“ You do not truly know someone until you fight them.
”― Seraph[src]
Seraph[1] is a supporting character in the second and third films of The Matrix Trilogy. He is portrayed by Taiwanese Hong Kong based martial arts actor Collin Chou.
Biography
History
Seraph's program code appearance.
It is known that when Seraph came to the Matrix he began to work for the Merovingian. When he was working for the Merovingian the Oracle approached him and asked him to protect her. Ever since, the Merovingian has seen him as a traitor. At some point in the past, he also eluded and even defeated Agent Smith.
A program that appears as a human of Asian descent, Seraph behaves as a guardian, similar to a computer login screen, to protect access to more important programming; it challenges anyone for the proper credentials. In this case, Seraph fights the challenger, allowing those with sufficient fighting skill (and the rightful reasons to access) to meet the Oracle.
If you look at the colour representation in Revolutions, gold = hardware, and green = software. Just from these observations it can be said that Seraph is not an operating system (Matrix) program which is green, but a hardware program, firmware, which is gold. That is why he is virtually unbeatable, because programs running in hardware are always faster and more efficient than programs running on the operating system.
The Arrangement with Neo and The Oracle
Neo is summoned by the Oracle and arrives at a tea house, where Seraph waited. Seraph apologizes to Neo in advance before launching a furious attack to test Neo's true skill, and as such his authenticity as The One.
After Neo proves his capabilities of handling himself in combat, Seraph then leads Neo to the Oracle, who is sitting on a bench in a playground within the Matrix. As the Oracle speaks with Neo, Seraph guards and watches The Oracle to prevent any source of danger from appearing and harming her. After Neo's conversation with the Oracle, Seraph then takes the Oracle back through the door from where they entered from leaving Neo with his new quest.
Battle for Restoration
Seraph is apparently unable to ward away an event that cost the Oracle her "shell" or avatar that most of the Zion operatives were familiar with (not realizing that the Oracle is actually a program and not a bluepill). The event left the Oracle with a different appearance and Seraph was apparently needed for other purposes.
While Neo was trapped within Mobil Avenue, Seraph contacted Morpheus from the Matrix to the real world saying that the Oracle would like to speak with him and Trinity. After revealing her new shell to Morpheus and Trinity, the Oracle tells them about the Trainman and that he is the one that can free Neo from Mobil Avenue.
Seraph, Morphues, and Trinity about battle with the Club Hel guards.
Once reaching the subway, the three of them manages to find the Trainman but he escapes to Club Hel and tells The Merovingian about the situation. Once Seraph, Trinity, and Morpheus realize that they must find the Merovingian, the three of them go to Club Hel.
Seraph, Trinity, and Morpheus moving across the dancefloor while looking for the Merovingian.
Before entering the underground club, the three of them battle against exile guards and some of the Merovingian's henchmen. After the battle, they enter the club and move across the dancefloor while wielding their guns and looking for the Merovingian. The Merovingian appears from the upper level and tells them that the three of them must give up their weapons in order for them to talk. Seraph, Trinity, and Morpheus do so and go upstairs.
Seraph held at gunpoint by the guards while Trinity speaks to the Merovingian.
Once on the second level, the three of them find the Trainman, Persephone, and more of the Merovingian's guards. The Merovingian makes a proposition that he will allow the Trainman to release Neo if they give him the eyes of the Oracle. Trinity, outraged by the offer, attacks the guards around her and Seraph and Morpheus join in with the struggle. The fight ends with Trinity holding a pistol to the Merovingian's head saying that all of them will die at that moment if Neo is not released. After Persephone persuades the Merovingian to listen to Trinity, he agrees and Neo is set free.
Ambushed by Smith
Smith speaking to Seraph before he assimilates him.
After the conflict in Mobil Avenue, Sati was released and was left in the Oracle's care. Seraph continued to guard the Oracle and Sati. After Neo was released from Mobil Avenue, Seraph was told to watch Sati. While they were leaving the Oracle's apartment, the apartment hallway lights started to turn off. Agent Smith, who is now a virus in the Matrix, revealed himself to be the cause of this event and Seraph grabbed Sati and tried to escape from Smith. They entered an apartment room and hid there hoping Smith would not find them. Smith eventually enters into the room and after a brief talk with Seraph, he assimilated both Seraph and Sati.
