"Matrix: Resurrections" Theories

[Tbone]

Please base your theories off of officially released footage and, of course, MxO storylines! Don't post leaks or spoilers.

Ok, I just watched the first official trailer and the big thing that stood out to me is the color palate. As we all know, the Matrix was shown in a green tint and the real world in a blue tint. The trailer footage, however, was almost entirely yellow. So what's up with that? Well, when Neo gets close to and interacts with the Source, it's all in yellow code.

The yellow to me is a pretty clear indicator that Neo is not in the Matrix but in the Source. There's a clip at the very end of the trailer where Neo is talking to someone and he says "After all these years...to go back to where it started...back to the Matrix." This would heavily imply that they aren't currently IN the Matrix.

So Neo is being kept plugged into the Source and is living a successful life in some way (he seems to be in a nice bathtub). His subconscious is trying to wake him back up, however, and my guess is that he is subconsciously creating a part of his reality - young Morpheus, young Oracle, following the white rabbit - his subconscious is trying to recreate what woke him up the first time, so he's going through a lot of familiar steps and throwbacks.

As for Trinity, my initial guess would be of course that Neo is creating her from code as well, but we see a flash of a real life Trinity plugged in, so...it's possible the Machines kept her alive and deploy her as a means to keep Neo contained at the Source instead of trying to wake up again ("The only thing that matters to you is still here.") So even after Neo becomes aware, he isn't going to leave until he can also get Trinity out.

There's also shots of both Neo and Trinity seeing other versions of themselves. Neo looks in a mirror and his RSI is shifting around to completely different looks. Trinity actually screams and splits into different looking versions of herself. I don't know if this means they are programs like Agents where they are inhabiting others, or it's just different iterations of themselves/remembering past lives (we know that that The One has been reincarnated/created several times). Along those lines this could be the machines trying to re-assimilate The One back into the Matrix but he refuses to be "reborn" because of his attachment to Trinity. I think the film will play with the idea of identity and how we see ourselves. It also seems to have themes of dealing with mental illness, and I think a lot of the movie will be representative of Neo's internal struggle.

Of course it is possible that this is a newer or older version of the Matrix (we are watching the next iteration or a previous iteration), but the yellow code and the line about going back to the Matrix makes me think that this movie doesn't take place in the Matrix where all the remaining humans are plugged into but instead a private Matrix closer to the Source (maybe a Matrix still in beta testing lol).

I know MxO played with the idea that Neo and Trinity were still in the Matrix as sentient programs - reconstructed code. The fact that we see a RL Trinity plugged in makes me think we aren't seeing just the "code" version, though there could be "constructed" versions of many of the main characters (including Trinity and maybe even Neo) along with the real versions of our two main characters.

Overall I'm extremely excited for the movie! I like the idea of it being a smaller-in-scope script focusing on Neo's internal struggle. I am onboard for the fan service of possibly going through a lot of the same things that happened in the original Matrix as a means for Neo to "wake up" again and am interested to see how meta that gets (young Morpheus appears to be showing Neo footage of The Matrix movie inside of a theater). I'm very curious to see if this will be the definitive ending to the Matrix, the beginning of a new trilogy (a la Star Wars), or a soft reset to introduce new characters for potential spin off movies/shows. Either way, the trailer looks amazing!

[Lithium]

This is the architect's second attempt to trap Neo in the source. His John Wick persona experiment ultimately failed (spoiler).

[Tbone]

This is the architect's second attempt to trap Neo in the source. His John Wick persona experiment ultimately failed (spoiler).

This time, don't you dare steal his rubber ducky.

[NoCry]

https://apple.news/AVZO3WowHNv-6-argAsQ3nw

Really no idea if this link works but basically read the pc gamer article that the film could carry on from mxo…..

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

I'm at work so this may be a bit scatter-brained, but my theories are...

The machines agreed to a tenuous treaty in Revolutions, we've all seen it. However, in the first movie Agent Smith pointed out the hatred he had for humanity, how the machines had tried many times to create a Matrix that was a paradise, but we rejected it. I think that based on the fact that humanity will no doubt have those that still want to exterminate the machines, and the machines will still need some form of power to survive, there's still going to be hatred between the two. I mean, can you really have most of your species enslaved in the Matrix and be used as a battery and forgive the AI that did it, ever? Probably not without some serious changes in the way the machines handle humanity above-ground. Even then, it would be a long struggle to keep the peace.

