(A word version, with links to references is downloadable here)
A few “facts”:
- The kids at the end are definitely older than the ones in his dreams
- The first scene in Limbo with old Saito and the scene at the end are not the same – the same dialogue is used, but one part is delivered by a different character
- I have seen the movie 3 times now and have never heard the top fall at any time after the last scene
- Cobb appears to wear the wedding ring whenever he is dreaming, but not in the real world (apart from in the flashback of before Mal died)
- If the basic concept of dreams within dreams is real, and the whole movie is actually one of these dreams, with the intention of incepting Cobb, then they would need to be able to go into a dream within a dream, come out and then go into a new dream from that dream again. It is not shown that they can do that in the movie - once they go into a dream within a dream they come back out to the 'real world' pretty much straight away. This doesn’t mean it’s not possible, just that they don’t show that it is possible.
- When Arthur and Ariadne are talking about the architecture of dreams they say they can build whole cities. For it all to be a dream they would need to build everything we see in the movie - Paris, Sydney, Mumbai, USA etc. This doesn’t mean it’s not possible, just that they don’t show that it is possible.
- I believe that the "real" bits are in fact all real. He comes back out of limbo at the end - he really sees his kids. I think the story arc is much more emotional and powerful if it is all "real". Cobb really did incept his wife and cause her to kill herself. He really is haunted by her in his dreams. He really does manage to let go of her in his dreams and make it back to the real world and his kids.
- Dying in limbo only wakes you up if you have somewhere to wake up to AND you are aware you are in Limbo
- If you are still alive in another dream - you can wake up there - this is what happened to Ariadne and Fischer
- If you are dead in other dreams - you just wake up in the real world - UNLESS you are sedated in the real world, in which case you just go back to Limbo.
- They fear dying and then getting stuck in limbo because they will be sedated for 10 hours in the 'real' world - if they go to limbo they will be stuck there for a LOOONG time and might forget by then that they are in Limbo and that they should eventually kill themselves.
Note: Italics represent things not seen on screen, or an assumption. Flashbacks are in Blue.
1. Cobb and Mal are experimenting with dreaming and go to Limbo for a long time
1.1. Cobb is aware he is in a dream
1.2. Mal is aware it is a dream, but she wants to stay in Limbo.
1.2.1. She hides her totem – it is not spinning –
1.2.2. Note: the totem helps identify if she is in a dream or not – she has locked it away so that it can’t spin - therefore limbo is “real” to her
1.3. Cobb wants to leave Limbo but Mal now thinks it’s real
1.4. Cobb incepts her by spinning the totem and therefore indicating that they are dreaming
1.4.1. Assumption: They can only leave Limbo if they are aware they are in a dream and then die – therefore he can’t just kill her
1.5. Mal accepts that it is a dream and agrees to commit suicide with him
1.6. They get hit by train
2. Mal and Cobb wake up in the real world
2.1. Mal still thinks it is a dream because of the idea of the spinning totem
2.2. Mal sets up Cobb for her death and then commits suicide (uses the phrase “leap of faith”) 2.2.1. Still based on the assumption from 1.4.1
2.3. Cobb is not immediately arrested for the death
2.3.1. He is shown in the house when he is given the ticket and told to leave
2.3.2. Assumption: He has told the police his side of the story to try and avoid being accused of the murder, including describing what happened and the “leap of faith” conversation
2.4. Cobb decides to flee and leave his children
3. Cobb becomes a “dream thief”
3.1. Robert Fischer’s dad is dying
3.2. Saito wants Fischer to break up Fischer’s business – Saito thinks that maybe inception could help achieve this
3.3. Cobb is hired by Cobalt Engineering to steal something from Saito
3.4. Cobb takes Saito into a dream within a dream to try and steal something
3.4.1. Saito is in the dream with Cobb and Arthur (First scene of movie after the opening in Limbo (10.3))
3.4.2. Saito knows Cobb is trying to steal from him, but is using this as an audition
3.4.3. They fail to steal the thing from Saito
3.5. They come out of the dream on a train and escape
3.5.1. Saito wakes up last
3.5.1.1. Assumption: The timer for the sedative can be set differently for each person
3.6. Cobb is back in his hotel and he spins the totem and it stops
3.7. Cobb talks to his children
3.7.1. Assumption: they sound older than in his dream
3.8. Cobb and Arthur plan to escape as Cobalt Engineering are after them as they failed to steal from Saito
3.9. Saito intercepts them and offers Cobb the job – he uses the phrase “leap of faith”
3.9.1. Assumption: Saito has researched Cobb. He is powerful enough to gain access to the records about Mal’s death and knows that is what she said (see 2.3.1)
4. Cobb accepts the job and must form a new team
4.1. He goes to Paris and meets his father-in-law
4.1.1. He gives him presents to give to the children
4.1.2. The father-in-law introduces Cobb to Ariadne
4.2. He auditions Ariadne for the role of Architect
4.2.1. Mal kills Ariadne in a dream
4.2.2. Cobb spins the top and it stops
4.2.3. Ariadne leaves as she is freaked out
4.3. He goes to Mombasa to get Eames
4.3.1. He gets chased by Cobalt Engineering but is helped by Saito who is following him and escapes
4.3.1.1. Assumption: It is reasonable that Saito would be looking out for Cobb if he is so valuable to him 4.3.1.2. Assumption: Just like in lots of movies, the hero manages to escape from the baddies even though it is difficult and unlikely
4.3.1.3. Note: When he jumps off the balcony one of the goons says “You’re not dreaming now are you”
4.4. Ariadne comes back to the workshop
4.4.1. Arthur teaches her about dream architecture
4.4.1.1. Note: When Arthur and Ariadne are talking about the architecture of dreams he says they can build anything from rooms to whole cities.
