That thing is real?!
Trinity lifts a glass cage at the end
of the tubing. Inside the small fluke-
like bug flips and squirms, its
tendrils flapping against the clear
walls.
She unrolls the window and dumps it
out.
EXT. CAR
It hits the pavement with a metallic
tink, reverted back into a common wire
tap, as the car disappears into the
rainy night.
EXT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE
The car stops in a deserted alley
behind a forgotten hotel.
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE
It is a place of putrefying elegance,
a rotting host of urban maggotry.
Trinity leads Neo from the stairwell
down the hall of the thirteenth floor.
They stop outside room 1313.
TRINITY
This is it.
Neo can hear his own heart pounding.
TRINITY
Let me give one piece of
advice. Be honest. He
knows more than you can
possibly imagine.
INT. ROOM 1313
Across the room, a DARK FIGURE stares
out the tall windows veiled with
decaying lace. He turns and his smile
lights up the room. A dull roar of
thunder shakes the old building.
MORPHEUS
At last.
He wears a long black coat and his
eyes are invisible behind circular
mirrored glasses. He strides to Neo
and they shake hands.
MORPHEUS
Welcome, Neo. As you no
doubt have guessed, I am
Morpheus.
NEO
It's an honor.
MORPHEUS
No, the honor is mine.
Please. Come. Sit.
He nods to Trinity and she exits
through a door to an adjacent room.
They sit across from one another in
cracked, burgundy-leather chairs.
MORPHEUS
I imagine, right now, you
must be feeling a bit like
Alice, tumbling down the
rabbit hole?
NEO
You could say that.
MORPHEUS
I can see it in your eyes.
You have the look of a man
who accepts what he sees
because he is expecting to
wake up.
A smile, razor-thin, curls the corner
of his lips.
MORPHEUS
Ironically, this is not
far from the truth. But
I'm getting ahead of
myself. Can you tell me,
Neo, why are you here?
NEO
You're Morpheus, you're a
legend. Most hackers would
die to meet you.
MORPHEUS
Yes. Thank you. But I
think we both know there's
more to it than that. Do
you believe in fate, Neo?
NEO
No.
MORPHEUS
Why not?
NEO
Because I don't like the
idea that I'm not in
control of my life.
MORPHEUS
I know exactly what you
mean.
Again, that smile that could cut
glass.
MORPHEUS
Let me tell you why you
are here. You have come
because you know
something. What you know
you can't explain but you
feel it. You've felt it
your whole life, felt that
something is wrong with
the world. You don't know
what, but it's there like
a splinter in your mind,
driving you mad. It is
this feeling that brought
you to me. Do you know
what I'm talking about?
NEO
The Matrix?
MORPHEUS
Do you want to know what
it is?
Neo swallows hard and nods.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is everywhere,
it's all around us, here
even in this room. You can
see it out your window or
on your television.
You feel it when you go to
work, or go to church or
pay your taxes. It is the
world that has been pulled
over your eyes to blind
you from the truth.
NEO
What truth?
MORPHEUS
That you are a slave, Neo.
Like everyone else, you
were born into bondage,
kept inside a prison that
you cannot smell, taste,
or touch. A prison for
your mind.
The leather creaks as he leans back.
MORPHEUS
Unfortunately, no one can
be told what the Matrix
is. You have to see it for
yourself.
Morpheus opens his hands. In the right
is a red pill. In the left, a blue
pill.
MORPHEUS
This is your last chance.
After this, there is no
going back. You take the
blue pill and the story
ends. You wake in your
bed and you believe
whatever you want to
believe.
The pills in his open hands are
reflected in the glasses.
MORPHEUS
You take the red pill and
you stay in Wonderland and
I show you how deep the
rabbit hole goes.
Neo feels the smooth skin of the
capsules, the moisture growing in his
palms.
MORPHEUS
Remember that all I am
offering is the truth.
Nothing more.
Neo opens his mouth and swallows the
red pill. The Cheshire smile returns.
MORPHEUS
Follow me.
INT. OTHER ROOM
He leads Neo into the other room,
which is cramped with high-tech
equipment, glowing ash-blue and
electric green from the racks of
monitors. Trinity, Apoc, Switch and
Cypher look up as they enter.
MORPHEUS
Apoc, are we on-line?
APOC
Almost.
He and Trinity are working quickly,
hard-wiring a complex system of
monitors, modules and drives.
MORPHEUS
Neo, time is always
against us. Will you take
a seat there?
Neo sits in a chair in the center of
the room and Trinity begins gently
fixing white electrode disks to him.
Near the chair is an old oval dressing
mirror that is cracked. He whispers to
Trinity:
NEO
You did all this?
She nods, placing a set of headphones
over his ears. They are wired to an
old hotel phone.
MORPHEUS
The pill you took is part
of a trace program. It's
designed to disrupt your
input/output carrier
signal so we can pinpoint
your location.
NEO
What does that mean?
CYPHER
It means buckle up,
Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is
going bye-bye.
Distantly, through the ear phones, he
hears Apoc pounding on a keyboard.
Sweat beads his face. His eyes blink
and twitch when he notices the mirror.
Wide-eyed, he stares as it begins to
heal itself, a webwork of cracks that
slowly run together as though the
mirror were becoming liquid.
NEO
Did you...?
Cypher works with Apoc, checking reams
of phosphorescent data. Trinity
monitors Neo's electric vital signs.
Neo reaches out to touch the mirror
and his fingers disappear beneath the
rippling surface.
Quickly, he tries to pull his fingers
out but the mirror stretches in long
rubbery strands like mirrored-taffy
stuck to his fingertips.
MORPHEUS
Have you ever had a dream,
Neo, that you were so sure
was real?
A flash of lightning flickers white
hot against Neo.
NEO
This can't be...
MORPHEUS
Be what? Be real?
The strands thin like rubber cement as
he pulls away, until the fragile wisps
of mirror thread break.
MORPHEUS
What if you were unable to
wake from that dream, Neo?
How would you know the
difference between the
dream world and the real
world?
Neo looks at his hand; fingers
distended into mirrored icicles that
begin to melt rapidly, dripping,
running like wax down his fingers,
spreading across his palm where he
sees his face reflected.
NEO
Uh-oh...
TRINITY
It's going into
replication.
MORPHEUS
Apoc?
APOC
Still nothing.
Morpheus takes out a cellular phone
and dials a number.
MORPHEUS
Tank, we're going to need
the signal soon.
The mirror gel seems to come to life,
racing, crawling up his arms like
hundreds of insects.
The mirror creeps up his neck as Neo
begins to panic, tipping his head as
though he were sinking into the
mirror, trying to keep his mouth up.
NEO
It's cold.
TRINITY
I got a fibrillation!
MORPHEUS
@#%$! Apoc?
Streams of mercury run from Neo's
nose.
APOC
Targeting... almost there.
An alarm on Trinity's monitor erupts.
TRINITY
He's going into arrest!
APOC
Lock! I got him!
MORPHEUS
Now, Tank, now!
His eyes tear with mirror, rolling up
and closing as a high-pitched electric
scream erupts in the headphones. It is
a piercing shriek like a computer
calling to another computer--
Neo's body arches in agony and we are
pulled like we were pulled into the
holes of the phone, sucked into his
scream and swallowed by darkness.
INT. POWER PLANT
Close on a man's body floating in a
womb-red amnion. His body spasms,
fighting against the thick gelatin.
Metal tubes, surreal versions of
hospital tubes, obscure his face.
Other lines like IVs are connected to
limbs and cover his genitals.
He is struggling desperately now. Air
bubbles into the Jell-O but does not
break the surface. Pressing up, the
surface distends, stretching like a
red rubber cocoon.
Unable to breathe, he fights wildly to
stand, clawing at the thinning elastic
shroud, until it ruptures, a hole
widening around his mouth as he sucks
for air. Tearing himself free, he
emerges from the cell.
It is Neo.
He is bald and naked, his body slick
with gelatin. Dizzy, nauseous, he
waits for his vision to focus.
He is standing in an oval capsule of
clear alloy filled with red gelatin,
the surface of which has solidified
like curdled milk. The IVs in his arms
are plugged into outlets that appear
to be grafted to his flesh.
He feels the weight of another cable
and reaches to the back of his head
where he finds an enormous coaxial
plugged and locked into the base of
his skull. He tries to pull it out but
it would be easier to pull off a
finger.
To either side he sees other tube-
shaped pods filled with red gelatin;
beneath the wax-like surface, pale and
motionless, he sees other human
beings.
Fanning out in a circle, there are
more.
All connected to a center core, each
capsule like a red, dimly-glowing
petal attached to a black metal stem.
Above him, level after level, the stem
rises seemingly forever. He moves to
the foot of the capsule and looks out.
The image assaults his mind.
Towers of glowing petals spiral up to
incomprehensible heights, disappearing
down into a dim murk like an
underwater abyss.
His sight is blurred and warped,
exaggerating the intensity of the
vision. The sound of the plant is like
the sound of the ocean heard from
inside the belly of Leviathan.
From above, a machine drops directly
in front of Neo. He swallows his
scream as it seems to stare at him. It
is almost insect-like in its design;
beautiful housings of alloyed metal
covering organic-like systems of hard
and soft polymers.
The machine seizes hold of Neo,
paralyzing him as the cable lock at
the back of his neck spins and opens.
The cable disengages itself. A long
clear plastic needle and cerebrum-chip
slides from the anterior of Neo's
skull with an ooze of blood and spinal
fluid. The other connective hoses snap
free and snake away as the machine
lets Neo go.
Suddenly, the back of the unit opens
and a tremendous vacuum, like an
airplane door opening, sucks the
gelatin and then Neo into a black
hole.
INT. WASTE LINE
The pipe is a waste disposal system
and Neo falls, sliding with the clot
of gelatin. Banking through pipe
spirals and elbows, flushing up
through grease traps clogged with oily
clumps of cellulite.
INT. SEWER MAIN
Neo begins to drown when he is
suddenly snatched from the flow of
waste.
The metallic cable then lifts, pulling
him up into the belly of the
futuristic flying machine hovering
inside the sewer main.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The metal harness opens and drops the
half-conscious Neo onto the floor.
Human hands and arms help him up as he
finds himself looking straight at
Morpheus.
He smiles.
MORPHEUS
Welcome to the real world,
Neo.
Neo passes out.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
We have no sense of time. We hear
voices whispering.
MORPHEUS
We've done it, Trinity. We
found him.
TRINITY
I hope you're right.
MORPHEUS
I don't have to hope it. I
know it.
Neo's eyes flutter open. We see
Morpheus' face above us, angelic in
the fluorescent glow of a light stick.
NEO (O.S.)
... am I dead?
MORPHEUS
Far from it.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. HOVERCRAFT - INFIRMARY
He opens his eyes again, something
tingling through him. He focuses and
sees his body pierced with dozens of
acupuncture-like needles wired to a
strange device.
DOZER
He still needs a lot of
work.
DOZER and Morpheus are operating on
Neo.
NEO
What are you doing?
MORPHEUS
Your muscles have
atrophied. We're
rebuilding them.
Fluorescent light sticks burn
unnaturally bright.
NEO
Why do my eyes hurt?
MORPHEUS
You've never used them
before.
Morpheus closes Neo's eyes and Neo
lays back.
MORPHEUS
Rest, Neo. The answers are
coming.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Neo wakes up from a deep sleep,
feeling better. He begins to examine
himself. There is a futuristic IV
plugged into the jack in his forearm.
He pulls it out, staring at the
grafted outlet.
He runs his hand over the short hair
now covering his head. His fingers
find and explore the large outlet in
the base of his skull.
Just as he starts to come unglued,
Morpheus opens the door.
NEO
Morpheus, what's happened
to me? What is this place?
MORPHEUS
More important than what
is when?
NEO
When?
MORPHEUS
You believe the year is
1997 when in fact it is
much closer to 2197. I
can't say for certain what
year it is because we
honestly do not know.
The wind is knocked from Neo's chest.
MORPHEUS
There is no reason for me
to try to explain it when
I can simply show it. Come
with me.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Like a sleepwalker, Neo follows
Morpheus through the ship.
MORPHEUS
This is my ship, the
Nebuchadnezzar. It's a
hovercraft. Small like a
submarine. It's cramped
and cold. But it's home.
They climb a ladder up to the main
deck.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is there.
MORPHEUS
This is the main deck. You
know most of my crew.
Trinity smiles and nods.
MORPHEUS
The ones you don't know.
That's Mouse, Cypher, and
Switch. Those two guys are
Tank and Dozer.
The names and faces wash meaninglessly
over Neo.
MORPHEUS
And this, this is the
Core. This is where we
broadcast our pirate
signal and hack into the
Matrix.
It is a swamp of bizarre electronic
equipment. Vines of coaxial hang and
snake to and from huge monolithic
battery slabs, a black portable
satellite dish and banks of life
systems and computer monitors.
At the center of the web, there are
six ecto-skeleton chairs made of a
poly-alloy frame and suspension
harness. Near the circle of chairs is
the control console and operator's
station where the network is
monitored.
MORPHEUS
You want to know what the
Matrix is, Neo? The answer
is right here.
He touches the back of Neo's head.
MORPHEUS
Help him, Trinity.
Neo allows himself to be helped into
one of the chairs. He feels Morpheus
guiding a coaxial line into the jack
at the back of his neck. The cable has
the same kind of cerebrum chip we saw
inside the plant.
MORPHEUS
This will feel a little
weird.
There are several disturbing noises as
he works the needle in.
We move in as Neo's shoulders bunch
and his face tightens into a grimace
until a loud click fires and his ears
pop like when you equalize them
underwater.
He relaxes, opening his eyes as we
pull back to a feeling of
weightlessness inside another place--
INT. CONSTRUCT
Neo is standing in an empty, blank-
white space.
MORPHEUS
This is the Construct.
Startled, Neo whips around and finds
Morpheus now in the room with him.
MORPHEUS
It is our loading program.
We can load anything from
clothes, to weapons, to
training simulations.
Anything we need.
Morpheus walks past Neo and when Neo
turns he sees the two leather chairs
from the Hotel Lafayette set up in
front of a large-screen television.
MORPHEUS
Sit down.
Neo stands at the back of the chair as
Morpheus sits.
NEO
Right now, we're inside a
computer program?
Morpheus smiles.
MORPHEUS
Is it so hard to believe
Your clothes are
different, the plugs in
your arms and head are
gone. Look at your hair,
you were bald a moment
ago.
Neo touches his head.
MORPHEUS
It's what we call residual
self image. The mental
projection of your
electronic self. Wild,
isn't it?
Neo's hands run over the cracked
leather.
NEO
This-- This isn't real?
MORPHEUS
What is real? How do you
define real? If you're
talking about what you
feel, taste, smell, or
see, then real is simply
electrical signals
interpreted by your brain.
He picks up a remote control and
clicks on the television. On the
television, we see images of the
twentieth century city where Neo
lived.
MORPHEUS
This is the world you
know. The world as it was
at the end of the
Twentieth Century. It
exists now only as part of
a neural-interactive
simulation that we call
the Matrix.
He changes the channel and we see a
very different city as we enter the
television.
MORPHEUS
You have been living
inside a dreamworld, Neo.
As in Baudrillard's
vision, your whole life
has been spent inside the
map, not the territory.
This is the world as it
exists today.
In the distance, we see the ruins of a
future city protruding from the
wasteland like the blackened ribs of a
long-dead corpse.
MORPHEUS
The desert of the real.'
Beneath us, the water is gone.
We turn and descend, spiraling down
toward the lake bed which is scorched
and split like burnt flesh, where we
find Morpheus and Neo. Neo clings to
the chair, trying to get his bearings.
MORPHEUS
We have only bits and
pieces of information.
What we know for certain
is that, at some point in
the early Twenty-first
Century, all of mankind
was united in celebration.
Through the blinding
inebriation of hubris, we
marveled at our
magnificence as we gave
birth to A.I.
NEO
A.I.? You mean artificial
intelligence?
MORPHEUS
Yes. A singular
consciousness that spawned
an entire race of
machines.
I must say I find it
almost funny to imagine
the world slapping itself
on the back, toasting the
new age. I say almost
funny.
He looks up and his sunglasses reflect
the obsidian clouds roiling overhead.
MORPHEUS
We don't know who struck
first. Us or them. But we
do know it was us that
scorched the sky. At the
time, they were dependent
on solar power. It was
believed they would be
unable to survive without
an energy source as
abundant as the sun.
As we descend into the circular window
of his glasses, there is a flash of
lightning.
MORPHEUS
Throughout human history,
we have been dependent on
machines to survive. Fate,
it seems, is not without a
sense of irony.
EXT. FETUS FIELDS
On the flash, we pull back from the
darkness which reveals itself to be
the black eye of a fetus.
MORPHEUS
The Machines discovered a
new form of fusion. All
they needed was a small
electrical charge to
initiate the reaction.
The fetus is suspended in a placenta-
like husk, where its malleable skull
is already growing around the brain-
jack.
MORPHEUS
The human body generates
more bioelectricity than a
120-volt battery and over
25,000 B.T.U.'s of body
heat.
The husk hanging from a stalk is
plucked by a thresher- like farm
machine.
MORPHEUS
There are fields, endless
fields where human beings
are no longer born; we are
grown.
We rise up, the field stretching in
every direction to the horizon,
lightning tearing open the sky as a
harvester sweeps past us.
INT. POWER PLANT
From the yawning black of the waste
port, we begin to pull back as it
snaps shut. Red amniotic gel flows
into the pod below us, pooling around
a tiny newborn that suckles its feed
tube.
MORPHEUS
For the longest time, I
wouldn't believe it. But
then I saw the fields with
my own eyes, watched them
liquify the dead so they
could be fed intravenously
to the living and standing
there, facing the
efficiency, the pure,
horrifying precision, I
came to realize the
obviousness of the truth.
Still pulling back, we see the image
of the power plant now on the
television as we return to the white
space of the construct.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Morpheus steps into view as he clicks
off the television.
MORPHEUS
What is the Matrix?
Control.
He opens the back of the television
remote control.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is a computer-
generated dreamworld built
to keep us under control
in order to change a human
being into this.
He holds up a coppertop battery.
NEO
No! I don't believe it!
It's not possible!
MORPHEUS
I didn't say that it would
be easy, Neo. I just said
that it would be the
truth.
NEO
Stop! Let me out! I want
out!
INT. MAIN DECK
His eyes snap open and he thrashes
against the chair, trying to rip the
cable from the back of his neck.
NEO
Get this thing out of me!
TRINITY
Easy, Neo. Easy.
Dozer holds him while Trinity unlocks
it. Once it's out, he tears away from
them, falling as he trips free of the
harness.
NEO
Don't touch me! Get away
from me!
On his hands and knees, he reels as
the world spins. Sweat pours off him
as a pressure builds inside his skull
as if his brain had been put into a
centrifuge.
NEO
I don't believe it! I
don't believe it!
CYPHER
He's going to pop!
Vomiting violently, Neo pitches
forward and blacks out.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
He blinks, regaining consciousness.
The room is dark. Neo is stretched out
on his bed.
NEO
I can't go back, can I?
Morpheus is sitting like a shadow on a
chair in the far corner.
MORPHEUS
No. But if you could,
would you really want to?
Deep down, Neo knows that answer.
MORPHEUS
I feel that I owe you an
apology. There is a rule
that we do not free a mind
once it reaches a certain
age. It is dangerous. They
have trouble letting go.
Their mind turns against
them. I've seen it happen.
I'm sorry. I broke the
rule because I had to.
He stares into the darkness,
confessing as much to himself as to
Neo.
MORPHEUS
When the Matrix was first
built there was a man born
inside that had the
ability to change what he
wanted, to remake the
Matrix as he saw fit. It
was this man that freed
the first of us and taught
us the truth; as long as
the Matrix exists, the
human race will never be
free.
He pauses.
MORPHEUS
When he died, the Oracle
prophesied his return and
envisioned that his coming
would hail the destruction
of the Matrix, an end to
the war and freedom for
our people. That is why
there are those of us that
have spent our entire
lives searching the
Matrix, looking for him.
Neo can feel his eyes on him.
MORPHEUS
I did what I did because I
believe the search is
over.
He stands up.
MORPHEUS
Get some rest. You're
going to need it.
NEO
For what?
MORPHEUS
Your training.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
There is no morning; there is only
darkness and then the fluorescent
light sticks flicker on.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Neo is awake in his bed, staring up at
the lights. The door opens and TANK
steps inside.
TANK
Morning. Did you sleep?
NEO
No.
TANK
You will tonight. I
guarantee it. I'm Tank.
I'll be your operator.
He offers his hand and Neo shakes it.
He notices that Tank doesn't have any
jacks.
NEO
You don't have...
TANK
Any holes? Nope. Me and my
brother Dozer, we are 100
percent pure, old-
fashioned, home-grown
human. Born free. Right
here in the real world.
Genuine child of Zion.
NEO
Zion?
TANK
If this war ended
tomorrow, Zion is where
the party would be.
NEO
It's a city?
TANK
The last human city. The
only place we got left.
NEO
Where is it?
TANK
Deep underground. Near the
earth's core, where it's
still warm. You live long
enough, you might even see
it.
Tank smiles.
TANK
@#%$, I got to tell
you, I'm fairly excited to
see what you are capable
of. I mean if Morpheus is
right and all. We're not
supposed to talk about any
of that but if you are,
well then this is an
exciting time. We got a
lot to do, so let's get to
it.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo is plugged in, hanging in one of
the suspension chairs.
TANK
We're supposed to load all
these operations programs
first, but this is some
major boring @#%$. Why
don't we start with
something a little fun?
Tank smiles as he plops into his
operator's chair. He begins flipping
through a tall carousel loaded with
micro discs.
TANK
How about some combat
training?
Neo reads the label on the disk.
NEO
Jujitsu? I'm going to
learn jujitsu?
Tank slides the disk into Neo's
supplement drive.
NEO
No way.
Smiling, Tank punches the "load" code.
His body jumps against the harness as
his eyes clamp shut. The monitors kick
wildly as his heart pounds, adrenaline
surges, and his brain sizzles. An
instant later his eyes snap open.
NEO
Holy @#%$!
TANK
Hey, Mikey, he likes it!
Ready for more?
NEO
Hell yes!
INT. MAIN DECK
Close on a computer monitor as grey
pixels slowly fill a small, half-empty
box. It is a meter displaying how much
download time is left. The title bar
reads: "Combat Series 10 of 12," file
categories flashing beneath it:
"Savate, Jujitsu, Ken Po, Drunken
Boxing..."
Morpheus walks in.
MORPHEUS
How is he?
TANK
Ten hours straight. He's
a machine.
Neo's body spasms and relaxes as his
eyes open, breath hissing from his
lips. He looks like he just orgasmed.
NEO
This is incredible. I know
kung fu.
MORPHEUS
Show me.
INT. DOJO
They are standing in a very sparse
Japanese-style dojo.
MORPHEUS
This is a sparring
program, similar to the
programmed reality of the
Matrix. It has the same
basic rules. Rules like
gravity. What you must
learn is that these rules
are no different than the
rules of a computer
system. Some of them can
be bent. Others can be
broken. Understand?
Neo nods as Morpheus assumes a
fighting stance.
MORPHEUS
Then hit me, if you can.
Neo assumes a similar stance,
cautiously circling until he gives a
short cry and launches a furious
attack.
It is like a Jackie Chan movie at high
speed, fists and feet striking from
every angle as Neo presses his attack,
but each and every blow is blocked by
effortless speed.
INT. MAIN DECK
While their minds battle in the
programmed reality, the two bodies
appear quite serene, suspended in the
drive chairs.
Tank monitors their Life Systems,
noticing that Neo is wildly and
chaotically lit up as opposed to the
slow and steady rhythm of Morpheus.
INT. MESS HALL
MOUSE bursts into the room,
interrupting dinner.
MOUSE
Morpheus is fighting Neo!
All at once, everyone bolts for the
door.
INT. DOJO
Neo's face is knotted, teeth clenched,
as he hurls himself at Morpheus.
MORPHEUS
Good. Adaptation.
Improvisation. But your
weakness isn't your
technique.
Morpheus attacks him and it is like
nothing we have seen. His feet and
fists are everywhere, taking Neo
apart. For every blow Neo blocks, five
more hit their marks until--
Neo falls.
Panting, on his hands and knees, blood
spits from his mouth, speckling the
white floor of the dojo.
MORPHEUS
How did I beat you?
NEO
You-- you're too fast.
MORPHEUS
Do you think my being
faster, stronger has
anything to do with my
muscles in this place?
Neo is frustrated, still unable to
catch his breath.
MORPHEUS
Do you believe that's air
you are breathing now?
Neo stands, nodding slowly.
MORPHEUS
Again.
Their fists fly with pneumatic speed.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is gathered behind Tank
watching the fight, like watching a
game of Mortal Kombat.
MOUSE
Jeeezus Keeerist! He's
fast! Look at his neural-
kinetics! They're way
above normal!
INT. DOJO
Morpheus begins to press Neo,
countering blows while slipping in
several stinging slaps.
MORPHEUS
Come on, Neo. What are you
waiting for? You're faster
than this. Don't think you
are. Know you are.
Whack, Morpheus cracks Neo again.
Neo's face twists with rage as the
speed of the blows rises like a drum
solo.
MORPHEUS
Come on! Stop trying to
hit me and just hit me.
Wham. A single blow catches Morpheus
on the side of the head, knocking off
his glasses.
INT. MAIN DECK
There are several gasps.
MOUSE
I don't believe it!
INT. DOJO
Morpheus rubs his face, then smiles.
NEO
I know what you're trying
to do--
MORPHEUS
I'm trying to free your
mind, Neo, but all I can
do is show you the door.
You're the one that has to
step through. Tank, load
the jump program.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Apoc and Switch exchange looks as Tank
grabs for the disk.
INT. CONSTRUCT - ROOFTOP - DAY
Morpheus and Neo are again in the
white space of the Construct. Beneath
their feet, we see the jump program
rush up at them until they are
standing on a rooftop in a city
skyline.
MORPHEUS
Let it all go, Neo. Fear.
Doubt. Disbelief. Free
your mind.
Morpheus spins, running hard at the
edge of the rooftop. And jumps. He
sails through the air, his coat
billowing out behind him like a cape
as he lands on the rooftop across the
street.
NEO
@#%$.
Neo looks down at the street twenty
floors below, then at Morpheus an
impossible fifty feet away.
NEO
Okie dokie. Free my mind.
Right. No problem.
He takes a deep breath. And starts to
run.
INT. MAIN DECK
They are transfixed.
MOUSE
What if he makes it?
APOC
No way. Not possible.
TANK
No one's ever made their
first jump.
MOUSE
I know but what if he
does?
APOC
He won't.
Trinity stares at the screen, her
fists clenching as she whispers.
TRINITY
Come on.
EXT. ROOFTOP
Summoning every ounce of strength in
his legs, Neo launches himself into
the air in a single maniacal shriek-
But comes up drastically short.
His eyes widen as he plummets. Stories
fly by, the ground rushing up at him,
but as he hits, the ground gives way,
stretching like a trapeze net. He
bounces and flips, slowly coming to a
rest, flat on his back.
He laughs, a bit unsure, wiping the
wind-blown tears from his face.
Morpheus exits the building and helps
him to his feet.
MORPHEUS
Do you know why you didn't
make it?
NEO
Because... I didn't think
I would?
Morpheus smiles and nods.
INT. MAIN DECK
They break up.
MOUSE
What does it mean?
SWITCH
It doesn't mean anything.
CYPHER
Everyone falls the first
time, right, Trinity?
But Trinity has already left.
Neo's eyes open as Tank eases the plug
out. He tries to move and groans,
cradling his ribs. While Tank helps
Morpheus, Neo spits blood into his
hand.
NEO
I thought it wasn't real.
MORPHEUS
Your mind makes it real.
Neo stares at the blood.
NEO
If you are killed in the
Matrix, you die here?
MORPHEUS
The body cannot live
without the mind.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Trinity enters from the hall, carrying
a tray of food.
TRINITY
Neo, I saved you some
dinner--
She sees him passed out on the bed.
She sets the tray down and pulls the
blanket over him.
She pauses, her face close to his,
then inhales lightly, breathing in the
scent of him before slowly pulling
away.
INT. HALL
Trinity steps out of Neo's room to
find Cypher watching her.
CYPHER
I don't remember you ever
bringing me dinner.
Trinity says nothing.
CYPHER
There's something about
him, isn't there?
TRINITY
Don't tell me you're a
believer now?
CYPHER
I just keep wondering if
Morpheus is so sure, why
doesn't he take him to the
Oracle? She would know.
TRINITY
Morpheus will take him
when he's ready.
She turns and he watches her walk
away.
EXT. CITY STREET - TRAINING PROGRAM - DAY
Morpheus moves effortlessly through a
crowded downtown street while Neo
struggles to keep up, constantly
bumped and shouldered off the path.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is a system,
Neo, and that system is
our enemy. But when you
are inside and look
around, what do you see;
businessmen, lawyers,
teachers, carpenters. The
minds of the very people
we are trying to save. But
until we do, these people
are still a part of the
system and that makes them
our enemy.
A cop writing a parking ticket stares
at Neo from behind his glasses.
