Skip to main content

the matrix - Why did Agent Johnson try to kill the Key Maker?


In Matrix Reloaded, the Agents target the Key Maker right after Morpheus and Trinity rescue him. Agent Johnson (the one who fights Morpheus on top of the trailer) tries to kill the Key Maker which doesn't make sense since the Agents are programs inside the Matrix and The Key Maker is essential for The One to get to the source. Components of a system work together to achieve a mutual goal.


I understand why the Agents were targeting Neo. Maybe they didn't know about his role in the system and all they saw was that he was "breaking the Matrix rules" and could be a potential problem but as for the Key Maker, surely the Agents know about his role in the system. So why try to stop him?



Answer



It boils down to two conceivable reasons, both equally likely;



  1. The Agents are largely (or wholly) unaware of 'THE PLAN' and are simply acting on their instructions.



Although Smith (who appears to be the Senior Agent inside the Matrix) seems to have a wider awareness of the history of the Matrix as well as a solid connection with the outside world, part of the conceit of the Matrix trilogy is that "the One" and his acolytes need to be unaware that Zion is simply a system of control until he meets with the Architect.


If the Agents start letting the heroes proceed unchecked, it would immediately give the game away that something was wrong. Junior Agents therefore follow their instructions to cleanse the Matrix of imperfections like exiled programs, regardless of the potential consequences. The system relies on the strength of the One to overpower any obstacles this might present.


It's also quite conceivable that the Oracle would simply come up with a backup plan if the Key Maker dies; "You must now find the Key Maker's Apprentice..." or some other nonsense.



  1. Killing the Key Maker won't actually result in his destruction


It is only Programs whose function is no longer required that are "returned to the source" after their physical shells are damaged beyond repair. As we see from Smith (and the Oracle and several of the Agents) if a program still has a purpose then it is perfectly possible for them to be reconstituted into a new body.


Arguably, the Key Maker's usefulness only ceases once he's led the One to the Architect. It's possible that he wouldn't die if you killed him. He'd simply pop up elsewhere with a new body and a new plan to infiltrate the Architect's lair.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.

aliens - Interstellar Zoo story

I vaguely remember this story from my childhood: it was about an interstellar zoo that came to Earth with lots of bizarre and unusual species, and humans would file through and gape at all the crazy looking creatures from other planets. The twist came at the end when the perspective shifted to the other side of the bars and we discovered that the "creatures" were traveling through space on a kind of safari. They thought they were the visitors and we were the animals. Neither side knew that the other side thought they were the zoo creatures. Answer Got it. Zoo, by Edward D. Hoch. Published in 1958. Link to Publication History Link to PDF

tolkiens legendarium - Did Gandalf wear his Ring of Power throughout the trilogy?

After Gandalf discovered that Sauron was back and sent Frodo on his quest to Rivendell, did he continue to wear Narya (one of the Three Rings)? It seems like a huge risk to continue to wear it after the Nazgûl (Ringwraiths) started to try and reclaim the One Ring; if they managed to get the ring to Sauron, couldn't he be corrupted by his power? Whatever powers Narya bestows upon him couldn't possibly be worth the huge risk, could it? Answer When Sauron forged the one ring and put it on his finger, the other ring bearers were immediately aware of him and his intentions and removed their own rings. There is no reason why they couldn't merely do so again. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and preceived that he would be master of them, and of all they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," Silmarillion