Point is, it will continue to be tenuous and the logical thing for the machines to do is to prepare for the next iteration of The Matrix. Only this time, they'll want to continue to become "exceedingly efficient" and not just at exterminating the real-world humans. To eventually enslave all of humanity inside of The Matrix, they're going to have to improve that end, too. If they're going to do that and win, they have to solve the problem of The One for good. What better way than to experiment on Neo? They have his body locked away in the machine city, so who's to stop them? What better way to beat The One than to find ways to suppress his powers or to somehow prevent his showing up in The Matrix all together?

So, it may be that they're trying to find his trigger. What happens to wake him up? How many ways can he wake up? So, they're testing those blue pills to suppress his memories or to sort of put him to sleep. They're separating him from his powers, then using something to "wake him up" again, and testing their ability to shut him back down.

This is where Trinity comes in. She's the catalyst in "The Source" during testing. Tbone, I think you nailed it with the yellow tint. They aren't in the matrix the whole time. The machines realize eventually that they have to inject him back into The Matrix because humanity is being freed at way too high of a rate for the machine's liking. They need batteries, after all, right? I mean the Architect did say there were other ways of survival they were prepared to accept, but they hadn't done so for some reason. It's less desirable, right?

So, as they're experimenting on Neo, perhaps using Trinity to wake him up, they realize that a solid way would be to use Neo against humanity in a way. Inject him back into the Matrix "back where it all began." Push those blue pills on him. Perhaps part of this whole thing with The Source testing Neo is also a realization by the machines that keeping him inside The Matrix, but "asleep" on those blue pills will keep "The One" from showing up again, since he's still technically there. And we learned of the whole "balance" thing, with Smith, so it makes sense that a second "one" couldn't manifest as long as Neo is still there, albeit with his abilities suppressed with blue pills. Manage the problem you have locked down in the machine city, available for instant termination at the most critical of times for humanity, if he should wake back up.

Maybe the machines even get greedy and start trying to have him assassinate some of the crews that are inside freeing humanity? That could explain the part where Neo says something about not knowing what's a dream or real anymore. The machines are manipulating him into being their own asset, maybe? This part is a stretch, but could lead to some interesting storylines.

Hard to say for sure on him using him as an asset part, but I do think it would give a bit more context as to the sort of "nano-bot" guy being reconstructed, seen in a scene in the trailer teasers. Perhaps that scene with Neo fighting "young Morpheus" is actually that machine, trying to use Neo's vague memories to wake him up, but as their own asset? Manipulation, either way. Maybe even just part of the testing. Can't be sure, of course!

In the end, we could see Neo getting woken up by the blue-haired character who seems to be fighting/running from agents, but the blue hair is a little concerning. It's a bit odd that "young morpheus" is wearing red in the dojo scene, but perhaps that's all part of the good/bad bad/good confusion Neo is perceiving? And the scene of Neo stopping the bullets with Trinity behind him, suggesting he at least knows her. Trinity may or may not actually be alive there, perhaps just a recreation to push Neo to fight and test him in some scenes, hard to say for sure. I just think it's interesting she has a bit of code on her face in one scene where Neo seems to be looking at her. So either it's more of him waking up, or perhaps a clue she's just code. Again, hard to say.

I do think Trinity is "physically," real-world alive, though. Maybe through one of those nano-bot created bodies we see in the teasers, explaining the weird location of her jack-in cable... Being lower down on the neck, existing in conjunction with the typical holes of a pod-born. We see others with that in the trailer, but I need to re-watch it yet again to see who all had it. It may be the "tell" of the "Source" connection type, or even just those bodies created by the machines as duplicates. Hard to say. Perhaps it is something they can remove, to create spies in the real world?

Still, "Resurrections" is a solid title. It makes me realize pretty quickly it's about more than just Neo coming back, or even Trinity, but also The Matrix itself. (Obvious, I suppose.) Perhaps a new version, based on that yellow code TBone mentioned above. The Source may have decided a new type of code is required, throwing back to Smith's comments in the first film about the rejection of the paradise versions of The Matrix, saying something to the effect of, "some think perhaps we simply lacked the ability to create the perfect world." Suggesting they still think they *could* given the right code-base and insight into humanity.

