“ Neo...I believe. I know it wasn't a dream.
”― Kid[src]
Kid (born Michael Karl Popper) was a Matrix-born Zion operative, and one of the very few people to have freed themselves from the Matrix through self-substantiation. He served in the Zion Military during the Battle of Zion reloading APUs and ultimately opening the gate that allowed the Mjolnir to enter the Dock and clear it of Sentinels with an EMP blast. He idolized Neo during his life, and regarded him as humanity's savior after his death, going on to found and lead E Pluribus Neo, a hard line Zionite faction.
Biography[]
Michael Karl Popper[]
Kid in the Matrix
Kid was a bluepill in the Matrix, named Michael Popper. Sometime after Neo gained his powers as The One, Popper had been receiving strange dreams about falling to his death, and at one point wonders if he was alone after typing in a chat room, somewhat aware of the Nebuchadnezzar's exploits. At one point, Popper received a cell phone from Neo, and was in the middle of class when a small group of Agents drove to Popper's school.
Kid receives a phone call from Neo stating that the Machines knew about Kid's self-awareness. After skateboarding away from the pursuing Agents and school staff, Kid eventually tries to climb up to the school roof, and deliberately falls to his death, only to self-substantiate and release himself from the Matrix. He thanks Neo, with Neo only telling Kid that he saved himself.
He was tested in the Jump program from Morpheus.
Life in Zion[]
Kid started to live in Zion shortly after his rescue. He shortly developed a hero worship of Neo; greeting him every time the Nebuchadnezzar docked at and departed from Zion. This eventually got on Neo's nerves, as Kid kept insisting that Neo saved him from the Matrix, and Neo replying that he had saved himself.
Kid wanted to join the Nebuchadnezzar, as it was the ship with Neo and it was the one that saved him.
The Battle for Zion[]
“ The Machines don't care how old I am, they'll kill me just the same.
”― Kid to Captain Mifune.[src]
Volunteering[]
Kid volunteered to be an APU ammunition loader during the Battle for Zion. During the battle preparations Kid caused an accident with the cart he was pushing, which was noticed by Captain Mifune. Mifune is harsh with Kid, citing his age as a factor. However, Kid is able to convince the Captain that the Machines do not discriminate based on the age of their enemy. Mifune approves of Kid's stance and allows him to serve but also treats him like a mature soldier.
Fighting[]
Kid during the battle
During the battle at the Dock, Kid is tasked with reloading Mifune's APU. Kid is nearly successful; however, one of the ammunition crates become jammed. And while Kid is eventually able to load the crate properly, Mifune is soon after overwhelmed by the large swarm of Sentinels that gathered to rush him.
During this time, the Hammer returns to Zion carrying an EMP but the gate is duly closed with no survivors left to control it. Kid, having never completed the APU training program, reluctantly takes the mission from Mifune to cut free the counterweights holding the gate sealed. And though the Captain lies horribly mangled and dying, he boosts Kid's morale by sharing how he never completed the training course either.
Kid climbs up the fallen Captain's APU and pilots it toward the gate. However, he is intercepted by several more Sentinels. Gripping the trigger, he sufficiently shoots them down and clears the path, noticing the cable holding the gate and the counterweight together. Immediately, Kid returns to maneuvering the APU towards the gate, fully unaware of a lone Sentinel lying in wait to ambush him.
As Kid comes into range of the chain and prepares to cut the counterweight, the Sentinel quickly swoops down to his side and attacks. Unable to react fast enough, Kid is slow to take proper aim and the Sentinel pushes down his APU. Closing in for the kill, and fortunately for Kid, the Sentinel is likewise slow to notice Zee and is destroyed by her ensuing attacks using a lightning rifle.
Kid regains control of the APU's weapons and after declaring his belief in Neo as The One, aims at the cable and successfully shoots down the counterweights. With the gate freed open, the Hammer enters Zion and proceeds to activate its EMP, allowing Zion to win against the first wave of Sentinels.
Final Showdown[]
Kid acts as one of the defenders during the final showdown with the Machines outside the temple and witnesses their retreat after Neo destroys Smith and successfully convinces the Machines to have peace. Realizing what's happened, Kid rushes into the Temple and shouts to everyone that Neo has ended the war.
A New Matrix[]
Some time after the end of the war, Kid was trained by Morpheus in a series of training programs sometime before Morpheus's demise. Shortly after, Kid was first seen spotting one of the magic boxes, with a Cypherite redpill named Cryptos making speeches about re-insertion into the Matrix. Being angered about Neo's sacrifice being for nothing, Kid, along with Shimada forms E Pluribus Neo ("From Many, Neo"), to combat the Cypherite threat.
Kid's Story is reflectively allegorical to Peter in the Bible. The Bible says Peter turned his back on Jesus before his crucifixion, and then martyred himself holding the cornerstone to the church he founded to spread the teaching of Jesus. Kid takes himself out of the Matrix through faith in Neo, and essentially chooses to be Neo's closest disciple. After Neo sacrifices himself through the Deus Ex Machina to reinsert his prime code and reset the Matrix, Kid goes on to fashion E Pluribus Neo ("From Many, Neo"). The parallel between the betrayal of Jesus by Peter doesn't occur between Neo and Kid, and the time frame of each figure's martyrdom is reversed, as is the reality each transcends.
He also later became the captain of Neo's Hope.
Trivia[]
- Kid is one of the only few known individuals to (successfully) escape the Matrix through self-substantiation (i.e. without taking the redpill).
- He is probably named after the philosopher Karl Popper.