Inception Ending Explained
Jul 19, 2010 by Kofi OutlawConfused about the ending of ‘Inception’? Here’s an explanation of what really happened in the film.
The Ending
There are a ton of theories being tossed around the Internet about the ending of Inception, the two biggest debates being whether Cobb was still in a dream or did he in fact return to his children in the “real world.”
The ending of Inception is meant to leave you thinking and questioning the nature of reality. The important question is not “Is Cobb still dreaming?” – What is important is the fact that the character of Cobb goes from being a guy who is obsessed with “knowing what’s real” to ultimately being a person who stops questioning and accepts what makes him truly happy as what’s real.
But people want more concrete answers than that, so here you go:
After two viewings I can tell you that from the moment that Cobb and Saito (seem to) wake up from limbo, Nolan very purposefully shifts the film into an ambiguous state that leaves it somewhat open to the viewer’s perception and interpretation of that perception – two big themes of the movie, coincidentally enough.
From the moment Cobb and Saito wake, there is no more dialogue between the characters and few shots or images that would concretely explain or prove one interpretation. Is Cobb still dreaming and his team and family (and maybe Saito) are all projections? Or is it the job completed, everyone is back in reality and everything is happily ever after? There are a few pieces of “evidence” that we can certainly address:
- Was Saito truly powerful enough to make one phone call and end Cobb’s problems or was that just Cobb in limbo projecting his subconscious wish to go home? You can argue logistics all you want, but if it’s said that Saito is a powerful and wealthy man (he bought a whole airline on a whim), then there’s reason enough to infer that he could bend the legal system for Cobb. Rich powerful people bend laws all the time.
- Is there something up with that immigration agent or is he just an immigration agent? After two viewings, the conclusion should be that the immigration guy is just a guy. If he’s staring at Cobb, it’s because his job is to look people over and scrutinize them. Would you want immigration letting people through without face-to-face scrutiny?
- Did Cobb’s father (Michael Caine) arrange to meet him at the airport or is he there because he’s Cobb’s projection? At this point we’re reading way too much into things. There is a phone on the plane, so Cobb could’ve easily arranged for pickup. This was also an intricate plan they were hatching, so arranging for airport pickup would probably be on the to-do list.
- In early dream scenes Cobb is wearing a wedding band that doesn’t appear in the “real world” scenes or the end scenes in the airport – does that mean the ending is “reality?” Details like that are certainly strong evidence that there is a real world and that Cobb does live in it at times – such as when he isn’t wearing a wedding band.
- Does the fact that Cobb uses Mal’s totem mean it doesn’t work as a totem and therefore he never knows if he’s in reality or not? Again, we’re reading a little too deep into things. The only people who know the weight and feel of that totem are Mal and Cobb, and since Mal is dead, Cobb is the only one left who knows the totem’s tactile details. So yes, he could certainly use it as a measure of reality, the totem was not “ruined” by him using it.
- At the end, Cobb’s kids seem to be the same age and are seemingly wearing the same clothes as they were in his memory of them – is it “proof” he’s still dreaming? As carefully documented by our own Vic Holtreman, at the end of the film Cobb’s kids are wearing similar outfits to the ones he remembers, but their shoes are different. As for their ages: if you check IMDB, there are actually two set of actors credited with playing Cobb’s kids. The daughter, Phillipa, is credited as being both 3 and 5 years old, while the son, James, is credited as being both 20 months and 3 years old. This suggests that while it might be subtle, there is a difference between the kids in Cobb’s memories and the kids Cobb comes home to. That would suggest the homecoming is in fact “reality.” But feel free to debate that.
- Will the spinning top keep spinning or was it about to fall over just before Nolan cut to black? Sorry, we will never know for sure, although it does start to wobble and it is never shown doing that in the dream world. Each of us will take away a guess – kind of the point of that final shot.
At the beginning of the film, after the first job Cobb’s team tries to pull on Saito, we see Cobb sitting in his hotel room alone, spinning the top and watching it intently, gun in hand. This is a guy who is ready to blow his brains out if the top keeps spinning, in order to “wake himself up.” That’s how obsessed and paranoid he’s become.
Throughout the film, Cobb continues to obsess about spinning the top and verifying reality – however, at the end of movie, he spins the top and walks away from it before he can verify if it stops spinning or not. His kids come running in and Cobb couldn’t care less about about the top or “true reality” or extraction/inception anymore. He just wants to be with his children, in whatever place he can be with them. That emotional connection and desire is “reality” enough for him.
In the end, Cobb walking away from the top is a statement in itself that also completes the arc of his character. In a way, the movie is its own maze designed to plant a simple little idea in the viewer’s mind: “reality” is a relative concept.
UPDATE: Christopher Nolan himself has endorsed our interpretation of Inception‘s ending.
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Bravo, Mr. Nolan. You’ve gotten us thinking and talking. I leave things there – hope you enjoyed our explanation and look forward to hearing all the wonderful discussion continue.
