In the last two decades, Keanu Reeves has become synonymous with two distinct cinematic heroes; Neo from The Matrix Trilogy and John Wick from the John Wick films. One is a cyberpunk freedom fighter who can manipulate time and matter, while the other is a methodical hitman known for his headshots. Both have a penchant for wearing black, are economical with their words, preferring to let their glossy action sequences do the talking.
Their similarities are so salient that many fans have theorized they may be one and the same person, and now that The Matrix 4 and John Wick 4 are set to both be released in 2021, it’s a possibility they’re set in the same fictitious universe. If they’re two different protagonists, who would win in a fight? If they’re both in the same universe, how would John Wick prevail in the Matrix? Outside of the Matrix? Here are 5 reasons John Wick could beat Neo in a fight (& 5 reasons Neo would win).
JOHN WICK: CAN FIGHT OUTSIDE THE MATRIX
Though Neo can be considered God-like in the Matrix, outside of it he’s an ordinary man of average stamina and skills. His extraordinary abilities rely on manipulating the Matrix to his advantage, whereas in the real world, John Wick reigns supreme.
Wick’s capabilities and fighting prowess aren’t confined to a programmed virtual existence. They’re the same whether he’s in or out of the Matrix, and even inside, they’re on par with the normal agents and other operatives that plug in (besides Neo).
NEO: CAN FLY
The only operative to see the Matrix code for what it was – the building blocks of the virtual reality program the machine’s had used to enslave humanity, Neo was able to utilize its construct to engage with it as he saw fit, even flying through the air.
The normal laws of physics don’t apply in the Matrix, thereby allowing Neo to perform a variety of miraculous feats considered impossible for humans. He can jump from rooftop to rooftop to evade John Wick, or simply soar out of range of his guns if he chose.
JOHN WICK: INCREDIBLE HEALTH
Time and again, John Wick has survived being shot at, stabbed, punched, kicked, mutilated, and run over. He tirelessly continues to not only survive, but get up to keep fighting. His stamina defies belief, and is one of the reasons he’s known as the Boogey Man.
He will pursue his quarry relentlessly, only stopping to rejuvenate himself with a few stitches or a stiff drink. Even within the Matrix, Wick could probably sustain a lot heavier damage than Neo over time, if only to keep the memory of his dead wife alive.
NEO: BULLET TIME
Of all the superhuman abilities that Neo has, “bullet time” is probably one of his most useful and impressive. When Morpheus first hinted to Neo that he’d be able to dodge bullets one day, Neo didn’t realize that not only would he be doing that – he’d be able to stop them in their tracks.
Bullet time is the nickname given to the moments in the Matrix when Neo is moving faster than what’s happening around him – going into a state of hyper-awareness from whence he can manipulate and rearrange matter to his advantage.
JOHN WICK: TRAINED BY RUSSIAN MOB
Orphaned as a child, John Wick was brought up by the Ruska Roma, a criminal organization under the purview of the High Table. The Director became his foster mother, responsible for distilling in him all the assassin training he has by combining martial prowess with the grace and discipline of ballet dance.
Being raised by the Russian Mob from a very young age gave “Jardani” certain ways of looking at the world, namely that it owes a person nothing save what they can take for themselves. Wick can therefore take and dish out punishment like a champ.
NEO: KNOWS KUNG FU
Thanks to the technological possibilities in the real world when Thomas Anderson is unplugged from the Matrix, somewhere around 2199, he’s able to have every martial art conceivable downloaded into his brain. Kung fu, ju-jitsu, karate, you name it.
While John Wick is a skilled combatant in a similar vein, he can’t hope to master dozens of martial arts in what seems like minutes. What takes Wick a lifetime of training to learn, Neo can assimilate instantly, and use with even greater speed and dexterity.
JOHN WICK: MARKSMANSHIP
Neo may be able to dodge bullets, but he’s never encountered a marksman like John Wick. Not only can the elite assassin clear a room, he can take on squads of the best operatives the High Table has to offer with nothing but “guns, lots of guns”.
What differentiates Wick from his peers is his methodical approach to facing his opponent. He shoots center mass or leg to cripple, and then without hesitation enforces a head shot. He leaves nothing to chance and ensures none of his victims get back up.
NEO: TOOK OUT DOZENS OF ELITE ASSASSINS
Neo defended himself against elite assassins for three films, with the second film showing the most variety between The Twins and a smorgasbord of Agent Smith clones. He was constantly getting into fights with opponents nearly as powerful as himself.
While John Wick constantly came into contact with his peers, themselves trained as assassins in his league, they varied in the manner of opposition they represented. Even John Wick would have had a difficult time fighting dozens of Smith clones even with his stamina.
JOHN WICK: DOESN’T HAVE A LOVE INTEREST TO BE USED AS LEVERAGE
John Wick does have some weaknesses, namely his dog and his car. Take either hostage and prepare to face Baba Yaga’s wrath. But they aren’t the same as him having a love interest who could be kidnapped or killed to gain leverage over him.
Neo always had Trinity who, though she could take ample care of herself, proved to be a massive weakness for him. He would do anything to save her, and if Wick wanted to beat Neo, all he’d have to do is threaten her life to exploit his greatest weakness.
NEO: TOOK OUT AGENT SMITH AND THE MACHINES
Because some part of Neo imprinted on some part of Agent Smith and vice versa, he became one of the most dangerous programs in the Matrix, with aspirations of escaping into the real world and destroying it. Neo was able to finally beat him after an epic battle with the fate of the world resting in his hands.
Not only did he vanquish Smith, he also sacrificed himself to the machines so that his friends in the real world could live. They couldn’t possibly hold off the machines’ armies, but with his sacrifice they stood a chance. If he could do that he could certainly beat John Wick, a human assassin.
