Daily Dialogue — April 20, 2015
Cypher:[answering the phone] Hello Trinity.
Trinity: Cypher? Where’s Tank?
Cypher: You know, for a long time I thought I was in love with you. I used to dream about you. You’re a beautiful woman Trinity. Too bad things had to turn out this way.
Trinity: You killed them.
Apoc: What?
Switch: Oh God.
Cypher: I’m tired, Trinity. Tired of this war, tired of fighting… I’m tired of this ship, being cold, eating the same goddamn goop every day. But most of all, I’m tired of that jack-off and all his bullshit. [jumps on Morpheus] Surprise asshole, I’ll bet you never saw this coming. Did you? God I wish I could be there when they break you. I wish I could walk in just when it happens so right then you’d know it was me.
Trinity: You gave them Morpheus.
Cypher: He lied to us, Trinity, he tricked us. If you’d told us the truth, we would’ve told you to shove that red pill right up your ass.
Trinity: That is not true, Cypher, he set us free.
Cypher: Free, you call this free? All I do is what he tells me to do. If I had to choose between that and the Matrix, I choose the Matrix.
Trinity: The Matrix isn’t real.
Cypher: I disagree, Trinity. I think the Matrix can be more real than this world. All I do is pull a plug here, but there… you have to watch Apoc die.
Trinity looks at Apoc.
Apoc: Trinity.
Cypher pulls his plug.
Switch: [rushes to Apoc’s body] No.
Cypher: Welcome to the real world huh baby?
Trinity: But you’re out Cypher, you can’t go back.
Cypher: Oh no, that’s what you think. They’re going to reinsert my body, I go back to sleep and when I wake up I won’t remember a goddamn thing. By the way, if you have anything terribly important to say to Switch, I’d suggest you say it now.
Trinity: Oh no, please don’t…
Switch: Not like this. Not like this.
Cypher pulls her plug.
Cypher: Too late.
Trinity: Goddamn you Cypher!
Cypher: Don’t hate me Trinity… I’m just the messenger. And right now I’m going to prove it to you. If Morpheus was right, then there’s no way I can pull this plug. I mean if Neo is the One, then there would have to be some kind of miracle to stop me. Right? I mean how can he be the One if he’s dead? You never did answer me before if you bought into Morpheus’ bullshit. Come on, all I want is a little yes or no. Look into his eyes, those big pretty eyes and tell me… yes or no?
Looks at Neo, tears slightly visible in her eyes.
Trinity: Yes.
Cypher: No! I don’t believe it!
Tank: Believe it or not, you piece of shit, you’re still gonna burn!
— The Matrix (1999), written by Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Betrayal. Today’s suggestion by James Schramm.
Trivia: In the first 45 minutes of the film, Neo (Keanu Reeves) has 80 lines. 44 of these lines are questions, just over half of his total dialogue, averaging at roughly one question per minute.
Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by James: “No one saw this betrayal coming and it is the critical turning point that leads to a thrill-ride of a climax.”
If you have a suggestion for this week’s theme, please post in comments.