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Hi Adam, I think you’re reading too much into it. The top was starting to topple, that’s it, whether proper child care was arranged for or not. Btw, if he was still dreaming, surely Mal would’ve been there to greet him at the airport?
Did you analyze the Matrix as well Adam?
Hmm, we just assume the top was about to topple as it deviated slightly from its smooth cycle, however this doesn’t mean it was going to topple. It could mean that the ‘table’ prop used in the film wasn’t completely smooth or even. Also, it’s too easy to dismiss the fact that you never see the granny. One other thing that doesn’t sit right with me is that of saito was so rich, why was he travelling on what looked like an economy type train carriage in his woken state? Also, how does Cobb travel from place to place so quickly (I.e from seeing miles to getting to Mombasa?
One final thing, the characters in the film are
Dominic Cobb
Richard
Eames
Arthrr
Hmm, we just assume the top was about to topple as it deviated slightly from its smooth cycle, however this doesn’t mean it was going to topple. It could mean that the ‘table’ prop used in the film wasn’t completely smooth or even. Also, it’s too easy to dismiss the fact that you never see the granny. One other thing that doesn’t sit right with me is that of saito was so rich, why was he travelling on what looked like an economy type train carriage in his woken state? Also, how does Cobb travel from place to place so quickly (I.e from seeing miles to getting to Mombasa?
One final thing, the characters in the film are
Dominic Cobb
Richard
Eames
Ariadne
Mal
Saito.
Coincidence that Cobb assembled a team in reality to deal with dream when all their names are dreams too?
No, I didn’t care for matrix, but don’t get me started on shutter island!
Shutter Island and Inception are on the same page of the subconscious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqr76wh8qA4
Cobb had to choose between “Mal”‘s reality or the children. He chose the children, because they were STILL ALIVE.
“Btw, if he was still dreaming, surely Mal would’ve been there to greet him at the airport?”
No. This is why he admitted he tried to create her and failed. No matter how hard he tries he can not create her as she was.
The main reason (IMO) is because deep down he killed her. Deep down he knows this and can never replace her.
So if he is dreaming then no she would not be at the airport. He would live life just as he would have to live it in the real world. With her dead.
Did any of you know that Michael Caine confirmed that the ending is real? ADAM? He confirmed it a year ago!
That was Micheal Caine, and not Christopher Nolan. Could you get a word from the man who ACTUALLY made the film to confirm it? The script does not confirm it one way or the other btw.
SOOOO WHAAAAT! So u don’t think the ending was real?
I don’t think it matters at all!
why?
Because he told himself in Limbo: “Face it. You don’t believe in one reality anymore.”
And he told Miles:
“Reality? Those kids, your grandchildren are waiting for their father to come home. That’s their reality”
Makes sense to me he chose the live children instead of his dead wife. But dream or reality? Does not matter.
as long as he
My computer at work sux!
Yes, I also recall all of the ‘usual suspects’ thinking they were kaiser soze too in the DVD extras. Means nothing. In fact, does Chris Nolan actually know whether he wants it to be a dream or reality, probably not! Which makes the film even more intriguing!! Perhaps he was in a dream perhaps he wasn’t, nobody will ever know for sure unless he comes out and announces it. Even then you would probably tell him he was wrong.
Inception is Nolan’s own real-life totem
Only HE knows its special properties..
I still think the endin is real. but I also want it to be real for Cobb because I feel sympathetic for the man wanting to see his kids so bad. If the day comes when christopher nolan says “yea…He’s stuck in a dream” or ….”it never happened” I will cry and shoot myself. Bollocks!
And that is why Nolan created such an ending. The audience relation to children or the character of Cobb can relate heavily to their own realities. But rest assured pal, Nolan will never tell what the answer really is.
But cobb is with his kids. Whether its reality or not. He’s got rid of the shadow and finally be with his kids. Everyone’s a winner.
I also like the concept of the spinning top. As something that spins in your imagination, like a record or a basketball on the end of your index finger is hard to stop. You can put your hand on it to make it stop but your brain will make it spin again!! Try it!
Now if it does keep spinning, is it because I planted the thought in your head. Chris Nolan is the man!
In the movie Cobb avoid looking at his children because he knows he won’t be able to leave. At the end, he looks at his children’s face and can’t look away.
With all these things, sometime it can e hard to tell the difference between a movie ‘clue’ and a wardrobe mistake.
Sure. There was no wardrobe mistake. Nolan is very good at checking his stuff. He would know whats a mistake. so The daughter having a pink dress with no sleeves and a white T shirt on the inside was a wardrobe mistake from her just having an entire pink dress when she was 3 years old? yea sure…
Hi, strange thing in the movie, at the beggining in the scene where he is talking to his children, they seems to be older, even his son is talking well with him, and his daughter sounds like she is ten, but in the end, those kids are small like that time he left the country because Mall killed her self… pardon my bad english… How come they didnt get any older while he was away… for so I suspect that it was his level of the dream still.
yea is the final scene real or a dream?
why does the totem continue spinning?