MORPHEUS
You have to understand
that most of these people
are not ready to be
unplugged and many of them
are so inured, so
hopelessly dependent on
the system that they will
fight to protect it.
A beautiful woman in a red dress
smiles at Neo as she passes by.
MORPHEUS
Were you listening to me,
Neo? Or were you looking
at the woman in the red
dress?
NEO
I was...
MORPHEUS
Look again.
Neo turns just as Agent Smith levels a
gun at his face. Neo screams.
MORPHEUS
Freeze it.
Everything except Morpheus and Neo
freezes.
NEO
This-- This isn't the
Matrix?
MORPHEUS
No, it's another training
program designed to teach
you one thing; if you are
not one of us, you're one
of them.
NEO
What are they?
MORPHEUS
Sentient programs. They
can move in and out of any
software still hardwired
to their system. That
means that anyone that we
haven't unplugged is
potentially an Agent.
Inside the Matrix, they
are everyone and they are
no one.
Neo stares at the Agent.
MORPHEUS
We've survived by hiding
from them, running from
them, but they are the
gatekeepers, they're
guarding all the doors,
holding all the keys which
means that sooner or later
someone is going to have
to fight them.
NEO
Someone?
MORPHEUS
I won't lie to you, Neo.
Every single man or woman
who has stood their
ground, who has fought an
Agent, has died. But where
they failed, you will
succeed.
NEO
Why?
MORPHEUS
I've seen an Agent punch
through a concrete wall.
Men have emptied entire
clips at them and hit
nothing but air.
Yet their strength and
their speed are still
based in a world that is
built by rules. Because of
that, they will never be
as strong or as fast as
you can be.
Neo scratches his head.
NEO
What? Are you trying to
tell me that I can dodge
bullets?
MORPHEUS
No, Neo. I'm trying to
tell you that when you're
ready, you won't have to.
Morpheus's cell phone rings and he
flips it open.
TANK (V.O.)
We got trouble.
EXT. SEWER MAIN
The Nebuchadnezzar blisters by,
trailing a swirling, supercharged,
electromagnetic wake.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus slides into the co-pilot's
chair next to Dozer.
MORPHEUS
Did Zion send the warning?
DOZER
No. Another ship. Big
Brother I think, they're
running a parallel
pipeline.
Morpheus scans the decayed landscape
of the sewer main that rolls by as Neo
and Trinity squeeze into the @#%$pit
behind him. An alarm begins to sound.
DOZER
@#%$, Squiddy's sweeping
in quick.
MORPHEUS
Set it down in there.
NEO
Squiddy?
TRINITY
A Sentinel. It's a killing
machine designed for one
thing.
DOZER
Search and destroy.
Neo feels the ship rock to the side as
it squeezes into a tiny supply line.
EXT. HOVERCRAFT
The Nebuchadnezzar sets down, almost
wedged into a pipe that barely
accommodates its size.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus clicks the intercom.
MORPHEUS
How we doing, Tank?
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank works furiously at the operator's
station as the ceaseless whir of the
ship's turbines grind to a halt. The
main deck is plunged into dark
silence. The rest of the crew stands
behind him as he whispers.
TANK
Power off-line. E.M.P.
armed and ready.
Tank's fingers curl around a small key
that glows a dim red.
INT. @#%$PIT
Neo leans into Trinity's ear.
NEO
E.M.P?
TRINITY
An electromagnetic pulse.
It disables any electrical
system in the blast
radius. It's the only
weapon we have against the
machines.
Dozer looks up.
DOZER
Now we wait.
Through the @#%$pit's windshield, the
vast cavern of the sewer main yawns
before them. Strands of green haze
curl around mossy icicles that dangle
into a pool of churning frozen waste.
Neo begins to angle around Dozer but
Morpheus grabs him.
MORPHEUS
Don't move. It'll hear
you.
Neo freezes and they wait. Without the
Nebuchadnezzar's heating systems, the
temperature in the @#%$pit begins to
rapidly drop. The crew members huddle
together, their breath freezing into a
uniform cloud as it gets colder and
colder.
Dozer quietly reaches to brush away
the frost on the windshield and as his
hand clears a swathe--
They see it.
In the darkness, a shifting shadow of
mechanized death. It is beautiful and
terrifying. Black alloy skin flickers
like sequins beneath sinewy coils and
skeletal appendages.
Neo can feel the hairs on the back of
his neck rise as it silently glides
over them with shark-like malevolence
until it disappears into the darkness.
In the frozen little room, everyone
breathes a little easier.
INT. HALL
The ship is quiet and dark. Everyone
is asleep.
INT. MAIN DECK
The core glows with monitor light.
Cypher is in the operator's chair as
Neo comes up behind him.
CYPHER
Whoa! @#%$, Neo, you
scared the Bejeezus out of
me.
NEO
Sorry.
CYPHER
No, it's all right.
Neo's eyes light up as he steps closer
to the screens that seem alive with a
constant flow of data.
NEO
Is that...?
CYPHER
The Matrix? Yeah.
Neo stares at the endlessly shifting
river of information, bizarre codes
and equations flowing across the face
of the monitor.
NEO
Do you always look at it
encoded?
CYPHER
Have to. The image
translators sort of work
for the construct programs
but there's way too much
information to decode the
Matrix. You get used to
it, though. Your brain
does the translating. I
don't even see the code.
All I see is blonde,
brunette, and redhead. You
want a drink?
Neo nods and he pours a clear alcohol
from a plastic jug.
CYPHER
You know, I know what
you're thinking 'cause
right now I'm thinking the
same thing. Actually, to
tell you the truth, I've
been thinking the same
thing ever since I got
here.
He raises the glass.
CYPHER
Why, oh why, didn't I take
that blue pill!?
He throws the shot down his throat.
Neo does the same and it almost kills
him. Smiling, Cypher slaps him on the
back.
CYPHER
Good @#%$, eh? Dozer makes
it. It's good for two
things: degreasing engines
and killing brain cells.
Red-faced, Neo finally stops coughing.
Cypher pours him another.
CYPHER
Can I ask you something?
Did he happen to tell you
why he did it?
Neo looks up, unsure.
CYPHER
Why you're here?
NEO
...yeah.
CYPHER
Gee-zus! What a mindjob.
You're here to save the
world.
You gotta be @#%$ting me.
What do you say to
something like that?
Neo looks down at his drink.
CYPHER
I'm going to let you in on
a little secret here. Now
don't tell him I told you
this, but this ain't the
first time Morpheus
thought he found the One.
NEO
Really?
CYPHER
You bet your ass. It keeps
him going. Maybe it keeps
all of us going.
NEO
How many were there?
CYPHER
Five. Since I've been
here.
NEO
What happened to them?
CYPHER
Dead. All dead.
NEO
How?
CYPHER
Honestly? Morpheus. He got
them all amped up
believing in bull@#%$. I
watched each of them take
on an Agent and I watched
each of them die. Little
piece of advice: you see
an Agent, you do what we
do; run. Run your ass off.
Neo gulps down another shot.
NEO
Thanks... for the drink.
CYPHER
Any time.
Cypher nods as Neo heads for the
ladder.
CYPHER
Sweet dreams.
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Chamber music and the ambiance of
wealth soak the restaurant around us
as we watch a serrated knife saw
through a thick, gorgeous steak. The
meat is so perfect, charred on the
outside, oozing red juice on the
inside, that it could be a dream.
We hear a voice that we recognize
immediately.
AGENT SMITH
Do we have a deal, Mr.
Reagan?
A fork stabs the cube of meat and we
follow it up to the face of Cypher.
CYPHER
You know, I know that this
steak doesn't exist. I
know that when I put it in
my mouth, the Matrix is
telling my brain that it
is juicy and delicious.
After nine years, do you
know what I've realized?
He shoves it in, eyes rolling up,
savoring the tender beef melting in
his mouth.
CYPHER
Ignorance is bliss.
Agent Smith watches him chew the steak
loudly, smacking it between his teeth.
CYPHER
Mmm so, so @#%$ good.
AGENT SMITH
Then we have a deal?
CYPHER
I don't want to remember
nothing. Nothing! You
understand? And I want to
be rich. Someone
important. Like an actor.
You can do that, right?
AGENT SMITH
Whatever you want, Mr.
Reagan.
Cypher takes a deep drink of wine.
CYPHER
All right. You get my body
back in a Power Plant,
reinsert me into the
Matrix and I'll get you
what you want.
AGENT SMITH
Access codes to the Zion
mainframe.
CYPHER
I told you I don't know
them. But I can give you
the man who does.
AGENT SMITH
Morpheus.
INT. MESS HALL
Close on breakfast, a substance with a
consistency somewhere between yogurt
and cellulite.
TANK
Here you go, buddy.
Breakfast of champions.
Tank slides it in front of Neo and
takes a seat with the other crew
members enjoying breakfast.
MOUSE
If you close your eyes, it
almost feels like you're
eating runny eggs.
APOC
Or a bowl of snot.
MOUSE
But you know what it
really reminds me of?
Tastee Wheat. Did you ever
eat Tastee Wheat?
SWITCH
No, but technically
neither did you.
MOUSE
Exactly my point, because
you have to wonder, how do
the machines know what
Tastee Wheat really tasted
like? Maybe they got it
wrong, maybe what I think
Tastee Wheat tasted like
actually tasted like
oatmeal, or tuna fish. It
makes you wonder about a
lot of things. Take
chicken for example. Maybe
they couldn't figure out
what to make chicken taste
like which is why chicken
tastes like everything.
And maybe--
APOC
Shut up, Mouse.
Neo scoops up a spoonful.
DOZER
It's a single celled
protein combined with
synthetic aminos,
vitamins, and minerals.
Everything your body
needs. We grow it in a
vat.
MOUSE
Oh no, it doesn't have
everything the body needs.
He sidles up to Neo.
MOUSE
So I understand you've run
through the Agent training
program? You know, I wrote
that program.
APOC
Here it comes.
MOUSE
So what did you think of
her?
NEO
Of who?
MOUSE
The woman in the red
dress. I designed her. She
doesn't talk much but if
you'd like to, you know,
meet her, I could arrange
a more personalized
milieu.
SWITCH
The digital pimp hard at
work.
MOUSE
Pay no attention to these
hypocrites, Neo. To deny
our impulses is to deny
the very thing that makes
us human.
Morpheus enters.
MORPHEUS
I want everyone on twelve-
hour standby. We're going
in. I'm taking Neo to see
her.
With that he turns and leaves.
NEO
See who?
TANK
The Oracle.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is strapped into their
chairs. Tank is at the operator's
station.
TANK
All right, everyone please
observe that the no
smoking and fasten seat
belt signs have been
turned on. Sit back and
enjoy your flight.
He strikes the enter key and we rush
clockwise over the chairs, each body
reacting as we cut--
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - ROOM 1313
Spinning counter clockwise around an
old phone that rings inside the empty
room until we spin full circle and
find everyone now standing there.
Morpheus answers the phone.
MORPHEUS
We're in.
EXT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
The door opens and for the first time
since his release, Neo steps back into
the Matrix. He squints at the sun
which seems unnaturally bright. He is
the only one without sunglasses.
Apoc and Switch remain at the door as
the others enter the alley.
MORPHEUS
We should be back in an
hour.
Cypher opens the driver's door of an
old car.
As Trinity, Morpheus and Neo cross to
the car, Cypher glances about quickly,
then drops something inside a garbage
can.
It is a cellular phone and we see its
blue display as the line connects.
INT. CAR
Neo sits beside Trinity in the back.
He cannot stop staring as the simple
images of the urban street blur past
his window like an endless stream of
data rushing down a computer screen.
MORPHEUS
Almost unbelievable, isn't
it?
Neo nods as the car continues to wind
through the crowded city.
NEO
God...
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I used to eat there...
Really good noodles...
He is speaking in a whisper, almost as
if talking to himself.
NEO
I have these memories,
from my entire life but...
none of them really
happened.
He turns to her.
NEO
What does that mean?
TRINITY
That the Matrix cannot
tell you who you are.
NEO
But an Oracle can.
TRINITY
That's different.
NEO
Obviously.
He turns to the window for a moment
and then turns back.
NEO
Did you go to her?
TRINITY
Yes.
NEO
What did she tell you?
TRINITY
She told me...
She looks at him and suddenly she is
unable to speak or even breathe.
NEO
What?
The car suddenly jerks to a stop.
MORPHEUS
We're here. Neo, come with
me.
Neo and Morpheus get out of the car.
Cypher looks into the rearview mirror
at Trinity.
CYPHER
Here we go again, eh,
Trin?
He smiles as she turns to the window.
EXT. BUILDING
Tenement-like and vast, it is the kind
of place where people can disappear.
INT. BUILDING
Morpheus nods to a blind man who nods
back. An elevator opens and Neo
follows Morpheus inside.
INT. ELEVATOR
The idea of learning one's fate begins
to weigh upon Neo with a steadily
growing unease.
NEO
So is this the same oracle
that made the, uh,
prophecy?
MORPHEUS
Yes. She's very old. She's
been with us since the
beginning.
NEO
The beginning?
MORPHEUS
Of the Resistance.
NEO
And she knows what?
Everything?
MORPHEUS
She would say she knows
enough.
NEO
And she's never wrong.
MORPHEUS
Don't think of it in terms
of right and wrong. She is
a guide, Neo. She can help
you find the path.
NEO
She helped you?
MORPHEUS
Yes.
NEO
What did she tell you?
MORPHEUS
That I would find the One.
Ding. The elevator opens.
INT. HALL
The long dark hall beckons. Neo
follows Morpheus out of the elevator
and the doors rattle shut behind him.
With every step, a disturbing sense of
inevitability closes in around him.
At the end of the hall, Morpheus steps
to the side of a door.
MORPHEUS
I told you that I can only
show you the door. You
have to step through it.
Neo blows out a breath. His hand
reaches but stops, hovering over the
spherical handle. He backs away.
NEO
Morpheus, I don't think
this is a good idea.
MORPHEUS
Why?
NEO
I told you I don't believe
in this stuff. No matter
what she says I'm not
going to believe it, so
what's the point?
MORPHEUS
What do you believe in?
NEO
What do I believe in? Are
you kidding me? What do
you think? The world I
grew up in, isn't real. My
entire life was a lie. I
don't believe in anything
anymore.
MORPHEUS
That's why we're here.
NEO
Why? So I can hear some
old lady tell me, what?
That I'm this guy that
everybody's been waiting
for? That I'm supposed to
save the world? It sounds
insane. Unbelievable. And
I don't care who says it,
it's still going to sound
insane and unbelievable.
MORPHEUS
Faith is not a matter of
reasonability. I do not
believe things with my
mind. I believe them with
my heart. In my gut.
NEO
And you believe I'm the
One?
MORPHEUS
Yes I do.
NEO
Yeah? What about the other
five guys? The five before
me? What about them?
Morpheus tries to hide his heart being
wrenched from his chest.
NEO
Did you believe in them
too?
MORPHEUS
I believed what the Oracle
told me... no, I
misunderstood what she
told me. I believed that
it was all about me.
This is difficult for Morpheus to
admit.
MORPHEUS
I believed that all I had
to do was point my finger
and anoint whoever I
chose. I was wrong, Neo.
Terribly wrong. Not a day
or night passes that I do
not think of them. After
the fifth, I lost my way.
I doubted everything the
Oracle had said. I doubted
myself.
He looks up at Neo.
MORPHEUS
And then I saw you, Neo,
and my world changed. You
can call it an epiphany,
you can call it whatever
the hell you want. It
doesn't matter. It's not
about a word. It's about
this. So I can't explain
it to you. All I can do is
believe, Neo, believe that
one day you will feel what
I felt and know what I
know; you are the sixth
and the last. You are the
One.
His eyes blaze.
MORPHEUS
Until that time all I am
asking from you is for you
to hold on to whatever
respect you may have for
me and trust me.
Neo feels a rush from Morpheus's
intensity, the unadulterated
confidence of a zealot.
NEO
All right.
He reaches for the handle which turns
without him even touching it. A WOMAN
wearing white opens the door.
PRIESTESS (WOMAN)
Hello, Neo. You're right
on time.
INT. ORACLE'S APARTMENT
It seems particularly normal.
PRIESTESS
Make yourself at home,
Morpheus.
MORPHEUS
Thank you.
PRIESTESS
Neo, come with me.
She leads Neo down another hall and
into what appears to be a family room.
There is another woman in white
sitting on a couch watching a soap
opera. Scattered about the room are a
half dozen children. Some of them are
playing, others are deep in
meditation. All of them exude a kind
of Zen calm.
PRIESTESS
These are the other
Potentials. You can wait
here.
Neo watches a little girl levitate
wooden alphabet blocks. Closer to him,
a SKINNY BOY with a shaved head holds
a spoon which sways like a blade of
grass.
In front of him is a pile of spoons
bent and twisted into knots. Neo
crosses to him and sits. The boy
smiles and hands Neo the spoon which
is now perfectly straight.
SPOON BOY
Do not try to bend the
spoon. That is impossible.
Instead, only try to
realize the truth.
NEO
What truth?
SPOON BOY
That there is no spoon.
Neo nods, staring at the spoon.
NEO
There is no spoon.
SPOON BOY
Then you will see that it
is not the spoon that
bends. It is only
yourself.
The entire room is reflected inside
the spoon and as Neo stares into it,
it slowly begins to bend until--
A hand touches his shoulder.
PRIESTESS
The Oracle will see you
now.
Spoon Boy smiles.
INT. KITCHEN
An OLD WOMAN is huddled beside the
oven, peering inside through a cracked
door.
NEO
Hello?
ORACLE (OLD WOMAN)
I know. You're Neo. Be
right with you.
NEO
You're the Oracle?
ORACLE
Bingo. Not quite what you
were expecting, right? I
got to say I love seeing
you non-believers. Always
a pip. Almost done. Smell
good, don't they?
NEO
Yeah.
ORACLE
I'd ask you to sit down,
but you're not going to
anyway. And don't worry
about the vase.
NEO
What vase?
He turns to look around and his elbow
knocks a vase from the table. It
breaks against the linoleum floor.
ORACLE
That vase.
NEO
@#%$, I'm sorry.
She pulls out a tray of chocolate chip
cookies and turns. She is an older
woman, wearing big oven mitts,
comfortable slacks and a print blouse.
She looks like someone's grandma.
ORACLE
I said don't worry about
it. I'll get one of my
kids to fix it.
NEO
How did you know...?
She sets the cookie tray on a wooden
hot pad.
ORACLE
What's really going to
bake your noodle later on
is, would you still have
broken it if I hadn't said
anything.
Smiling, she lights a cigarette.
ORACLE
You're cuter than I
thought. I see why she
likes you.
NEO
Who?
ORACLE
Not too bright though.
She winks.
ORACLE
You know why Morpheus
brought you to see me?
He nods.
ORACLE
So? What do you think? You
think you're the One?
NEO
Honestly? I don't know.
She gestures to a wooden plaque, the
kind every kitchen has, except that
the words are in Latin.
ORACLE
You know what that means?
It's Latin. Means, 'Know
Thyself'. I'm gonna let
you in on a little secret.
Being the One is just like
being in love. Nobody can
tell you you're in love.
You just know it. Through
and through.Balls to
bones.
She puts her cigarette down.
ORACLE
Well, I better have a look
at you. Open your mouth.
Say 'ahh'.
She widens his eyes, checks his ears,
then feels the glands in his neck. She
nods then looks at his palms.
ORACLE
Okay, now I'm supposed to
say, 'Hmmm, that's
interesting but...' Then
you say--
NEO
But what?
ORACLE
But you already know what
I'm going to tell you.
NEO
I'm not the One.
ORACLE
Sorry, kid. You got the
gift but looks like you're
waiting for something.
NEO
What?
ORACLE
Your next life, maybe. Who
knows. That's how these
things go.
Neo almost has to laugh.
ORACLE
What's funny?
NEO
Morpheus. He almost had me
convinced.
ORACLE
I know. Poor Morpheus.
Without him we are lost.
NEO
What do you mean, without
him?
The Oracle takes a long drag,
regarding Neo with the eyes of a
Sphinx.
ORACLE
Are you sure you want to
hear this?
Neo nods.
ORACLE
Morpheus believes in you,
Neo and no one, not you or
even me can convince him
otherwise. He believes it
so blindly that he's going
to sacrifice his life to
save yours.
NEO
What?
ORACLE
You're going to have to
make a choice. In one
hand, you will have
Morpheus's life. In the
other hand, you will have
your own. One of you is
going to die. Which one,
will be up to you.
Neo can't breathe.
ORACLE
I'm sorry, kiddo. I really
am. You have a good soul
and I hate giving good
people bad news. But don't
worry, as soon as you walk
outside that door, you'll
start feeling better.
You'll remember that you
don't believe any of this
fate crap. You're in
control of your own life,
remember?
He tries to nod as she reaches for the
tray of cookies.
ORACLE
Here, take a cookie. I
promise by the time you're
done eating it, you'll
feel right as rain.
Neo takes a cookie, the tightness in
his chest slowly beginning to fade.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Morpheus rises from a couch as the
Priestess escorts Neo out. When they
are alone, Morpheus puts his hand on
Neo's shoulder.
MORPHEUS
You don't have to tell
anyone what she told you.
What was said was said for
you and you alone.
Neo nods and takes a bite of his
cookie.
INT. CAR
Neo and Morpheus get in the car.
MORPHEUS
Let's go.
Cypher looks into the rearview mirror
at Neo.
CYPHER
Well, good news or bad
news?
MORPHEUS
Not now, Cypher.
Cypher slaps the car in gear and pulls
into traffic. Trinity looks at Neo who
is staring at the final bit of cookie.
He puts it in his mouth and chews.
TRINITY
Are you all right?
NEO
...right as rain.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Mouse's cellular rings.
MOUSE
Welcome to Movie-Phone.
TANK (V.O.)
They're on their way.
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
As they get out of the car, Cypher
smiles at Neo.
CYPHER
Like the man says, welcome
to the real world.
Cypher, following the others into the
hotel, nervously glances around,
wiping the sweat from his forehead.
INT. MAIN DECK
Sweat rolls down Cypher's face and
neck. At the operator's station, Tank
is typing rapidly.
TANK
What is that...?
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Light filters down the throat of the
building, through a caged skylight at
the top of the open elevator shaft.
Six figures glide up the dark stairs
that wind around the antique elevator.
Neo notices a black cat, a yellow-
green eyed shadow that slinks past
them and pads quickly down the stairs.
A moment later, Neo sees another black
cat that looks and moves identically
to the first one.
NEO
Whoa. Deja vu.
Those words stop the others dead in
their tracks.
INT. MAIN DECK
The monitors suddenly glitch as though
the Matrix had an electronic seizure.
TANK
Oh @#%$! Oh @#%$!
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Trinity turns around, her face tight.
TRINITY
What did you just say?
NEO
Nothing. Just had a little
deja vu.
TRINITY
What happened? What did
you see?
NEO
A black cat went past us
and then I saw another
that looked just like it.
TRINITY
How much like it? Was it
the same cat?
NEO
It might have been. I'm
not sure.
Trinity looks at Morpheus who listens
quietly to the rasping breath of the
old building.
NEO
What is it?
TRINITY
A deja vu is usually a
glitch in the Matrix. It
happens when they change
something.
She also listens as the staccato beat
of helicopter blades grows ominously
loud.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank sees what was changed.
TANK
It's a trap!
INT. STAIRCASE - DAY
Morpheus looks up the stairs as he
hears a helicopter.
MORPHEUS
Come on!
Apoc slaps a gun in Neo's hand.
APOC
I hope the Oracle gave you
some good news.
Neo nods, stuffing it into his belt.
INT. BASEMENT - DAY
Heavy bolt cutters snap through the
main phone cable.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Hearing the helicopter, Mouse goes to
the draped windows as his cellular
rings. He answers it.
TANK (V.O.)
They cut the hardline!
It's a trap! Get out!
Mouse yanks open the curtain.
MOUSE
Oh no.
The windows are bricked up. Mouse
spins as the rumble of combat boots
builds, then explodes into the room.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank watches helplessly.
TANK
No, , no.
INT. STAIRS - DAY
Morpheus stops as Mouse's scream is
drowned out by the report of machine
gun fire.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Mouse sails backwards as bullets pound
him against the blood-spattered brick
window.
INT. MAIN DECK
Mouse's body thrashes against its
harness, blood coughing from his mouth
in one final spasm, then lying
perfectly still. The flatline alarm
softly cries out from the life
monitor.
SCENE 98 OMITTED
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Flying downstairs, Morpheus stops,
hearing police swarming below.
INT. HALL - DAY
He turns and rushes down the hall of
the eighth floor. At the end of it, he
finds the bricked up windows.
CYPHER
That's what they changed.
We're trapped. There's no
way out.
The sound of heavy bootsteps close
around them with the mechanical
sureness of a vice.
MORPHEUS
Give me your phone.
TRINITY
They'll be able to track
it.
MORPHEUS
We have no choice.
Morpheus rips off his jacket.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank answers the call.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Tank, find a structural
drawing of this building
and find it fast.
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Flashlights probe the rotting darkness
as the police search every floor.
INT. MAIN DECK
The diagram windows onto the screen.
TANK
Got it.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I need the main wet-wall.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Agent Smith stands over Mouse's dead
body, his hand going to his earpiece.
INT. ROOM 808 - DAY
Morpheus is guided by Tank.
TANK (V.O.)
Now left and that's it in
front of you.
MORPHEUS
Good.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Agent Smith hears the line click dead.
AGENT SMITH
Eighth floor. They're on
the eighth floor.
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Agent Brown listens to his earpiece.
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Boots clatter up the marble staircase.
INT. HALL - DAY
Cops flood the eighth floor, rushing
everywhere.
INT. ROOM 808 - DAY
Several cops sweep through the room.
It is empty. As they pass the
bathroom, we see a man-sized hole
smashed through the plaster and lathe.
INT. WALL - DAY
They are inside the main plumbing
wall, slowly worming their way down
the grease black stack pipes. Above
them, light fills the hole they made
to get inside.
INT. HALL - DAY
Agent Brown and Agent Smith stand over
Morpheus' jacket.
AGENT BROWN
Where are they?
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The cops search in silence, straining
for a clue, when one hears something
strange near the bathroom.
INT. WALL - DAY
Cypher has slipped and is wedged
between the wall and several thick
supply pipes.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The cop leans in, his ear almost
against the thin membrane of plaster
separating them. He can hear whispers,
hisses and a grunt when--
The wall suddenly bulges, shatter-
cracking as the Cop realizes --
COP
They're in the walls!
INT. WALL - DAY
Trinity pulls Cypher free just as the
Cop opens fire, bullets punching
shafts of light like swords into the
box of soot-black space.
Neo finds his gun first and begins
blasting blindly through the plaster
and lath.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The Cop spins out of the bathroom for
cover, Neo's bullets splintering the
door jamb.
About to whirl back in, he freezes as
something seems to seize hold of him.
The Cop's body starts to spasm and his
M-16 falls to the ground, long shadows
springing up from the mounted
flashlight.
INT. WALL - DAY
Neo listens for a moment, the gunfire
quiet when he hears footsteps rising
fast.
Two arms suddenly smash through the
wall, punching Neo back against the
iron stack pipe, fingers gouging into
his neck.
CYPHER
It's an Agent!
Just as Neo's throat is about to
collapse, Morpheus explodes through
the tattered plaster and lath, diving
on top of Agent Smith.
The two men crash to the wet terrazzo
floor.
Before Agent Smith can find his
weapon, Morpheus is on him, pinning
him in an iron grip.
In the crawlspace, Trinity tries to
scramble up past Cypher.
TRINITY
Morpheus!
Morpheus squeezes Agent Smith's
throat.
MORPHEUS
Trinity, you must get Neo
out. Do you understand?
He is all that matters.
Neo suddenly glimpses what is
happening but is powerless to stop it.
NEO
No. No! Morpheus! Don't!
MORPHEUS
Trinity! Go!
Trinity's fists ball in frustration.
She yells down to Apoc.
TRINITY
Go!
NEO
We can't leave him!
TRINITY
We have to!
She grabs his ankle and they begin
almost falling using the lath as a
brake, skidding down the inside of the
wall.
INT. BASEMENT - DAY
This part of the basement, a dark
concrete cavern, was the main
mechanical room. There are four
enormous boilers, dinosaur-like
technology that once pumped hot water
like arteries.
Soldiers' blinding lights cut open the
darkness as Trinity, Neo, and the
others crash through the ceiling.
Around them they hear a chorus of
short, sharp coughs of grenade
launchers from gas-masked figures.
Smoke blossoms from the green metal
canisters. Trinity never stops moving.
Searching the floor, she finds what
she needs; the cover of the catch
basin.
Cypher watches her pry open the grate,
when a gas can bounces near him.
TRINITY
Come on!
Cypher seems to trip as the cloud
envelops him.
Trinity watches Cypher disappear into
the smoke, then follows the others
down the wet-black hole.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
Morpheus and Agent Smith remain on the
ground, locked in each other's death
grip.
AGENT SMITH
The great Morpheus. We
meet at last.
MORPHEUS
And you are?
