The Matrixmovies have never properly addressed when and how Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus was freed from the franchise’s titular simulation, but other areas of the saga have not only teased information on this subject but also revealed why Morpheus was such a staunch believer in the One. Fishburne’s role in thecast of the originalMatrixtrilogywas an interesting one.Morpheus was unusually spiritual for a man at war with a horde of sentient machines, but there’s actually a very good reason why his belief system never faltered.
Although Morpheus died between theend of the originalMatrixtrilogyand the beginning of 2021’sThe Matrix Resurrections, the character was reimagined and recast so he could appear in the legacy sequel. So, just as there have been otheractors who have played Agent Smith,Fishburne is now not the only actor to have played Morpheus. However, the ending of the real Morpheus' arc didn’t come with all the answers to questions about his enigmatic backstory. For that, the franchise’s expanded universe needs to be explored.
Morpheus Was Freed From The Matrix & Learned Of The Prophecy As A Child
Morpheus wasn’t freed as an adult like other characters in The Matrix
Originally posted toThe Matrix’s official website in 1999,The Miller’s Taleis a canonical story featuring Fishburne’s character in his earlier years. Although the story revolves around Zion’s newfound ability to make bread, the comic proves that Morpheus was not freed from the Matrix as an adult like many of the other characters. Instead,Morpheus' formative years were spent in the Real World, which greatly influenced how he grew up.
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With characters such as Keanu Reeves' Thomas “Neo” Anderson not being liberated from the Matrix until much later in life, they were shaped far more by the machines' inauthentic input. So, although they would eventually find out about the Prophecy that foretold the One’s arrival, it was never a guarantee that they would believe it. As much older people than Morpheus when they were freed, many of the otherZion citizens would had their own opinions on how the Machines' victory would come to an end. Having said that, Morpheus wasn’t the only believer.
Morpheus Spent Most Of His Life Believing The Prophecy Of The One
The Prophecy of the One was not something Morpheus came up with on his own. It’s something that spawned as a result of past events within the simulation, especially in previous versions of the Matrix itself. So, Morpheus grew up around the story, which means it helped form a strong foundation of who he was as a person.Children inThe Matrixare seldom raised by their biological parents in the Real World, so Morpheus' ideology will have stemmed from comments dropped by Zion’s soldiers and other inhabitants.
When Neo finally arose as a candidate for the One, it’s understandable that Morpheus would buy into Reeves' character as the reverent figure from the Prophecy.
Therefore, when Neo finally arose as a candidate for the One, it’s understandable that Morpheus would buy into Reeves' character as the reverent figure from the Prophecy.There’s scarcely a moment that Fishburne’s character doesn’t trust Neowith every bone in his body. He puts so much blind faith in Neo that he almost becomes irresponsible in his leadership, but knowing how long Morpheus' belief system has been in place means this makes far more sense than if he had been freed from the Matrix as an older man.
The Prophecy Of The One Was A Lie (But Morpheus Was Right About Neo)
The Machines never expected their falsified tale to come true
Ultimately, Neo becomes humanity’s much-needed savior and manages to broker a deal between the Machines and Zion via his selfless sacrifice in 2003’sThe Matrix Revolutions. He gains all the abilities the other characters would expect to see manifested from the One, and probably even a little extra. However,the prophecy that foretold his arrival was a complete fabrication. It was created by the Machines to keep the liberated humans chasing a false lead, with the villains hoping their adversaries would be too occupied by finding and relying on a fictional savior than to actually fight back.
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Thankfully, Morpheus' belief in Neo, which was unknowingly set in motion by the Machines, paid off. Although Neo couldn’t possibly have been the One due to the fact that the Prophecy was made up,Reeves' character still turned out to be very special anyway.The Machines' unorthodox tactics worked for a long time but ultimately led to their downfall. The Prophecy was seemingly too convincing, as it allowed Morpheus to believe in the man who would becomeThe Matrix’s biggest hero, and all without the worry that he could have been wrong.
The Matrix
The Matrix is a sci-fi action franchise that launched with the Wachowskis' 1999 film. It depicts a dystopian future where humanity is unknowingly trapped in a simulated reality by sentient machines. The protagonist, Neo, discovers this truth and that he is “The One,” a being that will lead a rebellion against the machines and restore freedom to humanity.
