While living with The Oracle, Spoon Boy, like the other Potentials, received in-depth training in manipulating objects via telekinesis, while being well-versed in teachings and philosophies that explained the hyperreal nature of the virtual world. He advises Neo to not try and bend the physical object, but instead, bend one’s own self, essentially because the truth is that “ there is no spoon.”
Audiences would recognize him from his encounter with Neo when he visits the Oracle for the first time, wherein he demonstrates the illusory nature of reality by seemingly bending a spoon with his mind. This child was one of the few Potentials privileged enough to be guided by The Oracle, and has been dubbed Spoon Boy, as his real name is not known. Here’s a look at every known Potential, and the powers they were imbued with outside and within the Matrix. Neo went to assume the mantle of savior, having taken five adult Potentials to safety. Somewhere between the events of The Matrix and The Matrix Revolutions, Neo’s presence within the Matrix, and his role as “the One” triggered a new exodus of Potentials, who were eventually targeted by the Agents in an act of desperation. RELATED: Releasing The Matrix 4 On HBO Max Contradicts The Original Trilogy's Message These children were still termed as Potentials after they were freed, as they were constantly tested to gauge whether they could evolve into full-fledged operatives someday. Possessing an almost clairvoyant awareness of the nature of reality, Potentials often displayed special powers and abilities within the simulated framework of the Matrix, to the extent they could alter certain aspects of the system. Potentials were humans who had started rejecting the Matrix to a certain extent, although they weren’t fully awakened. The premise of Potentials is often shrouded in mystery, as they are often confused with Redpills of the likes of Trinity or Morpheus however, these were people who existed between worlds, not quite fully awakened to the truth, but no longer fully ignorant of it either.
Here’s a run-through of every known Potential, along with an explanation of their powers, as seen in The Matrix franchise.