Neo & Trinity

Of all the diverse characters in the Wachowski Brothers’ “The Matrix,” Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) remains my favorite character. What a welcome relief to have a woman as a central and fully-realized hero, rather than simply the love interest. Trinity’s athletic skills and computer savvy rank her alongside the other technical wizards in the Nebuchadnezzar rebel ship. She is second in command to Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and like the tough and competent Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) character in the Aliens franchise, her gender does not preclude her from taking command. Her authority does not diminish her feminine characteristics, and she is able to tap into her intuition, and also finally does fall in love with Neo (Keanu Reeves). Nonetheless, she manages her feelings to serve the larger needs of their mission, and like any good soldier, she understands that she may need to sacrifice her own life, for the greater aims of the rebellion. Last but not least, Trinity combines all these qualities into a convincing and complex woman, not an ingnue or a damsel in distress. Without her kiss and her unflagging belief in him, Neo may never have woken to his destiny and stopped the machines from overtaking the world.