The earth is dominated by sentient machines and humans are grown in pods and connected by cybernetic implants to an artificail reality we know as the matrix. This system keeps the human mind under control, whilst the machines use the bio-electricity and thermal energy of their bodies as an energy source - effectively humans are nothing more than batteries....

This virtual world simulated by the matrix resembles human civilisation around the turn of the 21st century, a time in which human civilisation was at its pinnacle. As this environment is practically indistinguishable from reality, the majority of humans connected to the Matrix are unaware of its true nature. However, most of the central characters in the series know that it is not real, and as a result can partially bend the simulation's physical laws in order to perform apparently impossible feats within the simulation.

From what I have read there would appear to be a number of versions of the matrix, although in ligt of relevance to the films I will explore the creation of the third version, which was suspended until a way of dealing with mans unpredictable nature could be found. The solution was discovered by what the architect described as an 'intuitive programme' that was desogned to help the machines better understand the human psyche - personified and known as the Oracle. This Oracle found that 99.9% of humans would accept the system if given a subconscious choice to accept or reject the matrix. Therefore allowing the escape of the rebellious elements as they emerged created the first stable matrix. However the remaining 0.1% could eventually become a threat to the matrix, and so the problem was solved by locating the escapees in a settlement of their won called Zion.

In order to keep the inhabitants of Zion under control, they created another system of control just as artificial as the Matrix itself, and all the more insidious in its subtle manipulation of human hopes and desires-the concept of The One. The Oracle disseminated among the rebels a prophecy that one day a messiah would be born, one with the power to free humanity. It was of course a lie-The One would actually be instrumental in the continuation of the Matrix. When the Matrix inevitably began to exhibit instabilities, The One would be introduced into it. The One would then be permitted to make contact with the Zion rebels and escape from the Matrix, concentrating their attentions on The One. After a certain amount of time had passed, Zion would be attacked, and that would be the impetus guiding The One to a meeting with the Architect, who would then tell him the truth about the Matrix and his following task:

"The function of The One is now to return to the Source allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the Prime Program. After which you will be required to select from the Matrix twenty-three individuals — sixteen female, seven male — to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the Matrix which, coupled with the extermination of Zion, will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race."

The survivors would be told the prophecy of The One, but would not be allowed to know of the cycle of the Matrix's renewal, each time believing it to be around the year 2100 when they were revived, and the first time anyone had been freed from the Matrix.

The "One cycle" was put into effect, with the machines maintaining control of the system for five full cycles and five Ones. However, the sixth One, Thomas Anderson, was different from his predecessors in a way the machines had not expected. The previous Ones had all been conditioned to feel an intense connection with the human race, and had chosen to prolong the Matrix in order to prevent the extinction of the human race. For Neo, however, that connection was more romantic: he fell in love with Trinity, a hacker whom the Oracle had told would fall in love with The One. Neo rejected the rational compromise offered by the Architect to save humanity and instead made the irrational decision to save Trinity from an attack by an Agent.

Meanwhile Smith, a rogue Agent corrupted and strengthened by a previous encounter with Neo, was spreading throughout the Matrix like a virus, becoming a threat to both machines and humans. The One struck a deal with the machines — in the form of an entity known as Deus ex Machina — to destroy Smith in return for peace. The machines accepted this proposal, fearing that they could no longer control or terminate the renegade viral Smith, who had grown incalculably strong, and was known to have become obsessed with his desire to be "free" of a world and existence polluted by the "stench" of humanity. Neo and Smith battled, but eventually Neo submitted and allowed Smith to imprint over him, causing Smith to be destroyed and Neo to die.....