Comments on: Inception Ending Explained

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:32:49 +0000

What I find interesting, is that Cobb never confirmed reality after testing the strong sedative in the basement of the chemists place. He spins the top and it falls on the floor. Tom Hardy asks if his ok and he puts the totem in his pocket and walks out. Cobb could easily still be dreaming from then on.
I agree with your ending and I think he’s in reality but I just thought this scene was interesting after watching it again

By: Mirk

Mirk — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:56:23 +0000

If it wasn’t intentional they would have reshot the scene. They do edit these things, ya know?

By: tykjen

tykjen — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:32:20 +0000

SAITO
Cobb? Not possible.he and I were
young men together. And I am an old
man…

COBB
Filled with regret?

-Saito REMEMBERS, nods…

SAITO
Waiting to die alone, yes.

-Cobb is STARING at something on the table.

COBB
I came back for you… I came to
remind you of what you once knew…

-Cobb gestures at the table. Saito follows his gaze down to
the polished surface of the table…

COBB
That this world is not real.

-The top IS STILL SPINNING PERFECTLY, AS IF IT WILL NEVER
TOPPLE. Saito looks at the top. Then back to Cobb.

SAITO
You came to convince me to honor
our arrangement?

COBB
Yes. And to take a leap of faith.

-As Saitosan listens to Cobb, he looks at the GUN on the
table between them…

COBB
Come back and we’ll be young men
together again.

-The elderly Saito looks at Cobb. Nods.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:46 +0000

ARIADNE
Just working on my totem.

-Ariadne holds up the chess piece. Cobb reaches for it.

COBB
Let me see

-Ariadne SNAPS it out of his reach. Smiles. Cobb nods.

COBB
You’re learning.
ARIADNE
It’s an elegant solution to keeping
track of reality. Your invention?
COBB
No. Mal’s.

-Cobb pulls out his spinning top. Looks at it.

COBB
This one was hers. She’d spin it in
a dream and it would never topple.
Just spin and spin…
ARIADNE
Arthur told me she died.
COBB
She did. How are the mazes coming?

-Ariadne indicates three large ARCHITECTURAL MODELS.

ARIADNE
Good. Each level relates to the
part of the subject’s subconscious
we’re trying to access. I’m making
the bottom level a hospital, so
that Fischer will bring his father
there
COBB
Don’t tell me. Remember, you only
want the dreamer to know the
layout.
ARIADNE
Why’s that so important?
COBB
In case one of us brings in part of
our subconscious. You wouldn’t want
any projections knowing the layout.
ARIADNE
In case you bring Mal in.

-Cobb says nothing.

ARIADNE
You won’t build yourself because if
you know the maze, then she knows
it. And she’d sabotage the
operation. You can’t keep her out,
can you?

-Cobb says nothing.

ARIADNE
Do the others know?
COBB
No.

By: Aknot

Aknot — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:22:50 +0000

“Cobb says the top has a special property inside the dream. ”

When?

By: tykjen

tykjen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:24:50 +0000

And that you are using Ariadne as “us” and “we*, is just even more stupid. She was a catalyst for the audience and Cobb. It is never used literally to explain anything to “us”. its the interpretation that counts. and you are really, and truly way off when you start to compare your own dreams that is not and will never be shared or have a rule-set like Dreamshare.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:21:47 +0000

Do not mix your own dreams with Dreamshare again. Wake up. Cobb says the top has a special property inside the dream. while arthur says how important it is to have special properties in the real world. And arthur also tells ariadne that cobb does all the things he tells not to do. you clearly have been a waste of time. do not reply.

By: Aknot

Aknot — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:05:01 +0000

“This one was hers. She’d spin it in a dream and it would never topple. Just spin and spin…”

We must be looking at two different scripts.

We? Ariadne is we? Wtf?? Where are you getting this?

WE are watching a movie. The science fiction device that lets people share dreams is the PASIV device. The PASIV device in context was EXPLAINED to us.

The special properties totem that only happens in dreams that you made up was NEVER explained to US.

US/WE being the viewer. Again I do not make stuff up. I use what is given to us from the movie.

There was no indication the TOP had SPECIAL properties. The only thing that was said was when MAL SPUN it, it would spin forever.

So if I am in a dream and I spin a totem I can make it spin forever if I so desire. Nothing special there. It follows the ‘rules’ of dreaming that we are presented with. In a dream if you are aware its a dream you can manipulate things. Making a top spin forever in a dream you know is a dream is no big deal.