AGENT SMITH
Smith. I am Agent Smith.
MORPHEUS
You all look the same to
me.
Agent Smith counters Morpheus and
slowly begins to pry his hands from
his throat. Striking like a viper,
Morpheus drives a vicious head butt
into Agent Smith's face. His nose and
glasses shatter.
Agent Smith, unfazed, smiles, blood
oozing from the shattered bridge of
his nose and returns Morpheus'
headbutt with three of his own in
pneumatic succession.
Morpheus staggers back, his body going
slack when another kick buries him
deep into crunching plaster and lathe.
Morpheus turns in time to see a wall
of men in the doorway.
AGENT SMITH
Take him.
The wall of Cops rush Morpheus,
filling the tiny bathroom until he
disappears under the tide.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank reaches out to the screen as if
reaching for Morpheus.
TANK
No!
SCENE OMITTED
EXT. STREET - DAY
A manhole cover cracks open. Two eyes
peek out just as a truck rattles over
it. The thunder dopplers away and the
cover opens. Trinity climbs out.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank is again at the monitors,
searching the Matrix when the phone
rings.
TANK
Operator.
CYPHER (V.O.)
I need an exit! Fast!
TANK
Cypher?
EXT. STREET - DAY
Cypher is standing at a public phone.
Across the street is the burning paddy
wagon that appears to have collided
with an oncoming car.
CYPHER
There was an accident. A
@#%$ car accident. All
of a sudden. Boom. Jesus,
someone up there still
likes me.
TANK (V.O.)
I got you.
CYPHER
Just get me outta here.
TANK (V.O.)
Nearest exit is Franklin
and Erie. An old T.V.
repair shop.
Cypher hangs up and smiles as we hear
fire trucks in the distance.
CYPHER
An actor. Definitely.
INT. MAIN DECK
The phone rings. Tank answers.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Tank, it's me.
EXT. STREET - DAY
All four are moving quickly down a
back street.
NEO
Is Morpheus alive?
TRINITY
Is Morpheus still alive,
Tank?
TANK (V.O.)
Yes. They're moving him. I
don't know where yet.
TRINITY
He's alive.
Again, inevitability seems to cinch
around Neo.
TRINITY
We need an exit!
TANK (V.O.)
You're not far from
Cypher.
TRINITY
Cypher, I thought--
TANK (V.O.)
So did we. I sent him to
Franklin and Erie.
TRINITY
Got it.
EXT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
In a deserted alley, Cypher steps onto
a dumpster in front of a small boarded
up window.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Dead machines, eviscerated and
shrouded with dust lay on metal
shelves like bodies in a morgue.
Plywood covering a window is ripped
off and Cypher crawls inside.
Deep in the back room, a phone that
has not rung in years begins to ring.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Trinity sees the T.V. repair shop.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank punches the exit command.
TANK
Got him.
Cypher's body twitches in its harness,
jerking itself awake.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Neo crawls through the window that
Cypher opened.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank finishes loading the exit program
as Cypher pulls back a heavy blanket,
exposing a high-tech rifle.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
The phone begins to ring as the others
crawl in.
SWITCH
God, I love that sound.
INT. MAIN DECK
Suddenly, a white bolt of lightning
explodes against Tank's chair,
blasting him into the air.
Cypher checks the gun, unable to
believe he missed.
CYPHER
@#%$.
Tank is on his feet, lunging when
Cypher fires again, square into his
chest.
DOZER
No!
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
The phone is still ringing.
TRINITY
You first, Neo.
Neo answers the phone when there is a
click. There is no signal. Nothing but
silence.
TRINITY
What happened?
NEO
I don't know. It just went
dead.
Trinity listens to the dead line and
takes out the cellular.
INT. MAIN DECK
The operator phone begins to ring.
Cypher steps over the sizzling body of
Dozer and looks at the monitor.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Every unanswered ring wrings her gut a
little tighter, until--
CYPHER (V.O.)
Hello, Trinity.
TRINITY
Cypher? Where's Tank?
CYPHER (V.O.)
He had an accident.
TRINITY
An accident?!
INT. MAIN DECK/T.V. REPAIR SHOP
[INTERCUT]
He walks over to Trinity's body,
staring down at it hanging in its coma-
like stillness.
CYPHER
You know, for a long time,
I thought I was in love
with you, Trinity. I used
to dream about you...
He nuzzles his face against hers,
feeling the softness of it.
CYPHER
You are a beautiful woman.
Too bad things had to work
out like this.
TRINITY
You killed them.
APOC
What?!
SWITCH
Oh, God.
Wearing Tank's operator headgear,
Cypher moves among the silent bodies.
CYPHER
I'm tired, Trinity. I'm
tired of this war, I'm
tired of fighting. I'm
tired of this ship, of
being cold, of eating the
same @#%$ goop every
day. But most of all, I'm
tired of this jagoff and
all of his bull@#%$.
Cypher leans over, talking to
Morpheus.
CYPHER
Surprise, @#%$. Bet you
never saw this coming, did
you? God, I wish I could
be there when they break
you. I wish I could walk
in just as it happens, so
right then, you'd know it
was me.
TRINITY
My God. Morpheus. You gave
them Morpheus.
CYPHER
He lied to us, Trinity! He
tricked us! If he would've
told us the truth, we
would've told him to shove
that red pill up his ass!
TRINITY
That's not true, Cypher.
He set us free.
CYPHER
Free? You call this free?
All I do is what he tells
me to do. If I have to
choose between that and
the Matrix, I choose the
Matrix.
TRINITY
The Matrix isn't real!
CYPHER
Oh, I disagree, Trinity.
I disagree. I think the
Matrix can be more real
than this world. I mean,
all I do is pull a plug
here. But there, you have
to watch Apoc die.
She looks up at Apoc, her face going
white.
APOC
Trinity?
He grabs hold of the cable in Apoc's
neck, twists it and yanks it out.
CYPHER
Welcome to the real world,
eh baby?
Apoc seems to go blind for an instant,
a scream caught in his throat, his
hands reaching for nothing, and then
falls dead.
SWITCH
No!
TRINITY
But you're out, Cypher.
You can't go back.
CYPHER
That's what you think.
They've promised to take
me back. They're going to
reinsert my body. I'll go
back to sleep and when I
wake up, I'll be fat and
rich and I won't remember
a @#%$ed thing. It's
the American dream.
He laughs, his hand sliding around the
neck of Switch as he takes hold of her
plug.
CYPHER
By the way, if you have
anything terribly
important to say to
Switch, I suggest you say
it now.
TRINITY
Oh no, please don't.
Trinity's eyes find Switch and she
knows she's next.
SWITCH
Not like this. Not like
this.
She suddenly feels her body severed
from her mind as she is murdered.
CYPHER
Too late.
TRINITY
@#%$ you, Cypher!
CYPHER
Don't hate me, Trinity.
I'm just the messenger.
And right now I'm going to
prove it to you.
He stands over Neo.
CYPHER
If Morpheus was right,
then there's no way I can
pull this plug, is there?
She turns to Neo, eyes wide with fear
and he knows he is next.
CYPHER
If Neo is the One, then in
the next few seconds there
has to be some kind of
miracle to stop me. Right?
How can he be the One if
he's dead?
He takes hold of the cord.
CYPHER
You never did answer me,
Trinity, when I asked you
before. Did you buy
Morpheus' bull@#%$? Come
on. You can tell me, did
you? All I want is a
little yes or no. Look
into his eyes, Trinity,
those big pretty eyes and
tell me the truth. Yes or
no.
Trinity stares at Neo as a single word
falls soundlessly from her lips.
TRINITY
...yes.
CYPHER
No!
Charred and bloody, Tank levels the
gun.
CYPHER
I don't believe it!
TANK
Believe it or not, you
piece of @#%$, you're
still going to burn.
He fires a crackling bolt of lightning
that knocks Cypher flying backwards.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Trinity throws her arms around Neo and
for a moment they are alone and alive
until the phone rings.
NEO
Go. You first this time.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity's eyes snap open, a sense of
relief surging through her at the
sight of the ship. As Tank unplugs
her, she sees his charred wounds.
TRINITY
Tank, you're hurt.
TANK
I'll be all right.
TRINITY
Dozer?
Tank's face tightens and she takes him
into her arms.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
A government highrise in the middle of
downtown where a military helicopter
sets down on the roof.
Agent Jones gets out of the
helicopter, flanked by columns of
Marines. They open the roof access
door and enter the top floor
maintenance level of the building.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith stands, staring out the
windows at the city below shimmering
with brilliant sunlight.
AGENT SMITH
Have you ever stood and
stared at it, Morpheus?
Marveled at its beauty.
Its genius. Billions of
people just living out
their lives... oblivious.
Morpheus is handcuffed to a chair,
stripped to the waist. He is
alternately shivering and sweating,
wired to various monitors with white
disk electrodes. Beside him, Agent
Brown sucks a serum from a glass vial,
filling a hypodermic needle.
AGENT SMITH
Did you know that the
first Matrix was designed
to be a perfect human
world? Where none suffered,
where everyone would be
happy. It was a disaster.
No one would accept the
program. Entire crops
were lost.
Agent Brown jams the needle into
Morpheus' shoulder and plunges down.
AGENT SMITH
Some believed we lacked
the programming language
to describe your perfect
world. But I believe that,
as a species, human beings
define their reality
through suffering and
misery.
Agent Brown studies the screens as the
life signs react violently to the
injection.
AGENT SMITH
The perfect world was a
dream that your primitive
cerebrum kept trying to
wake up from. Which is
why the Matrix was
redesigned to this: the
peak of your civilization.
He turns from the window.
AGENT SMITH
I say 'your civilization'
because as soon as we
started thinking for you,
it really became our
civilization, which is, of
course, what this is all
about.
He sits down directly in front of
Morpheus.
AGENT SMITH
Evolution, Morpheus.
Evolution.
He lifts Morpheus' head.
AGENT SMITH
Like the dinosaur. Look
out that window. You had
your time.
Morpheus stares hard at him, trying
not to show the pain racking his mind.
AGENT SMITH
The future is our world,
Morpheus. The future is
our time.
Agent Smith looks at Agent Brown.
AGENT SMITH
Double the dosage.
Agent Jones suddenly enters.
AGENT JONES
There could be a problem.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank drapes a sheet over his dead
brother. The other bodies are covered.
Neo looks at Morpheus whose body is
covered with a cold sweat.
NEO
What are they doing to
him?
TANK
They're breaking into his
mind. It's like hacking a
computer. All it takes is
time.
NEO
How much time?
TANK
Depends on the mind. But
eventually, it will crack
and his alpha pattern will
change from this to this.
Tank punches several commands on
Morpheus's personal unit.
The monitor waves change from a
chaotic pattern to an ordered
symmetrical one.
TANK
When it does, Morpheus
will tell them anything
they want to know.
NEO
What do they want?
TANK
The leader of every ship
is given the codes to
Zion's mainframe computer.
If an Agent had those
codes and got inside
Zion's mainframe, they
could destroy us.
He looks up at Trinity who is pacing
relentlessly.
TANK
We can't let that happen,
Trinity. Zion is more
important than me. Or you
or even Morpheus.
Trinity sees Cypher's dead body. Rage
overtakes her and she kicks him.
TRINITY
@#%$it! @#%$it!
NEO
There has to be something
that we can do.
TANK
There is. We have to pull
the plug.
TRINITY
You're going to kill him?
Kill Morpheus?!
TANK
Trinity, we don't have any
other choice.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Morpheus is fighting to hold his mind
together. The Agents stand over him.
AGENT SMITH
Never send a human to do a
machine's job.
AGENT BROWN
If, indeed, the insider
has failed, they will
sever the connection as
soon as possible, unless--
AGENT JONES
They are dead. In either
case--
AGENT SMITH
We have no choice but to
continue as planned.
Deploy the sentinels.
Immediately.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank kneels beside Morpheus' body.
Neo suddenly sees it perfectly clear,
fate rushing at him like an oncoming
train.
TANK
Morpheus, you were more
than our leader. You
were... our father. We
will miss you, always.
Trinity can't bear to watch. As she
closes her eyes, her tears slip free.
Tank closes his eyes and takes hold of
the plug.
Neo is paralyzed, his whole life is
suddenly suspended by the finality of
this moment hurling at him with the
speed of a bullet.
NEO
Stop!
They both look at him.
NEO
@#%$it! I don't believe
this is happening!
TANK
Neo, this has to be done!
NEO
Does it? I don't know.
This can't be just
coincidence. It can't be!
Can it?
TANK
What are you talking
about?
NEO
The Oracle. She told me
this would happen. She
told me...
Neo stops, his stare fixed on
Morpheus.
NEO
That I would have to make
a choice...
TRINITY
What choice?
He makes his choice. Turning, he walks
to his chair.
TRINITY
What are you doing?
NEO
I'm going in.
TRINITY
You can't!
NEO
I have to.
TRINITY
Morpheus sacrificed
himself so we could get
you out! There's no way
you're going back in!
NEO
Morpheus did what he did
because he believed that
I'm something I'm not.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I'm not the One, Trinity.
The Oracle hit me with
that too.
Trinity is stunned.
TRINITY
No, you... have to be.
NEO
I'm sorry, I'm not. I'm
just another guy. Morpheus
is the one that matters.
TRINITY
No, Neo. That's not true.
It can't be true.
NEO
Why?
TRINITY
Because...
Uncertainty swallows her words and she
is unable to tell him what she wants
to.
TANK
Neo, this is loco. They've
got Morpheus in a military-
controlled building. Even
if you somehow got inside,
those are Agents holding
him. Three of them! I want
Morpheus back, too, but
what you are talking about
is suicide.
NEO
I know that's what it
looks like, but it's not.
I can't logically explain
to you why it's not.
Morpheus believed
something and he was ready
to give his life for what
he believed. I understand
that now. That's why I
have to go.
TANK
Why?
NEO
Because I believe in
something.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I believe I can bring him
back.
Trinity stares at him, hovering on the
edge that he just jumped off. Her jaw
sets and she starts climbing into the
chair beside him.
NEO
What are you doing?
TRINITY
I'm coming with you.
NEO
No, you're not.
TRINITY
No? Let me tell you what I
believe. I believe
Morpheus means more to me
than he does to you.
I believe that if you are
serious about saving him
then you are going to need
my help and since I am the
ranking officer on this
ship, if you don't like it
then I believe that you
can go to hell, because
you aren't going anywhere
else.
There is nothing more to say except--
TRINITY
Tank, load us up.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith sits casually across from
Morpheus who is hunched over, his body
leaking and twitching.
AGENT SMITH
I'd like to share a
revelation that I've had
during my time here. It
came to me when I tried to
classify your species.
I've realized that you are
not actually mammals.
The life signs continue their chaotic
patterns.
AGENT SMITH
Every mammal on this
planet instinctively
develops a natural
equilibrium with the
surrounding environment.
But you humans do not. You
move to an area and you
multiply and multiply
until every natural
resource is consumed and
the only way you can
survive is to spread to
another area.
He leans forward.
AGENT SMITH
There is another organism
on this planet that
follows the same pattern.
Do you know what it is? A
virus.
He smiles.
AGENT SMITH
Human beings are a
disease, a cancer of this
planet. You are a plague.
And we are... the cure.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Neo and Trinity stand in the white
space of the construct as he answers
his ringing cell phone.
TANK (V.O.)
Okay. What do you need?
Besides a miracle...
NEO
Guns. Lots of guns.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo and Trinity's bodies hang
motionless in their drive chairs as
Tank hits load.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Racks of weapons appear and they begin
to arm themselves.
TRINITY
No one has ever done
anything like this.
NEO
Yeah?
He snap @#%$s an Uzi.
NEO
That's why it's going to
work.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith is again at the window.
AGENT SMITH
Why isn't the serum
working?
AGENT BROWN
Perhaps we are asking the
wrong questions.
Agent Smith hides his knotting fist.
He is becoming angry. It is something
that isn't supposed to happen to
Agents.
AGENT SMITH
Leave me with him.
Agents Brown and Jones look at each
other.
AGENT SMITH
Now!
They leave and Agent Smith sits beside
Morpheus.
AGENT SMITH
Can you hear me, Morpheus?
I'm going to be honest
with you.
He removes his earphone, letting it
dangle over his shoulder.
AGENT SMITH
I hate this place. This
zoo. This prison. This
reality, whatever you want
to call it, I can't stand
it any longer.
AGENT SMITH
It's the smell, if there
is such a thing. I feel
saturated by it. I can
taste your stink and every
time I do, I fear that
I've somehow been infected
by it.
He wipes sweat from Morpheus'
forehead, coating the tips of his
fingers, holding them to Morpheus'
nose.
AGENT SMITH
Repulsive, isn't it?
He lifts Morpheus' head, holding it
tightly with both hands.
AGENT SMITH
I must get out of here, I
must get free. In this
mind is the key. My key.
Morpheus sneers through his pain.
AGENT SMITH
Once Zion is destroyed,
there is no need for me to
be here. Do you
understand? I need the
codes. I have to get
inside Zion. You have to
tell me how.
He begins squeezing, his fingers
gouging into his flesh.
AGENT SMITH
You are going to tell me
or you are going to die.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank sits down beside Morpheus whose
face is ashen like someone near death.
He takes hold of his hand.
TANK
Hold on, Morpheus. They're
coming for you. They're
coming.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
A dark wind blows.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
In long black coats, Trinity and Neo
push through the revolving doors.
Neo is carrying a duffel bag. Trinity
has a large metal suitcase. They cut
across the lobby to the security
station, drawing nervous glances.
Dark glasses, game faces.
Neo calmly passes through the metal
detector which begins to wail
immediately. A security guard moves
over toward Neo, raising his metal
detection wand.
GUARD
Would you please remove
any metallic items you are
carrying: keys, loose
change--
Neo slowly sets down his duffel bag
and throws open his coat, revealing an
arsenal of guns, knives, and grenades
slung from a climbing harness.
GUARD
Holy @#%$--
Neo is a blur of motion. In a split
second, three guards are dead before
they hit the ground.
A fourth guard dives for cover,
clutching his radio.
GUARD 4
Backup! Send in the
backup!
He looks up as Trinity sets off the
metal detector. It is the last thing
he sees.
The backup arrives. A wave of soldiers
blocking the elevators. The concrete
cavern of the lobby becomes a white
noise roar of gunfire. Slate walls and
pillars pock, crack, and crater under
a hail swarm of explosive tipped
bullets.
They are met by the quivering spit of
a subhandmachine gun and the razored
whistle of throwing knives.
Weapons like extensions of their
bodies, are used with the same deadly
precision as their feet and their
fists.
Bodies slump down to the marbled floor
while Neo and Trinity hardly even
break their stride.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Agents Jones and Brown burst into the
room. Agent Smith releases Morpheus.
AGENT BROWN
What were you doing?
Agent Smith recovers, replacing his
ear-piece.
AGENT JONES
You don't know.
AGENT SMITH
Know what?
Agent Smith listens to his earphone,
not believing what he is hearing.
INT. ELEVATORS - DAY
They get in. Trinity immediately drops
and opens the suitcase, wiring a
plastique and napalm bomb.
Neo hits the emergency stop. He pulls
down part of the false ceiling and
finds the elevator shaft access panel.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Jones looks at Morpheus.
AGENT JONES
I think they're trying to
save him.
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT - DAY
Neo ratchets down a clamp onto the
elevator cable. Both of them lock on.
He looks up the long, dark throat of
the building and takes a deep breath.
NEO
There is no spoon.
Neo whips out his gun and presses it
to the cable, lower than they attached
themselves.
BOOM! The cable snaps.
The counter-weights plummet, yanking
Trinity and Neo up through the shaft
as the elevator falls away beneath
them, distending space, filling it
with the sound of whistling metal as
they sear to the top.
INT. LOBBY - DAY
The elevator hits the bottom.
BA-BOOM!
The massive explosion blows open the
doors, fire clouds engulfing the
elevator section of the lobby.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
The Agents hear the blast of fire
alarms.
AGENT JONES
Lower level--
AGENT BROWN
They are actually
attacking.
Another enormous explosion thunders
above them, shaking the building. The
alarm sounds, emergency sprinklers
begin showering the room.
Agent Smith smashes a table.
AGENT SMITH
Find them and destroy
them!
Agent Jones nods and touches his ear-
piece.
EXT. ROOF - DAY
The roof-access tower is now engulfed
in flames as Neo and Trinity stand
amongst a pile of their fallen
enemies.
Across the roof, the pilot inside the
army helicopter watches the last of
their ferocious onslaught.
PILOT
I repeat, we are under
attack!
Suddenly his face, his whole body
dissolves, consumed by spreading
locust-like swarm of static as Agent
Jones emerges.
Just as she drops the final Marine,
Trinity sees what's coming. Neo sees
her, the fear in her face, and he
knows what is behind him.
Screaming, he whirls, guns filling his
hands with thought-speed.
Fingers pumping, shells ejecting,
dancing up and away, we look through
the sights and gunsmoke at the Agent
blurred with motion--
Until the hammers click against the
empty metal.
NEO
Trinity!
Agent Jones charges.
NEO
...help.
His gun booms as we enter the liquid
space of--
Bullet-time.
The air sizzles with wads of lead like
angry flies as Neo twists, bends,
ducks just between them.
Agent Jones still running, narrows the
gap, the bullets coming faster until
Neo bent impossibly back, one hand on
the ground as a spiraling gray ball
shears open his shoulder.
He starts to scream as another digs a
red groove across his thigh. He has
only time to look up, to see Agent
Jones standing over him, raising his
gun a final time.
AGENT JONES
Only human...
Suddenly Agent Jones stops. He hears a
sharp metal click.
Immediately, he whirls around and
turns straight into the muzzle of
Trinity's .45--
Jammed tight to his head.
TRINITY
Dodge this!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The body flies back
with a flash of mercurial light and
when it hits the ground, it is the
pilot.
Trinity helps Neo up.
TRINITY
Neo, how did you do that?
NEO
Do what?
TRINITY
You moved like they moved.
I've never seen anyone
move that fast.
NEO
It wasn't fast enough.
He checks his shoulder wound.
TRINITY
Are you all right?
NEO
I'm fine. Come on, we have
to keep moving.
Neo sees the helicopter.
NEO
Can you fly that thing?
TRINITY
Not yet.
She pulls out the cellular phone.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank is back at the controls.
TANK
Operator.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Tank, I need a pilot
program for a military B-
212 helicopter.
Tank is immediately searching the disk
drawers.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Hurry!
His fingers flash over the gleaming
laser disks finding one that he feeds
into Trinity's Supplement Drive
punching the ìloadî commands on her
keyboard.
EXT. ROOF - DAY
Trinity's eyes flutter as information
surges into her brain, all the
essentials of flying a helicopter
absorbed at light-speed.
TRINITY
Let's go.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Jones throws open the door and
enters, walking through the puddles
pooling in the carpet. Over the
rushing water and the alarms, Agent
Smith hears a sound and understands
the seriousness of the attack.
He turns to the wall of windows as the
helicopter drops into view--
Neo is in the back bay, aiming the
mounted .50 machine gun.
AGENT SMITH
No.
The gun jumps and bullets explode
through the window in a cacophony of
crashing glass as the Agents go for
their weapons.
But Neo is too close, the .50 caliber
too fast and bullets are everywhere,
perforating the room.
Agent Jones is hit first, his body
jack-knifing back, blood arcing out
with a sudden flash of light--
Then Agent Brown, his gun still firing
as his body falls. And finally Agent
Smith.
Neo stares at Morpheus, trying to will
him into action.
NEO
Get up, Morpheus! Get up!
Neo grabs the climbing rope and
attaches one end to his harness.
INT. HALL - DAY
Just outside the executive office,
three Marines blister with snow-
static.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Slowly, Morpheus lifts his face into
the room's rain. When he finally opens
his eyes, they are again dark and
flashing with fire.
He rises from the chair, snapping his
handcuffs just as the Agents enter the
adjoining room. Agent Smith stops and
sees Morpheus run past the open door.
AGENT SMITH
Nooo!
He fires sweeping across the
sheetrocked wall in a perfect line.
For an instant, we see the bullets
shred, puncturing the wall, searing
through the wet air with jet trails of
chalk.
And as Morpheus starts his dive for
the window, a bullet buries itself in
his leg, knocking him off balance.
NEO
He won't make it.
Morpheus lunges, out of control--
As Neo spins, every move a whip crack,
snapping the other rope-end on to a
bolted bar as--
Morpheus begins to fall, when Neo
hurls himself into the wide blue empty
space, flying for a moment.
The rope snaking out behind him; an
umbilical cord attached to a machine.
As their two bodies, set in motion,
rushing at each other on a seemingly
magnetic course until they collide.
Almost bouncing free of each other,
arms, legs scrambling, hands searching
in furious desperation, finding hold
and clinging.
Until the line ends, snapping taut,
cracking their fragile embrace.
Morpheus tumbles, legs flipping over,
falling down--
The ground deliriously distant as Neo
snatches hold of his mentor's still
handcuffed wrist.
NEO
Gotcha!
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
Trinity pulls the copter up and away
as Agent Smith stands in the shattered
window, aiming his gun out through the
curtain of rain.
Ponk. Ponk. Ponk. The rear hull is
punched full of holes and smoke and
oil pour out like black blood.
TRINITY
@#%$-@#%$-no!
Neo hears the helicopter begin to die.
NEO
Uh oh--
Trinity throws the helicopter towards
the roof of the nearest building.
Morpheus and Neo cling to one another
as they and the machine above them
begin to fall.
The engine grinds, the chopping blades
start to slow while--
Trinity guides the parabolic fall over
the nearest roof where--
Neo and Morpheus drop safely, rolling
free as the rope goes slack. Neo gets
to his feet, trying to detach himself
but--
The helicopter is falling too fast,
arcing over the roof like a setting
sun--
The coils of slack snap taut, yanking
Neo off his feet, dragging him with
ferocious speed towards the edge even
as--
Trinity lunges for the back door, her
gun in one hand, grabbing for the rope
with the other--
Neo flies like a skipping stone,
hurtling at the parapet, when his feet
hit the rain gutter and he levers up
just as--
Trinity fires, severing the cord from
the helicopter, falling free of it as
it smashes, blades first into a glass
skyscraper.
Holding onto the rope as she swings,
connected to Neo, who stands on the
buildingís edge watching her arc
beneath him as the helicopter explodes-
She bounces against a shatterproof
window that spider-cracks out while
flames erupt behind her.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank stares at the screen, his mouth
agape.
TANK
I knew it! Heís the One.
SCENE OMITTED
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Neo pulls Trinity up into his arms.
Both shaking, they hold each other
again.
MORPHEUS
Do you believe it now,
Trinity?
Trinity looks at Neo.
NEO
Morpheus, the Oracle...
she told me--
MORPHEUS
She told you exactly what
you needed to hear. Thatís
all. Sooner or later, Neo,
youíre going to realize
just like I did the
difference between knowing
a path and walking a path.
INT. MAIN DECK
The phone rings.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Tank.
TANK
@#%$! Itís good to hear
your voice, sir!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
We need an exit.
TANK
Got one ready, sir.
Subway. State and Balbo.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Weíre on our way--
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
We rush at the roof access door as it
suddenly slams open and the three
Agents charge out. But Neo, Trinity
and Morpheus are already gone.
AGENT SMITH
Damnit!
AGENT BROWN
The trace was completed.
AGENT JONES
We have their position.
AGENT BROWN
Sentinels are standing by.
AGENT JONES
Order the strike.
Agent Smith canít stand listening to
them. He moves to the edge of the
building, looking out at the
surrounding city.
AGENT SMITH
Theyíre not out yet.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
An old man sits hunched in the far
corner of the station, shadows
gathered around him like blankets.
Mumbling, he nurses from a bottle of
Thunderbird when--
A phone begins to ring.
Neo leads Trinity and Morpheus
bounding over a set of turnstiles
towards the ringing phone inside a
graffiti- covered booth.
NEO
Let's go! You first,
Morpheus.
Morpheus gets in and answers the
phone.
Lost in the shadow, the Old Man
watches as Morpheus disappears, the
phone dropping, dangling by its cord.
His eyes grow wide, glowing white in
the dark.
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Agent Smith stares, his face twisted
with hate. He will never be free of
the Matrix.
He starts to turn from the edge of the
building when he suddenly hears it,
his head whipping back around, staring-
INT. SUBWAY - DAY
Through the Old Man's eyes as the
world begins to rumble.
Trinity hangs up the phone,then turns
to Neo.
The rumble grows, the ground beginning
to shake.
TRINITY
Neo, I want to tell you
something... but I'm
afraid of what it could
mean if I do.
Behind her, the phone begins to ring.
TRINITY
Everything the Oracle told
me, has come true,
everything but this...
NEO
But what?
The rumble rises, drowning her voice.
Neo is drawn towards her, their lips
close enough to kiss when a train
blasts into the station.
For a moment, they are frozen by the
strobing lights of the train until
Trinity turns, unable to say what she
wants to say.
The phone rings once more before she
lifts the receiver when, in the
darkness of the far corner, Neo sees
the old man in the flashing train-
light as he becomes--
Agent Smith, raising a fistful of
black gun-metal.
