Bollywood: The Matrix: Why Neo Fails His First Jump (Despite Being The One)

Why does Neo fail his first jump in The Matrix despite being The One? After Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) introduces Neo (Keanu Reeves) to the matrix's illusory nature, he asks operator Tank (Marcus Chong) to load a jump program. Morpheus then asks Neo to leap off a tall building and proceeds to demonstrate the act himself by landing on a roof across the street. Since the matrix is merely a construct, certain aspects like the rules of gravity can be altered or done away with. Despite understanding this, Neo is unable to succeed in the jump and falls, which is a source of much disappointment to Mouse, who expected him to demonstrate special abilities as The One.

To understand why Neo failed, it's important to look at the nature of the matrix and the jump program. Designed to be run within the construct as a training simulation, the program allows freshly-liberated redpills to explore their abilities to manipulate certain parameters or rules within the matrix. This is similar to the sparring program, wherein trainees overcome self-limitations in terms of strength, agility, or the ability to move in ways that defy the rules of gravity. While it is explicitly mentioned no redpill has ever made their first jump, latent expectations prior to Neo’s jump took root due to the fact Morpheus believed him to be The One.

A visceral psychological barrier in the form of the fear of heights is an integral part of the program since fear of falling is a common human reflex. In The Matrix's first act, when the Agents are pursuing a pre-redpill Neo, he is shown contemplating evasion by climbing through a window in his high-rise office. However, Neo does not go through with this escape plan, as a natural fear of heights kicks in. When Neo makes his first jump he subconsciously harbors those same instincts, which prevents him from succeeding on the first try. It is also important to note redpills are more prone to succeed on the second try because the street floor is programmed to negate high-speed impact - essentially removing the fear of death from the trainee’s conscious mind.

Moreover, the script for The Matrix points to the fact the jump program is an essential step in training redpills to “free their minds”, a deprogramming technique designed to negate preconceived notions about the nature of reality. As the matrix is the desert of the real, the rules of reality, along with the pre-limitations of the human psyche, do not apply in this construct. Instead, the key to absolute freedom within the matrix is reflected in Morpheus’ words before Neo’s jump:

“You have to let it all go, Neo. Fear, Doubt, and Disbelief. Free Your Mind.”

Neo gradually unlearns "Fear, Doubt and Disbelief" during the process of transformation into The One. Belief is one of the central motifs in the franchise, as it is Neo’s eventual belief he is the One that makes him so - something reflected in his conversations with the Oracle. During their first encounter, Neo was told he was, in fact, not the One, since he was not ready to shoulder the responsibility. However, once Neo accepts this role, he inevitably assumes the mantle, leading mankind to freedom by negotiating a truce with the Machines in Revolutions.

Apart from this, the reason Neo failed his first jump is explicitly answered in the screenplay, where Neo tells Morpheus the reason he did not make it is because he did not think he would. This is corroborated by the conversation that comes after, in which Morpheus states death within the matrix leads to death in reality, since the mind makes it real. Since no one had ever made their first jump, it doesn't matter Neo couldn’t either. What matters is he eventually overcame his own limiting beliefs throughout The Matrix, and embraced the mantle of The One.

NEXT: The Matrix: Why Keanu Reeves' Anderson Calls Himself Neo & What It Means

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April 11, 2021 at 05:30AM

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