Thought 651: A Note on Matrix Reloaded

MEROVINGIAN

Aha, here he is at last. 
Neo, the One himself, right? 

And the legendary Morpheus. 

And Trinity of course, 

si belle qu’elle me fait souffrir. 

I have heard so much, you honour me. 
Please, sit, join us. 

This is my wife, Persephone. 

Something to eat? Drink? 

Hmm… of course, such things are 
contrivances like so much here. 

For the sake of appearances.

NEO 

No, thank you.

MEROVINGIAN

Yes, of course, who has time? 

Who has time? 

But then if we do not ever take time, 

how can we ever have time? 

Château Haut-Brion 1959, magnificent wine, 

I love French wine, like I love the French language. 

I have sampled every language, French is my favourite 

—fantastic language, especially to curse with. 

Nom de Dieu de putain de bordel de merde 
de saloperies de connards d’enculés de ta mère. 

You see, it’s like wiping your arse with silk, I love it.

MORPHEUS
You know why we are here.

MEROVINGIAN
Hmph… I am a trafficker of information, 
I know everything I can. 

The question is, do you know why you are here?

MORPHEUS
We are looking for the Keymaker.

MEROVINGIAN
Oh yes, it is true. The Keymaker, of course. 

But this is not a reason, this is not a 'why'.

The Keymaker himself, his very nature, is means, 

it is not an end, and so, to look for him 
is to be looking for a means to do… what?

NEO

You know the answer to that question.

MEROVINGIAN

But do you? 

You think you do but you do not. 

You are here because you were sent here, 
you were told to come here and you obeyed. 

[Laughs] 

It is, of course, the way of all things. 

You see, there is only one constant, one universal, 
it is the only real truth: causality. 

Action. Reaction. Cause and effect.

MORPHEUS

Everything begins with choice.

MEROVINGIAN
No. Wrong. 

Choice is an illusion, created between 
those with power, and those without. 

Look there, at that woman. 

My God, just look at her. 

Affecting everyone around her, so obvious, 
so bourgeois, so boring. 

But wait… 

Watch—you see, I have sent her dessert, 
a very special dessert. 

I wrote it myself. It starts so simply, 

each line of the program creating a new effect, 

just like poetry. First, a rush… heat… her heart flutters. 

You can see it, Neo, yes? She does not understand why
 —is it the wine? No. 

What is it then, what is the reason? 

And soon it does not matter, soon 
the why and the reason are gone, 

and all that matters is the feeling itself. 
This is the nature of the universe. 

We struggle against it, we fight to deny it, 
but it is of course pretense, it is a lie.
Beneath our poised appearance, 

the truth is we are completely out of control. 

Causality. There is no escape from it, 

we are forever slaves to it. 

Our only hope, our only 

peace is to understand it, 

to understand the 'why'. 

'Why' is what separates us 

from them, you from me. 

'Why' is the only real social power, 

without it you are powerless. 

And this is how you come to me, 

without 'why', without power. 

Another link in the chain. 

But fear not, since I have seen how good 
you are at following orders, 

I will tell you what to do next. 

Run back, and give the fortune teller this message: 
Her time is almost up. 

Now I have some real business to do, 
I will say adieu and goodbye.

NEO

This isn’t over.

MEROVINGIAN
Oh yes, it is. 

The Keymaker is mine 

and I see no reason 
why I should give him up. 

No reason at all.

PERSEPHONE

Where are you going?

MEROVINGIAN
Please, ma chérie, I’ve told you, 

we are all victims of causality. 

I drink too much wine, 

I must take a piss. 

Cause and effect. 

Au revoir.

***

Is it choice that has

led you to read 

these words?