NEO
No!
The gun fires, the bullet flying at
her, bursting through the plastic
window just as Trinity disappears.
The handset hanging in the air as the
bullet hits, shattering the ear-piece.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Trinity blinks, shivering as her
conscious exits the Construct.
TRINITY
Neo!
TANK
What the hell just
happened?
TRINITY
An Agent! You have to send
me back!
TANK
I can't!
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
The destroyed phone dangles in the
empty booth. Neo turns to Agent Smith
whose gun stares at him like a third
eye.
AGENT SMITH
Mr. Anderson.
INT. MAIN DECK
Morpheus and Trinity stand behind Tank
riveted to the scrolling code.
TRINITY
Run, Neo. Run.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Neo looks at the dead escalator that
rises up behind him. Slowly he turns
back and in his eyes we see something
different, something fixed and hard
like a gunfighter's resolve.
There is no past or future in these
eyes. There is only what is.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity is unable to understand.
TRINITY
What is he doing?
MORPHEUS
He's beginning to believe.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Neo whip-draws his gun flashpoint
speed of lightning as--
Smith opens fire.
Gun report thunders through the
underground, both men blasting, moving
at impossible speed.
For a blinking moment we enter Bullet-
time.
Gun flash tongues curl from Neo's gun,
bullets float forward like a plane
moving across the sky, cartridges
cartwheel into space.
An instant later they are nearly on
top of each other, rolling up out of a
move that is almost a mirrored
reflection of the other--
Each jamming their gun tight to the
other's head.
They freeze in a kind of embrace; Neo
sweating, panting, Agent Smith machine-
calm. Agent Smith smiles.
AGENT SMITH
You're empty.
Neo pulls the trigger. Click.
NEO
So are you.
The smile falls. Agent Smith yanks his
trigger.
CLICK.
Agent Smith's face warps with rage and
he attacks, fists flying at furious
speed, blows and counters, Neo
retreating as--
A knife-hand opens his forearm, and a
kick sends him slamming back against a
steel column. Stunned, he ducks just
under a punch that crunches into the
beam, steel chunks exploding like
shrapnel.
Behind him, Neo leaps into the air,
delivering a neck-snapping reverse
round-house. Agent Smith's glasses fly
off and he glares at Neo; his eyes ice
blue.
AGENT SMITH
I'm going to enjoy
watching you die, Mr.
Anderson.
Agent Smith attacks with unrelenting
fury, fists pounding Neo like
jackhammers.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Trinity watches Neo as his body jerks,
mouth coughing blood, his life signs
going wild.
TRINITY
Jesus, he's killing him!
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Agent Smith grabs hold of him, lifting
him into the air, hurling him against
the curved wall of the train tunnel,
where he falls inches from the
electrified third-rail.
The Agent is about to jump down and
press his attack when he hears
something.
From deep in the tunnel, like an
animal cry; a burst of high-speed
metal grinding against metal.
The sound of an on-coming train.
Neo tries to get up. Agent Smith jumps
down onto the tracks and drop-kicks
him in the face. The world again
begins to shake, rumbling as the train
nears.
AGENT SMITH
Do you hear that, Mr.
Anderson?
Agent Smith grabs Neo in a choke-hold
forcing him to look down the tracks,
the train's headlight burning a hole
in the darkness.
AGENT SMITH
That is the sound of
inevitability.
Neo sees it coming and he starts to
fight.
AGENT SMITH
It is the sound of your
death.
There is another metal screech, much
louder, closer, as Agent Smith
tightens his hold. Neo is unable to
breathe.
AGENT SMITH
Good-bye, Mr. Anderson.
The train roars at them, swallowing
Agent Smith's words. The veins bulge
in Neo's head, as he grits through the
pain.
He is not ready to die.
NEO
My name is Neo.
Impossibly, he hurls himself straight
up, smashing Smith against the
concrete ceiling of the tunnel.
They fall as the sound and fury of the
train explodes into the station. Neo
backflips up off the tracks just as-
The train barrels over Agent Smith.
Neo stands, knees shaking, when the
train slams on its emergency brake.
With an ear-splitting shriek of
tortured rails, the train slows, part
of it still in the station.
Neo turns, limping, starting to run,
racing for the escalator--
As the train comes to a stop and the
doors of the last car open; Agent
Smith bursts out in furious pursuit,
his glasses again intact.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank searches the Matrix.
TRINITY
What just happened?
TANK
I don't know. I lost him.
MORPHEUS
He's on the run--
Suddenly, a siren sounds.
TANK
Oh @#%$!
Morpheus bolts to the ladder.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus climbs into the @#%$pit. On
the hologram radar, he sees the
Sentinels.
TRINITY
Oh no.
Trinity is behind him.
TRINITY
How long?
MORPHEUS
Five minutes. Maybe six.
Morpheus lifts the headset.
MORPHEUS
Tank, charge the E.M.P.
TANK (V.O.)
Yes, sir.
TRINITY
You can't use that until
Neo is out!
MORPHEUS
I know, Trinity. Don't
worry. He's going to make
it.
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
A BUSINESSMAN walks along the
sidewalk, wheeling and dealing into
his cell phone when it disappears,
snatched by Neo as he flashes by.
MAN
What the @#%$-- My phone!
The man turns to call for help and
when he turns back, it is Agent Smith.
Neo is in a full out sprint, spinning
and weaving away from every
pedestrian, every potential Agent. He
flips open the cell phone and dials
long distance.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank answers.
TANK
Operator.
NEO (V.O.)
Mr. Wizard, get me the
hell out of here!
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
Neo dives down an alley, Agent Smith
starting to gain.
NEO
Hurry, Tank! I got some
serious pursuit!
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The keyboard clicking, Tank searches
for an exit. Trinity screams into the
headset.
TRINITY
Neo, you better get your
ass back here!
EXT. ALLEY
Agent Smith stops and takes aim.
NEO
I'm trying, Trinity. I'm
trying.
A bullet shatters the image of Neo in
a truck's rearview mirror.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank speed-reads the reams of Matrix
code.
TANK
I got a patch on an old
exit. Wabash and Lake. A
hotel. Room 303.
SCENE 189 OMITTED
EXT. OPEN MARKET
Neo spins away, turning and finds
himself in an open market that teems
with people.
He kamikazes his way down the little
avenues lined with vendors and shops,
careening through the labyrinth, out
of control. And at every turn there is
an Agent;
appearing from crowds, behind fish
counters, tent flaps, and crates.
SCENE 191 OMITTED
EXT. ALLEY
He dives from the maze down a service
alley but it is a dead end.
Neo turns back as the Agents emerge
from the market.
NEO
Uh, help! Need a little
help!
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank frantically scans the monitor
like a road map.
TANK
The door.
EXT. ALLEY
Neo dives for it but--
NEO
It's locked.
TANK (V.O.)
Kick it in!
Peeling back, Neo almost kicks the
door from its hinges, lunging from the
Agents' bullets.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - STAIRCASE
Neo springs up the old crooked
apartment building stairs.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - HALL
He is halfway down the hall, running
in sharp long strides when a door
explodes open at the end.
TANK (V.O.)
@#%$! The door on your
left.
Neo lurches, kicking in an apartment
door.
TANK (V.O.)
No! Other left!
He whirls back to his other left,
battering through the door which
splinters, perforated by bullets.
An old woman watches TV as Neo blurs
past her and into her kitchen, where
another woman is chopping vegetables.
TANK (V.O.)
That window!
Neo throws it open, leaping for the
fire escape just as a knife buries
itself in the window casing.
TANK (V.O.)
Down! Down!
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - FIRE ESCAPE
Tumbling down the rattling fire
escape, Neo leaps the last ten feet
into the alley below with Agent Brown
right behind him.
Neo scrapes himself to his feet,
broken and bleeding, charging for the
end of the alley.
INT. MAIN DECK
Finger on the monitor, Tank traces
Neo's path.
TANK
That's it! You're almost
there! That fire escape at
the end of the alley!
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - DAY
Agent Smith suddenly pauses as if
recognizing something; the faded neon
buzzes: Heart O' The City Hotel.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank loads the exit.
TANK
I'm going to make the
call.
MORPHEUS
Do it!
Suddenly, the lights go red.
TRINITY
No.
Morpheus looks up.
MORPHEUS
Here they come.
EXT. SEWER MAIN
The Sentinels open and shift like
killer kaleidoscopes as they attack,
slamming down onto the Nebuchadnezzar.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The hovercraft booms down as they hit.
Morpheus opens the lock on the EMP
detonator.
Trinity watches him.
MORPHEUS
He's going to make it.
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
Neo scrambles up the fire escape,
bullets sparking and ricocheting
around him as Agents Brown and Jones
close the gap.
INT. HALL - DAY
On the third floor, he kicks in the
window, jumping into the hall. The
doors count backwards: 310... 309...
INT. MAIN DECK
Another systems alarm sounds.
TANK
They've burned through the
outer hull.
TRINITY
Hurry, Neo.
INT. HALL - DAY
Neo can hear the phone ringing. 305...
304...
Agent Brown reaches the broken window
behind him just as Neo grabs the
handle of 303, throwing open the door
to find--
Agent Smith, waiting, .45 @#%$ed.
Neo can't move-- can't think--
BOOM.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo's body jerks, and everyone hears
it as the life monitors snap flatline.
Trinity screams. Morpheus stumbles
back in disbelief.
MORPHEUS
No, it can't be. It can't
be.
Lasers suddenly sear through the main
deck as the Sentinels slice open the
hull.
INT. HALL - DAY
Three holes in his chest, Neo falls to
the blue shag carpeting, blood
smearing down the wall paper. Agent
Smith stands over him, still aiming,
taking no chances.
AGENT SMITH
Check him.
INT. MAIN DECK
Amid the destruction raining around
her, Trinity takes hold of Neo's body.
TRINITY
Neo...
INT. HALL - DAY
Kneeling beside him, Agent Brown
checks his vital signs.
AGENT BROWN
He's gone.
Agent Smith smiles, standing over him.
AGENT SMITH
Good-bye, Mr. Anderson.
INT. MAIN DECK
In tears, Morpheus takes hold of the
EMP switch.
Trinity whispers in Neo's ear.
TRINITY
Neo, please, listen to me.
I promised to tell you the
rest. The Oracle, she told
me that I'd fall in love
and that man, the man I
loved would be the One.
You see? You can't be
dead, Neo, you can't be
because I love you. You
hear me? I love you!
Her eyes close and she kisses him,
believing in all her heart that he
will feel her lips and know that they
speak the truth.
INT. HOTEL HALL - DAY
He does. And they do.
His eyes snap open.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity screams as the monitors jump
back to life. Tank and Morpheus look
at each other.
It is a miracle.
TRINITY
Now get up!
INT. HALL - DAY
Holding his chest, Neo struggles to
get up. At the end of the hall, the
Agents wait for the elevator when
Agent Smith glances back. He rips off
his sunglasses looking at Neo as if he
were looking at a ghost.
Neo gets to his feet all three Agents
grabbing for their guns. As one, they
fire.
NEO
No!
Neo raises his hands and the bullets,
like a cloud of obedient bees, slow
and come to a stop. They hang frozen
in space, fixed like stainless steel
stars.
The Agents are unable to absorb what
they are seeing.
Neo plucks one of the bullets from the
air. We see him and the hall reflected
in the bright casing. We move closer
until the bullet fills our vision and
the distorted reflection morphs,
becoming the ìrealî image.
He drops the bullet and the others
fall to the floor.
Neo looks out, now able to see through
the curtain of the Matrix. For a
moment, the walls, the floor, even the
Agents become a rushing stream of
code.
INT. MAIN DECK
All three stare transfixed with awe as
the scrolling code accelerates, faster
and faster, as if the machine language
was unable to keep up or perhaps
describe what is happening.
They begin to blur into streaks,
shimmering ribbons of light that open
like windows, as--
Each screen fills with brilliant
saturated color images of Neo standing
in the hall.
TANK
How...?!
MORPHEUS
He is the One. He is the
One!
An explosion shakes the entire ship.
INT. HALL
Agent Smith screams, his calm machine-
like expression shredding with pure
rage.
He rushes Neo. His attack is ferocious
but Neo blocks each blow easily. Then
with one quick strike to the chest he
sends Agent Smith flying backwards.
For the first time since their
inception, the Agents know fear.
Agent Smith gets up, bracing himself
as Neo charges him and springs into a
dive. But the impact doesn't come. Neo
sinks into Agent Smith, disappearing,
his tie and coat rippling as if he
were a deep pool of water.
Spinning around he looks to the others
and feels something, like a tremor
before a quake, something deep,
something that is going to change
everything.
Suddenly a searing sound stabs through
his earpiece as his chest begins to
swell, then balloon as--
Neo bursts up out of him. And with a
final death scream, Agent Smith
explodes like an empty husk in a
brilliant cacophony of light, his
shards spinning away, absorbed by the
Matrix until--
Only Neo is left.
Neo faces the remaining Agents. They
look at each other, the same idea
striking simultaneously--
They run.
INT. MAIN DECK
Sentinels are everywhere destroying
the ship.
TRINITY
Neo!
INT. HALL
Again he hears her. He reacts to the
ringing phone, rushing towards it even
as--
INT. MAIN DECK
A Sentinel descends towards Morpheus.
On the screen we see Neo dive for the
phone.
TRINITY
Now!
Morpheus turns the key.
INT. OVERFLOW PIT
A blinding shock of white light floods
the chamber; Sentinels blink and fall
instantly dead, filling the pit with
their cold metal carcasses.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
In the still darkness, only the humans
are alive.
TRINITY
Neo?
His eyes open. Tears pour from her
smiling eyes as he reaches up to touch
her.
And she kisses him; it seems like it
might last forever.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. COMPUTER SCREEN
Close on a computer screen as in the
opening. The cursor beating steadily,
waiting. A phone begins to ring.
It is answered and the screen fills
instantly with the trace program.
After a long beat, we recognize Neo's
voice.
NEO (V.O.)
Hi. It's me. I know you're
out there. I can feel you
now.
We close in on the racing columns of
numbers shimmering across the screen.
NEO (V.O.)
I imagine you can also
feel me.
The numbers begin to lock into place.
NEO (V.O.)
You won't have to search
for me anymore. I'm done
running. Done hiding.
Whether I'm done fighting,
I suppose, is up to you.
We glide in towards the screen.
NEO (V.O.)
I believe deep down, we
both want this world to
change. I believe that the
Matrix can remain our cage
or it can become our
chrysalis, that's what you
helped me to understand.
That to be free, truly
free, you cannot change
your cage. You have to
change yourself.
We dive through the numbers, surging
up through the darkness, sucked
towards a tight constellation of
stars.
NEO (V.O.)
When I used to look out at
this world, all I could
see was its edges, its
boundaries, its rules and
controls, its leaders and
laws. But now, I see
another world. A different
world where all things are
possible. A world of hope.
Of peace.
We realize that the constellation is
actually the holes in the mouthpiece
of a phone. Seen from inside.
NEO (V.O.)
I can't tell you how to
get there, but I know if
you can free your mind,
you'll find the way
EXT. PHONE BOOTH/STREET
We shoot through the holes as Neo
hangs up the phone. He steps out of
the phone and slides on a pair of
sunglasses. He looks up and we rise.
Higher and higher, until the city is
miles below.
After a moment, Neo blasts by us, his
long black coat billowing like a black
leather cape as he flies faster than a
speeding bullet.
FADE OUT.
BWhahahhaha
THE END
INT. COMPUTER SCREEN
On a computer screen; so close it has
no boundaries.
A blinking cursor pulses in the
electric darkness like a heart
coursing with phosphorous light,
burning beneath the derma of black-
neon glass.
A phone begins to ring, we hear it as
though we were making the call. The
cursor continues to throb,
relentlessly patient, until --
MAN (V.O.)
Yeah?
Data now slashes across the screen,
information flashing faster than we
can read:
SCREEN
Call trans opt: received.
2-19-98 13:24:18 REC:Log>.
WOMAN(V.O.)
Is everything in place?
SCREEN
Trace program: running.
We listen to the phone conversation as
though we were on a third line. The
man's name is Cypher. The woman,
Trinity.
TRINITY (WOMAN)
(V.O.)
I said, is everything in
place?
The entire screen fills with racing
columns of numbers. Shimmering like
green-electric rivers, they rush at a
10-digit phone number in the top
corner.
CYPHER (MAN) (V.O.)
You weren't supposed to
relieve me.
TRINITY (V.O.)
I know but I felt like
taking a shift.
The area code is identified. The
first three numbers suddenly fixed,
leaving only seven flowing columns.
CYPHER (V.O.)
You like him, don't you?
You like watching him?
We begin moving toward the screen,
closing in as each digit is matched,
one by one, snapping into place like
the wheels of a slot machine.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Don't be ridiculous.
CYPHER (V.O.)
We're going to kill him.
Do you understand that?
He's going to die just
like the others.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Morpheus believes he is
the One.
Only two thin digits left.
CYPHER (V.O.)
Do you?
TRINITY (V.O.)
I... it doesn't matter
what I believe.
CYPHER (V.O.)
You don't, do you?
TRINITY (V.O.)
If you have something to
say, I suggest you say it
to Morpheus.
CYPHER (V.O.)
I intend to, believe me.
Someone has to.
The final number pops into place--
TRINITY (V.O.)
Did you hear that?
CYPHER (V.O.)
Hear what?
SCREEN
Trace complete. Call
origin: #312-555-0690.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Are you sure this line is
clean?
CYPHER (V.O.)
Yeah, 'course I'm sure.
We move, still closer, the electric
hum of the green numbers growing into
an ominous roar.
TRINITY (V.O.)
I better go.
She hangs up as we pass through the
numbers, entering the netherworld of
the computer screen. Suddenly, a
flashlight cuts open the darkness and
we find ourselves in--
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - NIGHT
The hotel was abandoned after a fire
licked its way across the polyester
carpeting, destroying several rooms as
it spooled soot up the walls and
ceiling, leaving patterns of permanent
shadow.
We follow four armed POLICE OFFICERS
using flashlights as they creep down
the blackened hall and ready
themselves on either side of Room 303.
The biggest of them violently kicks in
the door. The other cops pour in
behind him, guns thrust before them.
BIG COP
Police! Freeze!
The room is almost devoid of
furniture.
There is a fold-up table and chair
with a phone, a modem, and a Powerbook
computer. The only light in the room
is the glow of the computer.
Sitting there, her hands still on the
keyboard, is TRINITY; a woman in black
leather.
BIG COP
Hands behind your head!
Now! Do it!
She slowly puts her hands behind her
head.
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - NIGHT
A black sedan with tinted windows
glides in through the police cruisers.
AGENT SMITH, AGENT BROWN, and AGENT
JONES get out of the car.
They wear dark suits and sunglasses
even at night. They are also always
hardwired; small Secret Service
earphones in one ear, the cord coiling
back into their shirt collars.
AGENT SMITH
Lieutenant?
LIEUTENANT
Oh @#%$.
AGENT SMITH
Lieutenant, you were given
specific orders--
LIEUTENANT
I'm just doing my job.
You gimme that Juris-my-
dick-tion and you can cram
it up your ass.
AGENT SMITH
The orders were for your
protection.
The Lieutenant laughs.
LIEUTENANT
I think we can handle one
little girl.
Agent Smith nods to Agent Brown as
they start toward the hotel.
LIEUTENANT
I sent two units. They're
bringing her down now.
AGENT SMITH
No, Lieutenant, your men
are already dead.
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
The Big Cop flicks out his cuffs, the
other cops holding a bead. They've
done this a hundred times, they know
they've got her, until the Big Cop
reaches with the cuffs and Trinity
moves --
It almost doesn't register, so smooth
and fast, inhumanly fast.
The eye blinks and Trinity's palm
snaps up and the nose explodes, blood
erupting. Her leg kicks with the force
of a wrecking ball and he flies back,
a two-hundred-fifty pound sack of limp
meat and bone that slams into the cop
farthest from her.
Trinity moves again, bullets raking
the walls, flashlights sweeping with
panic as the remaining cops try to
stop a leather-clad ghost.
A gun still in the cop's hand is
snatched, twisted and fired. There is
a final violent exchange of gunfire
and when it's over, Trinity is the
only one standing.
A flashlight rocks slowly to a stop.
TRINITY
@#%$.
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
Agent Brown enters the hotel while
Agent Smith heads for the alley.
INT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL
Trinity is on the phone, pacing. The
other end is answered.
MAN (V.O.)
Operator.
TRINITY
Morpheus! The line was
traced! I don't know how.
MORPHEUS (MAN)
(V.O.)
I know. They cut the
hardline. This line is not
a viable exit.
TRINITY
Are there any Agents?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes.
TRINITY
@#%$it!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
You have to focus. There
is a phone. Wells and
Lake. You can make it.
She takes a deep breath, centering
herself.
TRINITY
All right--
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go.
She drops the phone.
INT. HALL
She bursts out of the room as Agent
Brown enters the hall, leading another
unit of police. Trinity races to the
opposite end, exiting through a broken
window onto the fire escape.
EXT. FIRE ESCAPE
In the alley below, Trinity sees Agent
Smith staring at her. She can only go
up.
EXT. ROOF
On the roof, Trinity is running as
Agent Brown rises over the parapet,
leading the cops in pursuit.
Trinity begins to jump from one roof
to the next, her movements so clean,
gliding in and out of each jump,
contrasted to the wild jumps of the
cops.
Agent Brown, however, has the same
unnatural grace.
The roof falls away into a wide back
alley. The next building is over 40
feet away but Trinity's face is
perfectly calm, staring at some point
beyond the other roof.
COP
That's it, we got her now.
The cops slow, realizing they are
about to see something ugly as Trinity
drives at the edge, launching herself
into the air.
From above, the ground seems to flow
beneath her as she hangs in flight,
then hits, somersaulting up, still
running hard.
COP
Jesus Christ-- that's
impossible!
They stare, slack-jawed, as Agent
Brown duplicates the move exactly,
landing, rolling over a shoulder up
onto one knee.
It is a dizzying chase up and over the
dark plateaued landscape of rooftops
and sheer cliffs of brick.
Ahead she sees her only chance, 50
feet beyond the point where her path
drops away into a paved chasm, there
is--
EXT. WINDOW
A window; a yellow glow in the midst
of a dark brick building.
Trinity zeros in on it, running as
hard as she can and--
Hurtles herself into the empty night
space, her body leveling into a dive.
She falls, arms covering her head as
the whole world seems to spin on its
axis--
INT. BACK STAIRWELL
And she crashes with an explosion of
glass and wood, then falls onto a back
stairwell, tumbling, bouncing down
stairs bleeding, broken--
But still alive.
She wheels on the smashed opening
above, her gun instantly in her hand,
trained, waiting for Agent Brown but
is met by only a slight wind that
hisses against the fanged maw of
broken glass.
Trinity tries to move. Everything
hurts.
TRINITY
Get up, Trinity. You're
fine. Get up-- just get
up!
She stands and limps down the rest of
the stairs.
EXT. STREET
Trinity emerges from the shadows of an
alley and, at the end of the block, in
a pool of white street light, she sees
it--
The telephone booth.
Obviously hurt, she starts down the
concrete walk, focusing in completely,
her pace quickening, as the phone
begins to ring.
Across the street, a garbage truck
suddenly turns U- turns, its tires
screaming as it accelerates. Trinity
sees the headlights of the truck
arcing at the telephone booth as if
taking aim.
Gritting through the pain, she races
the truck, slamming into the booth,
the headlights blindingly bright,
bearing down on the box of Plexiglas
just as--
She answers the phone.
There is a frozen instant of silence
before the hulking mass of dark metal
lurches up onto the sidewalk--
Barrelling through the booth,
bulldozing it into a brick wall,
smashing it to Plexiglas pulp.
After a moment, a black loafer steps
down from the cab of the garbage
truck. Agent Smith inspects the
wreckage. There is no body. Trinity is
gone.
His jaw sets as he grinds his molars
in frustration. Agents Jones and Brown
walk up behind him.
AGENT BROWN
She got out.
AGENT SMITH
It doesn't matter.
AGENT BROWN
The informant is real.
Agent Smith almost smiles.
AGENT SMITH
Yes.
AGENT JONES
We have the name of their
next target.
AGENT BROWN
The name is Neo.
The handset of the pay phone lays on
the ground, separated in the crash
like a severed limb.
AGENT SMITH
We'll need a search
running.
AGENT JONES
It's already begun.
We are sucked towards the mouthpiece
of the phone, closer and closer, until
the smooth gray plastic spreads out
like a horizon and the small holes
widen until we fall through one--
Swallowed by darkness.
The darkness crackles with
phosphorescent energy, the word
'searching' blazing in around us as we
emerge from a computer screen.
The screen flickers with windowing
data as a search engine runs with a
steady relentless rhythm.
We drift back from the screen and into--
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT
It is a studio apartment that seems
overgrown with technology.
Weed-like cables coil everywhere, duct-
taped into thickets that wind up and
around the legs of several desks.
Tabletops are filled with cannibalized
equipment that lay open like an
autopsied corpse.
At the center of this technological
rat-nest is NEO, a man who knows more
about living inside a computer than
outside one.
He is asleep in front of his PC.
Behind him, the computer screen
suddenly goes blank. A prompt appears.
SCREEN
Wake up, Neo.
Neo's eye pries open. He sits up, one
eye still closed, looking around,
unsure of where he is. He notices the
screen.
He types 'CTRL X' but the letter 'T'
appears.
NEO
What... ?
He hits another and an 'H' appears. He
keeps typing, pushing random functions
and keys while the computer types out
a message as though it had a mind of
its own.
He stops and stares at the four words
on the screen.
SCREEN
The Matrix has you.
NEO
What the hell?
He hits the 'ESC' button. Another
message appears.
SCREEN
Follow the white rabbit.
He hits it again and the message
repeats. He rubs his eyes but when he
opens them, there is another message.
SCREEN
Knock, knock, Neo.
Someone knocks on his door and he
almost jumps out of his chair.
He looks back at the computer but the
screen is now blank.
Someone knocks again. Neo rises, still
unnerved.
NEO
Who is it?
CHOI (O.S.)
It's Choi.
Neo flips a series of locks and opens
the door, leaving the chain on. A
young Chinese MAN stands with several
of his friends.
NEO
You're two hours late.
CHOI
I know. It's her fault.
NEO
You got the money?
CHOI
Two grand.
He takes out an envelope and gives it
to Neo through the cracked door.
NEO
Hold on.
He closes the door. On the floor near
his bed is a book, Baudrillard's
Simulacra and Simulations. The book
has been hollowed out and inside are
several computer disks. He takes one,
sticks the money in the book and drops
it on the floor.
Opening the door, he hands the disk to
Choi.
CHOI
Hallelujah! You are my
savior, man! My own
personal Jesus Christ!
NEO
If you get caught using
that--
CHOI
I know, I know. This never
happened. You don't exist.
NEO
Right...
Neo nods as the strange feeling of
unrealness suddenly returns.
CHOI
Something wrong, man? You
look a little whiter than
usual.
NEO
I don't know... My
computer...
He looks back at Choi, unable to
explain what just happened.
NEO
You ever have the feeling
that you're not sure if
you're awake or still
dreaming?
CHOI
All the time. It's called
mescaline and it is the
only way to fly.
He smiles and slaps the hand of his
nearest droog.
CHOI
It sounds to me like you
need to unplug, man. A
little R and R. What do
you think, Dujour, should
we take him with us?
DUJOUR
Definitely.
NEO
I can't. I have to work
tomorrow.
DUJOUR
Come on. It'll be fun. I
promise.
He looks up at her and suddenly
notices on her black leather
motorcycle jacket dozens of pins:
bands, symbols, slogans, military
medals and--
A small white rabbit. The room tilts.
NEO
Yeah, yeah. Sure, I'll go.
INT. APARTMENT
An older apartment; a series of halls
connects a chain of small high-
ceilinged rooms lined with heavy
casements. Smoke hangs like a veil,
blurring the few lights there are.
Dressed predominantly in black, people
are everywhere, gathered in cliques
around pieces of furniture like jungle
cats around a tree.
Neo stands against a wall, alone,
sipping from a bottle of beer, feeling
completely out of place, he is about
to leave when he notices a woman
staring at him.
The woman is Trinity. She walks
straight up to him.
In the nearest room, shadow-like
figures grind against each other to
the pneumatic beat of industrial
music.
TRINITY
Hello, Neo.
NEO
How do you know that name?
TRINITY
I know a lot about you.
I've been wanting to meet
you for some time.
NEO
Who are you?
TRINITY
My name is Trinity.
NEO
Trinity? The Trinity? The
Trinity that cracked the
I.R.S. D-Base?
TRINITY
That was a long time ago.
NEO
Gee-zus.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I just thought... you were
a guy.
TRINITY
Most guys do.
Neo is a little embarrassed.
NEO
Do you want to go
somewhere and talk?
TRINITY
No. It's safe here and I
don't have much time.
The music is so loud they must stand
very close, talking directly into each
other's ear.
NEO
That was you on my
computer?
She nods.
NEO
How did you do that?
TRINITY
Right now, all I can tell
you, is that you are in
danger. I brought you here
to warn you.
