10 Amazing Character Moments In The Matrix Trilogy
5. Morpheus - Holding Off Agent Smith
All bets were off in the first Matrix film. We didn't know who was going to live, die, or reveal themselves as a traitor (except Cypher, that was obvious). But in regards to Morpheus, the aged mentor, there was a genuine possibility on the first viewing that he was going to fall at the hands of Agent Smith. And he sort of does...
After seeing The Oracle, the unplugged are ambushed and all their exits are blocked. With Agents closing in, Morpheus sacrifices himself so the others can escape. His headbutt through a wall onto Agent Smith is a delightfully absurd moment, but we should take note of how much this displays Morpheus devotion.
The fight with Agent Smith is a brutal one in which Smith bests Morpheus so easily it's unfair to watch - think Hulk vs. Thanos in Infinity War.
This scene comes shortly after The Oracle warned Neo that Morpheus might be a misguided in his search for The One, and that it could also be a fruitless endeavour. Watching him get floored by Smith is actually quite heartbreaking when you consider the possibility that he is fighting for a lost cause.
But Morpheus endures, and even when he's beaten and bloody on the ground he doesn't give up. Were it his last stand, it would have been a mighty one.