TLDR: The Machines desperately want to be prepared for the war to start again with humanity, this time wanting to solve the problem of The One, perhaps with some new code, that yellow tint being a solid hint... I'd agree with Tbone there. Trinity will be a "catalyst" for waking up and shutting down The One. Neo may even be used as a machine asset for a time, whether through simply existing inside of The Matrix as measure to keep a new "One" from emerging, or to actually take down crews that are freeing minds, breaking moral. -But humanity will get him out, realizing the machine's plans, while trying to prevent war again as well. How they'd get his physical body from the machine city is an entirely different concern, of course.

[Tbone]

Some further evidence that we are not in the Matrix but in a private simulation:

-Groff's character (guy at the very end) has the initials DM on his desk. We also see Neo running through a hallway of a building titled "Deus Machina". This would imply Neo has direct access to Deus Ex Machina (face swarm entity at the Machine City) from within the simulation. Previously Neo had to go to the Source to reach this entity, so it would stand to reason he is still at the Source. He might actually be in the virtual "Machine City", where all programs live and exist until exiled or deleted.

-Neo and Trinity seem to be fighting just about everyone. There are people with glowing eyes of Matrix code. This could mean that everyone else is either an NPC or a program. There are no other "red pills" in this simulation - only Neo and potentially Trinity. This means even fake-Morpheus and others are part of the Machines' attempt to control Neo. The biggest hint is that one Redpill has blue hair, so perhaps she isn't a Redpill after all. Fake Morpheus also sports a yellow gi, the color of the source code.

-Trinity's body is plugged in differently than the typical Matrix jacks. It's going into her neck instead of her head. The tube looks different. The pod looks different. Maybe the Machines have just evolved their tech and this is further into the future than we think or maybe she's not plugged into the Matrix but plugged into something else.

-In the teaser trailers we see what looks like Fake Morpheus being created in the Real. Humans are already grown in fields, so why try and create a full adult. Maybe this is just the way Machines communicate with each other in the real and they're just talking about the character, or maybe it's proof the character is fake.

Evidence against

-Neo's RSI (and probably Trinity's as well) has clearly been modified, as he appears as an old man that is NOT Keanu more than once in mirrors. The implication here is that the Machines have masked Neo's code so that Redpills are unaware he is in the Matrix. Everyone else sees him as the old man, even in "code" form. The question is, why would you need to disguise Neo if he's in his own private simulation or the Machine City simulation? Trinity also sports a completely different look when she screams and splits into multiple versions of herself. At least two of those versions look nothing like her. So they are both disguised, which would explain why they don't instantly recognize each other (along with whatever brain washing the Machines have done).

-There are brief shots of hovercrafts so we know Redpills are still involved in some way. Perhaps they are hacking into Machine City to try and retrieve Neo or maybe Neo is in the Matrix. We see no shots of humans in the Real other than Neo and Trinity in pods, however. We also may see a shot of Zion in ruins (hard to tell), which would beg the question where did the humans go?

[Tbone]

TLDR: The Machines desperately want to be prepared for the war to start again with humanity, this time wanting to solve the problem of The One, perhaps with some new code, that yellow tint being a solid hint... I'd agree with Tbone there. Trinity will be a "catalyst" for waking up and shutting down The One. Neo may even be used as a machine asset for a time, whether through simply existing inside of The Matrix as measure to keep a new "One" from emerging, or to actually take down crews that are freeing minds, breaking moral. -But humanity will get him out, realizing the machine's plans, while trying to prevent war again as well. How they'd get his physical body from the machine city is an entirely different concern, of course.

Yeah, I could see this Source version of the simulation being a means to perfect a new power supply for the Machines. They're basically trying to skip the growing part and start their batteries out at full power (adults). The biggest hint at that is Fake Morpheus's form appearing out of machines in the Real in the teaser. Looks like some sort of nano-bot Westworld stuff:



So maybe they are using Neo to try and perfect their simulated humans. Perhaps this is the alternate forms of power the Architect alluded to in the original trilogy. Or maybe Neo himself is powerful enough to be a valuable fuel source, though that would be a hard "pill" to swallow.

Maybe this all takes place within Neo's brain and the Machines are just trying to RESURRECT him and they realize plugging Trinity directly to Neo as a direct connection is the key to reviving that part of his brain that they want. I'm trying to find a justification as to why the Machines willingly saved Trinity and plugged her in with Neo. This does give a connection to the movie title!