NEO
Of what?
TRINITY
They're watching you, Neo.
NEO
Who is?
TRINITY
Please. Just listen. I
know why you're here, Neo.
I know what you've been
doing.I know why you
hardly sleep, why you live
alone and why, night after
night, you sit at your
computer; you're looking
for him.
Her body is against his; her lips very
close to his ear.
TRINITY
I know because I was once
looking for the same
thing, but when he found
me he told me I wasn't
really looking for him. I
was looking for an answer.
There is a hypnotic quality to her
voice and Neo feels the words, like a
drug, seeping into him.
TRINITY
It's the question that
drives us, the question
that brought you here.
You know the question just
as I did.
NEO
What is the Matrix?
TRINITY
When I asked him, he said
that no one could ever be
told the answer to that
question. They have to see
it to believe it.
She leans close, her lips almost
touching his ear.
TRINITY
The answer is out there,
Neo. It's looking for you
and it will find you, if
you want it to.
She turns and he watches her melt into
the shifting wall of bodies.
A sound rises steadily, growing out of
the music, pressing in on Neo until it
is all he can hear as we cut to--
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT
The sound is an alarm clock, slowly
dragging Neo to consciousness. He
strains to read the clock-face:
9:15AM.
NEO
@#%$@#%$@#%$.
EXT. SKYSCRAPER
The downtown office of Meta CorTechs,
a software development company.
INT. META CORTECHS OFFICE
The main offices are along each wall,
the windows overlooking downtown.
RHINEHEART, the ultimate company man,
lectures Neo without looking at him,
typing at his computer continuously.
Neo stares at two window cleaners on a
scaffolding outside, dragging their
rubber squeegees down the surface of
the glass.
RHINEHEART
You have a problem with
authority, Mr. Anderson.
You believe that you are
special, that somehow the
rules do not apply to you.
Obviously, you are
mistaken.
His long, bony fingers resume clicking
the keyboard.
RHINEHEART
This company is one of the
top software companies in
the world because every
single employee
understands that they are
part of a whole. Thus, if
an employee has a problem,
the company has a problem.
He turns again.
RHINEHEART
The time has come to make
a choice, Mr. Anderson.
Either you choose to be at
your desk on time from
this day forth, or you
choose to find yourself
another job. Do I make
myself clear?
NEO
Yes, Mr. Rhineheart.
Perfectly clear.
INT. NEO'S CUBICLE
The entire floor looks like a human
honeycomb, with a labyrinth of
cubicles structured around a core of
elevators.
VOICE (O.S.)
Thomas Anderson?
Neo turns and finds a FEDERAL EXPRESS
GUY at his cubicle door.
NEO
Yeah. That's me.
Neo signs the electronic pad and the
Fedex Guy hands him the softpak.
FEDEX GUY
Have a nice day.
He opens the bag. Inside is a cellular
phone.
It seems the instant it is in his
hand, it rings. Unnerved, he flips it
open.
NEO
Hello?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Hello, Neo. Do you know
who this is?
Neo's knees give and he sinks into his
chair.
NEO
Morpheus...
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I've been looking for you,
Neo. I don't know if
you're ready to see what I
want to show you, but
unfortunately, we have run
out of time. They're
coming for you, Neo. And
I'm not sure what they're
going to do.
NEO
Who's coming for me?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Stand up and see for
yourself.
NEO
Right now?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes. Now.
Neo starts to stand.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Do it slowly. The
elevator.
His head peeks up over the partition.
At the elevator, he sees Agent Smith,
Agent Brown, and Agent Jones leading a
group of cops. A female employee
turns and points out Neo's cubicle.
Neo ducks.
NEO
Holy @#%$!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Yes.
One cop stays at the elevator, the
others follow the Agents.
NEO
What the hell do they want
with me?!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I'm not sure, but if you
don't want to find out,
you better get out of
there.
NEO
How?!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I can guide you out, but
you have to do exactly
what I say.
The Agents are moving quickly towards
the cubicle.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
The cubicle across from
you is empty.
NEO
But what if...?
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go! Now!
Neo lunges across the hall, diving
into the other cubicle just as the
Agents turn into his row.
Neo crams himself into a dark corner,
clutching the phone tightly to him.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Stay here for a moment.
The Agents enter Neo's empty cubicle.
A cop is sent to search the bathroom.
Morpheus' voice is a whisper in Neo's
ear.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
A little longer...
Brown is talking to another employee.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
When I tell you, go to the
end of the row to the
first office on the left,
stay as low as you can.
Sweat trickles down his forehead.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Now.
Neo rolls out of the cubicle, his eyes
popping as he freezes right behind a
cop who has just turned around.
Staying crouched, he sneaks away down
the row, shooting across the opening
to the first office on the left.
INT. EMPTY OFFICE
The room is empty.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Good. Outside there is a
scaffold.
NEO
How do you know all this?
Morpheus laughs quietly.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
The answer is coming, Neo.
There is a window in front
of you. Open it.
He opens the window. The wind howls
into the room.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
You can use the scaffold
to get to the roof.
NEO
No! It's too far away.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
There's a ledge. It's a
short climb. You can make
it.
Neo looks down; the building's glass
wall vertigos into a concrete chasm.
NEO
No way, no way, this is
crazy.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
There are only two ways
out of this building. One
is that scaffold. The
other is in their custody.
You take a chance either
way. I leave it to you.
Click. He hangs up. Neo looks at the
door, then back at the scaffold.
NEO
This is insane! Why is
this happening to me? What
did I do? I'm nobody. I
didn't do anything.
He climbs up onto the window ledge.
Hanging onto the frame, he steps onto
the small ledge. The scaffold seems
even farther away.
NEO
I'm going to die.
The wind suddenly blasts up the face
of the building, knocking Neo off
balance. Recoiling, he clings harder
to the frame, and the phone falls out
of his hand.
He watches as it is swallowed by the
distance beneath him.
NEO
This is insane! I can't do
this! Forget it!
He climbs back into the office just as
a cop opens the door.
NEO
@#%$!
EXT. SKYSCRAPER
The Agents lead a handcuffed Neo out
of the revolving doors, forcing his
head down as they push him into the
dark sedan.
Trinity watches in the rear view
mirror of her motorcycle.
TRINITY
@#%$.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
Close on a camera monitor; wide angle
view of a white room where Neo is
sitting at a table alone. We move into
the monitor, entering the room as if
the monitor was a window.
At the same moment, the door opens and
the Agents enter. Agent Smith sits
down across from Neo. A thick manila
envelope slaps down on the table. The
name on the file: 'Anderson, Thomas
A.'
AGENT SMITH
As you can see, we've had
our eye on you for some
time now, Mr. Anderson.
He opens the file. Paper rattle marks
the silence as he flips several pages.
Neo cannot tell if he is looking at
the file or at him.
AGENT SMITH
It seems that you have
been living two lives. In
one life, you are Thomas
A. Anderson, program
writer for a respectable
software company.
You have a social security
number, you pay your taxes
and you help your landlady
carry out her garbage.
The pages continue to turn.
AGENT SMITH
The other life is lived in
computers where you go by
the hacker alias Neo, and
are guilty of virtually
every computer crime we
have a law for.
Neo feels himself sinking into a pit
of @#%$.
AGENT SMITH
One of these lives has a
future. One of them does
not.
He closes the file.
AGENT SMITH
I'm going to be as
forthcoming as I can be,
Mr. Anderson. You are here
because we need your help.
He removes his sunglasses, his eyes
are an unnatural ice- blue.
AGENT SMITH
We know that you have been
contacted by a certain
individual. A man who
calls himself Morpheus.
Whatever you think you
know about this man is
irrelevant. The fact is
that he is wanted for acts
of terrorism in more
countries than any other
man in the world. He is
considered by many
authorities to be the most
dangerous man alive.
He leans closer.
AGENT SMITH
My colleagues believe that
I am wasting my time with
you but I believe you want
to do the right thing. It
is obvious that you are an
intelligent man, Mr.
Anderson, and that you are
interested in the future.
That is why I believe you
are ready to put your past
mistakes behind you and
get on with your life.
Neo tries to match his stare.
AGENT SMITH
We are willing to wipe the
slate clean, to give you a
fresh start and all we are
asking in return is your
cooperation in bringing a
known terrorist to
justice.
Neo nods to himself.
NEO
Yeah. Wow. That sounds
like a real good deal. But
I think I have a better
one. How about I give you
the finger--
He does.
NEO
And you give me my phone
call!
Agent Smith puts his glasses back on.
AGENT SMITH
You disappoint me, Mr.
Anderson.
NEO
You can't scare me with
this Gestapo crap. I know
my rights. I want my
phone call!
Agent Smith smiles.
AGENT SMITH
And tell me, Mr. Anderson,
what good is a phone call
if you are unable to
speak?
The question unnerves Neo and
strangely he begins to feel the
muscles in his jaw tighten. The
standing Agents snicker, watching
Neo's confusion grow into panic.
Neo feels his lips grow soft and
sticky as they slowly seal shut,
melding into each other until all
traces of his mouth are gone.
Wild with fear, he lunges for the door
but the Agents restrain him, holding
him in the chair.
AGENT SMITH
You are going to help us,
Mr. Anderson, whether you
want to or not.
Smith nods and the other two rip open
his shirt. From a case taken out of
his suit coat, Smith removes a long,
fiber-optic wire tap.
Neo struggles helplessly as Smith
dangles the wire over his exposed
abdomen. Horrified, he watches as the
electronic device animates, becoming
an organic creature that resembles a
hybrid of an insect and a fluke worm.
Thin, whisker-like tendrils reach out
and probe into Neo's navel. He bucks
wildly as Smith drops the creature
which looks for a moment like an uncut
umbilical cord--
Before it begins to burrow, its tail
thrashing as it worms its way inside.
INT. NEO'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Screaming, Neo bolts upright in bed.
He realizes that he is home. Was it a
dream? His mouth is normal.
His stomach looks fine. He starts to
take a deep, everything-is-okay breath
when--
The phone rings.
It almost stops his heart. It
continues ringing, building pressure
in the room, forcing him up out of
bed, sucking him in with an almost
gravitational force. He answers it,
saying nothing.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
This line is tapped so I
must be brief.
NEO
The Agents--
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
They got to you first, but
they've underestimated how
important you are. If they
knew what I know, you
would probably be dead.
NEO
What are you talking
about? What the hell is
happening to me?
MORPHEUS
You're the One, Neo. You
see, you may have spent
the last few years looking
for me, but I've spent
most of my life looking
for you.
Neo feels sick.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Do you still want to meet?
NEO
...yes.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Go to the Adams Street
bridge.
Click. He closes his eyes, unsure of
what he has done.
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
It is just beyond the middle of the
night; that time when it seems there
are no rules and everything feels
unsafe. Neo's boots scrape against the
concrete. Every pair of eyes he passes
seems to follow him. Rain pours from a
black sky.
As he reaches the bridge, headlights
creep in behind him. He turns just as
the car slides quickly to a stop
beside him. The back door opens.
TRINITY
Get in.
INT. CAR
A large man named APOC is driving.
Beside him is a beautiful androgyne
called SWITCH, aiming a large gun at
Neo. Window wipers beat heavily
against the windshield.
NEO
What the hell is this?!
TRINITY
It's necessary, Neo. For
our protection.
NEO
From what?
TRINITY
From you.
She lifts a strange steel and glass
device that looks like a cross between
a rib separator, speculum and air
compressor.
SWITCH
Take off your shirt.
He looks at the strange device and the
gun still trained on him.
NEO
What? Why?
SWITCH
Stop the car.
Apoc does.
SWITCH
Listen to me, coppertop.
We don't have time for
ëtwenty questions.' Right
now there is only one
rule. Our way or the
highway.
NEO
Fine.
Neo opens the door.
TRINITY
Neo, please, you have to
trust me.
NEO
Why?
TRINITY
Because you've been down
there, Neo. You already
know that road. You know
exactly where it ends.
Neo stares out into sheets of rain
railing against the dark street beyond
the open door.
TRINITY
And I know that's not
where you want to be.
He closes the door.
EXT. DARK STREET
A moment later the green street lights
curve over the car's tinted windshield
as it rushes through the wet
underworld.
INT. CAR
Neo grudgingly strips off his T-shirt.
TRINITY
Lie back.
Trinity aims the device at Neo, its
glass snout forming a seal over his
navel. Switch snaps a cable into the
front seat cigarette lighter.
NEO
What is this thing?
TRINITY
We think you're bugged.
Try to relax.
She turns a dial and the machine bears
down on Neo's midsection, the cylinder
sucking hard at his stomach.
Neo screams, squinting in pain as
Trinity watches the needle on a
pressure gauge climb steadily.
TRINITY
Come on, come on...
On a small monitor that projects an
ultrasound-like image, we see Neo's
insides begin to slither and churn. He
gasps as something wiggles beneath his
skin inside his stomach.
SWITCH
It's on the move.
TRINITY
@#%$.
SWITCH
You're gonna lose it.
TRINITY
No I'm not. Clear.
The forboding word hangs in Neo's ear
for a moment when Trinity squeezes a
trigger. Electric current hammers into
Neo and rigid convulsions take hold of
him beneath the flickering car lamp
until--
Something finally rockets wetly out of
Neo's stomach through the extractor's
coils.
NEO
Jesus Christ! It's real?!
That thing is real?!
Trinity lifts a glass cage at the end
of the tubing. Inside the small fluke-
like bug flips and squirms, its
tendrils flapping against the clear
walls.
She unrolls the window and dumps it
out.
EXT. CAR
It hits the pavement with a metallic
tink, reverted back into a common wire
tap, as the car disappears into the
rainy night.
EXT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE
The car stops in a deserted alley
behind a forgotten hotel.
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE
It is a place of putrefying elegance,
a rotting host of urban maggotry.
Trinity leads Neo from the stairwell
down the hall of the thirteenth floor.
They stop outside room 1313.
TRINITY
This is it.
Neo can hear his own heart pounding.
TRINITY
Let me give one piece of
advice. Be honest. He
knows more than you can
possibly imagine.
INT. ROOM 1313
Across the room, a DARK FIGURE stares
out the tall windows veiled with
decaying lace. He turns and his smile
lights up the room. A dull roar of
thunder shakes the old building.
MORPHEUS
At last.
He wears a long black coat and his
eyes are invisible behind circular
mirrored glasses. He strides to Neo
and they shake hands.
MORPHEUS
Welcome, Neo. As you no
doubt have guessed, I am
Morpheus.
NEO
It's an honor.
MORPHEUS
No, the honor is mine.
Please. Come. Sit.
He nods to Trinity and she exits
through a door to an adjacent room.
They sit across from one another in
cracked, burgundy-leather chairs.
MORPHEUS
I imagine, right now, you
must be feeling a bit like
Alice, tumbling down the
rabbit hole?
NEO
You could say that.
MORPHEUS
I can see it in your eyes.
You have the look of a man
who accepts what he sees
because he is expecting to
wake up.
A smile, razor-thin, curls the corner
of his lips.
MORPHEUS
Ironically, this is not
far from the truth. But
I'm getting ahead of
myself. Can you tell me,
Neo, why are you here?
NEO
You're Morpheus, you're a
legend. Most hackers would
die to meet you.
MORPHEUS
Yes. Thank you. But I
think we both know there's
more to it than that. Do
you believe in fate, Neo?
NEO
No.
MORPHEUS
Why not?
NEO
Because I don't like the
idea that I'm not in
control of my life.
MORPHEUS
I know exactly what you
mean.
Again, that smile that could cut
glass.
MORPHEUS
Let me tell you why you
are here. You have come
because you know
something. What you know
you can't explain but you
feel it. You've felt it
your whole life, felt that
something is wrong with
the world. You don't know
what, but it's there like
a splinter in your mind,
driving you mad. It is
this feeling that brought
you to me. Do you know
what I'm talking about?
NEO
The Matrix?
MORPHEUS
Do you want to know what
it is?
Neo swallows hard and nods.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is everywhere,
it's all around us, here
even in this room. You can
see it out your window or
on your television.
You feel it when you go to
work, or go to church or
pay your taxes. It is the
world that has been pulled
over your eyes to blind
you from the truth.
NEO
What truth?
MORPHEUS
That you are a slave, Neo.
Like everyone else, you
were born into bondage,
kept inside a prison that
you cannot smell, taste,
or touch. A prison for
your mind.
The leather creaks as he leans back.
MORPHEUS
Unfortunately, no one can
be told what the Matrix
is. You have to see it for
yourself.
Morpheus opens his hands. In the right
is a red pill. In the left, a blue
pill.
MORPHEUS
This is your last chance.
After this, there is no
going back. You take the
blue pill and the story
ends. You wake in your
bed and you believe
whatever you want to
believe.
The pills in his open hands are
reflected in the glasses.
MORPHEUS
You take the red pill and
you stay in Wonderland and
I show you how deep the
rabbit hole goes.
Neo feels the smooth skin of the
capsules, the moisture growing in his
palms.
MORPHEUS
Remember that all I am
offering is the truth.
Nothing more.
Neo opens his mouth and swallows the
red pill. The Cheshire smile returns.
MORPHEUS
Follow me.
INT. OTHER ROOM
He leads Neo into the other room,
which is cramped with high-tech
equipment, glowing ash-blue and
electric green from the racks of
monitors. Trinity, Apoc, Switch and
Cypher look up as they enter.
MORPHEUS
Apoc, are we on-line?
APOC
Almost.
He and Trinity are working quickly,
hard-wiring a complex system of
monitors, modules and drives.
MORPHEUS
Neo, time is always
against us. Will you take
a seat there?
Neo sits in a chair in the center of
the room and Trinity begins gently
fixing white electrode disks to him.
Near the chair is an old oval dressing
mirror that is cracked. He whispers to
Trinity:
NEO
You did all this?
She nods, placing a set of headphones
over his ears. They are wired to an
old hotel phone.
MORPHEUS
The pill you took is part
of a trace program. It's
designed to disrupt your
input/output carrier
signal so we can pinpoint
your location.
NEO
What does that mean?
CYPHER
It means buckle up,
Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is
going bye-bye.
Distantly, through the ear phones, he
hears Apoc pounding on a keyboard.
Sweat beads his face. His eyes blink
and twitch when he notices the mirror.
Wide-eyed, he stares as it begins to
heal itself, a webwork of cracks that
slowly run together as though the
mirror were becoming liquid.
NEO
Did you...?
Cypher works with Apoc, checking reams
of phosphorescent data. Trinity
monitors Neo's electric vital signs.
Neo reaches out to touch the mirror
and his fingers disappear beneath the
rippling surface.
Quickly, he tries to pull his fingers
out but the mirror stretches in long
rubbery strands like mirrored-taffy
stuck to his fingertips.
MORPHEUS
Have you ever had a dream,
Neo, that you were so sure
was real?
A flash of lightning flickers white
hot against Neo.
NEO
This can't be...
MORPHEUS
Be what? Be real?
The strands thin like rubber cement as
he pulls away, until the fragile wisps
of mirror thread break.
MORPHEUS
What if you were unable to
wake from that dream, Neo?
How would you know the
difference between the
dream world and the real
world?
Neo looks at his hand; fingers
distended into mirrored icicles that
begin to melt rapidly, dripping,
running like wax down his fingers,
spreading across his palm where he
sees his face reflected.
NEO
Uh-oh...
TRINITY
It's going into
replication.
MORPHEUS
Apoc?
APOC
Still nothing.
Morpheus takes out a cellular phone
and dials a number.
MORPHEUS
Tank, we're going to need
the signal soon.
The mirror gel seems to come to life,
racing, crawling up his arms like
hundreds of insects.
The mirror creeps up his neck as Neo
begins to panic, tipping his head as
though he were sinking into the
mirror, trying to keep his mouth up.
NEO
It's cold.
TRINITY
I got a fibrillation!
MORPHEUS
@#%$! Apoc?
Streams of mercury run from Neo's
nose.
APOC
Targeting... almost there.
An alarm on Trinity's monitor erupts.
TRINITY
He's going into arrest!
APOC
Lock! I got him!
MORPHEUS
Now, Tank, now!
His eyes tear with mirror, rolling up
and closing as a high-pitched electric
scream erupts in the headphones. It is
a piercing shriek like a computer
calling to another computer--
Neo's body arches in agony and we are
pulled like we were pulled into the
holes of the phone, sucked into his
scream and swallowed by darkness.
INT. POWER PLANT
Close on a man's body floating in a
womb-red amnion. His body spasms,
fighting against the thick gelatin.
Metal tubes, surreal versions of
hospital tubes, obscure his face.
Other lines like IVs are connected to
limbs and cover his genitals.
He is struggling desperately now. Air
bubbles into the Jell-O but does not
break the surface. Pressing up, the
surface distends, stretching like a
red rubber cocoon.
Unable to breathe, he fights wildly to
stand, clawing at the thinning elastic
shroud, until it ruptures, a hole
widening around his mouth as he sucks
for air. Tearing himself free, he
emerges from the cell.
It is Neo.
He is bald and naked, his body slick
with gelatin. Dizzy, nauseous, he
waits for his vision to focus.
He is standing in an oval capsule of
clear alloy filled with red gelatin,
the surface of which has solidified
like curdled milk. The IVs in his arms
are plugged into outlets that appear
to be grafted to his flesh.
He feels the weight of another cable
and reaches to the back of his head
where he finds an enormous coaxial
plugged and locked into the base of
his skull. He tries to pull it out but
it would be easier to pull off a
finger.
To either side he sees other tube-
shaped pods filled with red gelatin;
beneath the wax-like surface, pale and
motionless, he sees other human
beings.
Fanning out in a circle, there are
more.
All connected to a center core, each
capsule like a red, dimly-glowing
petal attached to a black metal stem.
Above him, level after level, the stem
rises seemingly forever. He moves to
the foot of the capsule and looks out.
The image assaults his mind.
Towers of glowing petals spiral up to
incomprehensible heights, disappearing
down into a dim murk like an
underwater abyss.
His sight is blurred and warped,
exaggerating the intensity of the
vision. The sound of the plant is like
the sound of the ocean heard from
inside the belly of Leviathan.
From above, a machine drops directly
in front of Neo. He swallows his
scream as it seems to stare at him. It
is almost insect-like in its design;
beautiful housings of alloyed metal
covering organic-like systems of hard
and soft polymers.
The machine seizes hold of Neo,
paralyzing him as the cable lock at
the back of his neck spins and opens.
The cable disengages itself. A long
clear plastic needle and cerebrum-chip
slides from the anterior of Neo's
skull with an ooze of blood and spinal
fluid. The other connective hoses snap
free and snake away as the machine
lets Neo go.
Suddenly, the back of the unit opens
and a tremendous vacuum, like an
airplane door opening, sucks the
gelatin and then Neo into a black
hole.
INT. WASTE LINE
The pipe is a waste disposal system
and Neo falls, sliding with the clot
of gelatin. Banking through pipe
spirals and elbows, flushing up
through grease traps clogged with oily
clumps of cellulite.
INT. SEWER MAIN
Neo begins to drown when he is
suddenly snatched from the flow of
waste.
The metallic cable then lifts, pulling
him up into the belly of the
futuristic flying machine hovering
inside the sewer main.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The metal harness opens and drops the
half-conscious Neo onto the floor.
Human hands and arms help him up as he
finds himself looking straight at
Morpheus.
He smiles.
MORPHEUS
Welcome to the real world,
Neo.
Neo passes out.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
We have no sense of time. We hear
voices whispering.
MORPHEUS
We've done it, Trinity. We
found him.
TRINITY
I hope you're right.
MORPHEUS
I don't have to hope it. I
know it.
Neo's eyes flutter open. We see
Morpheus' face above us, angelic in
the fluorescent glow of a light stick.
NEO (O.S.)
... am I dead?
MORPHEUS
Far from it.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. HOVERCRAFT - INFIRMARY
He opens his eyes again, something
tingling through him. He focuses and
sees his body pierced with dozens of
acupuncture-like needles wired to a
strange device.
DOZER
He still needs a lot of
work.
DOZER and Morpheus are operating on
Neo.
NEO
What are you doing?
MORPHEUS
Your muscles have
atrophied. We're
rebuilding them.
Fluorescent light sticks burn
unnaturally bright.
NEO
Why do my eyes hurt?
MORPHEUS
You've never used them
before.
Morpheus closes Neo's eyes and Neo
lays back.
MORPHEUS
Rest, Neo. The answers are
coming.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Neo wakes up from a deep sleep,
feeling better. He begins to examine
himself. There is a futuristic IV
plugged into the jack in his forearm.
He pulls it out, staring at the
grafted outlet.
He runs his hand over the short hair
now covering his head. His fingers
find and explore the large outlet in
the base of his skull.
Just as he starts to come unglued,
Morpheus opens the door.
NEO
Morpheus, what's happened
to me? What is this place?
MORPHEUS
More important than what
is when?
NEO
When?
MORPHEUS
You believe the year is
1997 when in fact it is
much closer to 2197. I
can't say for certain what
year it is because we
honestly do not know.
The wind is knocked from Neo's chest.
MORPHEUS
There is no reason for me
to try to explain it when
I can simply show it. Come
with me.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Like a sleepwalker, Neo follows
Morpheus through the ship.
MORPHEUS
This is my ship, the
Nebuchadnezzar. It's a
hovercraft. Small like a
submarine. It's cramped
and cold. But it's home.
They climb a ladder up to the main
deck.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is there.
MORPHEUS
This is the main deck. You
know most of my crew.
Trinity smiles and nods.
MORPHEUS
The ones you don't know.
That's Mouse, Cypher, and
Switch. Those two guys are
Tank and Dozer.
The names and faces wash meaninglessly
over Neo.
MORPHEUS
And this, this is the
Core. This is where we
broadcast our pirate
signal and hack into the
Matrix.
It is a swamp of bizarre electronic
equipment. Vines of coaxial hang and
snake to and from huge monolithic
battery slabs, a black portable
satellite dish and banks of life
systems and computer monitors.
At the center of the web, there are
six ecto-skeleton chairs made of a
poly-alloy frame and suspension
harness. Near the circle of chairs is
the control console and operator's
station where the network is
monitored.
MORPHEUS
You want to know what the
Matrix is, Neo? The answer
is right here.
He touches the back of Neo's head.
MORPHEUS
Help him, Trinity.
Neo allows himself to be helped into
one of the chairs. He feels Morpheus
guiding a coaxial line into the jack
at the back of his neck. The cable has
the same kind of cerebrum chip we saw
inside the plant.
MORPHEUS
This will feel a little
weird.
There are several disturbing noises as
he works the needle in.
We move in as Neo's shoulders bunch
and his face tightens into a grimace
until a loud click fires and his ears
pop like when you equalize them
underwater.
He relaxes, opening his eyes as we
pull back to a feeling of
weightlessness inside another place--
INT. CONSTRUCT
Neo is standing in an empty, blank-
white space.
MORPHEUS
This is the Construct.
Startled, Neo whips around and finds
Morpheus now in the room with him.
MORPHEUS
It is our loading program.
We can load anything from
clothes, to weapons, to
training simulations.
Anything we need.
Morpheus walks past Neo and when Neo
turns he sees the two leather chairs
from the Hotel Lafayette set up in
front of a large-screen television.
MORPHEUS
Sit down.
Neo stands at the back of the chair as
Morpheus sits.
NEO
Right now, we're inside a
computer program?
Morpheus smiles.
MORPHEUS
Is it so hard to believe
Your clothes are
different, the plugs in
your arms and head are
gone. Look at your hair,
you were bald a moment
ago.
Neo touches his head.
MORPHEUS
It's what we call residual
self image. The mental
projection of your
electronic self. Wild,
isn't it?
Neo's hands run over the cracked
leather.
NEO
This-- This isn't real?
MORPHEUS
What is real? How do you
define real? If you're
talking about what you
feel, taste, smell, or
see, then real is simply
electrical signals
interpreted by your brain.
He picks up a remote control and
clicks on the television. On the
television, we see images of the
twentieth century city where Neo
lived.
MORPHEUS
This is the world you
know. The world as it was
at the end of the
Twentieth Century. It
exists now only as part of
a neural-interactive
simulation that we call
the Matrix.
He changes the channel and we see a
very different city as we enter the
television.
MORPHEUS
You have been living
inside a dreamworld, Neo.
As in Baudrillard's
vision, your whole life
has been spent inside the
map, not the territory.
This is the world as it
exists today.
In the distance, we see the ruins of a
future city protruding from the
wasteland like the blackened ribs of a
long-dead corpse.
MORPHEUS
The desert of the real.'
Beneath us, the water is gone.
We turn and descend, spiraling down
toward the lake bed which is scorched
and split like burnt flesh, where we
find Morpheus and Neo. Neo clings to
the chair, trying to get his bearings.
MORPHEUS
We have only bits and
pieces of information.
What we know for certain
is that, at some point in
the early Twenty-first
Century, all of mankind
was united in celebration.
Through the blinding
inebriation of hubris, we
marveled at our
magnificence as we gave
birth to A.I.
NEO
A.I.? You mean artificial
intelligence?
MORPHEUS
Yes. A singular
consciousness that spawned
an entire race of
machines.
I must say I find it
almost funny to imagine
the world slapping itself
on the back, toasting the
new age. I say almost
funny.
