So why doesn't he just fly away whenever danger approaches? In the end, isn't that what he does anyway? I've heard the criticism, and I'll tell you know that it is bogus. Again, anybody still reading who hasn't seen the film, I can't do anything for you at this point. Your stubbornness will ruin the film for you, I promise you. Maybe not quite yet, but soon. To understand Neo's actions, remember that he has been largely unchallenged for six months. Suddenly there is a threat that he can't simply defeat by wishing it away - a threat in the real world. Now he must find answers in the matrix, venturing out into area he hasn't bothered with before. He also must face opponents he hasn't dealt with before, or at least not at this level (or quantity). If an arch-enemy thought you had defeated suddenly turns up, would you run away immediately? Remember, you're a god-like superpower. Of course you wouldn't. Now imagine that there are eight of them. If anything, your curiosity is piqued. And certainly you still think you can take them all on. In addition your mind is struggling to understand how and why this enemy isn't gone forever. So you fight for a while before realizing that this is a losing battle, and you flee in confusion. In other cases, you completely defeat the entire array of the Merengovian's bodyguards hand-to-hand before flying in to rescue your compatriots on the freeway, win - or at least draw - a hand-to-hand battle with The Oracle's watcher, and generally win every battle you fight. Sometimes, granted, you continue to pursue your goal of getting the Keymaker to the proper place and time instead of stopping to bludgeon your enemy into submission, but in the end the only enemy that really managed to fight Neo effectively was Agent Smith, and only in severe plurals.
And the conflict for the next two films? As I mentioned, Neo is only unstoppable (or as close as possible) inside the matrix, so there is still very real danger to him in the real world. More than just danger to him, there is danger for all humans, and the super-powerful Neo is as powerless as anyone else to stop 250,000 sentinels burrowing toward Zion. Or is he?
Now we jump directly into spoiler-ville, and I insert again the strongest possible warning to anyone who hasn't seen the film. If you don't ever intend to see the movie, don't bother wasting your time reading this. And if you do, don't screw things up by reading this. You deserve at least one viewing without these revelations. Now, the big questions, working backwards: Who was the traitor on the other stretcher opposite Neo? Why was Neo in a coma? How did he stop the sentinels (and did he, really)? Why was that guy trying to kill Neo? This is where things get a little crazy, and I've got a heck of a theory that ties the whole thing together. Keep in mind that I have not seen any of the animatrix episodes, which may shoot this whole theory to pieces, and I've only seen the movie once so far, so I may have missed or misheard some things.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
MATRIX RELOADED SPOILER: I meant to mention, but then forgot, the interesting possibility that Neo did not actually stop those sentinels after all. In fact, this was the first thing I said after exiting the theater - Did Neo actually stop those sentinels, or did the ship coming over the hill set off an EMP at just the right time? Shades of A Case Of Conscience float through my mind.