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

There's a new promo video out today, with audio verifying "old code." This may flip the script a bit, suggesting the Matrix has new code and Neo/Trinity are old code?

https://youtu.be/qyAFpnL3s4M

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

Ok, more to pick apart....

song in the trailer: (I'm sure many noticed the lyrics about the white rabbit, etc. but I thought it was worth looking more into the song itself.)
There's an interview with Grace Slick, of Jefferson Airplane, where they mention that the final line of the song "Feed your head" was intended as a call to "liberate brains as much as the senses." -Obviously, freeing minds was always a huge thing in the Matrix. But, maybe using that song was more than a choice because of that tidbit? Maybe the song was chosen to signify that the concept is still alive and well in this time, whenever it takes place. Perhaps even going so far as to separate the mind and body connection that was always there in the original trilogy?

 I'm having trouble with the fact that the blue-haired character (more on her below) has blue hair but seems to be crew. If the Red pill / red theme was to free a human mind, is the blue pill for convincing a mind to disconnect from the body and trust the Matrix now? Maybe that's the key here, getting Neo to let go of the remains of Trinity's code, whatever is left behind. Once he lets go, he can be reborn in a new body alongside Trinity. (See below for more on that too.)



New Promo:  The new promo talks about "old code," so for some reason there's a new version of the matrix that the crews seem to be familiar with, noting that the difference is strange, but again still "familiar."

The blue-haired character most likely is to be called "Bugs" as in "bunny," hence the tattoo of the rabbit with the 5-pointed star.

*Back to the full trailer 1:*
The five-pointed star is a symbol of the Serer religion and the Serer people of West Africa. Called Yoonir in their language, it symbolizes the universe in the Serer creation myth, and also represents the star Sirius.

A nax and A leep: (From the Serer religion)
I won't post it all here, as I feel it's a bit wordy for the point, but these highlights are from the wiki article here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serer_creation_myth#Creation_of_the_Universe)

Serers relate the creation myth and the role of *speech* in the formation of the Universe. Two terms express the mythical creation word, A nax and A leep.

"A leep" talks about the mythical "creation word" and the creation itself. The myth itself begins with "Naaga reetu reet." (So it was in the beginning...)
*In the beginning of the first film, it was all about Neo waking up. Seems to be the theme here too, of course!*

Several parts to the creation of the universe in the Serer religion, but here are the bits that seem somewhat relevant: (check out the wiki, the others may be too, I just don't have the smarts to pick it all apart quickly.)


8. the creation of humans and the first male and female couple whose children and descendants went on to populate the world;
9. the crisis that befell Planet Earth and the separation of man and animal, and why the dog became man's friend;
10. intervention of Roog and the process of divine intervention in the various stages of the creation and after the initial disorder;
11. Serer representation of the Universe – the three worlds: the invisible world from above, the diurnal terrestrial world and the nocturnal world.[16]

Now, I'm sure this is about as deep as all of the philosophy from the first movies, so I don't know that it's worth picking apart each part of the Serer religion or mythos, but there are some interesting concepts there that may hint at the story or have deeper meaning in this context.

Stay with me here, I know it's long... There's a scene in the seeming "flashbacks" that Neo has in the trailer. When he talks about the "dreams" that weren't just dreams. It shows him waking up in a pod. I originally thought that was a flashback, but now it seems to be possible it's actually something that's going to happen later, kind of how he saw the pipes and stuff leading to the machine city in his premonitions during the final film. The footage is new, if you watch it at .25 speed. It shows machines working on his body AFTER the events of Revolutions. His eyes are notably gone and there is a machine shooting a laser at his body, while others are around him as well. It also seems like there may be some of that clear goo that is used to fill up the pods with newborn babies inside, perhaps suggesting they are preparing to reinsert him, body still intact.

The next scene shows a humanoid figure sitting up, awake in a kind of pod, but it's much different than the ones from the first movie and there are only two in the scene, opposite of one another. He seems to be looking across, waiting. Perhaps to see if Trinity wakes up too?

I think this could play into part number 8 in the creation mythos. The *creation* of humans and the first male and female couple whose children and descendants will go on to repopulate the earth? It would also explain why young/fake Morpheus is being created with the nanobots in the real world for some reason. As in, there are no actual humans left or available for one reason or another.

Based on part 9, the crisis that befell the planet Earth and the separation of man and animal, and why the dog became man's friend. Perhaps it will presented as not the dog, but machine? Finally, machines may have learned mankind is somehow necessary to their survival, or perhaps the survival of the real world. Machines may now be happy living in the new matrix, hence the man who speaks to Neo about "going back to where it all began, the matrix." As Tbone pointed out, the initials on the desk in this scene may suggest that's Deus Ex Machina. I wonder if he may be referring to how ironic it is, not because Neo is going back, but maybe because the machines are considering living in the world of the Matrix. "Forms of life, we're prepared to accept." Maybe not. But I think it does at least suggest machines and humans are still trying to find a situation that works for them both.

