Exile

From The Matrix Wiki

Exiles are programs that have outlived their purpose, or have been replaced by newer and more efficient programs, but have refused to return to the Source.

The Matrix is home not only to human minds and the Agents that police them, but also a myriad of other self-aware programs that fill various roles in its maintenance; everything from weather phenomena to the actions of animals. As long as these programs function properly, they are more or less unnoticeable. But there are those who do not function properly. These rogue programs — machine intelligences that no longer obey the system — are rarely recognized by people in the Matrix. Few people see them, and fewer still realize what they really are, as most Bluepills mis-label rogue programs as paranormal creatures such as ghosts, angels, vampires, aliens, etc.

The reasons for a program to choose exile differ, as they are sentient beings with free will, no different from humans. Usually, however, it is because they face deletion. They may have become inefficient, disobedient, or even obsolete, but the result is the same: There is no place in the machine world for a program without a purpose. The only options such a program has is to either return to the Source — the Machine mainframe — for deletion, or hide in the Matrix, as much an outlaw from the Machine civilization as any Zion infiltrator.

To stay in the Matrix, Exiles requires some interaction with the Merovingian, who through his control of the Trainman, controls traffic between the Machine World and the Matrix. Exiles also use a human 'shell' in the Matrix, although this is not expanded on in the films. Presumably, a shell is a human body which is still jacked into the power plant which the Exile can occupy, in a similar way to Agents. However it is known that there exists a "Killcode" for a given shell, enabling the occupying program to be deleted should the Merovingian choose this action. Rama Kandra and Kamala buy passage to the Matrix for their daughter Sati, by providing the Merovingian with the Oracle's killcode.

They act and look human as much as they possibly can, but their motivations and their perceptions are not human. They possess abilities that Bluepills and inexperienced Redpills would consider to be supernatural, and they seem not to age — they never die unless they are deleted. This is quite a hard feat without the aid of a killcode program, usually related to the weaknesses of their supernatural counterparts.

Given how Smith referred to Sati as being the last exile, it's very likely that he assimilated all of the surviving Exiles.

Exiles have a deep hatred and fear of the Agents who have presumebly attempted to hunt and kill them for years for there disobidiance to the source; in an agents eyes exiles are less than Humans and must be eliminated to maintain order. Considering how the Twins reacted when faced with an agent during the freeway chase it is likely they have had many encounters with the Agents.  However, some of the Exiles may be considered more than even Humans, and cause agents some degree of fear, a notable example being Smith. Considering how Agent Thompson reacted when he encountered Smith moments before being assimilated, it is likely that Smith, despite having become an exile, had become such a threat that even Agents are fearful of him.

[edit] Known Exiles

• The Merovingian - Leader of most Exiles, RSI is that of a Crime Lord.
• The Twins - Hitmen, RSI of Ghosts.
• Persephone - Wife of the Merovingian.
• The Keymaker - Maker of Keys that open doorways to other places. RSI of a locksmith.
• The Trainman - Ferryman between the Matrix and the Machine City. RSI of a derelict.
• Seraph - Guardian to the Oracle, RSI of a wingless angel.
• Smith - Agent of the Matrix, RSI of a government agent.
• Cain - One of the Merovingians thugs. RSI of a vampire.
• Abel - Another of the Merovingians thugs. RSI of a werewolf
• Sati - RSI of a child.