It’s perhaps The Matrix and its unique brand of existential cyberpunk that separates itself from other sci-fi franchises today. The Matrix Resurrections reflects just how much of an impact The Matrix had on both the fans and the history of its genre. As such, each film in the original trilogy had its fair share of references, tropes, and iconic “must quotes” that hardcore fans know to their heart today.
In turn, it’s a reasonable assumption that eagle-eyed fans would be on the lookout for The Matrix Resurrections and its own share of Easter Eggs that only series fans would spot throughout their viewing. Just which Easter Eggs are on display? Spoilers Ahead!
10 Deus Machina Is The New MetaCortex
When it’s teased that Resurrections will be subverting blockbuster rules, it became quite a surprise that the film would go full meta on itself. Apparently, Resurrections begins with the premise that Neo - still Thomas Anderson - is now a critically-acclaimed game developer popular for the creation of The Matrix trilogy of games.
Interestingly, the studio that Tom is a part of is called Deus Machina. Translated from Latin as “God Machine,” it appears Deus Machina serves the exact same purpose as MetaCortex in the first The Matrix film. Whereas MetaCortex (translated literally as “beyond the brain’s borders”) is calling for Neo to “free his mind,” perhaps Deus Machina is calling him to embrace his role as a “god” in the Machine’s world.
9 The Andersons Hotel Says It’s Tom’s Program
Resurrections begins in a rather confusing scene, where Bugs and her crew hack a simulation that depicts the opening sequence of the first The Matrix film. However, instead of Trinity managing to escape the clutches of Agents, she is somehow pinned down. With her position exposed shortly after, Bugs manages to encounter a program modeled after Morpheus. This program achieves sentience and breaks out of the sim with her.
Bugs realizes that Tom himself must’ve subconsciously allowed Bugs to hack into the Modal to break Morpheus out, so he can then help Tom become Neo again. What’s interesting here is that Bugs didn’t necessarily have to explain that Tom programmed Morpheus. Early in the film, Tom sees a break-in on one of the files in the games. And upon an investigation of his assets, fans could see a hotel called “Andersons” being rendered.
8 The Good Noodles, The Fresh Steak
To affirm how the new Matrix is keeping Neo inside the Thomas Anderson persona, Resurrections created an obligatory simulation sequence. Here, Tom is seen doing a routine of eating, exercising, resting, and deliberating with his peers on the new The Matrix game. However, what’s perhaps interesting is two things during the montage - primarily Tom eating noodles in a restaurant, and Tom eating delicious-looking steak.
While they seem ordinary at first glance, they do serve as callbacks to two rather interesting pieces of dialogue in the first film. During Neo’s initial training with Morpheus, he spots a restaurant he formerly frequented “with the good noodles,” and was saddened how the food he’s been eating turned out fake all along. Meanwhile, antagonist Cypher’s negotiations with Agent Smith will reveal his desire to become plugged again. During their conversation, Cypher is seen enjoying steak.
7 The Birds Are The New Glitch
In The Matrix films, the lore emphasizes the importance of deja vu as an indication of the simulation correcting a glitch. This is revealed multiple times before impending disasters, and a final time in Revelations after the restoration of the Matrix. Interestingly, while a black cat does appear in Resurrections, it seems like a red herring.
Rather, perhaps Resurrections has a new deja vu indicator in the form of the birds flying in the same pattern on the skies. This sequence is seen a few times, particularly during Tom’s simulation montages and before destructive action sequences. Near the end of the film, the birds are once again seen before Neo and Trinity have to confront soldiers closing on them on the rooftop.
6 There Are Still Coppertops
Franchise newcomer Bugs already transforms into a central supporting character in Neo and Trinity’s quest for reawakening. And she’s quick to share her story of why she’s come to admire Neo so much. Apparently, Bugs as a Bluepill was cleaning windows on the side of a building when she saw Thomas Anderson attempt to jump off a ledge. Only Tom didn’t fall, and somehow this started her awakening process.
