Welcome to #TransTuesday! It’s time to wrap up our examination of magnificent trans allegory, THE MATRIX (part 5). This is the finale where it allll comes together, and it’s in Trans Tuesday 50! Noice. Previous parts have context you’ll need. Part 1:
https://twitter.com/TillyBridges/status/1404881655525826561
All caught up? Good! As a reminder, there’s a portion of this that might make some of you angry because some truths are hard to hear. Should that happen, I ask you maybe think about why that is before yelling at me.
1:31:51 - Smith: “Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious.” That’s exactly what society wants, all of us unaware. Paying no attention to any of this is what upholds the cis matrix power structure.
Smith: “I believe that as a species, human beings define their reality through misery and suffering.” Society WANTS trans people miserable and suffering. That’s what happens when you oppress trans people, and it, again, upholds the cis matrix power structure.
Smith: “I say ‘YOUR’ civilization, because as soon as we started thinking for you it really became OUR civilization, which of course is what this is all about.” Again, trans people are a threat to the cis matrix power structure. This entire Smith monologue is allll about that. 
1:35:10 - Trinity still believes. Neo: “I’m not ‘the one.’ I’m just another guy.” Trinity: “No Neo that’s not true, it can’t be true.” SHE knows. She’s telling him straight up IT CAN’T BE TRUE YOU ARE A GUY BECAUSE *I* AM NOT A GUY.
He IS “the one.” Self-actualization is right there, but he’s got to embrace it.
1:36:30 - Neo: “Morpheus believed something, and he was ready to give his life for what he believed. I understand that now. That’s why I have to go. Because *I* believe in something” He’s ALMOST there!
1:37:05 - Trinity: “I believe if you are really serious about saving him you are going to need my help.” She knows Neo cannot save Morpheus/accept his subconscious and become self-actualized without… accepting his self-actualization!
1:37:40 - Smith’s entire speech here is wonderfully written, directed, and acted, and painful to watch. If it makes you uncomfortable (and it should), realize it’s actually about dehumanizing and otherizing trans people who don’t conform to the cis matrix.
1:40:45 - Smith doesn’t want to have to even ~think~ about humanity. If society can find a way to destroy the entire concept of being trans, then it won’t have to be offended by us anymore. His big complaint is the smell, which is? An inconvenience. A discomfort.
He’s prioritizing his comfort over the actual, literal lives of humans (trans people). DOES THIS RING A BELL WITH A LOT OF RECENT LEGISLATION AGAINST TRANS PEOPLE? DOES IT?
Ready to get uncomfortable? All the Wachowskis can do is show you the door, you’re the ones who have to walk through it. No turning back now, you’ve come this far.
Let’s talk about the lobby action scene, one of the most “controversial” topics in the capital-d Discourse over this movie. The prevailing thought seems to be that this scene is “bad” actually, because Neo and Trinity are killing “innocent humans.”
And if you only look at it on the surface, yeah, it sticks out as maybe not making sense. But do you think, after all I’ve talked about so far, and the specific intent that went into every frame of this movie…
...the Wachowskis would film a scene that went so against the character/theme of the movie? No. Okay, so what are they saying here? I regret to inform you that Morpheus already told you, we discussed it back in part 3. Let’s go back:
57:40 - Morpheus: “If you are not one of us, you are one of them.” If you’re not an ally, you’re upholding the matrix that hurts us. Again, see my POLITICS thread for an explanation of “if you’re not actively helping us, you’re actively hurting us”
https://twitter.com/TillyBridges/status/1311006071826165760
The guards in this building, by not actively being allies, are upholding and supporting the system that oppresses us. In the movie they are literally PROTECTING Smith/society as he holds Morpheus/Neo’s dream of being his true self hostage.
For trans people to become our true selves we HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST SOCIETY, because cis people set it up that way. And if you ignore that as “not your problem,” YOU ARE *PART* OF THE PROBLEM.
You know that old saying (I paraphrase) “If you have one person and four nazis sitting at a table, you have five nazis sitting at the table?” You can’t stand idly by while nazis do what they do and claim it’s none of your concern. THAT MAKES YOU COMPLICIT.
By not realizing or caring about what society does to trans people (not realizing that “the matrix has you”), YOU (yes, YOU) are part of the matrix. You are an *INTEGRAL* part of the power structure that oppresses and harms us. ***YOU***ARE***THE***MATRIX***.
And if we have to blow up your safe, quiet, ignorant worldview just so we can be ourselves, THE SAME RIGHT ALL CIS PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE AND ENJOY BY DEFAULT, then that’s what we have to do.
You can’t be neutral, that always benefits the oppressor. This scene is telling YOU cis folks that you have to choose. One side is right and true and just, the other isn’t. Either way, we’re coming through to claim the same rights as you. PICK. A. SIDE.
Missed the timestamp, but note the bomb has red all over it. It’s a TRUTH bomb. If what I just explained to you wasn’t a truth bomb, what is? Also! It’s a truth bomb that Neo’s trans, and not only does HE know, he’s going to let the world know.
1:45:13 - For the FIRST TIME in the entire movie, Neo embraces Trinity. HE EMBRACES HIS SELF-ACTUALIZATION. He says, “There is no spoon.” He gets it! He’s ready!
1:49:34 - Morpheus can’t make it on his own. Neo TAKES THE LEAP and reaches out, embracing Morpheus/his subconscious/his super-ego before he falls.
1:50:49 - Trinity/his self-actualization is about to die. Neo attempts the impossible to save her. His desire for self-actualization is finally completely overriding his doubts.
1:51:11 - Consequences of Neo’s decisions are again rippling across the surface, this time destroying the mirrors and their distorted and warped reflections. They shall plague him no longer.
