

You take the red pill…and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.” Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) tells Neo (Keanu Reeves), “You take the blue pill-the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. The name “The Red Pill” is a reference to the film, The Matrix. The den of misogyny where certain men celebrate this freedom (by sharing memes and complaining about the very women they say they don’t need) is a subreddit called r/TheRedPill. Given the options on the table, these are more threats than choices.If you spend enough time on social media, you might hear about being “redpilled.” In short, “redpilled” men believe they have been awakened to the dangers of feminism. The same applies to The Matrix's red and blue pills, which is essentially a choice between cold, harsh reality, or a comfortable lie. Bugs' crew face getting killed by Machines, or getting punished by their superiors. One option is decidedly worse than the other in both cases, but neither is especially inviting.

Thomas Anderson faces accepting his mental breakdown, or accepting the Machine apocalypse actually happened. The Matrix Resurrections also paints The Matrix's illusion of choice as a coercive tool. Isn't this why Trinity chose to leave the Matrix, rather than stay with her digital family?
#Morpheus red pill free
Bugs raises a point about whether humans are as free as they like to believe - digital programming ruled Neo's mind in the Matrix world, psychological programming determines his path in the real world. Whether picking a pill, selecting a door, or sacrificing his own life, Neo was never making choices in The Matrix because his actions were inevitable. As Bugs points out, a choice isn't a choice if the person already knows what decision they must make. The Matrix Resurrections proves The Matrix's red and blue pill dilemma was never about choice - it was a blend of coercive inevitability. When Morpheus rescues Neo from an Io holding cell, he gives him the choice between breaking free or staying put, then adds, " But that ain't a choice." During their therapy sessions, the Analyst describes Neo's struggle between mental breakdown and the Matrix being real as " not much of a choice," and Bugs' pilot utters " you call that a choice?" when told to pick between death by squids and an Io court martial. You already know what you have to do." This thematic thread runs throughout the entirety of The Matrix Resurrections. When Jessica Henwick's Bugs offers Yahya Abdul-Mateen's Morpheus/Smith hybrid his own two colored pills, she admits the scenario is entirely symbolic, claiming, " The woman with the pills laughed because I was missing the point. The Matrix Resurrections redefines the meaning of choice, proving the red pill/blue pill, the Architect's doors, and even Neo's sacrifice were all just an illusion of choice. Related: The Matrix 4's Zion Replacement Name Has 3 Hidden Easter Eggs Choice is what makes Neo truly conscious. Neo's choices are fundamental to his character across the first three Matrix movies, and prove his humanity compared to both the synthetic binary Machines, and the brainwashed souls inside the Matrix. Finally, The Matrix Revolutions forces Neo to decide between life and death - sacrificing himself for humanity, or living out his remaining years with Trinity.

In The Matrix Reloaded, the Architect then presents Neo with yet another choice - reboot the Matrix to continue the ongoing cycle of Zion's destruction, or save Trinity. The journey begins with Neo choosing between the red pill (consciousness) and the blue pill (ignorance).

The concept of choice is essential to the Wachowskis' Matrix trilogy.
