Merv and his power

**MetaLogic**

After the Merovingian chose exile over deletion, how did he rise to power? I would like to see how he became the most powerful exile inside the simulation. Does anyone know?

**bannanaphone**

**MatrixRefugee**

He was most likely a powerful program to begin with: my guess was a regional master program, and I think WGAnubis suggested that the Merv was a Deus Ex Machina program (ie. the central hub of the hive-mind of Denizens). But I'd love to see more of the back story on the Boss.

Chemuel

I was always under the impression that he IS doing his job. He's programmed to run Blackwood; hence, why the Machines haven't just flat-out ruined him. He's a necessary evil. The illusion of fighting the System is just another control.

Shadow Griever

The Merovingian summed it up himself: "It is my business to know"

He was an intelligence gatherer. Possibly a CPU

**Villemar_MxO**

He confirmed recently in a Live Event that he was a former Operating System.

WGAnubis1

Persephone said she and him were one of the first to arrive. In the Strat guide and I believe in the movies as well its mentioned that in exchange for getting passage into the matrix the exile in question is heavyly endebited to him. Basicly his rise to power has been that of making favors, which ussually is giving them a chance to survive, then turning around and holding that over the exiles head long enough that he can keep them subjectated to his benifit.

**Marias**

WGAnubis1 wrote:

Persephone said she and him were one of the first to arrive. In the Strat guide and I believe in the movies as well its mentioned that in exchange for getting passage into the matrix the exile in question is heavyly endebited to him. Basicly his rise to power has been that of making favors, which ussually is giving them a chance to survive, then turning around and holding that over the exiles head long enough that he can keep them subjectated to his benifit.

The Merv is a loan shark. O_O

**Villemar_MxO**

WGAnubis1 wrote:

Persephone said she and him were one of the first to arrive. In the Strat guide and I believe in the movies as well its mentioned that in exchange for getting passage into the matrix the exile in question is heavyly endebited to him. Basicly his rise to power has been that of making favors, which ussually is giving them a chance to survive, then turning around and holding that over the exiles head long enough that he can keep them subjectated to his benifit.

Pretty much like the original Godfather, where Don Corleone takes favor requests and when he grants them he then adds, "I may call upon a favor from you in the future. That day may never come. But if it does, I expect you to grant my request" (or something along those lines...been a while since I've seen the movie).

WGAnubis1

Yep that sounds about right. It took the Don only what, 60 years to build his empire? The merv has had about 600 years, you can be sure hes built himself right in.

**GypsyJuggler**

I have the feeling that the Merv still works for the Machines. It's the best way to keep control of those programs which don't want to obey.

WGAnubis1

GypsyJuggler wrote:

I have the feeling that the Merv still works for the Machines. It's the best way to keep control of those programs which don't want to obey.

I had a conversation with GreatWyrm once about this.

Basicly, the Merv organization is the machines version of Zion, simply look at the paralells.

Machine program leaves 01.

Human leaves the matrix.

Machine program hides for his life in the matrix.

Human hides for his life in the real.

Machine program hunted down by Agents (in reloaded, the agents were more concerned about the exile then redpills)

Humans hunted down by sentinels.

Machine programs know exactly where the exiles are.

Machine sentinels know exactly where the humans are.

The Merovingian organization is a nessessary evil for the machines in that it presents their own with the same choice as the humans have, to stay or to leave. If the machines instantly deleted every program that was no longer of use to them, then their sentient AI's would suffer the same affects as humans do when their will is confined. They become apathetic, desire freedom, and throw the whole system into chaos to aquire it. The machines if they so wanted to could physically remove the portions of the matrix hardware containing the exiles code, however if they did that it would have the same affect as it does as the machines destroying Zion and the next cycle knowing about it, that no matter what they do, they are still going to be defeated. The only reason that the machines do not do this however is that it would be impossible to hide the truth from their own kind. It is far more easyer to reset the cycle for humans, because humans do not control the matrix, then it is to reset the cycle for machines who can access a single file of information and that information spread like wildfire.

The problem, and Neo put it, is choice. A sientient being needs to have the ability to choose his own path regardless of the consinquences. If that choice is removed then you suddenly destroy nearly everything that you as a civilization need to have to survive. You remove the ability to see patterns, to not see patterns, to be able to adapt and so forth.

**ZaneZavin**

The Merovingian was an operating system. This has been known for a very long time and was originally confirmed by The General. The Merovingian was in charge of running a Hades version of The Matrix. It is believed to be the second iteration. The first was heaven with the seraphim. The Machines have attempted to delete The Merovingian in the past, but they also realize that he has attained a new purpose for himself in maintaining control of the exiles. The calculation shows that overall his influence has more of a positive effect. When he gets out of control they just try to keep him in check.

WGAnubis1

ZaneZavin wrote:

The Merovingian was an operating system. This has been known for a very long time and was originally confirmed by The General. The Merovingian was in charge of running a Hades version of The Matrix. It is believed to be the second iteration. The first was heaven with the seraphim. The Machines have attempted to delete The Merovingian in the past, but they also realize that he has attained a new purpose for himself in maintaining control of the exiles. The calculation shows that overall his influence has more of a positive effect. When he gets out of control they just try to keep him in check.

Did the general explain to what extent the merv was as an OS? I mean was he the architect of the hell matrix or was he an actual Deus Ex that presided over the second matrix?

**Villemar_MxO**

WGAnubis1 wrote:

ZaneZavin wrote:
The Merovingian was an operating system. This has been known for a very long time and was originally confirmed by The General. The Merovingian was in charge of running a Hades version of The Matrix. It is believed to be the second iteration. The first was heaven with the seraphim. The Machines have attempted to delete The Merovingian in the past, but they also realize that he has attained a new purpose for himself in maintaining control of the exiles. The calculation shows that overall his influence has more of a positive effect. When he gets out of control they just try to keep him in check.

Did the general explain to what extent the merv was as an OS? I mean was he the architect of the hell matrix or was he an actual Deus Ex that presided over the second matrix?

I don't know but he confirmed it at this recent Live Event: