TFBW's Forum

The Oracle tells Neo that his being "the One" is something he has to feel in his bones. Neo at that time doesn't believe that he is the one and, therefore, the Oracle tells him that he isn't. It isn't until he believes he is The One that he then becomes The One (thought leads to action). That is the ultimate in free will, the ability to choose for ourselves who and what we are.

But is he choosing for himself? Certainly his actions had their consequences, as they do for us all. Was it his desire to be The One? I don't think so. He didn't believe he was The One. He attempted to rescue Morpheus not because he thought he was capable of doing it, but expecting to die in the attempt -- which he did -- and in so doing, he became The One.

Even if Neo had wanted to be The One, could he choose that destiny for himself, or was it a matter of fact over which he had no control?

If the ultimate in free will is the ability to choose for ourselves who and what we are, then none of us have much in the way of it. I may select goals for myself, and I may succeed in those goals, but that only proves that I chose to be something that it was possible for me to be. I have no control over the range of possibility.