The Matrix Resurrections looks to be taking the best elements from The Matrix trilogy to create a whole new story that feels both organic and logical to the overall plot. To do this, there are many nods to the past movies in the trailer, including Neo training with Morpheus in the dojo and Neo stopping bullets with his hand. For the most part, the trailer's homages are easy to notice. However, one may be hiding in plain sight and could be the answer to all of the questions that have arisen.

In the Matrix Resurrections trailer, Neo is seen with a therapist who helps him through what appears to be an identity crisis. While fans know that the strange feelings and visions he's experiencing are from his life as Neo, the therapist tries to quell his concerns by making him think that nothing's wrong. During the scene, a black cat is shown walking across the therapist's desk. Next to a bust of a head, there's also a small orb with a corkscrew-like object on the inside. This may look like a harmless paperweight but what lies within is eerily similar to a device that the machines use, known as a bug.

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The Black Cat in The Matrix 4 trailer

Bugs were introduced in the first Matrix movie and are small, pill-sized probes that expand into large, shrimp-like machines. Once introduced, one burrowed into Neo's navel following an interrogation from the film's villains. Its purpose is to track humans, aka bluepills. In the Matrix, the bluepills are people who aren't aware they are still within the machine and connected to the powerplant that feeds on them. Neo has the bug extracted by Morpheus' crew before escaping from the Matrix.

While it's doubtful that the object on the desk is a literal bug, it may allude to the true intentions of the machines. For example, they may be probing his mind to see what he knows or how he has returned. Since Neo doesn't fully remember his past life, this also coincides with a similar reaction he had when he was first infected. Upon getting the bug placed in his system, he awoke in his apartment, wondering if he had a bad dream. The same scenario could be happening again, with him forgetting major parts of his day-to-day as the machines probe his subconscious for answers on how to kill the humans.

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What adds even more credence to the theory is the symbolism surrounding the therapist's desk. The Matrix is a franchise built on symbolism, and after years of popularity, it can now use previous moments as inspiration for the future. For example, the black cat was the totem used to describe the deja-vu event Neo experiences in The Matrix. When in the simulation, deja-vu represents a glitch in the Matrix and that something was changed. Seeing the cat in the trailer adds to this because if the machines are truly probing his mind, there may be many glitches keeping him from remembering the truth.

The Matrix Resurrections trailer has undoubtedly raised more questions than answers. However, in looking to the past, clues to the future may be hiding in plain sight. By seeing the objects on the therapist's desk, fans may be able to contribute their knowledge to help Neo realize who he really is and free his mind. But with nothing confirmed, it's hard to tell which theories are real and which are simulations of their own.

To see what mysteries lie ahead, watch The Matrix Resurrections Dec. 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.

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