The blue hair for Bugs still bothers me a TON. May even say it "bugs" the hell out of me. But it seems like an odd choice if it's truly not connected to the ongoing red/blue theme. Her hair being blue almost makes me wonder if the crews have a different purpose, or if she's a spy for the machines or something. I guess we'll have to wait and see on that one. So many routes that could take.

Some leaps and jumps here in logic, I realize. But man, this is all so fun to dive into again! I have to say, I'm also extremely hopeful it will be *good* because they already seem to have symbolism in each scene and are taking care to do it right.

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

Ah, one more quick note. Sirius, the star, is the "dog star" so it also ties back to Serer religion's mythos part 9 again. I do wonder if the connection between the star on the tattoo of "bugs," the blue-haired character is meant to foreshadow again about the befriending of humanity. It would be interesting to see how mending those relationships would work and a heck of a story. I just don't know what Neo's part would be, other than sort of freeing him to show humanity that the machines will do anything they can to care for humanity now?

Yoonir (Sirius) is the Serer representation of the Universe and the transcendence, as well. Interesting it became known as the "dog star." The star itself was known to mark the coming of the "dog days" of summer for the ancient Greeks, too. And the flooding of the Nile for the Egyptians, a time of celebration, with such an event representing life for them.

Fun stuff.

[Tbone]

There's a new promo video out today, with audio verifying "old code." This may flip the script a bit, suggesting the Matrix has new code and Neo/Trinity are old code?

https://youtu.be/qyAFpnL3s4M

Yeah, this would suggest wherever Neo is, the freed humans have a way to at least scan the code and check it out. This supports the theory that this is a new iteration of the Matrix and Neo and Trinity code is being masked.

Also I think all the "flashback" flashes are actually new footage. Even Trinity in the room when the cops rush in - her outfit is slightly different.

We also definitely see new footage of both Neo and Trinity in the Real - whether in pods or being worked on.

[Tbone]

Theory after watching the new "Zion" trailer:

Theory: The Matrix stores a backup of your code every time you jack in. This is essentially the digital you. At least Zion both probably the Machines and Exiles as well have probably found a way to access these backups and "Resurrect" digital versions of people from this code.

The resurrected code, however, needs a host. Of course Agents were always able to do this, and so this code can do the same - hijack anyone plugged into the Matrix. The Machines know how valuable Neo's code is and discover they can effectively hide and subdue it by keeping it in a Bluepill host. They potentially do the same to Trinity. After being hidden into a Bluepill host, Neo's memories are suppressed but the host he's in knows something is not right and Neo is slowly gaining control of his host and getting memories back.

Morpheus is dead (killed in MxO). Zion has his code, however. In the Animatrix Zion had experiments to reprogram Machines to by sympathetic to humans. The "fist bump" machine is most likely one of those and have probably been helping and giving access for Zion to some of this tech. They use it to put Morpheus' code into nanobots which might be the only way for him to take over a host and jack in. Zion not only finds Neo and Trinity's code but also discovers their bodies have been repaired and are plugged in (not sure why).

Neo and Trinity are told they are just code by Zion and that there may be a way to reunite the body with the mind and live again in the real world. They need to find whatever is using their shells or wherever their shells are and hijack them back. Bugs at some point lets Trinity use her as a host to aid in this. It's possible that Morpheus lets Neo hijack the nanobots. Not sure on the details, but essentially Neo and Trinity are trying to reconnect with their true selves and are potentially hopping around others that are connected to do it.

MEANWHILE someone or something is also piggybacking on Bluepills to try and stop them. I imagine the Machines (or an exile) studied Agent Smith's viral code and created their own version as a weapon, allowing them to control many hosts at once without relying on individual hopping like the agents.

[Tbone]

Another angle of some of my theory:

The movie is about grief. Lana had the idea for it after the loss of her father. Neo, grief-stricken with the loss of Trinity, just asks the Machines to be left alone and forget about the whole thing. Zion finds Neo in the simulation, however, and they create a Morpheus program to try and help Neo remember. But they don't know that Neo doesn't want to remember.

Neo is so powerful that he can change things in the Matrix. Once his subconscious starts to come out, his grief creates Trinity to cope. In the real world this would just be a mental issue. In the Matrix, where everything is in the mind, Trinity is manifested out of thin air by Neo. In this sense, Trinity is just an extension of Neo.