4.4.2. Ariadne learns a bit about Cobbs past and his wife
4.5. Eames introduces Cobb to Yousuf
4.5.1. Yousuf shows him the people who dream all the time, but he warns him that he may not want to see it
4.5.1.1. Assumption: Yousuf may assume that Cobb is an experienced dreamer and as such may have difficulty working out what is real and what is not – it may not help to see the people dreaming all the time
4.5.1.2. Cobb dreams about Mal
4.5.1.3. Cobb wakes up and then tries to spin the totem – he drops it and then Saito interrupts him
4.6. They plan the job
4.6.1. They will be heavily sedated and will need to synchronise “kicks” to make sure they wake up
4.6.2. Ariadne learns a bit more about Cobbs past and his wife
4.6.3. They plan all the details of the job
4.6.4. Ariadne goes into Cobbs dream and sees Mal locked up
4.6.5. Ariadne convinces Cobb to let her come with them on the job
4.6.6. Fischer Snr dies
5. They catch a plane with Fischer
5.1. They drug Fischer
5.2. They all go into Yousuf’s dream (see 6)
5.3. They fly for several hours 5.4. The sedative wears off for all but Fischer (see 3.5.1.1) 5.4.1. Yousuf, Eames, Ariadne and Arthur wake up 5.4.1.1. Cobb and Saito are still in Limbo so don’t wake up 5.4.2. They remove all the dream paraphernalia
5.5. Fischer wakes up
5.6. Cobb and Saito wake up from Limbo (see 10.4.4)
5.6.1. Saito makes a call
5.6.1.1. Assumption: Saito may have already set all the plan in motion to allow Cobb into the country, he just needed to give one last call to approve it
5.7. Cobb gets through customs
5.7.1. All the team look at Cobb because they are glad he has made it to the US
5.7.2. Fischer looks at Cobb for a second with that “You look kinda familiar” look because he was just in his dream
5.7.2.1. Note: No one else is staring at Cobb
5.8. Mal’s dad meets him at the airport
5.8.1. Assumption: Cobb had given him presents to give to the children as he was already planning on coming to the US (see 4.1.1) 5.8.2. Assumption: Cobb had called him and arranged for him to meet him