He looks up and his sunglasses reflect
the obsidian clouds roiling overhead.
MORPHEUS
We don't know who struck
first. Us or them. But we
do know it was us that
scorched the sky. At the
time, they were dependent
on solar power. It was
believed they would be
unable to survive without
an energy source as
abundant as the sun.
As we descend into the circular window
of his glasses, there is a flash of
lightning.
MORPHEUS
Throughout human history,
we have been dependent on
machines to survive. Fate,
it seems, is not without a
sense of irony.
EXT. FETUS FIELDS
On the flash, we pull back from the
darkness which reveals itself to be
the black eye of a fetus.
MORPHEUS
The Machines discovered a
new form of fusion. All
they needed was a small
electrical charge to
initiate the reaction.
The fetus is suspended in a placenta-
like husk, where its malleable skull
is already growing around the brain-
jack.
MORPHEUS
The human body generates
more bioelectricity than a
120-volt battery and over
25,000 B.T.U.'s of body
heat.
The husk hanging from a stalk is
plucked by a thresher- like farm
machine.
MORPHEUS
There are fields, endless
fields where human beings
are no longer born; we are
grown.
We rise up, the field stretching in
every direction to the horizon,
lightning tearing open the sky as a
harvester sweeps past us.
INT. POWER PLANT
From the yawning black of the waste
port, we begin to pull back as it
snaps shut. Red amniotic gel flows
into the pod below us, pooling around
a tiny newborn that suckles its feed
tube.
MORPHEUS
For the longest time, I
wouldn't believe it. But
then I saw the fields with
my own eyes, watched them
liquify the dead so they
could be fed intravenously
to the living and standing
there, facing the
efficiency, the pure,
horrifying precision, I
came to realize the
obviousness of the truth.
Still pulling back, we see the image
of the power plant now on the
television as we return to the white
space of the construct.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Morpheus steps into view as he clicks
off the television.
MORPHEUS
What is the Matrix?
Control.
He opens the back of the television
remote control.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is a computer-
generated dreamworld built
to keep us under control
in order to change a human
being into this.
He holds up a coppertop battery.
NEO
No! I don't believe it!
It's not possible!
MORPHEUS
I didn't say that it would
be easy, Neo. I just said
that it would be the
truth.
NEO
Stop! Let me out! I want
out!
INT. MAIN DECK
His eyes snap open and he thrashes
against the chair, trying to rip the
cable from the back of his neck.
NEO
Get this thing out of me!
TRINITY
Easy, Neo. Easy.
Dozer holds him while Trinity unlocks
it. Once it's out, he tears away from
them, falling as he trips free of the
harness.
NEO
Don't touch me! Get away
from me!
On his hands and knees, he reels as
the world spins. Sweat pours off him
as a pressure builds inside his skull
as if his brain had been put into a
centrifuge.
NEO
I don't believe it! I
don't believe it!
CYPHER
He's going to pop!
Vomiting violently, Neo pitches
forward and blacks out.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
He blinks, regaining consciousness.
The room is dark. Neo is stretched out
on his bed.
NEO
I can't go back, can I?
Morpheus is sitting like a shadow on a
chair in the far corner.
MORPHEUS
No. But if you could,
would you really want to?
Deep down, Neo knows that answer.
MORPHEUS
I feel that I owe you an
apology. There is a rule
that we do not free a mind
once it reaches a certain
age. It is dangerous. They
have trouble letting go.
Their mind turns against
them. I've seen it happen.
I'm sorry. I broke the
rule because I had to.
He stares into the darkness,
confessing as much to himself as to
Neo.
MORPHEUS
When the Matrix was first
built there was a man born
inside that had the
ability to change what he
wanted, to remake the
Matrix as he saw fit. It
was this man that freed
the first of us and taught
us the truth; as long as
the Matrix exists, the
human race will never be
free.
He pauses.
MORPHEUS
When he died, the Oracle
prophesied his return and
envisioned that his coming
would hail the destruction
of the Matrix, an end to
the war and freedom for
our people. That is why
there are those of us that
have spent our entire
lives searching the
Matrix, looking for him.
Neo can feel his eyes on him.
MORPHEUS
I did what I did because I
believe the search is
over.
He stands up.
MORPHEUS
Get some rest. You're
going to need it.
NEO
For what?
MORPHEUS
Your training.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
There is no morning; there is only
darkness and then the fluorescent
light sticks flicker on.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Neo is awake in his bed, staring up at
the lights. The door opens and TANK
steps inside.
TANK
Morning. Did you sleep?
NEO
No.
TANK
You will tonight. I
guarantee it. I'm Tank.
I'll be your operator.
He offers his hand and Neo shakes it.
He notices that Tank doesn't have any
jacks.
NEO
You don't have...
TANK
Any holes? Nope. Me and my
brother Dozer, we are 100
percent pure, old-
fashioned, home-grown
human. Born free. Right
here in the real world.
Genuine child of Zion.
NEO
Zion?
TANK
If this war ended
tomorrow, Zion is where
the party would be.
NEO
It's a city?
TANK
The last human city. The
only place we got left.
NEO
Where is it?
TANK
Deep underground. Near the
earth's core, where it's
still warm. You live long
enough, you might even see
it.
Tank smiles.
TANK
@#%$, I got to tell
you, I'm fairly excited to
see what you are capable
of. I mean if Morpheus is
right and all. We're not
supposed to talk about any
of that but if you are,
well then this is an
exciting time. We got a
lot to do, so let's get to
it.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo is plugged in, hanging in one of
the suspension chairs.
TANK
We're supposed to load all
these operations programs
first, but this is some
major boring @#%$. Why
don't we start with
something a little fun?
Tank smiles as he plops into his
operator's chair. He begins flipping
through a tall carousel loaded with
micro discs.
TANK
How about some combat
training?
Neo reads the label on the disk.
NEO
Jujitsu? I'm going to
learn jujitsu?
Tank slides the disk into Neo's
supplement drive.
NEO
No way.
Smiling, Tank punches the "load" code.
His body jumps against the harness as
his eyes clamp shut. The monitors kick
wildly as his heart pounds, adrenaline
surges, and his brain sizzles. An
instant later his eyes snap open.
NEO
Holy @#%$!
TANK
Hey, Mikey, he likes it!
Ready for more?
NEO
Hell yes!
INT. MAIN DECK
Close on a computer monitor as grey
pixels slowly fill a small, half-empty
box. It is a meter displaying how much
download time is left. The title bar
reads: "Combat Series 10 of 12," file
categories flashing beneath it:
"Savate, Jujitsu, Ken Po, Drunken
Boxing..."
Morpheus walks in.
MORPHEUS
How is he?
TANK
Ten hours straight. He's
a machine.
Neo's body spasms and relaxes as his
eyes open, breath hissing from his
lips. He looks like he just orgasmed.
NEO
This is incredible. I know
kung fu.
MORPHEUS
Show me.
INT. DOJO
They are standing in a very sparse
Japanese-style dojo.
MORPHEUS
This is a sparring
program, similar to the
programmed reality of the
Matrix. It has the same
basic rules. Rules like
gravity. What you must
learn is that these rules
are no different than the
rules of a computer
system. Some of them can
be bent. Others can be
broken. Understand?
Neo nods as Morpheus assumes a
fighting stance.
MORPHEUS
Then hit me, if you can.
Neo assumes a similar stance,
cautiously circling until he gives a
short cry and launches a furious
attack.
It is like a Jackie Chan movie at high
speed, fists and feet striking from
every angle as Neo presses his attack,
but each and every blow is blocked by
effortless speed.
INT. MAIN DECK
While their minds battle in the
programmed reality, the two bodies
appear quite serene, suspended in the
drive chairs.
Tank monitors their Life Systems,
noticing that Neo is wildly and
chaotically lit up as opposed to the
slow and steady rhythm of Morpheus.
INT. MESS HALL
MOUSE bursts into the room,
interrupting dinner.
MOUSE
Morpheus is fighting Neo!
All at once, everyone bolts for the
door.
INT. DOJO
Neo's face is knotted, teeth clenched,
as he hurls himself at Morpheus.
MORPHEUS
Good. Adaptation.
Improvisation. But your
weakness isn't your
technique.
Morpheus attacks him and it is like
nothing we have seen. His feet and
fists are everywhere, taking Neo
apart. For every blow Neo blocks, five
more hit their marks until--
Neo falls.
Panting, on his hands and knees, blood
spits from his mouth, speckling the
white floor of the dojo.
MORPHEUS
How did I beat you?
NEO
You-- you're too fast.
MORPHEUS
Do you think my being
faster, stronger has
anything to do with my
muscles in this place?
Neo is frustrated, still unable to
catch his breath.
MORPHEUS
Do you believe that's air
you are breathing now?
Neo stands, nodding slowly.
MORPHEUS
Again.
Their fists fly with pneumatic speed.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is gathered behind Tank
watching the fight, like watching a
game of Mortal Kombat.
MOUSE
Jeeezus Keeerist! He's
fast! Look at his neural-
kinetics! They're way
above normal!
INT. DOJO
Morpheus begins to press Neo,
countering blows while slipping in
several stinging slaps.
MORPHEUS
Come on, Neo. What are you
waiting for? You're faster
than this. Don't think you
are. Know you are.
Whack, Morpheus cracks Neo again.
Neo's face twists with rage as the
speed of the blows rises like a drum
solo.
MORPHEUS
Come on! Stop trying to
hit me and just hit me.
Wham. A single blow catches Morpheus
on the side of the head, knocking off
his glasses.
INT. MAIN DECK
There are several gasps.
MOUSE
I don't believe it!
INT. DOJO
Morpheus rubs his face, then smiles.
NEO
I know what you're trying
to do--
MORPHEUS
I'm trying to free your
mind, Neo, but all I can
do is show you the door.
You're the one that has to
step through. Tank, load
the jump program.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Apoc and Switch exchange looks as Tank
grabs for the disk.
INT. CONSTRUCT - ROOFTOP - DAY
Morpheus and Neo are again in the
white space of the Construct. Beneath
their feet, we see the jump program
rush up at them until they are
standing on a rooftop in a city
skyline.
MORPHEUS
Let it all go, Neo. Fear.
Doubt. Disbelief. Free
your mind.
Morpheus spins, running hard at the
edge of the rooftop. And jumps. He
sails through the air, his coat
billowing out behind him like a cape
as he lands on the rooftop across the
street.
NEO
@#%$.
Neo looks down at the street twenty
floors below, then at Morpheus an
impossible fifty feet away.
NEO
Okie dokie. Free my mind.
Right. No problem.
He takes a deep breath. And starts to
run.
INT. MAIN DECK
They are transfixed.
MOUSE
What if he makes it?
APOC
No way. Not possible.
TANK
No one's ever made their
first jump.
MOUSE
I know but what if he
does?
APOC
He won't.
Trinity stares at the screen, her
fists clenching as she whispers.
TRINITY
Come on.
EXT. ROOFTOP
Summoning every ounce of strength in
his legs, Neo launches himself into
the air in a single maniacal shriek-
But comes up drastically short.
His eyes widen as he plummets. Stories
fly by, the ground rushing up at him,
but as he hits, the ground gives way,
stretching like a trapeze net. He
bounces and flips, slowly coming to a
rest, flat on his back.
He laughs, a bit unsure, wiping the
wind-blown tears from his face.
Morpheus exits the building and helps
him to his feet.
MORPHEUS
Do you know why you didn't
make it?
NEO
Because... I didn't think
I would?
Morpheus smiles and nods.
INT. MAIN DECK
They break up.
MOUSE
What does it mean?
SWITCH
It doesn't mean anything.
CYPHER
Everyone falls the first
time, right, Trinity?
But Trinity has already left.
Neo's eyes open as Tank eases the plug
out. He tries to move and groans,
cradling his ribs. While Tank helps
Morpheus, Neo spits blood into his
hand.
NEO
I thought it wasn't real.
MORPHEUS
Your mind makes it real.
Neo stares at the blood.
NEO
If you are killed in the
Matrix, you die here?
MORPHEUS
The body cannot live
without the mind.
INT. NEO'S ROOM
Trinity enters from the hall, carrying
a tray of food.
TRINITY
Neo, I saved you some
dinner--
She sees him passed out on the bed.
She sets the tray down and pulls the
blanket over him.
She pauses, her face close to his,
then inhales lightly, breathing in the
scent of him before slowly pulling
away.
INT. HALL
Trinity steps out of Neo's room to
find Cypher watching her.
CYPHER
I don't remember you ever
bringing me dinner.
Trinity says nothing.
CYPHER
There's something about
him, isn't there?
TRINITY
Don't tell me you're a
believer now?
CYPHER
I just keep wondering if
Morpheus is so sure, why
doesn't he take him to the
Oracle? She would know.
TRINITY
Morpheus will take him
when he's ready.
She turns and he watches her walk
away.
EXT. CITY STREET - TRAINING PROGRAM - DAY
Morpheus moves effortlessly through a
crowded downtown street while Neo
struggles to keep up, constantly
bumped and shouldered off the path.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is a system,
Neo, and that system is
our enemy. But when you
are inside and look
around, what do you see;
businessmen, lawyers,
teachers, carpenters. The
minds of the very people
we are trying to save. But
until we do, these people
are still a part of the
system and that makes them
our enemy.
A cop writing a parking ticket stares
at Neo from behind his glasses.
MORPHEUS
You have to understand
that most of these people
are not ready to be
unplugged and many of them
are so inured, so
hopelessly dependent on
the system that they will
fight to protect it.
A beautiful woman in a red dress
smiles at Neo as she passes by.
MORPHEUS
Were you listening to me,
Neo? Or were you looking
at the woman in the red
dress?
NEO
I was...
MORPHEUS
Look again.
Neo turns just as Agent Smith levels a
gun at his face. Neo screams.
MORPHEUS
Freeze it.
Everything except Morpheus and Neo
freezes.
NEO
This-- This isn't the
Matrix?
MORPHEUS
No, it's another training
program designed to teach
you one thing; if you are
not one of us, you're one
of them.
NEO
What are they?
MORPHEUS
Sentient programs. They
can move in and out of any
software still hardwired
to their system. That
means that anyone that we
haven't unplugged is
potentially an Agent.
Inside the Matrix, they
are everyone and they are
no one.
Neo stares at the Agent.
MORPHEUS
We've survived by hiding
from them, running from
them, but they are the
gatekeepers, they're
guarding all the doors,
holding all the keys which
means that sooner or later
someone is going to have
to fight them.
NEO
Someone?
MORPHEUS
I won't lie to you, Neo.
Every single man or woman
who has stood their
ground, who has fought an
Agent, has died. But where
they failed, you will
succeed.
NEO
Why?
MORPHEUS
I've seen an Agent punch
through a concrete wall.
Men have emptied entire
clips at them and hit
nothing but air.
Yet their strength and
their speed are still
based in a world that is
built by rules. Because of
that, they will never be
as strong or as fast as
you can be.
Neo scratches his head.
NEO
What? Are you trying to
tell me that I can dodge
bullets?
MORPHEUS
No, Neo. I'm trying to
tell you that when you're
ready, you won't have to.
Morpheus's cell phone rings and he
flips it open.
TANK (V.O.)
We got trouble.
EXT. SEWER MAIN
The Nebuchadnezzar blisters by,
trailing a swirling, supercharged,
electromagnetic wake.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus slides into the co-pilot's
chair next to Dozer.
MORPHEUS
Did Zion send the warning?
DOZER
No. Another ship. Big
Brother I think, they're
running a parallel
pipeline.
Morpheus scans the decayed landscape
of the sewer main that rolls by as Neo
and Trinity squeeze into the @#%$pit
behind him. An alarm begins to sound.
DOZER
@#%$, Squiddy's sweeping
in quick.
MORPHEUS
Set it down in there.
NEO
Squiddy?
TRINITY
A Sentinel. It's a killing
machine designed for one
thing.
DOZER
Search and destroy.
Neo feels the ship rock to the side as
it squeezes into a tiny supply line.
EXT. HOVERCRAFT
The Nebuchadnezzar sets down, almost
wedged into a pipe that barely
accommodates its size.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus clicks the intercom.
MORPHEUS
How we doing, Tank?
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank works furiously at the operator's
station as the ceaseless whir of the
ship's turbines grind to a halt. The
main deck is plunged into dark
silence. The rest of the crew stands
behind him as he whispers.
TANK
Power off-line. E.M.P.
armed and ready.
Tank's fingers curl around a small key
that glows a dim red.
INT. @#%$PIT
Neo leans into Trinity's ear.
NEO
E.M.P?
TRINITY
An electromagnetic pulse.
It disables any electrical
system in the blast
radius. It's the only
weapon we have against the
machines.
Dozer looks up.
DOZER
Now we wait.
Through the @#%$pit's windshield, the
vast cavern of the sewer main yawns
before them. Strands of green haze
curl around mossy icicles that dangle
into a pool of churning frozen waste.
Neo begins to angle around Dozer but
Morpheus grabs him.
MORPHEUS
Don't move. It'll hear
you.
Neo freezes and they wait. Without the
Nebuchadnezzar's heating systems, the
temperature in the @#%$pit begins to
rapidly drop. The crew members huddle
together, their breath freezing into a
uniform cloud as it gets colder and
colder.
Dozer quietly reaches to brush away
the frost on the windshield and as his
hand clears a swathe--
They see it.
In the darkness, a shifting shadow of
mechanized death. It is beautiful and
terrifying. Black alloy skin flickers
like sequins beneath sinewy coils and
skeletal appendages.
Neo can feel the hairs on the back of
his neck rise as it silently glides
over them with shark-like malevolence
until it disappears into the darkness.
In the frozen little room, everyone
breathes a little easier.
INT. HALL
The ship is quiet and dark. Everyone
is asleep.
INT. MAIN DECK
The core glows with monitor light.
Cypher is in the operator's chair as
Neo comes up behind him.
CYPHER
Whoa! @#%$, Neo, you
scared the Bejeezus out of
me.
NEO
Sorry.
CYPHER
No, it's all right.
Neo's eyes light up as he steps closer
to the screens that seem alive with a
constant flow of data.
NEO
Is that...?
CYPHER
The Matrix? Yeah.
Neo stares at the endlessly shifting
river of information, bizarre codes
and equations flowing across the face
of the monitor.
NEO
Do you always look at it
encoded?
CYPHER
Have to. The image
translators sort of work
for the construct programs
but there's way too much
information to decode the
Matrix. You get used to
it, though. Your brain
does the translating. I
don't even see the code.
All I see is blonde,
brunette, and redhead. You
want a drink?
Neo nods and he pours a clear alcohol
from a plastic jug.
CYPHER
You know, I know what
you're thinking 'cause
right now I'm thinking the
same thing. Actually, to
tell you the truth, I've
been thinking the same
thing ever since I got
here.
He raises the glass.
CYPHER
Why, oh why, didn't I take
that blue pill!?
He throws the shot down his throat.
Neo does the same and it almost kills
him. Smiling, Cypher slaps him on the
back.
CYPHER
Good @#%$, eh? Dozer makes
it. It's good for two
things: degreasing engines
and killing brain cells.
Red-faced, Neo finally stops coughing.
Cypher pours him another.
CYPHER
Can I ask you something?
Did he happen to tell you
why he did it?
Neo looks up, unsure.
CYPHER
Why you're here?
NEO
...yeah.
CYPHER
Gee-zus! What a mindjob.
You're here to save the
world.
You gotta be @#%$ting me.
What do you say to
something like that?
Neo looks down at his drink.
CYPHER
I'm going to let you in on
a little secret here. Now
don't tell him I told you
this, but this ain't the
first time Morpheus
thought he found the One.
NEO
Really?
CYPHER
You bet your ass. It keeps
him going. Maybe it keeps
all of us going.
NEO
How many were there?
CYPHER
Five. Since I've been
here.
NEO
What happened to them?
CYPHER
Dead. All dead.
NEO
How?
CYPHER
Honestly? Morpheus. He got
them all amped up
believing in bull@#%$. I
watched each of them take
on an Agent and I watched
each of them die. Little
piece of advice: you see
an Agent, you do what we
do; run. Run your ass off.
Neo gulps down another shot.
NEO
Thanks... for the drink.
CYPHER
Any time.
Cypher nods as Neo heads for the
ladder.
CYPHER
Sweet dreams.
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Chamber music and the ambiance of
wealth soak the restaurant around us
as we watch a serrated knife saw
through a thick, gorgeous steak. The
meat is so perfect, charred on the
outside, oozing red juice on the
inside, that it could be a dream.
We hear a voice that we recognize
immediately.
AGENT SMITH
Do we have a deal, Mr.
Reagan?
A fork stabs the cube of meat and we
follow it up to the face of Cypher.
CYPHER
You know, I know that this
steak doesn't exist. I
know that when I put it in
my mouth, the Matrix is
telling my brain that it
is juicy and delicious.
After nine years, do you
know what I've realized?
He shoves it in, eyes rolling up,
savoring the tender beef melting in
his mouth.
CYPHER
Ignorance is bliss.
Agent Smith watches him chew the steak
loudly, smacking it between his teeth.
CYPHER
Mmm so, so @#%$ good.
AGENT SMITH
Then we have a deal?
CYPHER
I don't want to remember
nothing. Nothing! You
understand? And I want to
be rich. Someone
important. Like an actor.
You can do that, right?
AGENT SMITH
Whatever you want, Mr.
Reagan.
Cypher takes a deep drink of wine.
CYPHER
All right. You get my body
back in a Power Plant,
reinsert me into the
Matrix and I'll get you
what you want.
AGENT SMITH
Access codes to the Zion
mainframe.
CYPHER
I told you I don't know
them. But I can give you
the man who does.
AGENT SMITH
Morpheus.
INT. MESS HALL
Close on breakfast, a substance with a
consistency somewhere between yogurt
and cellulite.
TANK
Here you go, buddy.
Breakfast of champions.
Tank slides it in front of Neo and
takes a seat with the other crew
members enjoying breakfast.
MOUSE
If you close your eyes, it
almost feels like you're
eating runny eggs.
APOC
Or a bowl of snot.
MOUSE
But you know what it
really reminds me of?
Tastee Wheat. Did you ever
eat Tastee Wheat?
SWITCH
No, but technically
neither did you.
MOUSE
Exactly my point, because
you have to wonder, how do
the machines know what
Tastee Wheat really tasted
like? Maybe they got it
wrong, maybe what I think
Tastee Wheat tasted like
actually tasted like
oatmeal, or tuna fish. It
makes you wonder about a
lot of things. Take
chicken for example. Maybe
they couldn't figure out
what to make chicken taste
like which is why chicken
tastes like everything.
And maybe--
APOC
Shut up, Mouse.
Neo scoops up a spoonful.
DOZER
It's a single celled
protein combined with
synthetic aminos,
vitamins, and minerals.
Everything your body
needs. We grow it in a
vat.
MOUSE
Oh no, it doesn't have
everything the body needs.
He sidles up to Neo.
MOUSE
So I understand you've run
through the Agent training
program? You know, I wrote
that program.
APOC
Here it comes.
MOUSE
So what did you think of
her?
NEO
Of who?
MOUSE
The woman in the red
dress. I designed her. She
doesn't talk much but if
you'd like to, you know,
meet her, I could arrange
a more personalized
milieu.
SWITCH
The digital pimp hard at
work.
MOUSE
Pay no attention to these
hypocrites, Neo. To deny
our impulses is to deny
the very thing that makes
us human.
Morpheus enters.
MORPHEUS
I want everyone on twelve-
hour standby. We're going
in. I'm taking Neo to see
her.
With that he turns and leaves.
NEO
See who?
TANK
The Oracle.
INT. MAIN DECK
Everyone is strapped into their
chairs. Tank is at the operator's
station.
TANK
All right, everyone please
observe that the no
smoking and fasten seat
belt signs have been
turned on. Sit back and
enjoy your flight.
He strikes the enter key and we rush
clockwise over the chairs, each body
reacting as we cut--
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - ROOM 1313
Spinning counter clockwise around an
old phone that rings inside the empty
room until we spin full circle and
find everyone now standing there.
Morpheus answers the phone.
MORPHEUS
We're in.
EXT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
The door opens and for the first time
since his release, Neo steps back into
the Matrix. He squints at the sun
which seems unnaturally bright. He is
the only one without sunglasses.
Apoc and Switch remain at the door as
the others enter the alley.
MORPHEUS
We should be back in an
hour.
Cypher opens the driver's door of an
old car.
As Trinity, Morpheus and Neo cross to
the car, Cypher glances about quickly,
then drops something inside a garbage
can.
It is a cellular phone and we see its
blue display as the line connects.
INT. CAR
Neo sits beside Trinity in the back.
He cannot stop staring as the simple
images of the urban street blur past
his window like an endless stream of
data rushing down a computer screen.
MORPHEUS
Almost unbelievable, isn't
it?
Neo nods as the car continues to wind
through the crowded city.
NEO
God...
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I used to eat there...
Really good noodles...
He is speaking in a whisper, almost as
if talking to himself.
NEO
I have these memories,
from my entire life but...
none of them really
happened.
He turns to her.
NEO
What does that mean?
TRINITY
That the Matrix cannot
tell you who you are.
NEO
But an Oracle can.
TRINITY
That's different.
NEO
Obviously.
He turns to the window for a moment
and then turns back.
NEO
Did you go to her?
TRINITY
Yes.
NEO
What did she tell you?
TRINITY
She told me...
She looks at him and suddenly she is
unable to speak or even breathe.
NEO
What?
The car suddenly jerks to a stop.
MORPHEUS
We're here. Neo, come with
me.
Neo and Morpheus get out of the car.
Cypher looks into the rearview mirror
at Trinity.
CYPHER
Here we go again, eh,
Trin?
He smiles as she turns to the window.
EXT. BUILDING
Tenement-like and vast, it is the kind
of place where people can disappear.
INT. BUILDING
Morpheus nods to a blind man who nods
back. An elevator opens and Neo
follows Morpheus inside.
INT. ELEVATOR
The idea of learning one's fate begins
to weigh upon Neo with a steadily
growing unease.
NEO
So is this the same oracle
that made the, uh,
prophecy?
MORPHEUS
Yes. She's very old. She's
been with us since the
beginning.
NEO
The beginning?
MORPHEUS
Of the Resistance.
NEO
And she knows what?
Everything?
MORPHEUS
She would say she knows
enough.
NEO
And she's never wrong.
MORPHEUS
Don't think of it in terms
of right and wrong. She is
a guide, Neo. She can help
you find the path.
NEO
She helped you?
MORPHEUS
Yes.
NEO
What did she tell you?
MORPHEUS
That I would find the One.
Ding. The elevator opens.
INT. HALL
The long dark hall beckons. Neo
follows Morpheus out of the elevator
and the doors rattle shut behind him.
With every step, a disturbing sense of
inevitability closes in around him.
At the end of the hall, Morpheus steps
to the side of a door.
MORPHEUS
I told you that I can only
show you the door. You
have to step through it.
Neo blows out a breath. His hand
reaches but stops, hovering over the
spherical handle. He backs away.
NEO
Morpheus, I don't think
this is a good idea.
MORPHEUS
Why?
NEO
I told you I don't believe
in this stuff. No matter
what she says I'm not
going to believe it, so
what's the point?
MORPHEUS
What do you believe in?
NEO
What do I believe in? Are
you kidding me? What do
you think? The world I
grew up in, isn't real. My
entire life was a lie. I
don't believe in anything
anymore.
MORPHEUS
That's why we're here.
NEO
Why? So I can hear some
old lady tell me, what?
That I'm this guy that
everybody's been waiting
for? That I'm supposed to
save the world? It sounds
insane. Unbelievable. And
I don't care who says it,
it's still going to sound
insane and unbelievable.
MORPHEUS
Faith is not a matter of
reasonability. I do not
believe things with my
mind. I believe them with
my heart. In my gut.
NEO
And you believe I'm the
One?
MORPHEUS
Yes I do.
NEO
Yeah? What about the other
five guys? The five before
me? What about them?
Morpheus tries to hide his heart being
wrenched from his chest.
NEO
Did you believe in them
too?
MORPHEUS
I believed what the Oracle
told me... no, I
misunderstood what she
told me. I believed that
it was all about me.
This is difficult for Morpheus to
admit.
MORPHEUS
I believed that all I had
to do was point my finger
and anoint whoever I
chose. I was wrong, Neo.
Terribly wrong. Not a day
or night passes that I do
not think of them. After
the fifth, I lost my way.
I doubted everything the
Oracle had said. I doubted
myself.
He looks up at Neo.
MORPHEUS
And then I saw you, Neo,
and my world changed. You
can call it an epiphany,
you can call it whatever
the hell you want. It
doesn't matter. It's not
about a word. It's about
this. So I can't explain
it to you. All I can do is
believe, Neo, believe that
one day you will feel what
I felt and know what I
know; you are the sixth
and the last. You are the
One.
His eyes blaze.
MORPHEUS
Until that time all I am
asking from you is for you
to hold on to whatever
respect you may have for
me and trust me.
Neo feels a rush from Morpheus's
intensity, the unadulterated
confidence of a zealot.
NEO
All right.
He reaches for the handle which turns
without him even touching it. A WOMAN
wearing white opens the door.
