For all our misgivings about the direction the franchise took in its sequels, The Matrix remains one of the most beloved action blockbusters of the past two decades. Even as its special effects become increasingly dated, the movie still manages to creep its way into our conversations on a regular basis.
That’s why you might not be surprised to hear that some fans have concocted a fascinating theory about Neo and Agent Smith in the ensuing years.
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According to this theory, which has been floating around various corners of the Internet for years, Agent Smith is The One, not Neo. In case you’ve forgotten the lore of The Matrix trilogy, The One is a feature within the Matrix that grants a random person superhuman powers within the Matrix as well as special abilities in the real world.
We’re told throughout the entire series that Mr. Anderson, aka Neo, is The One. Heck, his name’s even an anagram for “One,” but when you looks at all the clues that the movies dole out, Agent Smith’s role becomes increasingly complex.
In an attempt to succinctly explain why Agent Smith might actually be The One, io9 has put together a short video with all of the relevant information:
