Euler, Euler, Euler …

Littered with signs of heterogeneous provenance, the Matrix trilogy practically invites one to cherry pick symbols from its green garden and produce a reasonable interpretation. Judging from the number and diversity of responses to this call, from Socialist Revolution to Freedom from Religion, it seems to be rather easy to focus on a particular element of the films and fashion a compelling argument — like solving one color on a Rubik’s cube. But, can all of the signs of the Matrix be resolved in a single satisfactory explanation (yielding six solid sides)?

Zeroing in on just two of the characters, the Merovingian and his wife, one can still meander in multiple directions. As the Merovingions are among the oldest families of France, so too the Merovingian is one of the oldest characters inhabiting the Matrix. Though a direct line to Neo was not clearly claimed in the movie, one easily imagines a Freaky Friday scenario in which the Merovingian and Persephone were once Neo and Trinity, and perhaps conclude that Merv and his donna are the archetypal Adam and Eve. However, Persephone’s name more strongly suggests that the Merovingian represents Hades, which seems apt in light of his dominion over Club Hell. It has also been suggested, that the name Persephone is linked to the Mistress of the Labyrinth (an elaborate multicursal structure that nearly imprisoned its creator).

Allow me to step out onto my own limb and ask if the creators of Bullet Time really intended the trilogy to serve as a labyrinthine exercise in hermeneutics? To appropriate a quote regarding the hermeneutic circle found on the Wikipedia, the Matrix is an open-ended system of signs referring to signs referring to signs. No interpretation can therefore have an ultimate, unequivocal meaning. And so, no matter how many times a deadpan voice implores, no Eulerian path exists to successfully navigate its sea of symbols. Indeed, one could wear out more than a set of tires driving to the bottom of this mixed metaphor. And therein lies the problem — for you can take the Ferrari out of the garage, but you can’t take the garage out of the Ferrari.

Still, there’s no denying it, that Euler was a righteous dude!