Tyk… listen to yourself. “If the top had toppled in Limbo, there would be no ending. But. It did not. Hence…special property.” No special property because in dream/limbo you are in control so you can make things do as you wish. NO SPECIAL PROPERTY. Just rules of dreaming.

Hopefully I don’t have to repeat myself.

By: Skoad

Skoad — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:39:08 +0000

Everyone will continue to have their opinions. I honestly believe even Christopher Nolan doesnt know the right answer. Unless he made a sequel, he probably thought it a good place to stop. Im sure he loves thinking of both possibilities in his head.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:55:07 +0000

We? Ariadne is we? Wtf man…
And do not include your OWN dreams into this film. That is just so stupid, sorry for choosing a not more simpler word. Nowhere is it even hinted at it has special properties in a dream? Wtf are you deaf now?

COBB
This one was hers (Mal). In the dream it would never topple. Just spin and spin.

Top is a “special totem”? Not at all. It is a flawed totem, and besides carries the special properties in reverse. Although it helped Cobb to keep track of what was reality. If the top had toppled in Limbo, there would be no ending. But. It did not. Hence…special property. Godamn kid Aknot. this is the 20th time I have to repeat myself.

By: Aknot

Aknot — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:04:48 +0000

Yes but WE see that device and WE are told/shown what that device does.

It is never even HINTED that the top is a special totem.

The only thing remotely close to that is “Mal could make it spin forever in a dream”. But guess what in my dream if I so desire I can make the top spin forever also, I can fly and turn invisible… as can you as it is a DREAM.

Nowhere is it even hinted that the top has special properties in the dream going against everything we are told what a totem is.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:19:44 +0000

You call BS on some science fiction device that lets people share the dream and take over the creating part of it. Great call man!

By: tykjen

tykjen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:12:15 +0000

The same happened with the top when Cobb spun it in Limbo, “many many years ago” with Mal as its user. But this time Saito spun it, with Cobb being the user. Comprehend much?

By: Aknot

Aknot — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:56:12 +0000

So what is the difference (if there is any) when Saito spins it as to Cobb spinning it?

If i have always believed tops to explode, spin this top in my dream are you saying it will not explode?

Im calling BS. As all items in a dream are projections and they can not have singularity as each person can perceive it differently.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:58:59 +0000

No. It was the only scene when Saito saw the top. And in Limbo he remembered it; “I have seen it before. Many many years ago”

By: Rob B

Rob B — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:55:55 +0000

Anyone else curious about how, after Cobb tested the sedatives for the first time in Mombassa we never got to see if his totem would stop spinning. When he used it in the bathroom there he was interrupted and knocked his totem to the floor. maybe the dream began there?

By: Rob B

Rob B — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:51:52 +0000

I’ve just watched Inception for the second time. I really enjoyed it at the cinema and took the ending to mean that he was still in a dream but his desire to see his kids again was greater than his desire to know it was actually real. So, that agrees with what’s been mentioned on this site. Upon watching again tonight on DVD I’ve come up with a new viewpoint, but not on the ending. I just believe his dream began when he first tested the strongest sedatives in Mombassa. He came out of an intense dream or vision and went straight to a bathroom. He spun the top but was interrupted by Ken Watanabes character and the top fell to the floor never having finished spinning naturally. The shot of it hitting the floor emphasised this and I think that’s where his dream began and continued. Maybe it’s a bit elaborate that but not knowing whether the top would stop spinning in the bathroom in Mombassa is the same as not knowing at the end of the film. Nevertheless, enjoyed Inception second time around. Great Movie.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:09:45 +0000

The special properties of the top in real life is that it has none. Instead it was reversed and had special properties only in the dreamworld. Arthur and Ariadne’s totems had special properties in the real world.

By: Aknot

Aknot — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:10:53 +0000

Not really.

The reason we got to see the ‘build up’ was because Cobb was incepting himself.

In order for Cobb to incept himself he had to make it seem real. So he did. He created Saito. His salvation. However in order for Saito to be able to wave his magic wand and make his troubles disappear he had to do something for him…

That something, Inception, (based on everyone) is impossible to do. So Cobb creates all these impossible things to do. And works at making them possible.

As he does this he just gets deeper and deeper into the belief that it is real…..

So no that all was important to Cobb.

By: tykjen

tykjen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:35:48 +0000

Well ok, but that is just your opinion. Read the shooting script? The top is “still spinning” as Cobb takes notice of it in the end scene with Saito. And from then on they remind eachother and escape.