Why The Matrix Architect Looks Like KFC's Colonel Sanders, According To Reddit

There are numerous questions "The Matrix" franchise poses as it tackles its lofty themes. How can we be certain our reality isn't an illusion? Do humans actually have control over their destinies? However, arguably the most important question to come out of these films is: Why does the Architect, who we meet in "The Matrix Reloaded," look like Colonel Sanders?

The Architect, played by Helmut Bakaitis, appears at the end of the sequel to explain how he created the Matrix and why Neo (Keanu Reeves) is an integral component. Basically, the idea of revolution is essential to its design, a concept that results in one of the most confusing moments of "The Matrix" series. But as important as he is, many people can't get past his character design. With his white suit and beard, the Architect really does look like Kentucky Fried Chicken's iconic spokesperson. It could be a mere coincidence, but is there more here than meets the eye? Take the red pill and follow us on a finger-lickin' good journey down the rabbit hole ...

Redditor u/tammer59 posits that the Architect looking like Colonel Sanders was an intentional choice and a visual pun. "I don't think that this is in reference to fried chicken in any way but rather a nod to the core of a Unix operating system called the 'kernel.'" Kernels are a key component of Unix operating systems, and it's pronounced like "Colonel." If accurate, this might be the most ingenious thing the Wachowskis did in "The Matrix" movies — but the path to potential enlightenment doesn't end there.

While his appearance being a pun would be more than enough for a shocking revelation, one has to wonder if the Architect looking like Colonel Sanders was foreshadowed in the first "Matrix" movie. Some of the other Redditors in that thread have expanded upon the theory that the Architect's design choice was intentional, like u/mrryanwells, who writes, "It's why everything tastes like chicken to us." 

This is a reference to a line Mouse (Matt Doran) has in the original "Matrix," when he tells Neo, "You take chicken, for example: maybe they couldn't figure out what to make chicken taste like, which is why chicken tastes like everything." It's a nod to how people often say any meat tastes like chicken, but it could foreshadow how the treacherous Colonel Sanders still wants to attain fast food supremacy by making humanity only eat things that taste like chicken. It's the sort of detail you'd only notice about "The Matrix" after watching the entire series, knowing a fast food mascot is on the horizon. 

Now, some may argue that the Architect doesn't really look like Colonel Sanders. His tie is different, and Sanders only has a small white strip of facial hair for a beard. Redditor u/GravyBus has an explanation for that, though. "He doesn't look that much like Colonel Sanders, he looks like an AI generated knockoff. So that tracks." Honestly, while the entire theory is unlikely, it all makes for worthwhile head canon: The overseer of humanity's subjugation is a shill for a fast food conglomeration. Yeah, this theory tracks pretty well.