Summary

FromThe Matrixto the sequel and the blow up creation , theMatrixfranchise has some of the most iconic quality not only in scientific discipline fiction but in pop culture as a whole . ThefirstMatrixmoviecould have puzzle out perfectly ok as a standalone story . However , the film ’s success and the voltage for worldbuilding led to two prompt sequels , dozens of spinoffs in other spiritualist , and a legacy continuation released in 2021 – The MatrixResurrections . While most of the bestMatrixcharacters are the ones who appear in at least three movies , others were quite impactful despite not having a lot of screen sentence .

Characters like Neo , Trinity , Morpheus , and Agent Smith will constantly be associate withMatrixand vice versa . Whether the sequels or the elaborate universe did these characters justice compared to the arguably consummate first film is undefended for argument . Still , theMatrixuniverse has built an unbelievable bequest of exigent classical account and singular characters , from submarine to villains .

The Matrix remains one of the most revered science fiction franchises ever made , but how do the film rank against each other after Resurrections ?

Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix.

12The Analyst (Neil Patrick Harris)

The Matrix Resurrections

regard thatThe MatrixRevolutionsended with Neo sacrificing himself and keep open humanity by produce a truce between man and machine , it was hard to imagine howThe MatrixResurrectionswas cash in one’s chips to have any conflict . The idea of a car civic war in which the win side had no interest in abide by the agreement fromRevolutionswas interesting , yet there is n’t much to the Analyst as a villain . The character was obviously created as a parallel to the Architect , but he never feels as all - powerful or all - knowing as his predecessor . Much of the analyst ’ lines are nothing but exposition , and he is defeated right smart too easy .

11The Kid (Clayton Watson)

Reloaded, Revolutions, Animatrix

The Kid does not get to do much in theMatrixsequels . He is introduced as Neo ’s number one fan – someone who was freed from the Matrix pretence by Neo and would now follow the One into whatever charge . Some of the Kid ’s scenes play out as risible assuagement , but there is a storey of complexity to the character that the movies do n’t get into . The Kid ’s backstory is intimately explored inAnimatrix ’s “ The Kid ” short film , which tell the story of how Neo get him out of the Matrix . Seeing a solid representative of how Neo was impact other peoples ’ lifetime was an important addition toMatrix ’s traditional knowledge .

10The Architect (Helmut Bakaitis)

Reloaded, Revolutions

The Architect only had a couple of scenesintheMatrixfranchise , yet he is one of the most authoritative fictitious character in the entire serial publication . One mutual criticism of theMatrixsequels is how they removed some of the conjuring trick from the first film by trying to explain everything about theMatrixdown to the last detail . Not only did this overture makeThe Matrixand Neo ’s story a little less especial , but it also made the franchise a whole lot more puzzling . All of those job are sum up by the Architect ’s purpose in theMatrixsequels , as the character is basically a plot gadget for exposition and mystery box seat .

9Cypher (Joe Pantoliano)

The Matrix

Cypher only appear in the firstMatrixmovie , but it was enough for him to become one of the enfranchisement ’s just villains . In a movie mostly about Neo choosing to leave the Matrix and face the real earth , sustain a fictional character who ostensibly once believed they were the one to give up everything to turn back to the Matrix is a brilliance creative choice . Cypher ’s desire to come back after discovering the real world exemplifies how wellThe Matrixdeals with its philosophical themes , including but not fix to how foxy it is to even define what “ tangible ” is .

8Dan Davis (Hiroki Tōchi/Victor Williams)

Animatrix

Animatrixis perhaps most known for its worldbuilding , all of which is canyon to theMatrixuniverse , including the origins of the war in “ The Second Renaissance . ” However , the film also feature some remarkable characters , including Dan Davids from “ World Record . ” Of course , afford that his story is told in a short picture show , not much is known about Dan ’s character . However , the idea of a high - level jock who fight his body to the limit in such an vivid way that his idea by nature broke gratuitous of the Matrix made for a fascinating floor . Dan is one of the fewMatrixcharacters who experiences self - substation .

