Although The Matrix is a movie that for the most part seems to follow the age-old script of the hero's journey, it departs from the usual cliche Hollywood interpretations in several ways. One way in which it does so lies with the development of Neo's character. Although it is true that he is the protagonist of the story from the start, and that he is 'woken' by Morpheus from the Matrix in order to save humanity from its fate, there is always a note of doubt about whether he is truly 'the One'. This doubt creates a delicate balance between Morpheus' belief in Neo, his crew's mixture of desire to believe and skepticism, and Neo's own growing wish to live up to Morpheus's expectations of him. One scene in which this is illustrated, one of my favorites, is the one in which Morpheus begins to train Neo in simulated reality. He asks Neo to jump an impossible distance with the trust that he will not fall, and those who believe that Neo is indeed 'the One' wait for him to succeed, although no one else does on the first try. However, Neo does fall, like anyone just learning to manipulate the virtual reality of the Matrix. Despite this, Morpheus continues to believe in Neo's abilities. I love this scene because it reveals two things. One, that everyone falls the first time, no matter what great future may or may not await them, and two, that we need someone to believe in us in order to for us to strive ahead.
