Keanu Reeves might appear in every movie, but the real Neo only truly appears in The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions. The impact of The Matrix can’t be understated, and it took audiences totally by surprise in 1999. That was the issue any sequel was going to face, though; the surprise was gone. That could be why the Matrix movie franchise proved such a mixed bag, with the sequels struggling to recapture what made the original fresh. The sequels offered incredible action and some great performances, but the stories were muddled, and the existential speeches came off as perplexing word salads.

The ending of The Matrix saw Neo (Keanu Reeves) flying off, promising to bring an end to mankind’s digital prison. Naturally, audiences thought Neo would kick ʙuтт non-stop in Reloaded and Revolutions, only for the Wachowskis to scale back his powers somewhat. Neo is far more powerful than he was in the original, but he’s still a mortal and burdened by his destiny as the new “The One.” Thinking back on the saga, I’ve come to realize that Neo is only truly The One in the 2003 sequels, and not so much in the original or The Matrix Resurrections.

The Real Neo Only Appears In Keanu Reeves’ Second & Third Matrix Movies

The One Figures Himself Out In The Matrix Follow-Ups

The Matrix Reloaded displays The One’s powers inside the matrix to full effect, including flight, superhuman strength, and – most shocking of all – the ability to destroy sentinels in the real world. By the end of Revolutions, Neo brought the Machine War to an end – even if it came at the cost of his life. Now, it could be argued that the real “One” is the regular old Neo living his life in Zion with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss). Neo is shy around the other inhabitants of the underground city and uncomfortable with the “saving the world” expectations weighing on his shoulders.

In the first Matrix, Neo spends the bulk of the story just trying to understand what’s going on, and he only gains his powers at the very end. Reloaded and Revolutions see Neo owning his abilities and destiny, even if he’s not entirely comfortable with either. He gives the sense that he’d rather not be the messiah and would be happier just hanging out with Trinity and his pals, but he isn’t going to shrink from his responsibility either.

Whatever their flaws, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions do a good job of keeping Neo human and relatable, even if he has become a Jesus Christ metaphor. Again, this version of the character only appears in the 2003 sequels, as Resurrections is essentially another “awakening” story like the first entry. That version of Neo feels like a different character too, especially after he spent so many years as “Thomas Anderson,” the world-weary creator of the fictional Matrix video games.

Why The Real Neo Is The Zion Version, Not The In-Matrix Version

Neo Is A Very Human Messiah

The Neo seen inside the matrix is styled as a superhero who is going to bring the system crashing down, but this is all revealed to be an elaborate drama orchestrated by the machines themselves. Neo is really the sixth “The One,” and every version of his arc ends the same – the destruction of Zion and The One’s code being reinserted into the matrix. Neo is the first version to break that narrative, refusing to give in to The Architect’s (Helmut Bakaitis) demands and instead vowing to find a way to bring about a truce between mankind and the machines.

It’s only after this meeting in Reloaded that Neo discovers his real-world abilities, which include being able to machine code even after being blinded. This confirms he’s brought some of his abilities into reality, and that the real Neo is the Zion version. Curiously, the real-world Neo in Resurrections lacks the ability to use his matrix powers offline, which again only underscores that the true “One” only appeared in the second and third Matrix movies.