A question of The Matrix and The Machines...

[Havok]

I was always under the assumption that Smith also was unaware of the previous versions of the Matrix or why would he be doing what he was doing.

Also you assume that the whole world looks like that because of why?
The 'One' always ends up in the real world and it has to play the part just as the Matrix does. The humans in the 'real' world have to believe that the war was recent and not over thousands of years ago or the whole facade falls apart. For all we know the Machine City and Zion are just in one part of the world and the power plant is all just a ruse to keep the cycle going for some reason. Perhaps the machines feel that the only way to keep the human race alive is to keep them in the cycle as they don't really trust them outside of it.

The whole Matrix, Zion, Machine City eco-system could actually just be an interactive zoo habitat for humans because the machines don't really want to cause their extinction.

[GuppyShark]

The whole Matrix, Zion, Machine City eco-system could actually just be an interactive zoo habitat for humans because the machines don't really want to cause their extinction.

That would explain a great deal. I like the think of the assault on Zion as a pay-per-view event that the machines carefully rig to be a close 'game'.

[Zixinus]

That's an interesting idea and would certainly explain some things. The cloud layer could be somehow artificially controlled, which would require impressive technology but the Machines have that. The "humans are used as batteries" can be a speculated best guess. It would also explain how the humans manage to hack the Matrix and even override it by sheer will at times: they want it to be an interesting game where the prey is not helpless.

It would also explain something that I just recently realized: how does Zion get power?

The city probably draws power like crazy. From what shots I remember it from, the city is large and heavily mechanized. Either they managed to create an alternative power source (nuclear or geothermal?) or they are tapping the Machine's power network. Which would, aside the irony of them relying on the Matrix for power while they are against it, seems unlikely as the Machines would surely notice such a power draw.

[InsaneTD]

Zion uses geothermal. They mention it in the movies, first I think.

[Eternal_Freedom]

I just had a random thought. What if both the Matrix and the Real World are part of a larger simulation? A dream within a dream, a la Inception.

For reference I've been watching Red Dwarf's "Back to Reality" today, and the idea of the good guys who "die" in the Real World waking up in a future-video arcade is actually kind of amusing.

[Iroscato]

I just had a random thought. What if both the Matrix and the Real World are part of a larger simulation? A dream within a dream, a la Inception.

For reference I've been watching Red Dwarf's "Back to Reality" today, and the idea of the good guys who "die" in the Real World waking up in a future-video arcade is actually kind of amusing.

That's actually a fairly prevalent fan theory. The strongest evidence that comes to my mind is Neo somehow gaining his One powers in the 'real' world in Reloaded. Plus he could still see Smith/Bane after being blinded in Revolutions. I dunno though, the franchise is already absurdly complicated without that little thought exercise being thrown into the mix.

[Borgholio]

I always felt that made sense myself. And even from a machine perspective, two Matrixes in one would allow The One to escape into what he thinks is the real world, but it would still be another VR method of control so that no matter how many people escaped, they couldn't do any damage to the outside world. Neo was the first person in history to retain some of his power in the second level of The Matrix.

But of course, none of this is backed up on screen...still a fun theory though.

[Eternal_Freedom]

And now, because I'm feeling slightly crazy, I present an even more bizarre theory:

The universe of the Matrix films is in fact our own world, at some point in the future. The films still exist, and someone has an "I know what would be cool" moment and makes them into a VR game, except that they make it so immersive you forget you're in a game until you "die" in the "Real World" and/or become The One and "win," because any player would naturally want to be the hero.

Yes, this is inspired by the Red Dwarf crew crashing Starbug, waking up to be told they've been playing for four years and only achieved a 4% score.

[Havok]

I just had a random thought. What if both the Matrix and the Real World are part of a larger simulation? A dream within a dream, a la Inception.

The only issue with this for me is that it requires the machines to either lie to the programs in the Matrix or that they are created as part of the Matrix itself and not just programs residing there with their own intelligence and freewill, which undercuts the core themes of the movie.

This and that shit fan theory makes you go, "Well why make the movie then?" I mean, the whole concept is that the humans regain their free will and break free of the virtual construct that the machines made for them as a prison. BUT WAIT! Psych! They are still in it. So make the movie about escaping from THAT. Know what I mean?

I'm all for good fan ideas that explain extraneous ideas that further explore the world of the movie, but not that redefine the context of the movie itself.