1:51:45 - Neo is reunited with Trinity/self-actualization and Morpheus/his subconscious desires. All of him is there, Cypher/his doubts are gone, he is whole. But Smith/society is still coming for him.
Morpheus: “[The Oracle] told you exactly what you needed to hear. That’s all. Neo, sooner or later you’re going to realize just as I did… there’s a difference between knowing the path, and WALKING the path.” Knowing is only the first step. Now the real work begins.
1:54:15 - The phone is destroyed, communication is cut. Neo’s alone, and he has to choose to keep running, or to stay and fight for who he wants to be, who he IS. Trinity: “What is he doing?” Morpheus: “He’s beginning to believe.” Did you get goosebumps? I got goosebumps.
Note here how MUCH Neo looks like Trinity. Even more than he ever has. Huh! How about that...
1:58:12 - Smith: “Goodbye, Mr. Anderson.” Even now, deadnaming and adding disrespect and indignity on top of violence. Neo: “My name… IS NEO.” He’s arrived. He’s here! He believes!
Also have you noticed how through the entire movie, EVERY time, Smith puts the emphasis on “mister?” It’s not Mr. Anderson. It’s not Mr. ANDERSON. It’s MISTER… Anderson. That’s not just a performance quirk. It’s the intentional misgendering of us by society.
As Neo runs, the world is suddenly brighter and more colorful than it’s been all along. And there are TWO WOMEN in RED. Wait… three, there’s one way in the back. And a fourth woman is carrying a red coat! Others who’ve accepted their truth are out there.
Note the guy being knocked off his feet. This is the only MAN who appears in red in the entire movie, but it’s HIDDEN UNDER THE BLUE SHIRT/PILL OF THE MATRIX. He’s literally being knocked off his feet by the truth that he, too, is not a HE.
There are also even more women in red in this sequence if you look for them.
2:01:34 - We’re back at the Heart o’ the City hotel - the journey ends where it began, IN THE HEART. It’s where we first look for answers, and where we finally find the truth.
2:02:37 - Neo makes it to room 303. This is the room we saw Trinity in when she first appeared. Remember that Trinity is his self-actualization. Remember when I told you to remember Neo’s apartment number back in part 1?
His apartment was 101. He’s gotten to where Trinity was. (Trinity= 3. 3 x 101 = 303) He’s arrived where his self-actualization led him.
HE HAS ARRIVED AT HIS SELF-ACTUALIZATION! AAAHHH! 🤯🤯🤯
HE HAS ARRIVED AT HIS SELF-ACTUALIZATION! AAAHHH! 🤯🤯🤯
But Smith is waiting for him. Neo’s shot. Multiple times. Neo falls over. Dies.
2:04:10 - The sentinels cut to the heart of the Nebuchadnezzar with red hot truth, WHICH (METAPHORICALLY) PIERCES NEO’S HEAD. He’s finally accepted the truth all the way, the truth his heart knew all along.
2:04:31 - Trinity STILL believes. She’s always believed. She confesses her love. His self-actualization loves him for WHO HE REALLY IS. Trinity kisses him. His self-actualization is complete.
This is another moment, like the liquid mirror covering Neo I talked about back in part 2, that on the surface sci-fi level, confused me. A kiss brings him back to life? But look at it inside the metaphor:
Neo loves and accepts himself as his TRUE self despite what society tells him. He knows who he is, he believes in himself, and it can’t be denied. He’s out and proud.
2:04:46 - The knowledge of his true self “breathes new life” into him. He rises. Society can do and say what it wants, but it CANNOT CHANGE THE TRUTH OF WHO HE IS.
2:05:04 - Neo rises in the matrix, the agents try to stop him. He simply says “no.” He’s not playing by their rules anymore. And the bullets stop mid-air. Society’s rules cannot change him.
2:05:38 - Neo can see the code of the matrix, see how it shapes and orders all of society, and can exist in it as himself, moving what needs to be moved to live his life.
2:06:19 - He dives into Smith, and destroys him from the inside out. No longer confined by the cis status quo matrix, reality bends around him as he takes up the space that is rightfully his.
2:07:58 - “Trans” is on the screen again, as is “call.” Communicate. Listen. Neo: “I know you’re out there. I know you’re afraid. You’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end.”
“I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone, and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you.”
“A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.” Please note this entire voiceover of his is directed at the cis folks who are uncomfortable that trans people exist.
Neo steps out of the phone booth, and right there… a WOMAN in RED.
He looks up, as two more WOMEN in RED walk by. And now… the weight has been lifted. He can fly.
This is quite clearly, to me, a metaphor for GENDER EUPHORIA. In fact, the first time I owned women’s clothes of my own, clothes for my workouts/running… uhhhm… look how I described the feeling it gave me. “It felt like I was flying.”
https://twitter.com/TillyBridges/status/1290720134235971585
I’ve done my best over the past year and FIFTY Trans Tuesday threads to shed light on what it means to be transgender in this world of ours, and the Wachowskis have shown you in one of the most remarkable and true allegories I’ve ever seen.
If you don’t get it by now, it’s because you don’t want to. Because it’s easier for you not to. Because being comfortable in the matrix that affirms who you are every second of the day is too cozy for you to leave.
But please, PLEASE understand the damage it does to trans people. We’re human beings. The cis binary matrix leads to bigotry and stereotyping and forced gender roles and so many of society’s ills. It’s not good for us, it’s not good for YOU.
WE NEED YOU TO BREAK OUT OF THE MATRIX. Come join us in the real world. We need you.
CALL (communicate). TRANS. OPT (choose).
RECEIVED? That's up to you.
Tilly Bridges, end transmission.
CALL (communicate). TRANS. OPT (choose).
RECEIVED? That's up to you.
Tilly Bridges, end transmission.
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