PRIESTESS (WOMAN)
Hello, Neo. You're right
on time.
INT. ORACLE'S APARTMENT
It seems particularly normal.
PRIESTESS
Make yourself at home,
Morpheus.
MORPHEUS
Thank you.
PRIESTESS
Neo, come with me.
She leads Neo down another hall and
into what appears to be a family room.
There is another woman in white
sitting on a couch watching a soap
opera. Scattered about the room are a
half dozen children. Some of them are
playing, others are deep in
meditation. All of them exude a kind
of Zen calm.
PRIESTESS
These are the other
Potentials. You can wait
here.
Neo watches a little girl levitate
wooden alphabet blocks. Closer to him,
a SKINNY BOY with a shaved head holds
a spoon which sways like a blade of
grass.
In front of him is a pile of spoons
bent and twisted into knots. Neo
crosses to him and sits. The boy
smiles and hands Neo the spoon which
is now perfectly straight.
SPOON BOY
Do not try to bend the
spoon. That is impossible.
Instead, only try to
realize the truth.
NEO
What truth?
SPOON BOY
That there is no spoon.
Neo nods, staring at the spoon.
NEO
There is no spoon.
SPOON BOY
Then you will see that it
is not the spoon that
bends. It is only
yourself.
The entire room is reflected inside
the spoon and as Neo stares into it,
it slowly begins to bend until--
A hand touches his shoulder.
PRIESTESS
The Oracle will see you
now.
Spoon Boy smiles.
INT. KITCHEN
An OLD WOMAN is huddled beside the
oven, peering inside through a cracked
door.
NEO
Hello?
ORACLE (OLD WOMAN)
I know. You're Neo. Be
right with you.
NEO
You're the Oracle?
ORACLE
Bingo. Not quite what you
were expecting, right? I
got to say I love seeing
you non-believers. Always
a pip. Almost done. Smell
good, don't they?
NEO
Yeah.
ORACLE
I'd ask you to sit down,
but you're not going to
anyway. And don't worry
about the vase.
NEO
What vase?
He turns to look around and his elbow
knocks a vase from the table. It
breaks against the linoleum floor.
ORACLE
That vase.
NEO
@#%$, I'm sorry.
She pulls out a tray of chocolate chip
cookies and turns. She is an older
woman, wearing big oven mitts,
comfortable slacks and a print blouse.
She looks like someone's grandma.
ORACLE
I said don't worry about
it. I'll get one of my
kids to fix it.
NEO
How did you know...?
She sets the cookie tray on a wooden
hot pad.
ORACLE
What's really going to
bake your noodle later on
is, would you still have
broken it if I hadn't said
anything.
Smiling, she lights a cigarette.
ORACLE
You're cuter than I
thought. I see why she
likes you.
NEO
Who?
ORACLE
Not too bright though.
She winks.
ORACLE
You know why Morpheus
brought you to see me?
He nods.
ORACLE
So? What do you think? You
think you're the One?
NEO
Honestly? I don't know.
She gestures to a wooden plaque, the
kind every kitchen has, except that
the words are in Latin.
ORACLE
You know what that means?
It's Latin. Means, 'Know
Thyself'. I'm gonna let
you in on a little secret.
Being the One is just like
being in love. Nobody can
tell you you're in love.
You just know it. Through
and through.Balls to
bones.
She puts her cigarette down.
ORACLE
Well, I better have a look
at you. Open your mouth.
Say 'ahh'.
She widens his eyes, checks his ears,
then feels the glands in his neck. She
nods then looks at his palms.
ORACLE
Okay, now I'm supposed to
say, 'Hmmm, that's
interesting but...' Then
you say--
NEO
But what?
ORACLE
But you already know what
I'm going to tell you.
NEO
I'm not the One.
ORACLE
Sorry, kid. You got the
gift but looks like you're
waiting for something.
NEO
What?
ORACLE
Your next life, maybe. Who
knows. That's how these
things go.
Neo almost has to laugh.
ORACLE
What's funny?
NEO
Morpheus. He almost had me
convinced.
ORACLE
I know. Poor Morpheus.
Without him we are lost.
NEO
What do you mean, without
him?
The Oracle takes a long drag,
regarding Neo with the eyes of a
Sphinx.
ORACLE
Are you sure you want to
hear this?
Neo nods.
ORACLE
Morpheus believes in you,
Neo and no one, not you or
even me can convince him
otherwise. He believes it
so blindly that he's going
to sacrifice his life to
save yours.
NEO
What?
ORACLE
You're going to have to
make a choice. In one
hand, you will have
Morpheus's life. In the
other hand, you will have
your own. One of you is
going to die. Which one,
will be up to you.
Neo can't breathe.
ORACLE
I'm sorry, kiddo. I really
am. You have a good soul
and I hate giving good
people bad news. But don't
worry, as soon as you walk
outside that door, you'll
start feeling better.
You'll remember that you
don't believe any of this
fate crap. You're in
control of your own life,
remember?
He tries to nod as she reaches for the
tray of cookies.
ORACLE
Here, take a cookie. I
promise by the time you're
done eating it, you'll
feel right as rain.
Neo takes a cookie, the tightness in
his chest slowly beginning to fade.
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Morpheus rises from a couch as the
Priestess escorts Neo out. When they
are alone, Morpheus puts his hand on
Neo's shoulder.
MORPHEUS
You don't have to tell
anyone what she told you.
What was said was said for
you and you alone.
Neo nods and takes a bite of his
cookie.
INT. CAR
Neo and Morpheus get in the car.
MORPHEUS
Let's go.
Cypher looks into the rearview mirror
at Neo.
CYPHER
Well, good news or bad
news?
MORPHEUS
Not now, Cypher.
Cypher slaps the car in gear and pulls
into traffic. Trinity looks at Neo who
is staring at the final bit of cookie.
He puts it in his mouth and chews.
TRINITY
Are you all right?
NEO
...right as rain.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Mouse's cellular rings.
MOUSE
Welcome to Movie-Phone.
TANK (V.O.)
They're on their way.
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
As they get out of the car, Cypher
smiles at Neo.
CYPHER
Like the man says, welcome
to the real world.
Cypher, following the others into the
hotel, nervously glances around,
wiping the sweat from his forehead.
INT. MAIN DECK
Sweat rolls down Cypher's face and
neck. At the operator's station, Tank
is typing rapidly.
TANK
What is that...?
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Light filters down the throat of the
building, through a caged skylight at
the top of the open elevator shaft.
Six figures glide up the dark stairs
that wind around the antique elevator.
Neo notices a black cat, a yellow-
green eyed shadow that slinks past
them and pads quickly down the stairs.
A moment later, Neo sees another black
cat that looks and moves identically
to the first one.
NEO
Whoa. Deja vu.
Those words stop the others dead in
their tracks.
INT. MAIN DECK
The monitors suddenly glitch as though
the Matrix had an electronic seizure.
TANK
Oh @#%$! Oh @#%$!
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Trinity turns around, her face tight.
TRINITY
What did you just say?
NEO
Nothing. Just had a little
deja vu.
TRINITY
What happened? What did
you see?
NEO
A black cat went past us
and then I saw another
that looked just like it.
TRINITY
How much like it? Was it
the same cat?
NEO
It might have been. I'm
not sure.
Trinity looks at Morpheus who listens
quietly to the rasping breath of the
old building.
NEO
What is it?
TRINITY
A deja vu is usually a
glitch in the Matrix. It
happens when they change
something.
She also listens as the staccato beat
of helicopter blades grows ominously
loud.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank sees what was changed.
TANK
It's a trap!
INT. STAIRCASE - DAY
Morpheus looks up the stairs as he
hears a helicopter.
MORPHEUS
Come on!
Apoc slaps a gun in Neo's hand.
APOC
I hope the Oracle gave you
some good news.
Neo nods, stuffing it into his belt.
INT. BASEMENT - DAY
Heavy bolt cutters snap through the
main phone cable.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Hearing the helicopter, Mouse goes to
the draped windows as his cellular
rings. He answers it.
TANK (V.O.)
They cut the hardline!
It's a trap! Get out!
Mouse yanks open the curtain.
MOUSE
Oh no.
The windows are bricked up. Mouse
spins as the rumble of combat boots
builds, then explodes into the room.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank watches helplessly.
TANK
No, , no.
INT. STAIRS - DAY
Morpheus stops as Mouse's scream is
drowned out by the report of machine
gun fire.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Mouse sails backwards as bullets pound
him against the blood-spattered brick
window.
INT. MAIN DECK
Mouse's body thrashes against its
harness, blood coughing from his mouth
in one final spasm, then lying
perfectly still. The flatline alarm
softly cries out from the life
monitor.
SCENE 98 OMITTED
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Flying downstairs, Morpheus stops,
hearing police swarming below.
INT. HALL - DAY
He turns and rushes down the hall of
the eighth floor. At the end of it, he
finds the bricked up windows.
CYPHER
That's what they changed.
We're trapped. There's no
way out.
The sound of heavy bootsteps close
around them with the mechanical
sureness of a vice.
MORPHEUS
Give me your phone.
TRINITY
They'll be able to track
it.
MORPHEUS
We have no choice.
Morpheus rips off his jacket.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank answers the call.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Tank, find a structural
drawing of this building
and find it fast.
INT. HOTEL LAFAYETTE - DAY
Flashlights probe the rotting darkness
as the police search every floor.
INT. MAIN DECK
The diagram windows onto the screen.
TANK
Got it.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
I need the main wet-wall.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Agent Smith stands over Mouse's dead
body, his hand going to his earpiece.
INT. ROOM 808 - DAY
Morpheus is guided by Tank.
TANK (V.O.)
Now left and that's it in
front of you.
MORPHEUS
Good.
INT. ROOM 1313 - DAY
Agent Smith hears the line click dead.
AGENT SMITH
Eighth floor. They're on
the eighth floor.
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Agent Brown listens to his earpiece.
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
Boots clatter up the marble staircase.
INT. HALL - DAY
Cops flood the eighth floor, rushing
everywhere.
INT. ROOM 808 - DAY
Several cops sweep through the room.
It is empty. As they pass the
bathroom, we see a man-sized hole
smashed through the plaster and lathe.
INT. WALL - DAY
They are inside the main plumbing
wall, slowly worming their way down
the grease black stack pipes. Above
them, light fills the hole they made
to get inside.
INT. HALL - DAY
Agent Brown and Agent Smith stand over
Morpheus' jacket.
AGENT BROWN
Where are they?
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The cops search in silence, straining
for a clue, when one hears something
strange near the bathroom.
INT. WALL - DAY
Cypher has slipped and is wedged
between the wall and several thick
supply pipes.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The cop leans in, his ear almost
against the thin membrane of plaster
separating them. He can hear whispers,
hisses and a grunt when--
The wall suddenly bulges, shatter-
cracking as the Cop realizes --
COP
They're in the walls!
INT. WALL - DAY
Trinity pulls Cypher free just as the
Cop opens fire, bullets punching
shafts of light like swords into the
box of soot-black space.
Neo finds his gun first and begins
blasting blindly through the plaster
and lath.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
The Cop spins out of the bathroom for
cover, Neo's bullets splintering the
door jamb.
About to whirl back in, he freezes as
something seems to seize hold of him.
The Cop's body starts to spasm and his
M-16 falls to the ground, long shadows
springing up from the mounted
flashlight.
INT. WALL - DAY
Neo listens for a moment, the gunfire
quiet when he hears footsteps rising
fast.
Two arms suddenly smash through the
wall, punching Neo back against the
iron stack pipe, fingers gouging into
his neck.
CYPHER
It's an Agent!
Just as Neo's throat is about to
collapse, Morpheus explodes through
the tattered plaster and lath, diving
on top of Agent Smith.
The two men crash to the wet terrazzo
floor.
Before Agent Smith can find his
weapon, Morpheus is on him, pinning
him in an iron grip.
In the crawlspace, Trinity tries to
scramble up past Cypher.
TRINITY
Morpheus!
Morpheus squeezes Agent Smith's
throat.
MORPHEUS
Trinity, you must get Neo
out. Do you understand?
He is all that matters.
Neo suddenly glimpses what is
happening but is powerless to stop it.
NEO
No. No! Morpheus! Don't!
MORPHEUS
Trinity! Go!
Trinity's fists ball in frustration.
She yells down to Apoc.
TRINITY
Go!
NEO
We can't leave him!
TRINITY
We have to!
She grabs his ankle and they begin
almost falling using the lath as a
brake, skidding down the inside of the
wall.
INT. BASEMENT - DAY
This part of the basement, a dark
concrete cavern, was the main
mechanical room. There are four
enormous boilers, dinosaur-like
technology that once pumped hot water
like arteries.
Soldiers' blinding lights cut open the
darkness as Trinity, Neo, and the
others crash through the ceiling.
Around them they hear a chorus of
short, sharp coughs of grenade
launchers from gas-masked figures.
Smoke blossoms from the green metal
canisters. Trinity never stops moving.
Searching the floor, she finds what
she needs; the cover of the catch
basin.
Cypher watches her pry open the grate,
when a gas can bounces near him.
TRINITY
Come on!
Cypher seems to trip as the cloud
envelops him.
Trinity watches Cypher disappear into
the smoke, then follows the others
down the wet-black hole.
INT. ROOM 608 - DAY
Morpheus and Agent Smith remain on the
ground, locked in each other's death
grip.
AGENT SMITH
The great Morpheus. We
meet at last.
MORPHEUS
And you are?
AGENT SMITH
Smith. I am Agent Smith.
MORPHEUS
You all look the same to
me.
Agent Smith counters Morpheus and
slowly begins to pry his hands from
his throat. Striking like a viper,
Morpheus drives a vicious head butt
into Agent Smith's face. His nose and
glasses shatter.
Agent Smith, unfazed, smiles, blood
oozing from the shattered bridge of
his nose and returns Morpheus'
headbutt with three of his own in
pneumatic succession.
Morpheus staggers back, his body going
slack when another kick buries him
deep into crunching plaster and lathe.
Morpheus turns in time to see a wall
of men in the doorway.
AGENT SMITH
Take him.
The wall of Cops rush Morpheus,
filling the tiny bathroom until he
disappears under the tide.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank reaches out to the screen as if
reaching for Morpheus.
TANK
No!
SCENE OMITTED
EXT. STREET - DAY
A manhole cover cracks open. Two eyes
peek out just as a truck rattles over
it. The thunder dopplers away and the
cover opens. Trinity climbs out.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank is again at the monitors,
searching the Matrix when the phone
rings.
TANK
Operator.
CYPHER (V.O.)
I need an exit! Fast!
TANK
Cypher?
EXT. STREET - DAY
Cypher is standing at a public phone.
Across the street is the burning paddy
wagon that appears to have collided
with an oncoming car.
CYPHER
There was an accident. A
@#%$ car accident. All
of a sudden. Boom. Jesus,
someone up there still
likes me.
TANK (V.O.)
I got you.
CYPHER
Just get me outta here.
TANK (V.O.)
Nearest exit is Franklin
and Erie. An old T.V.
repair shop.
Cypher hangs up and smiles as we hear
fire trucks in the distance.
CYPHER
An actor. Definitely.
INT. MAIN DECK
The phone rings. Tank answers.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Tank, it's me.
EXT. STREET - DAY
All four are moving quickly down a
back street.
NEO
Is Morpheus alive?
TRINITY
Is Morpheus still alive,
Tank?
TANK (V.O.)
Yes. They're moving him. I
don't know where yet.
TRINITY
He's alive.
Again, inevitability seems to cinch
around Neo.
TRINITY
We need an exit!
TANK (V.O.)
You're not far from
Cypher.
TRINITY
Cypher, I thought--
TANK (V.O.)
So did we. I sent him to
Franklin and Erie.
TRINITY
Got it.
EXT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
In a deserted alley, Cypher steps onto
a dumpster in front of a small boarded
up window.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Dead machines, eviscerated and
shrouded with dust lay on metal
shelves like bodies in a morgue.
Plywood covering a window is ripped
off and Cypher crawls inside.
Deep in the back room, a phone that
has not rung in years begins to ring.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Trinity sees the T.V. repair shop.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank punches the exit command.
TANK
Got him.
Cypher's body twitches in its harness,
jerking itself awake.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Neo crawls through the window that
Cypher opened.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank finishes loading the exit program
as Cypher pulls back a heavy blanket,
exposing a high-tech rifle.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
The phone begins to ring as the others
crawl in.
SWITCH
God, I love that sound.
INT. MAIN DECK
Suddenly, a white bolt of lightning
explodes against Tank's chair,
blasting him into the air.
Cypher checks the gun, unable to
believe he missed.
CYPHER
@#%$.
Tank is on his feet, lunging when
Cypher fires again, square into his
chest.
DOZER
No!
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
The phone is still ringing.
TRINITY
You first, Neo.
Neo answers the phone when there is a
click. There is no signal. Nothing but
silence.
TRINITY
What happened?
NEO
I don't know. It just went
dead.
Trinity listens to the dead line and
takes out the cellular.
INT. MAIN DECK
The operator phone begins to ring.
Cypher steps over the sizzling body of
Dozer and looks at the monitor.
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Every unanswered ring wrings her gut a
little tighter, until--
CYPHER (V.O.)
Hello, Trinity.
TRINITY
Cypher? Where's Tank?
CYPHER (V.O.)
He had an accident.
TRINITY
An accident?!
INT. MAIN DECK/T.V. REPAIR SHOP
[INTERCUT]
He walks over to Trinity's body,
staring down at it hanging in its coma-
like stillness.
CYPHER
You know, for a long time,
I thought I was in love
with you, Trinity. I used
to dream about you...
He nuzzles his face against hers,
feeling the softness of it.
CYPHER
You are a beautiful woman.
Too bad things had to work
out like this.
TRINITY
You killed them.
APOC
What?!
SWITCH
Oh, God.
Wearing Tank's operator headgear,
Cypher moves among the silent bodies.
CYPHER
I'm tired, Trinity. I'm
tired of this war, I'm
tired of fighting. I'm
tired of this ship, of
being cold, of eating the
same @#%$ goop every
day. But most of all, I'm
tired of this jagoff and
all of his bull@#%$.
Cypher leans over, talking to
Morpheus.
CYPHER
Surprise, @#%$. Bet you
never saw this coming, did
you? God, I wish I could
be there when they break
you. I wish I could walk
in just as it happens, so
right then, you'd know it
was me.
TRINITY
My God. Morpheus. You gave
them Morpheus.
CYPHER
He lied to us, Trinity! He
tricked us! If he would've
told us the truth, we
would've told him to shove
that red pill up his ass!
TRINITY
That's not true, Cypher.
He set us free.
CYPHER
Free? You call this free?
All I do is what he tells
me to do. If I have to
choose between that and
the Matrix, I choose the
Matrix.
TRINITY
The Matrix isn't real!
CYPHER
Oh, I disagree, Trinity.
I disagree. I think the
Matrix can be more real
than this world. I mean,
all I do is pull a plug
here. But there, you have
to watch Apoc die.
She looks up at Apoc, her face going
white.
APOC
Trinity?
He grabs hold of the cable in Apoc's
neck, twists it and yanks it out.
CYPHER
Welcome to the real world,
eh baby?
Apoc seems to go blind for an instant,
a scream caught in his throat, his
hands reaching for nothing, and then
falls dead.
SWITCH
No!
TRINITY
But you're out, Cypher.
You can't go back.
CYPHER
That's what you think.
They've promised to take
me back. They're going to
reinsert my body. I'll go
back to sleep and when I
wake up, I'll be fat and
rich and I won't remember
a @#%$ed thing. It's
the American dream.
He laughs, his hand sliding around the
neck of Switch as he takes hold of her
plug.
CYPHER
By the way, if you have
anything terribly
important to say to
Switch, I suggest you say
it now.
TRINITY
Oh no, please don't.
Trinity's eyes find Switch and she
knows she's next.
SWITCH
Not like this. Not like
this.
She suddenly feels her body severed
from her mind as she is murdered.
CYPHER
Too late.
TRINITY
@#%$ you, Cypher!
CYPHER
Don't hate me, Trinity.
I'm just the messenger.
And right now I'm going to
prove it to you.
He stands over Neo.
CYPHER
If Morpheus was right,
then there's no way I can
pull this plug, is there?
She turns to Neo, eyes wide with fear
and he knows he is next.
CYPHER
If Neo is the One, then in
the next few seconds there
has to be some kind of
miracle to stop me. Right?
How can he be the One if
he's dead?
He takes hold of the cord.
CYPHER
You never did answer me,
Trinity, when I asked you
before. Did you buy
Morpheus' bull@#%$? Come
on. You can tell me, did
you? All I want is a
little yes or no. Look
into his eyes, Trinity,
those big pretty eyes and
tell me the truth. Yes or
no.
Trinity stares at Neo as a single word
falls soundlessly from her lips.
TRINITY
...yes.
CYPHER
No!
Charred and bloody, Tank levels the
gun.
CYPHER
I don't believe it!
TANK
Believe it or not, you
piece of @#%$, you're
still going to burn.
He fires a crackling bolt of lightning
that knocks Cypher flying backwards.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. T.V. REPAIR SHOP - DAY
Trinity throws her arms around Neo and
for a moment they are alone and alive
until the phone rings.
NEO
Go. You first this time.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity's eyes snap open, a sense of
relief surging through her at the
sight of the ship. As Tank unplugs
her, she sees his charred wounds.
TRINITY
Tank, you're hurt.
TANK
I'll be all right.
TRINITY
Dozer?
Tank's face tightens and she takes him
into her arms.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
A government highrise in the middle of
downtown where a military helicopter
sets down on the roof.
Agent Jones gets out of the
helicopter, flanked by columns of
Marines. They open the roof access
door and enter the top floor
maintenance level of the building.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith stands, staring out the
windows at the city below shimmering
with brilliant sunlight.
AGENT SMITH
Have you ever stood and
stared at it, Morpheus?
Marveled at its beauty.
Its genius. Billions of
people just living out
their lives... oblivious.
Morpheus is handcuffed to a chair,
stripped to the waist. He is
alternately shivering and sweating,
wired to various monitors with white
disk electrodes. Beside him, Agent
Brown sucks a serum from a glass vial,
filling a hypodermic needle.
AGENT SMITH
Did you know that the
first Matrix was designed
to be a perfect human
world? Where none suffered,
where everyone would be
happy. It was a disaster.
No one would accept the
program. Entire crops
were lost.
Agent Brown jams the needle into
Morpheus' shoulder and plunges down.
AGENT SMITH
Some believed we lacked
the programming language
to describe your perfect
world. But I believe that,
as a species, human beings
define their reality
through suffering and
misery.
Agent Brown studies the screens as the
life signs react violently to the
injection.
AGENT SMITH
The perfect world was a
dream that your primitive
cerebrum kept trying to
wake up from. Which is
why the Matrix was
redesigned to this: the
peak of your civilization.
He turns from the window.
AGENT SMITH
I say 'your civilization'
because as soon as we
started thinking for you,
it really became our
civilization, which is, of
course, what this is all
about.
He sits down directly in front of
Morpheus.
AGENT SMITH
Evolution, Morpheus.
Evolution.
He lifts Morpheus' head.
AGENT SMITH
Like the dinosaur. Look
out that window. You had
your time.
Morpheus stares hard at him, trying
not to show the pain racking his mind.
AGENT SMITH
The future is our world,
Morpheus. The future is
our time.
Agent Smith looks at Agent Brown.
AGENT SMITH
Double the dosage.
Agent Jones suddenly enters.
AGENT JONES
There could be a problem.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank drapes a sheet over his dead
brother. The other bodies are covered.
Neo looks at Morpheus whose body is
covered with a cold sweat.
NEO
What are they doing to
him?
TANK
They're breaking into his
mind. It's like hacking a
computer. All it takes is
time.
NEO
How much time?
TANK
Depends on the mind. But
eventually, it will crack
and his alpha pattern will
change from this to this.
Tank punches several commands on
Morpheus's personal unit.
The monitor waves change from a
chaotic pattern to an ordered
symmetrical one.
TANK
When it does, Morpheus
will tell them anything
they want to know.
NEO
What do they want?
TANK
The leader of every ship
is given the codes to
Zion's mainframe computer.
If an Agent had those
codes and got inside
Zion's mainframe, they
could destroy us.
He looks up at Trinity who is pacing
relentlessly.
TANK
We can't let that happen,
Trinity. Zion is more
important than me. Or you
or even Morpheus.
Trinity sees Cypher's dead body. Rage
overtakes her and she kicks him.
TRINITY
@#%$it! @#%$it!
NEO
There has to be something
that we can do.
TANK
There is. We have to pull
the plug.
TRINITY
You're going to kill him?
Kill Morpheus?!
TANK
Trinity, we don't have any
other choice.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Morpheus is fighting to hold his mind
together. The Agents stand over him.
AGENT SMITH
Never send a human to do a
machine's job.
AGENT BROWN
If, indeed, the insider
has failed, they will
sever the connection as
soon as possible, unless--
AGENT JONES
They are dead. In either
case--
AGENT SMITH
We have no choice but to
continue as planned.
Deploy the sentinels.
Immediately.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank kneels beside Morpheus' body.
Neo suddenly sees it perfectly clear,
fate rushing at him like an oncoming
train.
TANK
Morpheus, you were more
than our leader. You
were... our father. We
will miss you, always.
Trinity can't bear to watch. As she
closes her eyes, her tears slip free.
Tank closes his eyes and takes hold of
the plug.
Neo is paralyzed, his whole life is
suddenly suspended by the finality of
this moment hurling at him with the
speed of a bullet.
NEO
Stop!
They both look at him.
NEO
@#%$it! I don't believe
this is happening!
TANK
Neo, this has to be done!
NEO
Does it? I don't know.
This can't be just
coincidence. It can't be!
Can it?
TANK
What are you talking
about?
NEO
The Oracle. She told me
this would happen. She
told me...
Neo stops, his stare fixed on
Morpheus.
NEO
That I would have to make
a choice...
TRINITY
What choice?
He makes his choice. Turning, he walks
to his chair.
TRINITY
What are you doing?
NEO
I'm going in.
TRINITY
You can't!
NEO
I have to.
TRINITY
Morpheus sacrificed
himself so we could get
you out! There's no way
you're going back in!
NEO
Morpheus did what he did
because he believed that
I'm something I'm not.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I'm not the One, Trinity.
The Oracle hit me with
that too.
Trinity is stunned.
TRINITY
No, you... have to be.
NEO
I'm sorry, I'm not. I'm
just another guy. Morpheus
is the one that matters.
TRINITY
No, Neo. That's not true.
It can't be true.
NEO
Why?
TRINITY
Because...
Uncertainty swallows her words and she
is unable to tell him what she wants
to.
TANK
Neo, this is loco. They've
got Morpheus in a military-
controlled building. Even
if you somehow got inside,
those are Agents holding
him. Three of them! I want
Morpheus back, too, but
what you are talking about
is suicide.
NEO
I know that's what it
looks like, but it's not.
I can't logically explain
to you why it's not.
Morpheus believed
something and he was ready
to give his life for what
he believed. I understand
that now. That's why I
have to go.
TANK
Why?
NEO
Because I believe in
something.
TRINITY
What?
NEO
I believe I can bring him
back.
Trinity stares at him, hovering on the
edge that he just jumped off. Her jaw
sets and she starts climbing into the
chair beside him.
NEO
What are you doing?
TRINITY
I'm coming with you.
NEO
No, you're not.
TRINITY
No? Let me tell you what I
believe. I believe
Morpheus means more to me
than he does to you.
I believe that if you are
serious about saving him
then you are going to need
my help and since I am the
ranking officer on this
ship, if you don't like it
then I believe that you
can go to hell, because
you aren't going anywhere
else.
There is nothing more to say except--
TRINITY
Tank, load us up.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith sits casually across from
Morpheus who is hunched over, his body
leaking and twitching.
AGENT SMITH
I'd like to share a
revelation that I've had
during my time here. It
came to me when I tried to
classify your species.
I've realized that you are
not actually mammals.
The life signs continue their chaotic
patterns.
AGENT SMITH
Every mammal on this
planet instinctively
develops a natural
equilibrium with the
surrounding environment.
But you humans do not. You
move to an area and you
multiply and multiply
until every natural
resource is consumed and
the only way you can
survive is to spread to
another area.
He leans forward.
AGENT SMITH
There is another organism
on this planet that
follows the same pattern.
Do you know what it is? A
virus.
He smiles.
AGENT SMITH
Human beings are a
disease, a cancer of this
planet. You are a plague.
And we are... the cure.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Neo and Trinity stand in the white
space of the construct as he answers
his ringing cell phone.
TANK (V.O.)
Okay. What do you need?
Besides a miracle...
NEO
Guns. Lots of guns.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo and Trinity's bodies hang
motionless in their drive chairs as
Tank hits load.
INT. CONSTRUCT
Racks of weapons appear and they begin
to arm themselves.
TRINITY
No one has ever done
anything like this.
NEO
Yeah?
He snap @#%$s an Uzi.
NEO
That's why it's going to
work.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Smith is again at the window.
AGENT SMITH
Why isn't the serum
working?