Interestingly, Bugs didn’t refer to herself as a “Bluepill” before her awakening. Rather, she called herself a Coppertop. In The Matrix lore, “Coppertop” was an alternative slang to Bluepill, this time emphasizing an unawakened human’s purpose as a battery for the Machines, hence a copper top. This slang was first used by Switch to Neo inside the car during their first meeting when she and Trinity extracted a bug from inside Neo’s stomach.
5 Exomorphic Particle Codex Reminds Fans Of A Familiar Face
When Neo finally awakens in the Mnemosyne, he’s greeted by Bugs and her crew - alongside a Morpheus that uses a cluster of particles to assume physical form. Seq calls this an exomorphic particle codex, a new technology that allows programs to take a physical form.
Interestingly, eagle-eyed fans might remember this mind-boggling experience from Revolutions, when the Machines relegated the responsibility of negotiating with Neo via a physical form as well. Similar to the codex, the Machines used a cluster of Sentinels to mimic the form of a human face to give Neo someone directly to talk with.
4 Neo Still Knows Kung Fu
When Neo finally makes his way out of the new Matrix, it’s reasonable for his mind to still be adjusting to his new circumstances. Thanks to Morpheus, Neo manages to get reacquainted with concepts that managed to help him adjust as a Redpill, such as the white void that is the Construct, and even another dojo sequence where Neo manages to outpace Morpheus in a sparring match.
However, what perhaps highlights Neo’s return to form was the group battle against Agent Smith and the Merovingian’s crew in the abandoned warehouse. Neo gleefully says, “I still know kung-fu” after fending off quite a couple of formidable fighter programs, which symbolizes him tapping once again into his innate powers as The One.
3 Smith Has Still Got His Moves
When Tom’s business partner Smith finally reveals himself as Agent Smith, he confronts a newly-awakened Neo in an abandoned warehouse. He mentions that the only way for him to thrive in this new Matrix is for Neo never to return to it, which Neo can’t oblige to since he still wants to get Trinity out. This results in a fight, and a well-awaited rematch between Neo and Agent Smith.
To fans’ delight, the battle between Neo and Agent Smith is actually a callback to the iconic fights the two have had before in the trilogy. They even recreate some iconic moments in their fight, such as Agent Smith punching Neo with different arms simultaneously.
2 A Sunrise, Helicopter Sequence
When Tiffany finally awakens back into Trinity, she helps Neo escape the Swarm Mode - essentially nearby denizens of the Matrix transforming into Agents. With Trinity and Neo on the loose, the Analyst wanted them taken care of as a last-ditch effort to save his iteration of the Matrix. This chase culminates atop a rooftop, where Trinity and Neo meet the coming sunrise. The sunrise itself is a callback to Revelations, where the pair managed to take the Logos so high up in the sky they managed to see what actual sunlight was.
What’s more awesome was that Neo and Trinity had to fend off helicopter fire during their time on the rooftop. This is a callback to the first Matrix film, where Neo and Trinity pilot a helicopter to rescue Morpheus at the hands of Agent Smith about to run amok.
1 Deja Vu Is The Failsafe
During the confrontation with the Analyst, it’s revealed that he’s prepared a failsafe should Tom and Tiffany run amok as Neo and Trinity again. According to his plans, his failsafe involves transforming the current Matrix into its former model, the one seen in the original trilogy. Somehow, the plan doesn’t work as a surprise appearance by Agent Smith in the middle of a heavy confrontation stops the Analyst from doing anything else.
What’s interesting here is that the Analyst seems to lose all hope when Agent Smith interrupts him from getting Deja Vu, the cat, amid all the chaos. This implies that Deja Vu may indeed contain his failsafe. This makes sense, considering that Deja Vu makes an appearance whenever Tom finds himself back in the Analyst’s room immediately after his supposed episodes.
The Matrix Resurrections was released on December 22, 2021 in the United States.