The real question of this post is too long for the subject line, so here it is:
What were the original program parameters of the programs we see as characters in the Matrix? Namely, what were programs like the Merovingian and the Oracle originally designed to do inside the Matrix?
I have a few theories, but I'd like to get your input, too. You guys have struck me as an intelligent bunch, so I can't wait to see what you think.
The Merovingian:
An idea about him took hold in my brain last night and this post is the result. I think the Merovingian's original purpose was to emulate the deeds and actions of the One. Once the "mother" of the Matrix made her discovery that 1% of humans would reject the Matrix (and, probably after the first One was discovered, did his stuff and "returned to the source") the machines figured that, if humans really needed it in order to believe the Matrix, maybe they could create a One Program that would be more logical and more controlable than an actual human One. I think this is what the Merovingian was originally created for. The fact that a program simply cannot feel emotions or make choices the way a human would eventually became the Merovingian's downfall. Thus, he's a very old program, he, in a way, used to be like Neo, and he's spent the past (3-4 One cycles?) few hundred years or so collecting power instead.
The Key Maker:
For this one, first you have to ask, who would want or need a Key Maker program? The Architect surely wouldn't... he already has access to all of the Matrix (presumably, since he created it). It's possible that the Key Maker program was not only created by an exile program, but it was created as an exile program by another program that wanted access to places it's original programming wouldn't allow. I don't think that it was the Merovingian, but it's possible. The Key Maker can allow others access to the Source and it's possible that the Merovingian kept him "prisoner" because he wanted that access. It's also possible that the Merovingian just wanted the Key Maker because that kind of access is powerful and he knew the new One would come looking for it. Perhaps he thought that Neo could offer something better in trade... like information about the Architect or the Source. Remember, the Merovingian wants more power... maybe the Architect's power even?
Persephone:
Tabitha postulated that she might have been one of the origial 23 chosen by the Merovingian (when he had his shot) to begin populating the new Zion. As a program, perhaps she was written to represent all 23. Or maybe she was created later, after the Merovingian program, to investigate human emotions and aid the Merovingian in its simulation of them. OR maybe she's an older program than the Merovingian's and was created to guide the development of the human aspects of the Merovingian's program as it was being created. (Obviously, these are all suppositions....)
The Twins:
In wondering about their original purpose, I began to think that the twins might have been early versions of the Agent program. In an earlier Matrix, say 3.0, maybe the machines realized that they needed programs specifically designed to help control those "rogue" 1% of humans that discover the Matrix and "leave" to live in the "real" world. If the twins were early Agent programs, then they're probably in exile now because the machines realized that they were too alike. They stood out amongst the other 99% of humans and were incapable of independant thought or action. For the Merovingian, controlling programs that used to be Agents would provide him with even more power.
Agents and Smith:
As a later version of the Agent program (version 6.0)
Smith, Jones, and Brown provided the Matrix with Agents that could remain in constant contact with each other as well as the controlling program and still look and behave independantly enough to blend in with the general population of the Matrix. I think Smith's words to Morpheus (in the original film) show that these programs had become too independant: "I hate this place... I have to get out. I have to get free, and in this mind is the key, my key." This desire became a driving force in the Smith program and this independance was toned down in later versions of the Agent program (version 6.1), the ones we see in Reloaded that are more closely linked... at least enough to finish each others sentences. Just one of the "upgrades" Neo noted. I think that when the Agent 6.1 programs came onlne, the other, older Agent programs (like Brown and Jones) met their fates willingly, but Smith had become so independant that he chose to stay in the Matrix that he hated just so he could face Neo again.
Seraph:
Great program. Introduces us to the backdoors of the Matrix as well as hidden levels, levels that, apparently, even the Agents don't have access to. He said that his purpose was to "protect that which matters most," but he never specified what that precious something was. I think we're led to believe that it's the Oracle, since that's who we see as soon as he opens the door, but it could also mean something more elusive like the future. After all, what does the Oracle do but "predict the future"? So does Seraph protect her? Or her purpose?
The Oracle:
Definately designed to predict future events/possibilities/results of choices made by humans. Was she also designed to investigate the human need for hope? Isn't that why the machines need to try and predict our actions? This predictive ability would necessitate the need for the knowledge of human motivations, including (but not limited to) emotion. This might be the best argument for the Oracle being the "mother of the Matrix". After all, even with the limitations of a computer program (ie. no imagination) she has enough knowledge of humans to be the best forcaster of their actions. Besides, she's always feeding Neo (and had an apartment full of kids) just like mum.
Werewolf and his pals:
The two guarding the Key Maker (remember the silver bullet?) were probably designed originally within the Matrix to would serve as diagnostic programs. Persephone said that they were supposed to clean up but ended up causing more problems than they solved. (Sounds like an early version of... just about every software program humans have ever come up with.) Their bugs made them obsolete inside the Matrix quickly, but they became invaluable to the Merovingian and probably chose exile even before they knew they were being replaced by newer versions.