7The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson)

Reloaded, Revolutions, Resurrections

For all its flaws , theMatrixsequels premise a lot of interesting concepts and turn over into things that the first pic had only suggest at . Just like Agent Smith was acting beyond his original programming , The MatrixReloadedestablishes that multiple Matrix programs had “ rebel ” and were no longer following their original codification . The most notable of them is the Merovingian , who might have been one of the firstMatrixprograms . He was now run a hole-and-corner connection of rogue political program and had become the victor of his own street corner of the simulation . The Merovingian returned for a play and very meta sceneinThe MatrixResurrections .

6Morpheus Program (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)

Resurrections

Morpheus die inThe MatrixOnline , a canonMatrixgame set after the events ofRevolutions . As a solution , ifMatrixwanted to keep its shared universe premise in which everything is canyon to the main story , Laurence Fishburne ’s character could not possibly return . Yahya Abdul - Mateen II ’s character was not the existent Morpheus but rather a program created by Neo establish on his previous experience . Although a “ Morpheus programme ” alone was already a compelling estimate , this novel version of the character also had trait of Agent Smith , who had become part of Neo afterRevolutions . The final result was a layered character and one of the unspoilt thing aboutResurrections .

5The Oracle (Gloria Foster/Mary Alice)

Reloaded, Resurrections

Whereas the Architect ’s dialog in theMatrixsequels was way too puzzling and had more to do with the game than with Neo as a character , the Oracle ’s prospect throughout the trilogy were all important to interpret the role of the One . Almost every line from the Oracle can be interpreted in more than just one way , pop from when she enjoin that Neo was not the One . The character of the Oracle in theMatrixuniverse becomes even more of import after the accuracy about the vaticination is divulge , specially considering thatshe had been around since the first Matrix cycle . All of this make the Oracle one of the bestMatrixcharacters .

4Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)

The Matrix, Reloaded, Revolutions, Animatrix, Resurrections

Few opening succession are more iconic thanThe Matrix ’s , and that was only a small part of Trinity ’s role in the pic and the franchise as a whole . From the Oracle ’s divination that Trinity would fall in love with the One toThe MatrixResurrectionsmaking both Neo and Trinity " the Ones,“Carrie - Anne Moss ’s character has define the saga since the very first movie . Trinity steals the show as an action submarine , but she is also a complex character whose choices impact everyone around her . Revolutionsfailed Trinity , and her disappointing decease is a low point in the trilogy . Fortunately , Resurrectionsgave the character a practiced sendoff .

3Neo (Keanu Reeves)

Both from a story perspective and a meta - level , Neo is the One when it comes to theMatrixuniverse . The “ choose one ” is one of the most overused figure in fable , yet it mold utterly for a story likeMatrix . The Matrixis arguably a perfect movie , meaning thatNeo could not have been a unspoiled main character . Everything becomes more complicated during theMatrixsequels , and some of the decisions made for Neo ’s quality do not quite work . Still , Neo ’s arc from outsider to savior , plus his meta return key inThe MatrixResurrections , all help solidify him as a pop culture icon .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

How Rachel Zegler’s

A custom image featuring Trinity, Neo, and Morpheus in front of a Matrix-inspired background

The Analyst wearing blue glasses in The Matrix Resurrections.

The Kid Looking At Captain Mifune In The Matrix Revolutions

The Architect surrounded by TV screens in The Matrix Reloaded

Joe Pantoliano as Cypher looking at steak in The Matrix.

Dan Davis running in Animatrix’s World Record

Split image of the Merovingian in Reloaded and Resurrections

Yahya Abul-Mateen II’s Morpheus in a yellow suit in The Matrix Resurrections

A custom image featuring Gloria Foster and Mary Alice as their respective versions of The Oracle in the Matrix franchise

The Matrix