The return of Trinity in the upcoming The Matrix: Resurrections movie has some serious implications for the entire Matrix saga. New footage, which premiered at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, featured the return of several iconic characters, including Carrie-Anne Moss' leather-clad freedom fighter. While many will relish the chance to see one of the original trilogy's key players return to the screen, Trinity's comeback raises some significant questions about the wider franchise. In fact, her presence may suggest something altogether darker than anything seen from the character before.
Although the wider context surrounding the CinemaCon Matrix footage remains unclear, it does reveal that protagonist Neo seems to have no memory of who he is. In the clip, Keanu Reeves' character is seen walking through a mirror, before coming across Trinity in a store. Later, Neo, referred to in the footage as "Thomas", is seen talking to a therapist (played by Neil Patrick Harris), discussing the events of the original trilogy as if they are dreams, again emphasizing that something dramatic has happened in the aftermath of The Matrix: Revolutions. However, despite the understandable question marks over Neo's memory, the really significant details revolve around his former love interest.
After her death during the previous film's climax, Trinity's return should be impossible. Given that several key characters died during the events of previous films and did not reappear later in the Matrix, it seems unlikely that Trinity would be an exception. Instead, her apparent resurrection could have worrying implications for Neo and may provide some useful plot points for the wider film. As ever in the Matrix universe, things are rarely as obvious as they seem.
Trinity's Death In Matrix: Revolutions
The most suspicious thing about Trinity's appearance is that she should be unequivocally dead. Before the final act of The Matrix: Revolutions, Trinity is impaled by a series of pipes in the cockpit of the crashed Logos hovercraft. She dies after an impassioned exchange with Neo, before he departs the ship and heads into the Machine city, leaving her body on board.
Events in the previous Matrix movies prove that onscreen resurrection is possible. For instance, Trinity herself is brought back to life during The Matrix: Reloaded after being shot by an Agent. However, there are several key reasons why such a resurrection did not happen in Revolutions. For starters, Neo only performed the necessary procedure – reaching into Trinity's body and pulling out the bullet – when they were both inside the Matrix. By contrast, Trinity's fatal injuries in Revolutions were sustained in the real world, presumably making a repeat procedure impossible.
Secondly, when both Neo and Trinity came back from the dead in the original Matrix film and its follow-up, it was nearly instantaneous. In Trinity's case, it also required conscious thought and proactive intervention from Neo. However, after Trinity's death in Revolutions, Neo not only engages in a protracted battle with Agent Smith, but also is – at best – unconscious by the end of the film. This wouldn't give him any time to resuscitate Trinity in the manner seen previously. All this suggests that Trinity is indeed dead when The Matrix 4 begins. By implication, therefore, her appearance in the newly released footage takes on a sinister meaning.
Theory: How Trinity Is Alive In The Matrix 4
Although Trinity may not technically be alive after the events of Matrix: Revolutions, there is a way that she could appear in this new version of the Matrix. In fact, the key to this return from the grave can be traced back to the original 1999 movie that started off the epic sci-fi franchise.
As part of Neo's training during The Matrix, he is taken to a computer simulation featuring a beguiling construct program known as The Woman in the Red Dress. In this context, she is used as a tool to teach Neo about the dangers posed by agents, as she transforms into the film's main villain, Agent Smith. However, it is later revealed by Neo's crewmate Mouse that not only was The Woman in the Red Dress specifically designed and created for training but that she is fully sentient – interacting with Mouse and even sending him a seductive photograph. This suggests that the version of Trinity seen in the CinemaCon footage isn't actually Trinity at all, but could be an intelligent computer program designed to look like her – much like The Woman in the Red Dress from the first film.
Compellingly, the Trinity seen in the new footage seems to have no memory of Neo. Given her instant recognition after her previous resurrection in Reloaded, it seems highly unlikely that she wouldn't recognize him this time around. If however, this is in fact not the real Trinity, it would explain both how she has been able to return and why her memory is affected. All this points to the fact that this version of Trinity is no more real than the Matrix itself.
Trinity's Role In The Matrix: Resurrections
If Trinity truly is a program in Matrix: Resurrections, it has some major implications for the movie. For instance, one of the key themes established throughout the course of the original trilogy is the concept of control. There are constant references to free will and predeterminism, whether it's Neo's discussions over his preordained destiny with The Architect or the prophecy provided by The Oracle that drives Morpheus. With this context, it's possible that Trinity's return could be another way for the Machines to try and control the power of The One and prevent him from fighting against him.
Trinity may also represent the tempting nature of the Matrix itself. Given a choice of a life in the real world without his true love, versus an artificial reality spent with the woman of his dreams, Neo may well opt for the second path. Such a conflict could well provide the necessary drama to make The Matrix 4 a compelling and necessary watch.
Until more information is available, Trinity's role in the film is pure speculation. However, given how Matrix movies have historically brought characters back from the dead, the existence of sentient, completely artificial programs like The Woman in the Red Dress and the Machines' obsession with control, Trinity's role as an AI puppet seems all the more plausible. Either way, The Matrix: Resurrections promises to change everything from The Matrix series.