Any other ideas out there?
What were the original program parameters of the programs we see as characters in the Matrix? Namely, what were programs like the Merovingian and the Oracle originally designed to do inside the Matrix?
I have a few theories, but I'd like to get your input, too. You guys have struck me as an intelligent bunch, so I can't wait to see what you think.
The Merovingian:
An idea about him took hold in my brain last night and this post is the result. I think the Merovingian's original purpose was to emulate the deeds and actions of the One. Once the "mother" of the Matrix made her discovery that 1% of humans would reject the Matrix (and, probably after the first One was discovered, did his stuff and "returned to the source") the machines figured that, if humans really needed it in order to believe the Matrix, maybe they could create a One Program that would be more logical and more controlable than an actual human One. I think this is what the Merovingian was originally created for. The fact that a program simply cannot feel emotions or make choices the way a human would eventually became the Merovingian's downfall. Thus, he's a very old program, he, in a way, used to be like Neo, and he's spent the past (3-4 One cycles?) few hundred years or so collecting power instead.
The Key Maker:
For this one, first you have to ask, who would want or need a Key Maker program? The Architect surely wouldn't... he already has access to all of the Matrix (presumably, since he created it). It's possible that the Key Maker program was not only created by an exile program, but it was created as an exile program by another program that wanted access to places it's original programming wouldn't allow. I don't think that it was the Merovingian, but it's possible. The Key Maker can allow others access to the Source and it's possible that the Merovingian kept him "prisoner" because he wanted that access. It's also possible that the Merovingian just wanted the Key Maker because that kind of access is powerful and he knew the new One would come looking for it. Perhaps he thought that Neo could offer something better in trade... like information about the Architect or the Source. Remember, the Merovingian wants more power... maybe the Architect's power even?
Persephone:
Tabitha postulated that she might have been one of the origial 23 chosen by the Merovingian (when he had his shot) to begin populating the new Zion. As a program, perhaps she was written to represent all 23. Or maybe she was created later, after the Merovingian program, to investigate human emotions and aid the Merovingian in its simulation of them. OR maybe she's an older program than the Merovingian's and was created to guide the development of the human aspects of the Merovingian's program as it was being created. (Obviously, these are all suppositions....)
The Twins:
In wondering about their original purpose, I began to think that the twins might have been early versions of the Agent program. In an earlier Matrix, say 3.0, maybe the machines realized that they needed programs specifically designed to help control those "rogue" 1% of humans that discover the Matrix and "leave" to live in the "real" world. If the twins were early Agent programs, then they're probably in exile now because the machines realized that they were too alike. They stood out amongst the other 99% of humans and were incapable of independant thought or action. For the Merovingian, controlling programs that used to be Agents would provide him with even more power.
Agents and Smith:
As a later version of the Agent program (version 6.0)
Smith, Jones, and Brown provided the Matrix with Agents that could remain in constant contact with each other as well as the controlling program and still look and behave independantly enough to blend in with the general population of the Matrix. I think Smith's words to Morpheus (in the original film) show that these programs had become too independant: "I hate this place... I have to get out. I have to get free, and in this mind is the key, my key." This desire became a driving force in the Smith program and this independance was toned down in later versions of the Agent program (version 6.1), the ones we see in Reloaded that are more closely linked... at least enough to finish each others sentences. Just one of the "upgrades" Neo noted. I think that when the Agent 6.1 programs came onlne, the other, older Agent programs (like Brown and Jones) met their fates willingly, but Smith had become so independant that he chose to stay in the Matrix that he hated just so he could face Neo again.Seraph:
Great program. Introduces us to the backdoors of the Matrix as well as hidden levels, levels that, apparently, even the Agents don't have access to. He said that his purpose was to "protect that which matters most," but he never specified what that precious something was. I think we're led to believe that it's the Oracle, since that's who we see as soon as he opens the door, but it could also mean something more elusive like the future. After all, what does the Oracle do but "predict the future"? So does Seraph protect her? Or her purpose?
The Oracle:
Definately designed to predict future events/possibilities/results of choices made by humans. Was she also designed to investigate the human need for hope? Isn't that why the machines need to try and predict our actions? This predictive ability would necessitate the need for the knowledge of human motivations, including (but not limited to) emotion. This might be the best argument for the Oracle being the "mother of the Matrix". After all, even with the limitations of a computer program (ie. no imagination) she has enough knowledge of humans to be the best forcaster of their actions. Besides, she's always feeding Neo (and had an apartment full of kids) just like mum.
Werewolf and his pals:
The two guarding the Key Maker (remember the silver bullet?) were probably designed originally within the Matrix to would serve as diagnostic programs. Persephone said that they were supposed to clean up but ended up causing more problems than they solved. (Sounds like an early version of... just about every software program humans have ever come up with.) Their bugs made them obsolete inside the Matrix quickly, but they became invaluable to the Merovingian and probably chose exile even before they knew they were being replaced by newer versions.
Any other ideas out there?