The Sentinels

Lore & Background

Within the context of the Matrix, Sentinels are purely physical machines operating in the real world, not inside the simulation. In The Matrix Reloaded, a Sentinel attack destroys the Nebuchadnezzar, and the Vigilant is destroyed by Sentinels while its crew is inside the Matrix. If a human is unplugged or if a ship like the Nebuchadnezzar is detected, Sentinels are dispatched to locate and dismantle the vessel.

Reader's Guide

The Sentinels operate under a strict, singular directive: eliminate human threats and preserve the Machine infrastructure. The machines send an army of at least 250,000 Sentinels against Zion, tunnelling towards the city. They do not negotiate, feel fear, or experience hesitation. In The Matrix Revolutions, a horde of Sentinels overwhelms Zion's shipyard until the Mjolnir discharges its EMP, disabling all the Sentinels present. Conflict with humans is absolute. The Sentinels are the physical manifestation of the Machines' war on freedom. While Neo and the Zion resistance fight for liberation, the Sentinels represent the crushing weight of a world that has decided humanity must be controlled or erased.

Did You Know?

• After the Deus Ex Machina agrees to Neo's bargain, the Sentinels pause their attack and withdraw from Zion.
• Neo's connection to the Source lets him affect Sentinels in the real world, though the first use of the power puts him in a coma.