It's possible the movie goes through the stages of grief:

1. Denial and isolation - Neo chooses to forget everything and live in isolation inside the simulation

2. Anger - Upon getting his memory back, Neo and his mind-Trinity lash out at the system, potentially threatening the truce and the people still jacked in.

3. Bargaining - Neo comes up with a plan to try and get Trinity inside her body in the real world - he perhaps strikes a deal with the Machines to do it.

4. Depression - Plan doesn't work. The full weight of the loss of Trinity finally hits Neo.

5. Acceptance - Some sort of resolution where Neo is able to find some peace or at least learn to let go.

There is also a possibility that the ENTIRE movie is in Neo's head or in a "therapy program" to help him deal with his grief. Everything and everyone could be symbolic of different sides of Neo. A quote from someone who apparently saw the movie (no spoilers other than theme, but be warned if you are even wary of that):

I cannot tell you what this film is about, but I could explain what it is not. It's certainly not yet one more sequel, but something autonomous that contains however the three Matrix that preceded in a really ingenious way. It's a very beautiful and weird creation. It also achieves a couple of things that we do not see in action films, meaning it subverts the rules of blockbusters."

So the movie could just be Neo coming to terms with everything that happened in the original trilogy and end up being a lot more of an internal, trippy, psychological experience than just a rehashing of the original Matrix plotlines.

It's possible Neo could be that bad guy of the film. He sees Trinity wherever he goes and is actually turning people into her inadvertently or purposely as a means to hold on to her. The "green eyed" people is either the Machines trying to prevent Neo from destabilizing the system or possibly even Neo's mental manifestation of Agent Smith as he relives his trauma. Basically Neo is dealing with some mental shit and it's manifesting as harmful things within the simulation.

[Tbone]

One more day before I see the movie, so we'll know all soon! This new clip, however, seems to confirm my theory that Neo is code that is being hidden/unknowingly hijacking Bluepills:

https://youtu.be/pt7wJpR-SuM

[Tbone]

Time to see what I got right and what I got wrong with my theories.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR MATRIX RESURRECTIONS
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Unfortunately almost all of my theories didn't pan out as the movie took a more simple and yet meta approach, but let's discuss one by one!

INITIAL TRAILER THEORIES

Neo is not in the Matrix but somewhere in the Source..

No, he's just in a new version of the Matrix, though his body was plugged into somewhere special. This was based on the yellow code which wasn't even used in the movie as well as Groff's character saying they're going back to the Matrix, which was actually in reference to a video game.

Neo's subconscious is manifesting in code.

I SORT OF got this right. Morpheus is created by Neo as a means to subconsciously wake himself back up, though the rest of it isn't created by Neo.

Trinity is being used by the Machines to keep Neo from waking up again.

Nailed this one!

Neo and Trinity inhabiting others/having identity issues.

Eh, no...not really. I mean yes, they are being masked by bluepill code that makes them look different, but they aren't code hopping around to different bluepills. It's just a mask of their code, essentially. Trinity fading into code as well as splitting into multiple people was a huge misdirect from the trailers.

The Machines are trying to perfect simulated humans as an alternative power source.

No. This came from nanobot Morpheus. My alternative theory was that Neo himself is powerful enough to be a valuable fuel source, which I thought was a stretch, but turned out to be true in a vague way.

It all takes place in Neo's brain as the Machines attempt to resurrect him, using Trinity as the key to being successful.

While the movie doesn't take place in Neo's brain, there is a scene of the Machines attempting to resurrect him and Trinity is the key to doing it successfully, so this theory had some legs but didn't quite hit the mark.

Zion trailer theory: Main characters are code being resurrected by various people and attempting to reconnect with their bodies.

An interesting theory that was completely incorrect. Several Trinity shots in the trailers were just complete misdirects.

The movie follows a pattern of grief.

No, not really. It certainly doesn't end that way. Maybe denial, anger, and bargaining, but then it just moves towards a happy ending.

Could Neo be the bad guy accidentally causing harm with his grief?

Nope.

THINGS I GOT RIGHT

-Neo created Morpheus.
-Trinity is being used to keep Neo in the simulation.
-Neo is a valuable source of energy.
-The Machines used Trinity to get Neo to accept his resurrection.

Everything else was fun to think about and probably would have made for a better movie (lol), but they hid the meta element pretty well.