Morpheus (Matrix)

Morpheus is a male film character who features in The Matrix.

Biography

Morpheus was a male human being who was born within the simulated reality of the Matrix that was maintained by the Machines who used mankind as a source of power. Eventually, he came to be freed from that virtual world and taken to the last human stronghold that was the hidden city of Zion. Over sometime, he came to join the ranks of the resistance where he captained his own hovercraft named the Nebuchadnezzar. He along with his crew engaged in activities to liberate many of the 'bluepills' from their pods in the Matrix with Morpheus became a well known hacker. During this time, he came to be romantically involved with Niobe but their relationship came to an end when Morpheus encountered the Oracle who predicted that he would find the prophecised figure known as the One. This was said to be an individual within the Matrix who would help bring salvation to mankind and free them from the tyranny of the Machines. Thus, Morpheus became consumed with an all-driving passion to find the One and usher in a new age for humanity.

Morpheus finds the bluepill named Thomas Anderson, who calls himself normally by his hacker name of Neo. Through some misfortune, Morpheus is honored to meet the potential savior of mankind, offering Neo a red pill to find out more about the Matrix, or a blue pill to return to his old life. Neo's choice leads him out of the power plant, where Morpheus has time to repair and rebuild Neo's pod-weakened body before he must tell him the truth of the world as he knew it. Neo reacts badly to the truth of the Matrix, and Morpheus apologizes for the event, indicating that there is normally an age limit to freeing minds that he had to break in order to free Neo. He also explains the Prophecy to Neo, and Neo's role in it. Shortly after Morpheus and Neo return from his first visit with the Oracle, Cypher's plan to betray the crew in an effort to return his body permanently to the Matrix is launched. All of the ship's crew are killed except for Neo, Trinity, and Tank. Morpheus attacks their pursuers in order to save Neo from capture, but is captured himself by Agent Smith and taken to a military stronghold for interrogation. Morpheus is drugged to crack his mind into giving the codes to the Zion mainframe computer. Aboard the Nebuchadnezzar, Tank recommends killing Morpheus by pulling his headjack in order to keep Zion's secrets safe. Neo stops Tank, remembering the prediction the Oracle gave to him: Neo must choose to save himself or Morpheus from death.

Trinity and Neo reenter the Matrix in a very dangerous mission to rescue their leader. They are successful and Morpheus and Trinity manage to escape. But Neo remains unable to immediately leave and is attacked by Agent Smith. Instead of running from the virtually unstoppable agent, Neo stands his ground, much to the fascination of Morpheus. But Neo is not able to withstand Smith's relentless attack, and flees, dodging Agents Brown and Jones as well as Smith. Morpheus, his ship under attack itself by sentinels, arms the EMP and whispers words of encouragement to Trinity, but when Neo is apparently shot and killed just moments away from a hardline and escape, Morpheus is crestfallen. Trinity is not finished yet. She tells the lifeless body of Neo of her prediction from the Oracle: She would fall in love with The One. Concluding that Neo cannot be dead, she kisses him, and Neo's life signs return strongly. His avatar stands up again in the Matrix, enlightened to his powers as The One, and soundly defeats the retaliating agents.

Notes

• Morpheus was created by the Wachowski Siblings where he was portrayed by actor Laurence Fishburne with his first appearance being in The Matrix (1999).
• On his journal website, writer Neil Gaiman commented, "There was an article someone forwarded to me when the first Matrix film came out, an interview where Lawrence Fishburne talked about meeting DC Comics' Head Jenette Kahn on a plane, and how she gave him some Sandman books, which he didn't read until he was cast in the Matrix, and was told by the Wachowskis that his part should be played like Morpheus in the Sandman comics. But that was the only mention I've ever seen."

Appearances

• The Matrix:
• The Matrix Reloaded:
• The Matrix Revolutions:

External Links

• Matrix Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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