The ending is both real and a dream. Because its first and foremost a FILM!
yes the ending did really happen for Cobb. He is not in a dream. and the totem started to topple a bit, but Nolan stopped the film just to mess with people.
The ending is real know why? all scenes with the children are only showing their backs and never facing cobb. while in the ending it did face cobe that is the reason why cobb never looked if the top still spined or not because he knows that this is reality
Unless of course he Incepted himself and has now accepted dream as reality. Meaning he cant/wont see their faces until he has gone deep enough to lose grip.
Hi,
I looked carefully and in slow motion at the spinning object and it clearly started to wobble. I doubt that in such a carefully made film, with all it’s rules and implications, they would have accidentally filmed it wobbling unintentionally.
But I do agree that the true point is that the main character was able to accept a reality of life in which he was happy without having to know for sure if it was ‘real’.
There is also, I think, an implication that if you are able to do this in your own life, you will be happier. Having to do with accepting whatever good you can see or find in the moment perhaps…..
“I looked carefully and in slow motion at the spinning object and it clearly started to wobble. I doubt that in such a carefully made film, with all it’s rules and implications, they would have accidentally filmed it wobbling unintentionally.”
But what are the rules for the top? If you take the rules for a TOTEM and apply them to the top you still do not know if he is dreaming or in real life as HIS totem (the top) is supposed to act the same in real life and in HIS dream. Since we do not know the special properties of his top we have no clue if it is acting like it is supposed to.
That is the rule for all totems. The user changes its properties in real life so they only know them. That way they can tell if they are in someone elses dream or not.
If they are in real life the totem acts like they expect it. If they are in THEIR dream they control the top and it reacts like it is expected. If they are in someone elses dream it acts like the DREAMER expects it to act not how the creator changed it to react.
I dont disagree with the rest of your post though.
If he truly belives he in in reality, would the spinning top topple over regardless of dream or not? – I think so, in the end if he expected it to topple, it would.
I think cobs dad created a dream , or should I say level 6 ‘cobbs house’ , and I think he was the dreamer! And Cobb was the architect because everything looked just like Cobb remembered it! Here are a few tips for ya! 1.) Why didn’t the father help Cobb himself? Why did he send the chick? 2.) Don’t you think the ‘chick’ was a bit too good at that? How come she knew everything and knew what to do and what was needed? I think the symbol would still be spinning at the end , I just dint know what to think of the ending of THAT level, and 1 think is troubling me the most, where are all the others in the lvl 6? And at the end when they woke up it looked as if they didn’t know each other when they were getting their luggage . Anyways that’s my very own opinion , I hope you understand me !( my English isn’t perfect!)
1. Because the Father was Mals father (Cobbs father in-law) and his wife (Mals mother) blames Miles (father of Mal) as much as Cobb for Mals death. So that is why he does not DIRECTLY help Cobb.
2. At what? Define too good. She was his STAR pupil. Possibly better then Cobb?She didnt know everything. Arthur instructed her on a lot of things she was jsut a good/fast learner.
3. The top at the end CANT spin forever. If it spins forever he is in someone elses dream as a totem SHOULD react the same way in the holders dream as in their reality. The issue we all have is we dont know if the top was his totem and we dont know (if any) the special properties incorporated into the top.
4. They were all looking at each other as they knew a secret. They are not professional spies or such and this Inception was their first completed one. Maybe they were looking while trying not to look, making sure Robert Fischer didnt catch on.
@ Truth….Wow your view on this movie is ridiculous… Yea sure the father is the dream creator(yea right)… Why the hell would Nolan write this movie that gets deep into chartacter with just about everyone else except the father, and then say “Hey you all were wrong it was the father that made it all”….So ridiculous!
The whole thing with the top wobbling… I’ve seen the movie several times and don’t specifically recall a scene where we got to see the top spinning in a dream world for very long. Maybe it has a wobble and we don’t know it!?
The part where he goes to the chemist and is awoken after a vivid dream with he and his wife, he goes to the bathroom to splash water on his face and use his totem but the top falls off of the counter… did he ever confirm reality then? Perhaps he was taken to a different level at that point. We just don’t know!!! I am one to believe that he was still dreaming at the end and that his grandfather knowing his pain Incepted him using an elaborate ruse and the “Student” was really the extractor.
The issue is we do not know the properties of his totem. So we don’t know if he EVER verified anything with his top/totem.
Heck some people believe the top was only a red herring and his totem may have been something else. Or even he never had a totem as he just wanted to get ‘lost’ in dream world.
Cobb verified being in a DREAM when Saito spun the top across the table in Limbo. It helped Cobb keep track and separate dream from reality anyway.
and then maybe when Saito left Cobb after he asked if he was ok, Cobb could have spunn the top again in the bathroom to confirm it…Did you ever think of that!?!? And as for the top spinning in the dream world… It spunn pretty damn long enough to say it keeps spinning smoothly!