Though redpills often take center stage in the saga of the Matrix, there are many behind-the-scenes characters who play key roles in shaping the Mega City's socio-political environment. These entities are extremely powerful Exiles who have entered the system in order to escape deletion, or to amass personal power.

While the most powerful, or the most cautious, of these Exiles can stand alone in the Matrix, most Exiles find the need to form groups of one form or another. The most visible and common of these groups are the gangs roaming the neighborhoods. However, these gangs are little more than puppets for the true powers within the city. One such power is that of the Elements.