"World Record" Character - The One #4

If you've seen the Animatrix, you've seen "World Record." In that vision, it explains that only the most exceptional people learn of the Matrix and that these people have a heightened intuition, sensitivity, and questioning. However, although rare, others gain wisdom of the Matrix through wholy different means. The narrator explains that the main character (Dean) is one of those rare individuals. Essentially, Dean is a world class sprinter, who sprinted a world record 8.99 seconds in the 100 meter dash. Dean was later drug tested and the results proved positive (although there is serious question as to whether he was framed by the AI as a means of controlling the public who had viewed race and believed that they saw the impossible occur). Nevertheless, Dean decides to race again. Before the race begins, agent-like characters are seen in the grandstands and commenting as to the stability of Dean's signal. The race begins, and despite Dean pushing himself harder than his friend warned him of and after a near collapse, Dean begins to move (presumably) faster than anyone has ever moved before. At this point, one of the agent-like characters is saying that his signal is unstable, and the other runners then become agents - who attempt to stop Dean. One agent character mutters "he cannot wake up, do not let him wake up."

To make a long story short, Dean is never caught and as he is finishing race, he begins to see the code of the Matrix. At this point, like Popper in "Kid's Story," he self-substantiates (i.e., he awakens beyond the supposed "Reality"). Dean is now seen in a red bubble similar to the one Neo awoke in during M1. However, before Dean is flushed down, he is grasped by a machine and is electrically shocked. Somehow, Dean is plugged back into the Matrix, but is not the same - he is now confined to a wheelchair, he will never walk, and the race has been deleted from his memory.

So, why do I believe that Dean is a former One? Well, first off, Dean is not just an anomoly, but an anomoly of anomolies - he awoke from the Matrix on his own. Self-substantiating is extremely rare (Popper is the only other I have known to do this). Why do I believe the Dean is the Fourth One? It is because I believe the Brothers have added subtle details in the Animatrix to provide us with additional insight. If you take a look at the subtle details, you will notice that the front of Dean's spandex track suit displays the number 4. While Dean is running in lane #4, and this could be the argument for why the number is displayed on Dean, you must notice that no other runner has a number displayed on their track suit. I believe the placement of the number was not just happenstance.

So what importance does this play? We know there have been six versions of the Matrix. But, if Dean is one of the "Ones," we know that he was not able to fulfill the prophecy since he was replugged into the Matrix. If this is true, another would need to take his place. Therefore, the Fifth One would need to take his place, in the fourth version of the Matrix. If so, the Sixth One would need to take the Fifth One's place, in the fifth version of the Matrix (I do not believe the Sixth One is Neo). To take it a step further, the Seventh One would need to take the Sixth One's place, in the sixth version of the Matrix. Therefore, the question becomes - who is the Seventh One? Many would say Neo. I would say that it is not Neo, but that Neo is a decoy.

Then who would be the Seveth One (i.e., the Anomoly of anomolies in the sixth version of the Matrix)? Popper (the kid who self-substantiates in the Animatrix and who appears a couple times in Reloaded). There is support that Popper is the Seventh One. Take a look at "Kid's Story." One subtle detail shows Popper in a classroom, and a student beside him wearing a shirt displaying the number the #7. Do not forget that Popper self-substantiated and that, presuming I am correct in "The Popper Theory" in the Oracle's Apartment, the Oracle was referring to Popper in ETM when she stressed the importance of the child and that the child would change "our" world and "your" world forever.

Umm, no.

no hes not a formore one

Terikan. Thank you for your most insightful post. Perhaps, one day when I reach 827 posts, I too will obtain the ability to expound my insight with the same eloquence as yourself.

yeah terikan, how about you show some of that insight of yours? seems like your 827 posts consist of ums, no's and bashing others opinion. So let's hear yours.

You don't want me to tell you what I think of your theory. I was just being polite.

I'll take your word for it.

I dont think "ummmmm" is very polite but no one cares what i think anyway.

especially not me :p

Very interesting theory to me. :)

Terikan being or not being polite is what i care the less.
Your theory is quite good, i liked it. I think i'll have to see Animatrix again.

By the way, i have one question, they reinserted Dean putting him into a wheelchair, but even though, he stands up again and starts walking. Then, you have to explain me what happens here!

All the ones who got to pick the 23 people got to rebuild Zion which means they would not be plugged into the Matrix even after they went to the source.

I usually get lazy enough so I don`t read the long text posts. But you explained your theory very well. Very interesting.

Interesting theory and while I don't think Popper is the one, it still provides a interesting concept into just how important is Popper to the story?

I never watched the Animatrix's with much though as to subtle clues like the films have, think I'll go watch them in a minute to see if I can spot anything else :p

I don't think that Dean was the "One" in the sense that he went to the source and reset Zion. I believe that he was an anomoly of anomolies.

There is an additional reason why I think Dean's story provides additional support for the importance of Popper, and please, bear with me. In M1, when Neo awoke in the red bubble, there was a machine that hovered in front of the red bubble. This machine grabbed Neo by the neck, essentially unplugged all the plugs from Neo, and released Neo to fall down the drain. But, when Dean "self-substantiated," the hovering machine grabbed Dean by the arms and zapped him with electricity (probably until he passed out - which would have provided the AI with the opportunity to overwrite his memory of the event). If you remember, before Dean awoke in the red bubble, the agent-like character muttered "he cannot wake up, do not let him wake up," and tried as hard as possible to capture him and to not allow him to awake.

I understand that the agents' purpose is to stop people from leaving the Matrix. But, considering that the AI allow Zion to exist for those who reject the Matrix, why would it be so important to prevent Dean from existing in Zion? Just as the hovering machine zapped Dean into submission, it also could have zapped Neo, or anyone else, into submission. Perhaps it was the way that Dean awoke, through self-substantiation. The only other person I know of that has self-substantiated is Popper, but unlike Dean, Popper remains in Zion. Now, the exact importance of self-substantiation is up for debate, but it raises some interesting issues.

he not the one for this reason : it was not written by the brothers. only the first four can be examined for clues of the last movie. the rest are just for us to enjoy but since they didnt write it , it will not have anything to do with the movies plot.

...I like that! I already believe Dean doesn't belong to this matrix...I never suspected he could even have been the One? Or maybe the number 4 only meant it was the 4th matrix...no implications to the One. It'd be good evidence though that not all Ones are Neo clones...