The New Day
Seraph and Sati approaching The Oracle as a new dawn awaits.
When Neo's Machine City quest to bring peace between the people of Zion and the Machines is successful and the Matrix is reloaded. All programs that were possessed by Smith were then free. Seraph found Sati and both of them approached the Oracle, who was sitting on a park bench. After Sati asked if Neo will return, Seraph asked if the Oracle knew that this new day of peace would come. The Oracle told Seraph that she did not know but believed it would and the three of them stare into the sun shining down within the Matrix.
The Matrix Online
Seraph returns in The Matrix Online, originally continuing to protect the Oracle.
Interpretation
Origin
In The Matrix Online, Seraph was speculated to have been originally a Seraph, exiles that were former Agents of one of the previous Matrixes. He became employed by the Merovingian when he was exiled into the Matrix, and had his wings torn out due to betrayal.
A Possible Previous 'One'
An existing theory on the origins of Seraph is that he was, at one time, one of the 5 original 'Ones', this based on the observation that he appears to be nearly equal in combat ability to Neo.
Seraph's name has its origins in the Judeo-Christian Seraphim. These are angels that, in the Christian angelarchy, are of the highest rank. An observation made by some fans is that, through the eyes of Deus Ex Machina, Neo appears angelic and fiery. This ties back into the religious angelarchy as the Seraphim, being angels, are synonymous with fire, their title literally translated as "burning ones".
Seraph was of the same fiery golden color, this color being symbolic of spirit in the Matrix, which is a further indicator that he may have once been a human or 'One'. Also, as God's guardians, the Seraphim were said to have 6 wings upon them, 2 guarding their feet, 2 their face and 2 they used to fly. This is important to note, in that there were 6 'Ones' in total, Neo being the sixth and final.
Also important is that the Smith that assimilated the Oracle was likely the recently assimilated Seraph, noting the final exchange of words between this Smith and the Oracle, which were as follows:
“ Oracle: "What did you do with Sati?"
”
Smith: "Cookies need love like everything does."
Oracle: "You are a bastard."
Smith: "You would know, Mom."― The Oracle[src]
Assuming that the Smith in question was once Seraph, and that Seraph, himself, was once a 'One', the use of the word Mom is important when considering the Oracle's role in the creation of the current model of the Matrix, which was running through its 6th time. The Oracle was literally the creator, or mother, of the Prime Program (The Path of The One). She created it in order to suppress the anomaly, the rejection of the Matrix program by 1% of the population, that existed in the architects current incarnations of the Matrix.
So, in considering the above, assuming that Smith was Seraph, a 'One', it would be entirely proper for him to call her Mom (A side note, a comparative example of an assimilated programming speaking through Smith was in Smith's and Neo's final fight. Smith, being the assimilated Oracle, tells Neo, "Everything that has a beginning, has an end, Neo." It was only ever then that Smith called Neo by his preferred name, implying that it was, in fact, the Oracle directly speaking).
Also interesting is the Smith-assimilated Seraph's exclamation, "Cookies need love like everything does" (Although this is quoting Sati, she has learned of cookies through the Oracle). This is of interest in that cookies were believed to be important in the relationship between the Oracle and Neo, or the 'One'. Food is known for its transfer of information in the Matrix and it is believed that the Oracle's cookies were used for transferring important information to Neo, possibly the programming which makes Neo the 'One'.
Furthermore, in support of Seraph's possible previous incarnation as a 'One', it is known that particular humans can be rebirthed in the Matrix after their physical bodies have ceased. An example of this would be Trinity's rebirth in the Matrix (Also composed of golden code), as it was revealed in The Matrix Online that both she and Neo (and discernibly all other 'Ones') were a cumulation of decades of Machine research into translating human DNA perfectly into Machine code, allowing them to interface directly with technology without the need for simulated interfaces. This program was called The Biological Interface Program and was created by the Oracle (Further solidifying the Oracle as mother of the 'Ones').
In compliance with the above information, it is implied that Seraph once worked for the Merovingian, which would be fitting if he was reborn in the Matrix. It is likely that, just as Neo did when he first entered the Matrix through TBI, Seraph would have 're-materialized' at Mobil Avenue (the train station), the departing from which reaching was only possible by riding the train. The train was run by the train master and the train master was under the control of the Merovingian. Ultimately, Seraph would have been led to the Merovingian, leading to his working for the Merovingian.