AGENT BROWN
Perhaps we are asking the
wrong questions.
Agent Smith hides his knotting fist.
He is becoming angry. It is something
that isn't supposed to happen to
Agents.
AGENT SMITH
Leave me with him.
Agents Brown and Jones look at each
other.
AGENT SMITH
Now!
They leave and Agent Smith sits beside
Morpheus.
AGENT SMITH
Can you hear me, Morpheus?
I'm going to be honest
with you.
He removes his earphone, letting it
dangle over his shoulder.
AGENT SMITH
I hate this place. This
zoo. This prison. This
reality, whatever you want
to call it, I can't stand
it any longer.
AGENT SMITH
It's the smell, if there
is such a thing. I feel
saturated by it. I can
taste your stink and every
time I do, I fear that
I've somehow been infected
by it.
He wipes sweat from Morpheus'
forehead, coating the tips of his
fingers, holding them to Morpheus'
nose.
AGENT SMITH
Repulsive, isn't it?
He lifts Morpheus' head, holding it
tightly with both hands.
AGENT SMITH
I must get out of here, I
must get free. In this
mind is the key. My key.
Morpheus sneers through his pain.
AGENT SMITH
Once Zion is destroyed,
there is no need for me to
be here. Do you
understand? I need the
codes. I have to get
inside Zion. You have to
tell me how.
He begins squeezing, his fingers
gouging into his flesh.
AGENT SMITH
You are going to tell me
or you are going to die.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank sits down beside Morpheus whose
face is ashen like someone near death.
He takes hold of his hand.
TANK
Hold on, Morpheus. They're
coming for you. They're
coming.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
A dark wind blows.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
In long black coats, Trinity and Neo
push through the revolving doors.
Neo is carrying a duffel bag. Trinity
has a large metal suitcase. They cut
across the lobby to the security
station, drawing nervous glances.
Dark glasses, game faces.
Neo calmly passes through the metal
detector which begins to wail
immediately. A security guard moves
over toward Neo, raising his metal
detection wand.
GUARD
Would you please remove
any metallic items you are
carrying: keys, loose
change--
Neo slowly sets down his duffel bag
and throws open his coat, revealing an
arsenal of guns, knives, and grenades
slung from a climbing harness.
GUARD
Holy @#%$--
Neo is a blur of motion. In a split
second, three guards are dead before
they hit the ground.
A fourth guard dives for cover,
clutching his radio.
GUARD 4
Backup! Send in the
backup!
He looks up as Trinity sets off the
metal detector. It is the last thing
he sees.
The backup arrives. A wave of soldiers
blocking the elevators. The concrete
cavern of the lobby becomes a white
noise roar of gunfire. Slate walls and
pillars pock, crack, and crater under
a hail swarm of explosive tipped
bullets.
They are met by the quivering spit of
a subhandmachine gun and the razored
whistle of throwing knives.
Weapons like extensions of their
bodies, are used with the same deadly
precision as their feet and their
fists.
Bodies slump down to the marbled floor
while Neo and Trinity hardly even
break their stride.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Agents Jones and Brown burst into the
room. Agent Smith releases Morpheus.
AGENT BROWN
What were you doing?
Agent Smith recovers, replacing his
ear-piece.
AGENT JONES
You don't know.
AGENT SMITH
Know what?
Agent Smith listens to his earphone,
not believing what he is hearing.
INT. ELEVATORS - DAY
They get in. Trinity immediately drops
and opens the suitcase, wiring a
plastique and napalm bomb.
Neo hits the emergency stop. He pulls
down part of the false ceiling and
finds the elevator shaft access panel.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Jones looks at Morpheus.
AGENT JONES
I think they're trying to
save him.
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT - DAY
Neo ratchets down a clamp onto the
elevator cable. Both of them lock on.
He looks up the long, dark throat of
the building and takes a deep breath.
NEO
There is no spoon.
Neo whips out his gun and presses it
to the cable, lower than they attached
themselves.
BOOM! The cable snaps.
The counter-weights plummet, yanking
Trinity and Neo up through the shaft
as the elevator falls away beneath
them, distending space, filling it
with the sound of whistling metal as
they sear to the top.
INT. LOBBY - DAY
The elevator hits the bottom.
BA-BOOM!
The massive explosion blows open the
doors, fire clouds engulfing the
elevator section of the lobby.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
The Agents hear the blast of fire
alarms.
AGENT JONES
Lower level--
AGENT BROWN
They are actually
attacking.
Another enormous explosion thunders
above them, shaking the building. The
alarm sounds, emergency sprinklers
begin showering the room.
Agent Smith smashes a table.
AGENT SMITH
Find them and destroy
them!
Agent Jones nods and touches his ear-
piece.
EXT. ROOF - DAY
The roof-access tower is now engulfed
in flames as Neo and Trinity stand
amongst a pile of their fallen
enemies.
Across the roof, the pilot inside the
army helicopter watches the last of
their ferocious onslaught.
PILOT
I repeat, we are under
attack!
Suddenly his face, his whole body
dissolves, consumed by spreading
locust-like swarm of static as Agent
Jones emerges.
Just as she drops the final Marine,
Trinity sees what's coming. Neo sees
her, the fear in her face, and he
knows what is behind him.
Screaming, he whirls, guns filling his
hands with thought-speed.
Fingers pumping, shells ejecting,
dancing up and away, we look through
the sights and gunsmoke at the Agent
blurred with motion--
Until the hammers click against the
empty metal.
NEO
Trinity!
Agent Jones charges.
NEO
...help.
His gun booms as we enter the liquid
space of--
Bullet-time.
The air sizzles with wads of lead like
angry flies as Neo twists, bends,
ducks just between them.
Agent Jones still running, narrows the
gap, the bullets coming faster until
Neo bent impossibly back, one hand on
the ground as a spiraling gray ball
shears open his shoulder.
He starts to scream as another digs a
red groove across his thigh. He has
only time to look up, to see Agent
Jones standing over him, raising his
gun a final time.
AGENT JONES
Only human...
Suddenly Agent Jones stops. He hears a
sharp metal click.
Immediately, he whirls around and
turns straight into the muzzle of
Trinity's .45--
Jammed tight to his head.
TRINITY
Dodge this!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The body flies back
with a flash of mercurial light and
when it hits the ground, it is the
pilot.
Trinity helps Neo up.
TRINITY
Neo, how did you do that?
NEO
Do what?
TRINITY
You moved like they moved.
I've never seen anyone
move that fast.
NEO
It wasn't fast enough.
He checks his shoulder wound.
TRINITY
Are you all right?
NEO
I'm fine. Come on, we have
to keep moving.
Neo sees the helicopter.
NEO
Can you fly that thing?
TRINITY
Not yet.
She pulls out the cellular phone.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank is back at the controls.
TANK
Operator.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Tank, I need a pilot
program for a military B-
212 helicopter.
Tank is immediately searching the disk
drawers.
TRINITY (V.O.)
Hurry!
His fingers flash over the gleaming
laser disks finding one that he feeds
into Trinity's Supplement Drive
punching the ìloadî commands on her
keyboard.
EXT. ROOF - DAY
Trinity's eyes flutter as information
surges into her brain, all the
essentials of flying a helicopter
absorbed at light-speed.
TRINITY
Let's go.
SCENE OMITTED
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Agent Jones throws open the door and
enters, walking through the puddles
pooling in the carpet. Over the
rushing water and the alarms, Agent
Smith hears a sound and understands
the seriousness of the attack.
He turns to the wall of windows as the
helicopter drops into view--
Neo is in the back bay, aiming the
mounted .50 machine gun.
AGENT SMITH
No.
The gun jumps and bullets explode
through the window in a cacophony of
crashing glass as the Agents go for
their weapons.
But Neo is too close, the .50 caliber
too fast and bullets are everywhere,
perforating the room.
Agent Jones is hit first, his body
jack-knifing back, blood arcing out
with a sudden flash of light--
Then Agent Brown, his gun still firing
as his body falls. And finally Agent
Smith.
Neo stares at Morpheus, trying to will
him into action.
NEO
Get up, Morpheus! Get up!
Neo grabs the climbing rope and
attaches one end to his harness.
INT. HALL - DAY
Just outside the executive office,
three Marines blister with snow-
static.
INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY
Slowly, Morpheus lifts his face into
the room's rain. When he finally opens
his eyes, they are again dark and
flashing with fire.
He rises from the chair, snapping his
handcuffs just as the Agents enter the
adjoining room. Agent Smith stops and
sees Morpheus run past the open door.
AGENT SMITH
Nooo!
He fires sweeping across the
sheetrocked wall in a perfect line.
For an instant, we see the bullets
shred, puncturing the wall, searing
through the wet air with jet trails of
chalk.
And as Morpheus starts his dive for
the window, a bullet buries itself in
his leg, knocking him off balance.
NEO
He won't make it.
Morpheus lunges, out of control--
As Neo spins, every move a whip crack,
snapping the other rope-end on to a
bolted bar as--
Morpheus begins to fall, when Neo
hurls himself into the wide blue empty
space, flying for a moment.
The rope snaking out behind him; an
umbilical cord attached to a machine.
As their two bodies, set in motion,
rushing at each other on a seemingly
magnetic course until they collide.
Almost bouncing free of each other,
arms, legs scrambling, hands searching
in furious desperation, finding hold
and clinging.
Until the line ends, snapping taut,
cracking their fragile embrace.
Morpheus tumbles, legs flipping over,
falling down--
The ground deliriously distant as Neo
snatches hold of his mentor's still
handcuffed wrist.
NEO
Gotcha!
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
Trinity pulls the copter up and away
as Agent Smith stands in the shattered
window, aiming his gun out through the
curtain of rain.
Ponk. Ponk. Ponk. The rear hull is
punched full of holes and smoke and
oil pour out like black blood.
TRINITY
@#%$-@#%$-no!
Neo hears the helicopter begin to die.
NEO
Uh oh--
Trinity throws the helicopter towards
the roof of the nearest building.
Morpheus and Neo cling to one another
as they and the machine above them
begin to fall.
The engine grinds, the chopping blades
start to slow while--
Trinity guides the parabolic fall over
the nearest roof where--
Neo and Morpheus drop safely, rolling
free as the rope goes slack. Neo gets
to his feet, trying to detach himself
but--
The helicopter is falling too fast,
arcing over the roof like a setting
sun--
The coils of slack snap taut, yanking
Neo off his feet, dragging him with
ferocious speed towards the edge even
as--
Trinity lunges for the back door, her
gun in one hand, grabbing for the rope
with the other--
Neo flies like a skipping stone,
hurtling at the parapet, when his feet
hit the rain gutter and he levers up
just as--
Trinity fires, severing the cord from
the helicopter, falling free of it as
it smashes, blades first into a glass
skyscraper.
Holding onto the rope as she swings,
connected to Neo, who stands on the
buildingís edge watching her arc
beneath him as the helicopter explodes-
She bounces against a shatterproof
window that spider-cracks out while
flames erupt behind her.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank stares at the screen, his mouth
agape.
TANK
I knew it! Heís the One.
SCENE OMITTED
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Neo pulls Trinity up into his arms.
Both shaking, they hold each other
again.
MORPHEUS
Do you believe it now,
Trinity?
Trinity looks at Neo.
NEO
Morpheus, the Oracle...
she told me--
MORPHEUS
She told you exactly what
you needed to hear. Thatís
all. Sooner or later, Neo,
youíre going to realize
just like I did the
difference between knowing
a path and walking a path.
INT. MAIN DECK
The phone rings.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Tank.
TANK
@#%$! Itís good to hear
your voice, sir!
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
We need an exit.
TANK
Got one ready, sir.
Subway. State and Balbo.
MORPHEUS (V.O.)
Weíre on our way--
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
We rush at the roof access door as it
suddenly slams open and the three
Agents charge out. But Neo, Trinity
and Morpheus are already gone.
AGENT SMITH
Damnit!
AGENT BROWN
The trace was completed.
AGENT JONES
We have their position.
AGENT BROWN
Sentinels are standing by.
AGENT JONES
Order the strike.
Agent Smith canít stand listening to
them. He moves to the edge of the
building, looking out at the
surrounding city.
AGENT SMITH
Theyíre not out yet.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
An old man sits hunched in the far
corner of the station, shadows
gathered around him like blankets.
Mumbling, he nurses from a bottle of
Thunderbird when--
A phone begins to ring.
Neo leads Trinity and Morpheus
bounding over a set of turnstiles
towards the ringing phone inside a
graffiti- covered booth.
NEO
Let's go! You first,
Morpheus.
Morpheus gets in and answers the
phone.
Lost in the shadow, the Old Man
watches as Morpheus disappears, the
phone dropping, dangling by its cord.
His eyes grow wide, glowing white in
the dark.
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Agent Smith stares, his face twisted
with hate. He will never be free of
the Matrix.
He starts to turn from the edge of the
building when he suddenly hears it,
his head whipping back around, staring-
INT. SUBWAY - DAY
Through the Old Man's eyes as the
world begins to rumble.
Trinity hangs up the phone,then turns
to Neo.
The rumble grows, the ground beginning
to shake.
TRINITY
Neo, I want to tell you
something... but I'm
afraid of what it could
mean if I do.
Behind her, the phone begins to ring.
TRINITY
Everything the Oracle told
me, has come true,
everything but this...
NEO
But what?
The rumble rises, drowning her voice.
Neo is drawn towards her, their lips
close enough to kiss when a train
blasts into the station.
For a moment, they are frozen by the
strobing lights of the train until
Trinity turns, unable to say what she
wants to say.
The phone rings once more before she
lifts the receiver when, in the
darkness of the far corner, Neo sees
the old man in the flashing train-
light as he becomes--
Agent Smith, raising a fistful of
black gun-metal.
NEO
No!
The gun fires, the bullet flying at
her, bursting through the plastic
window just as Trinity disappears.
The handset hanging in the air as the
bullet hits, shattering the ear-piece.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Trinity blinks, shivering as her
conscious exits the Construct.
TRINITY
Neo!
TANK
What the hell just
happened?
TRINITY
An Agent! You have to send
me back!
TANK
I can't!
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
The destroyed phone dangles in the
empty booth. Neo turns to Agent Smith
whose gun stares at him like a third
eye.
AGENT SMITH
Mr. Anderson.
INT. MAIN DECK
Morpheus and Trinity stand behind Tank
riveted to the scrolling code.
TRINITY
Run, Neo. Run.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Neo looks at the dead escalator that
rises up behind him. Slowly he turns
back and in his eyes we see something
different, something fixed and hard
like a gunfighter's resolve.
There is no past or future in these
eyes. There is only what is.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity is unable to understand.
TRINITY
What is he doing?
MORPHEUS
He's beginning to believe.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Neo whip-draws his gun flashpoint
speed of lightning as--
Smith opens fire.
Gun report thunders through the
underground, both men blasting, moving
at impossible speed.
For a blinking moment we enter Bullet-
time.
Gun flash tongues curl from Neo's gun,
bullets float forward like a plane
moving across the sky, cartridges
cartwheel into space.
An instant later they are nearly on
top of each other, rolling up out of a
move that is almost a mirrored
reflection of the other--
Each jamming their gun tight to the
other's head.
They freeze in a kind of embrace; Neo
sweating, panting, Agent Smith machine-
calm. Agent Smith smiles.
AGENT SMITH
You're empty.
Neo pulls the trigger. Click.
NEO
So are you.
The smile falls. Agent Smith yanks his
trigger.
CLICK.
Agent Smith's face warps with rage and
he attacks, fists flying at furious
speed, blows and counters, Neo
retreating as--
A knife-hand opens his forearm, and a
kick sends him slamming back against a
steel column. Stunned, he ducks just
under a punch that crunches into the
beam, steel chunks exploding like
shrapnel.
Behind him, Neo leaps into the air,
delivering a neck-snapping reverse
round-house. Agent Smith's glasses fly
off and he glares at Neo; his eyes ice
blue.
AGENT SMITH
I'm going to enjoy
watching you die, Mr.
Anderson.
Agent Smith attacks with unrelenting
fury, fists pounding Neo like
jackhammers.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Trinity watches Neo as his body jerks,
mouth coughing blood, his life signs
going wild.
TRINITY
Jesus, he's killing him!
INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Agent Smith grabs hold of him, lifting
him into the air, hurling him against
the curved wall of the train tunnel,
where he falls inches from the
electrified third-rail.
The Agent is about to jump down and
press his attack when he hears
something.
From deep in the tunnel, like an
animal cry; a burst of high-speed
metal grinding against metal.
The sound of an on-coming train.
Neo tries to get up. Agent Smith jumps
down onto the tracks and drop-kicks
him in the face. The world again
begins to shake, rumbling as the train
nears.
AGENT SMITH
Do you hear that, Mr.
Anderson?
Agent Smith grabs Neo in a choke-hold
forcing him to look down the tracks,
the train's headlight burning a hole
in the darkness.
AGENT SMITH
That is the sound of
inevitability.
Neo sees it coming and he starts to
fight.
AGENT SMITH
It is the sound of your
death.
There is another metal screech, much
louder, closer, as Agent Smith
tightens his hold. Neo is unable to
breathe.
AGENT SMITH
Good-bye, Mr. Anderson.
The train roars at them, swallowing
Agent Smith's words. The veins bulge
in Neo's head, as he grits through the
pain.
He is not ready to die.
NEO
My name is Neo.
Impossibly, he hurls himself straight
up, smashing Smith against the
concrete ceiling of the tunnel.
They fall as the sound and fury of the
train explodes into the station. Neo
backflips up off the tracks just as-
The train barrels over Agent Smith.
Neo stands, knees shaking, when the
train slams on its emergency brake.
With an ear-splitting shriek of
tortured rails, the train slows, part
of it still in the station.
Neo turns, limping, starting to run,
racing for the escalator--
As the train comes to a stop and the
doors of the last car open; Agent
Smith bursts out in furious pursuit,
his glasses again intact.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank searches the Matrix.
TRINITY
What just happened?
TANK
I don't know. I lost him.
MORPHEUS
He's on the run--
Suddenly, a siren sounds.
TANK
Oh @#%$!
Morpheus bolts to the ladder.
INT. @#%$PIT
Morpheus climbs into the @#%$pit. On
the hologram radar, he sees the
Sentinels.
TRINITY
Oh no.
Trinity is behind him.
TRINITY
How long?
MORPHEUS
Five minutes. Maybe six.
Morpheus lifts the headset.
MORPHEUS
Tank, charge the E.M.P.
TANK (V.O.)
Yes, sir.
TRINITY
You can't use that until
Neo is out!
MORPHEUS
I know, Trinity. Don't
worry. He's going to make
it.
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
A BUSINESSMAN walks along the
sidewalk, wheeling and dealing into
his cell phone when it disappears,
snatched by Neo as he flashes by.
MAN
What the @#%$-- My phone!
The man turns to call for help and
when he turns back, it is Agent Smith.
Neo is in a full out sprint, spinning
and weaving away from every
pedestrian, every potential Agent. He
flips open the cell phone and dials
long distance.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank answers.
TANK
Operator.
NEO (V.O.)
Mr. Wizard, get me the
hell out of here!
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
Neo dives down an alley, Agent Smith
starting to gain.
NEO
Hurry, Tank! I got some
serious pursuit!
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The keyboard clicking, Tank searches
for an exit. Trinity screams into the
headset.
TRINITY
Neo, you better get your
ass back here!
EXT. ALLEY
Agent Smith stops and takes aim.
NEO
I'm trying, Trinity. I'm
trying.
A bullet shatters the image of Neo in
a truck's rearview mirror.
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank speed-reads the reams of Matrix
code.
TANK
I got a patch on an old
exit. Wabash and Lake. A
hotel. Room 303.
SCENE 189 OMITTED
EXT. OPEN MARKET
Neo spins away, turning and finds
himself in an open market that teems
with people.
He kamikazes his way down the little
avenues lined with vendors and shops,
careening through the labyrinth, out
of control. And at every turn there is
an Agent;
appearing from crowds, behind fish
counters, tent flaps, and crates.
SCENE 191 OMITTED
EXT. ALLEY
He dives from the maze down a service
alley but it is a dead end.
Neo turns back as the Agents emerge
from the market.
NEO
Uh, help! Need a little
help!
INT. MAIN DECK
Tank frantically scans the monitor
like a road map.
TANK
The door.
EXT. ALLEY
Neo dives for it but--
NEO
It's locked.
TANK (V.O.)
Kick it in!
Peeling back, Neo almost kicks the
door from its hinges, lunging from the
Agents' bullets.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - STAIRCASE
Neo springs up the old crooked
apartment building stairs.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - HALL
He is halfway down the hall, running
in sharp long strides when a door
explodes open at the end.
TANK (V.O.)
@#%$! The door on your
left.
Neo lurches, kicking in an apartment
door.
TANK (V.O.)
No! Other left!
He whirls back to his other left,
battering through the door which
splinters, perforated by bullets.
An old woman watches TV as Neo blurs
past her and into her kitchen, where
another woman is chopping vegetables.
TANK (V.O.)
That window!
Neo throws it open, leaping for the
fire escape just as a knife buries
itself in the window casing.
TANK (V.O.)
Down! Down!
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - FIRE ESCAPE
Tumbling down the rattling fire
escape, Neo leaps the last ten feet
into the alley below with Agent Brown
right behind him.
Neo scrapes himself to his feet,
broken and bleeding, charging for the
end of the alley.
INT. MAIN DECK
Finger on the monitor, Tank traces
Neo's path.
TANK
That's it! You're almost
there! That fire escape at
the end of the alley!
EXT. HEART O' THE CITY HOTEL - DAY
Agent Smith suddenly pauses as if
recognizing something; the faded neon
buzzes: Heart O' The City Hotel.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
Tank loads the exit.
TANK
I'm going to make the
call.
MORPHEUS
Do it!
Suddenly, the lights go red.
TRINITY
No.
Morpheus looks up.
MORPHEUS
Here they come.
EXT. SEWER MAIN
The Sentinels open and shift like
killer kaleidoscopes as they attack,
slamming down onto the Nebuchadnezzar.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
The hovercraft booms down as they hit.
Morpheus opens the lock on the EMP
detonator.
Trinity watches him.
MORPHEUS
He's going to make it.
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
Neo scrambles up the fire escape,
bullets sparking and ricocheting
around him as Agents Brown and Jones
close the gap.
INT. HALL - DAY
On the third floor, he kicks in the
window, jumping into the hall. The
doors count backwards: 310... 309...
INT. MAIN DECK
Another systems alarm sounds.
TANK
They've burned through the
outer hull.
TRINITY
Hurry, Neo.
INT. HALL - DAY
Neo can hear the phone ringing. 305...
304...
Agent Brown reaches the broken window
behind him just as Neo grabs the
handle of 303, throwing open the door
to find--
Agent Smith, waiting, .45 @#%$ed.
Neo can't move-- can't think--
BOOM.
INT. MAIN DECK
Neo's body jerks, and everyone hears
it as the life monitors snap flatline.
Trinity screams. Morpheus stumbles
back in disbelief.
MORPHEUS
No, it can't be. It can't
be.
Lasers suddenly sear through the main
deck as the Sentinels slice open the
hull.
INT. HALL - DAY
Three holes in his chest, Neo falls to
the blue shag carpeting, blood
smearing down the wall paper. Agent
Smith stands over him, still aiming,
taking no chances.
AGENT SMITH
Check him.
INT. MAIN DECK
Amid the destruction raining around
her, Trinity takes hold of Neo's body.
TRINITY
Neo...
INT. HALL - DAY
Kneeling beside him, Agent Brown
checks his vital signs.
AGENT BROWN
He's gone.
Agent Smith smiles, standing over him.
AGENT SMITH
Good-bye, Mr. Anderson.
INT. MAIN DECK
In tears, Morpheus takes hold of the
EMP switch.
Trinity whispers in Neo's ear.
TRINITY
Neo, please, listen to me.
I promised to tell you the
rest. The Oracle, she told
me that I'd fall in love
and that man, the man I
loved would be the One.
You see? You can't be
dead, Neo, you can't be
because I love you. You
hear me? I love you!
Her eyes close and she kisses him,
believing in all her heart that he
will feel her lips and know that they
speak the truth.
INT. HOTEL HALL - DAY
He does. And they do.
His eyes snap open.
INT. MAIN DECK
Trinity screams as the monitors jump
back to life. Tank and Morpheus look
at each other.
It is a miracle.
TRINITY
Now get up!
INT. HALL - DAY
Holding his chest, Neo struggles to
get up. At the end of the hall, the
Agents wait for the elevator when
Agent Smith glances back. He rips off
his sunglasses looking at Neo as if he
were looking at a ghost.
Neo gets to his feet all three Agents
grabbing for their guns. As one, they
fire.
NEO
No!
Neo raises his hands and the bullets,
like a cloud of obedient bees, slow
and come to a stop. They hang frozen
in space, fixed like stainless steel
stars.
The Agents are unable to absorb what
they are seeing.
Neo plucks one of the bullets from the
air. We see him and the hall reflected
in the bright casing. We move closer
until the bullet fills our vision and
the distorted reflection morphs,
becoming the ìrealî image.
He drops the bullet and the others
fall to the floor.
Neo looks out, now able to see through
the curtain of the Matrix. For a
moment, the walls, the floor, even the
Agents become a rushing stream of
code.
INT. MAIN DECK
All three stare transfixed with awe as
the scrolling code accelerates, faster
and faster, as if the machine language
was unable to keep up or perhaps
describe what is happening.
They begin to blur into streaks,
shimmering ribbons of light that open
like windows, as--
Each screen fills with brilliant
saturated color images of Neo standing
in the hall.
TANK
How...?!
MORPHEUS
He is the One. He is the
One!
An explosion shakes the entire ship.
INT. HALL
Agent Smith screams, his calm machine-
like expression shredding with pure
rage.
He rushes Neo. His attack is ferocious
but Neo blocks each blow easily. Then
with one quick strike to the chest he
sends Agent Smith flying backwards.
For the first time since their
inception, the Agents know fear.
Agent Smith gets up, bracing himself
as Neo charges him and springs into a
dive. But the impact doesn't come. Neo
sinks into Agent Smith, disappearing,
his tie and coat rippling as if he
were a deep pool of water.
Spinning around he looks to the others
and feels something, like a tremor
before a quake, something deep,
something that is going to change
everything.
Suddenly a searing sound stabs through
his earpiece as his chest begins to
swell, then balloon as--
Neo bursts up out of him. And with a
final death scream, Agent Smith
explodes like an empty husk in a
brilliant cacophony of light, his
shards spinning away, absorbed by the
Matrix until--
Only Neo is left.
Neo faces the remaining Agents. They
look at each other, the same idea
striking simultaneously--
They run.
INT. MAIN DECK
Sentinels are everywhere destroying
the ship.
TRINITY
Neo!
INT. HALL
Again he hears her. He reacts to the
ringing phone, rushing towards it even
as--
INT. MAIN DECK
A Sentinel descends towards Morpheus.
On the screen we see Neo dive for the
phone.
TRINITY
Now!
Morpheus turns the key.
INT. OVERFLOW PIT
A blinding shock of white light floods
the chamber; Sentinels blink and fall
instantly dead, filling the pit with
their cold metal carcasses.
INT. HOVERCRAFT
In the still darkness, only the humans
are alive.
TRINITY
Neo?
His eyes open. Tears pour from her
smiling eyes as he reaches up to touch
her.
And she kisses him; it seems like it
might last forever.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. COMPUTER SCREEN
Close on a computer screen as in the
opening. The cursor beating steadily,
waiting. A phone begins to ring.
It is answered and the screen fills
instantly with the trace program.
After a long beat, we recognize Neo's
voice.
NEO (V.O.)
Hi. It's me. I know you're
out there. I can feel you
now.
We close in on the racing columns of
numbers shimmering across the screen.
NEO (V.O.)
I imagine you can also
feel me.
The numbers begin to lock into place.
NEO (V.O.)
You won't have to search
for me anymore. I'm done
running. Done hiding.
Whether I'm done fighting,
I suppose, is up to you.
We glide in towards the screen.
NEO (V.O.)
I believe deep down, we
both want this world to
change. I believe that the
Matrix can remain our cage
or it can become our
chrysalis, that's what you
helped me to understand.
That to be free, truly
free, you cannot change
your cage. You have to
change yourself.
We dive through the numbers, surging
up through the darkness, sucked
towards a tight constellation of
stars.
NEO (V.O.)
When I used to look out at
this world, all I could
see was its edges, its
boundaries, its rules and
controls, its leaders and
laws. But now, I see
another world. A different
world where all things are
possible. A world of hope.
Of peace.
We realize that the constellation is
actually the holes in the mouthpiece
of a phone. Seen from inside.
NEO (V.O.)
I can't tell you how to
get there, but I know if
you can free your mind,
you'll find the way
EXT. PHONE BOOTH/STREET
We shoot through the holes as Neo
hangs up the phone. He steps out of
the phone and slides on a pair of
sunglasses. He looks up and we rise.
Higher and higher, until the city is
miles below.
After a moment, Neo blasts by us, his
long black coat billowing like a black
leather cape as he flies faster than a
speeding bullet.
FADE OUT.
BWhahahhaha
THE END
