6

Agents Brown and Jones from The Matrix were replaced by upgraded Agents Johnson, Thompson, and Jackson by the time of The Matrix Reloaded. But what happened to them?

In The Matrix Reloaded the Oracle explains that when a program faces deletion (due to replacement by an upgraded program, for example) the program can choose either to return to the Source for deletion or go into exile.

Many of the exiled programs seen in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions are programs that performed similar functions as the Agents in previous versions of the Matrix -- we see vampires, werewolves, and ghosts (e.g. the Twins) from the Nightmare Matrix and possibly angels from the Paradise Matrix (the guards at Club Hel can "fly"). Presumably, therefore, it is common for security-type programs like Agents to choose exile over deletion, so that would be my guess.

Is there a canonical source which provides any clues as to the fate of Agents Brown and Jones?

Improve this question
10
  • 1
    They both turned up periodically in The Matrix Online. Since that's considered to be canon (by some), the easiest answer is that that we simply didn't see them again.
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 20:40
  • @Richard I've seen a bit of the story from The Matrix Online but I never played it. Who were they aligned with (probably either the Machines or the Merovingian)? If they were aligned with the Machines then perhaps they weren't totally replaced (just moved back to second string), and if they were aligned with the Merovingian they were probably faced with deletion and chose exile.
    – Null ♦
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 20:45
  • 1
    Machinist faction but they got "upgraded" quite early in the cycle and didn't play much part other than periodically turning up as a non-playable baddie to attack you.
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 21:31
  • 1
    I never played it so I don't think I'm qualified to answer.
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 22:28
  • 5
    tar -cvf agent_set_3.0.tar agent-brown.exe agent-jones.exe ; gzip agent_set_3.0.tar ; mv agent_set_3.0.tar.gz /dev/DLT0
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Commented Sep 18, 2014 at 10:58

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

Agents Brown and Jones continued to work for the Machines at least until the events of The Matrix Online. They were not deleted, they were not in exile, and they were not upgraded and turned into Agent Johnson, Thompson, or Jackson.

Sources: According to Wikipedia, Agents Brown and Jones appeared from time to time in The Matrix Online. Additionally, an independent source in a forum post mentions Agent Brown questioning players in The Matrix Online (full thread here). Unfortunately, there do not appear to be any publicly available videos or screenshots of Agent Brown or Jones in The Matrix Online.

Credit goes to user Richard for the tip in the comments about their appearance in The Matrix Online.

Improve this answer
1

According to The Source Jones was either deleted or upgraded to become Johnson, Jackson or Thompson.

From a software developer's point of view, the upgrade is what makes more sense to me. You see, an upgraded software does not delete itself, it is modified... improved (in the best of cases or full of bugs in the worst of cases) but it essentially remains the same software. Just some added code for further functionality.

The other alternative is that the code of Jones was deleted and replaced by an entirely new program, but again, in the case of software, the fact that the program is called "Agent" makes me believe that it was an upgrade and not a replacement.

Improve this answer
4
  • Neo refers to them as upgrades but there doesn't appear to be any canon confirmation that they're directly related
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 18, 2014 at 21:20
  • @Richard No... no canon. But again, thinking as a software developer, Neo would be able to see the code of Johnson and recognize the original code of Jones. Thus, automatically recognize him as an upgrade and not as a brand new program.
    – MikeV
    Commented Sep 18, 2014 at 21:25
  • 2
    @MikeV Program upgrades are not conducted the same way in the Matrix as in real life, though. In The Matrix Reloaded Neo asks why a program would be deleted and the Oracle responds: "... Maybe a better program is created to replace it ...a program can either choose to hide here, or return to The Source." So I doubt the Jones and Brown Agent instances were upgraded and given new names. Besides, there's only two of Jones/Brown but three of Johnson/Thompson/Jackson because of Smith. Where did the third one come from?
    – Null ♦
    Commented Sep 18, 2014 at 21:31
  • @MikeV - Touché. That's actually quite good. Wildly speculative, obviously but also quite clever.
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 18, 2014 at 21:43

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.