Agent
From The Matrix Wiki
Agents are programs whose primary function is to eliminate anything or anyone that could reveal the truth of the Matrix or cause harm to its virtual reality.
Agents possess extraordinary powers to manipulate their surroundings (including superhuman strength and the ability to flawlessly dodge incoming bullets). However, Agents still have limitations, being "based on a world that is built on rules". Thus, they cannot fly (at least except Smith in the final fight against Neo), walk through walls, or perform any other actions outside the boundaries of their programming. They are programmed to keep order within the system by terminating troublesome programs and human avatars which would otherwise bring instability to the simulated reality.
Agents have the ability to take over the simulated body of any human that is a part of the Matrix, converting it into a copy of their own. If that body is killed, or an Agent needs to change its location quickly, it can assume the shell of any other human hard-wired to the Matrix in a matter of seconds. Agents also have the ability to communicate with each other instantaneously, represented via their earpieces (thus, when Agent Smith once removed his earpiece[1], he briefly severed his link with the other Agents).
[edit] Description
Agents greatly resemble (and appear to possess governmental authority similar to) Secret Service or FBI government officials with their dark green suits, dark green ties, communication earpieces, red tinted square rim sunglasses, and ordinary appearance.
Agents may appear to be human, but collectively lack a substantive personality. Agents normally work in a trio, where one agent has a more defined personality for discussions or interrogations of bluepills.
Agents are endowed with incredible agility, strength, speed, damage resistance (they feel no pain, or can tolerate a very high threshold of it), and the ability to possess other bluepills connected directly to the system (agents cannot possess redpills). The ability to possess anyone connected directly in the Matrix power plant makes any human living in the Matrix a potential Agent of the system. As such, Zion operatives working within the Matrix could encounter an agent at any time. The agents could possess any person as soon as that person spotted something they looked for; For example, once they look for Neo, once a passer-by observes him, then, an Agent can possess their body and run after Neo.
Should a Zion operative be discovered by an agent, they have only one option: Flee. Agents are so fast that they can dodge bullets from handheld weaponry (although they cannot dodge bullets fired from point-blank or high RPM weapons such as a minigun). Agents do not tire or require rest, and can bend or break the same rules of physics within the Matrix as a trained operative. Except for the extremely skilled or fortunate, agents are fatal to anyone who decides to stand up to attack them. If the operative is fortunate to defeat an agent, the agent will only possess another body to fight, and/or call on his comrades to assist. Agents, in short, are relentless.
Agents are typically armed with a .357 caliber (Desert Eagle 9 shots [the .50 caliber is a 7 shot]) sidearm. As such they are more than equipped to fight red-pills within the Matrix at range. It also gives them a simple and effective killing tool that does massive damage to anyone within the Matrix. All Smith copies are apparently armed with this weapon at the time of their infection and are trained in its effective use. Curiously, agents appear to prefer to use martial arts attacks when fighting and many choose not to use their weapon even in the pursuit of Red Pills, perhaps due to a protocol to attempt to capture them alive for interrogation.
Agents are also tasked with the elimination of Exiles, programs who no longer have a significant purpose within the Matrix. The Keymaker is apparently one such exile, as is Seraph.
[edit] History
There are two classes of agent. Neo first saw agents Brown, Jones, and Smith. Of these, Smith has a more defined personality and expresses hatred and contempt of humanity and of his work within the Matrix. He later becomes a virulent rogue agent, disconnected from the system. He psychotically chooses as his purpose the destruction of the Matrix and especially Neo.
After Neo's tranfiguration into The One, the Matrix retrieves agents Brown and Jones and deploys the upgraded agents Jackson, Johnson, and Thompson. The One's special abilities make defeating any agent, upgraded or not, practically effortless in comparison to any redpill that attempts to do so.
After the Matrix rebooted, newer forms of Agents came into existence, including the Red-Eye Agents. Another agent that was introduced into the Matrix was Agent Pace, the first female agent. Their task changed to securing that the humans would keep their part of the Truce. While they may not be the omnipresent danger for any Freemind they once were, their lethalness remains unbroken.
[edit] Appearance
The look and manner of Smith and his fellow Agents seem to be drawn from the common pool of paranoia and American pop culture. One influence appears to be the popular image of "Men In Black" and federal law enforcement agents as ruthlessly efficient automata who carry out their duties with cold precision and General American Accent.
Agents wear dark sunglasses with corners or smooth angles.
All Agents are Caucasian males (with a minor exception of female Agent Pace), which also provides a dynamic compared to the majority population of Zion, containing many diverse cultures and walks of life. The Agents simply show a blandness and an apathy for the human race, with the exception of Smith's obsession with destroying Neo and his general hatred of humans, especially their smell.
Other Agents have names like Brown, Johnson, and Thompson; common, innocuous, Anglo-Saxon names.[2]
[edit] Interpretations
- "Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet; you are a plague, and we - are the cure."
- ―Agent Smith [src]
- he is still...
- ...only Human.
the Upgraded Agents
Only Human.
Agent Jones
[edit] Notes and References
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