Week 3 Day 4: Character Climax – THE MATRIX

[Sherry Miller]

I usually work to a climax in a story when I write. And the climax usually coinsides with my characters. Now I see that a character’s climax can happen at a different time in the story as each has a separate journey. That’s proved in this scene. Cypher has gone ballistic. He’s fought, there’s no end, he’s done. Due to anger and despair, he fails to see any good in the future. He feels betrayed by Morpheus and his girlfriend. His own perspective is dark: the unfairness, the hopelessness, feeling manipulated by dark forces, and his own shortcomings of betrayal, jealousy. So, he’s flipped out and about to shoot up everything when the phone rings. Sounds loud and lonely, sets the tone, the tension. It’s Trinity and Neo. “Don’t hate me, Trinity. I’m just the messenger,” Cyher says, as if seeking forgiveness for what he’s about to do. He shoots fire, kills. And he unplugs his friends. Two die right in front of Trinity and Neo. Though he won’t pull Neo’s. Because Morpheus has that final hold on him about how important Neo is. Cypher cries out, “I’d rather live in a beautiful illusion.” “Matrix isn’t real,” Trinity tries to explain. His perspective is that the unreal world is better. Though it really isn’t. He says he thought he wanted the truth. Now doesn’t. He expresses feelings: “I’m tired of this war.” “I wish I could be there when they break ‘ya.” “Free? You call this free?” “I choose the Matrix.” Another character does blow him away, stopping him. Other characters are engaging because they try to stop Cypher. They’re still horrified by death, afraid of their own demise. They care about each other. And they still believe in Morpheus and ultimately defeating this evil. We see character depth in how they express their feelings – pronounced horror, shock, sadness, and caring.