The Matrix Resurrections: 10 Biggest Questions It Leaves Unanswered
6. What The Hell Is A Modal?
By far the most confusing part of Resurrections is the introduction of a "modal," a small digital simulation created by Thomas Anderson/Neo as a video game "experiment" that's actually part of his unconscious attempt to be freed from the Matrix.
The film makes it clear that the modal is being used to "evolve" the AI of the digital version of Morpheus contained within it until he's able to escape with Bugs (Jessica Henwick), and the pair of them can then aid Neo in unplugging from the Matrix.
Wachowski could've saved audiences a headache by using another word than modal - perhaps sub-routine? - but in our real world what actually is a modal?
A quick Google search confirms that there are numerous uses of the term in the tech world, but the one that applies here pertains to an aspect of programming where a system's functionality is divided into sub-processes away from the initial intent of the primary application.
The modal made by Neo is a digital instance created from the code of his original Matrix game, operating as a sub-process with a very different design intent. Or something.