5.9. Cobb goes home
5.9.1. Cobb spins the top
5.9.2. Cobb sees his children. They are older and have different (but very similar) clothing on from in his dream
5.9.3. The top wobbles but we don’t see if it stops (this is where the movie ends)
5.9.3.1. Assumption: It stops!
6. Yousuf’s dream (it’s raining)
6.1. They kidnap Fischer
6.1.1. They get attacked by Fischer’s subconscious (he has been trained to defend against attack)
6.1.2. A train appears
6.1.2.1. This is from Cobb’s subconscious
6.1.3. Saito gets shot
6.1.3.1. They can’t just kill him because he won’t wake up as they are heavily sedated. He will go to Limbo instead
6.1.3.2. In Limbo there is nothing, accept what is already there from someone they are sharing the dream with who has already been to Limbo - Cobb
6.1.3.3. Cobb explains to Ariadne about Limbo (flashback to parts of 1 and 2)
6.2. Eames impersonates Browning and they get a random code from Fischer
6.3. They put Fischer in a van and drug him. Yousuf drives the van
6.4. They go into Arthur’s dream (see 7)
6.5. The van is being chased
6.5.1. The van crashes and rolls around – this affects Arthur’s dream (see 7.5)
6.5.1.1. Note: This doesn’t seem to affect Eames’ dream
6.5.2. Yousuf tries to avoid the attackers and ends up trapped on a bridge
6.6. He decides to back the van off the bridge, even though it is not time to do that yet
6.6.1. He starts the music for Arthur (see 7.7)
6.6.2. He drives into the fence and they go into free fall
6.6.2.1. This makes zero gravity in the hotel (see 7.8)
6.6.2.1.1. This causes an avalanche at the snow (see 8.3)
6.6.3. They hit the water
6.6.3.1. Fischer wakes up and drags Eames (who is impersonating Browning) to the surface
6.6.3.2. Arthur and Ariadne wake up and breath from an oxygen tank
6.6.3.2.1. Yousuf also wakes up
6.6.3.2.2. Arthur and Ariadne meet Yousuf on the surface away from Fischer
6.6.3.3. Cobb and Saito are still underwater
6.6.3.3.1. Assumption: They are now dead in this dream
6.6.3.4. Fischer tells Eames he will split up his fathers empire
6.6.3.5. Assumption: They wait around in this dream until the sedation wears off
7. Arthur’s dream (Arthur, Fischer, Cobb, Eames, Ariadne, Saito) (the hotel)
7.1. Cobb tries a “Mr Charles”
7.1.1. Fischer believes the “Mr Charles” and goes with Cobb
7.1.2. Cobb convinces him that Browning kidnapped him
7.1.3. They go to the hotel room
7.1.4. Ficher’s projection of Browning comes to the room – Fischer suspects him
7.2. They trick Fischer into thinking that they will go into Browning’s mind to find out why he kidnapped him
7.2.1. They pretend to hook Browning’s projection up to the dream machine
7.3. They go into Eames dream (see 8)
7.4. Arthur gets chased by projections
7.5. Because of the van crashing (see 6.5.1) gravity goes strange and the room spins around – cool fight scene ensues
7.5.1. Note: Do the dreamers get knocked around? If so Eames would be getting knocked around. Why does this not affect his dream?
7.6. Gravity is returned to normal
7.7. Arthur hears the music (see 6.6.1)
7.7.1. He now only has 3 minutes to trigger the kick
7.7.1.1. He doesn’t trigger the kick
7.8. Zero gravity takes over as the van is in freefall (see 6.6.2)
7.9. He know has to work out how to trigger a kick in zero gravity
7.9.1. Assumption: Arthur works out he can use the van hitting the water as another kick, just as Cobbs does (see 8.3.1)
7.9.2. He rigs the lift to explode and creates the kick
7.9.2.1. Ariadne wakes up (see 8.10)
8. Eames dream (Eames, Fischer, Cobb, Ariadne, Saito) (the snow hospital)
8.1. The team split up
8.1.1. Eames runs away to divert the projections
8.1.2. Saito and Fischer go to break into the hospital
8.1.3. Cobb and Ariadne will try and protect Fischer with the rifle from a distance
8.2. They hear faint music (see 7.7) – they know they have to hurry
8.2.1. Ariadne tells them about the short cut Eames put in the dream
8.3. There is an avalanche caused by the kick (see 6.6.2.1.1)
8.3.1. Cobb says that they can try and use the van hitting the water as another kick
8.4. Fischer makes it to the vault but Mal is there. Cobb does not shoot Mal straight away. Mal shoots Fischer.
8.4.1. Fischer goes to Limbo (see 9)
8.4.2. The plan is ruined
8.4.2.1. Note: Eames says “I don’t need this to get back to my family”
8.4.2.2. Cobb and Eames are going to set the charges to trigger the kick for them in this dream
8.4.2.2.1. Assumption: The kick does not only need to be felt by their sleeping bodies, but also themselves in the dream
8.5. Ariadne suggests they go into Limbo with Fischer to try and bring him out
8.5.1. They go into Limbo (see 9.2)
8.5.2. Note: They seem to get into limbo by going into multiple dreams within dreams – they do not hook into Fischer in any way
8.6. Eames goes to plant charges
8.6.1. Saito defends the vault, but dies and goes to Limbo (see 10)
8.7. Eames uses the defibrillator on Fischer (see 9.7)
8.8. Fischer wakes up
8.8.1. Fischer talks to his father – finds the will
8.9. Eames blows the chargers
8.9.1. The building explodes and the floor they are on starts falling
8.10. Ariadne opens her eyes in this dream
8.10.1. She has jumped of the building in Limbo (see 9.10) and therefore woken up at the next level
8.10.2. She is then shown waking up in Arthur’s dream (see 7.9.2.1) and then in Yousuf’s dream (see 6.6.3.2)
8.10.2.1. Assumption: All the kicks have been synchronised correctly
9. Limbo Part A (Fischer, Cobb, Ariadne)
9.1. Fischer arrives in Limbo 9.1.1. Fischer gets taken by Cobb’s projection of Mal
9.2. Ariadne and Cobb wake up on the beach
9.2.1. Limbo is the same as in 1.
9.3. They are led to Fischer by the projection of the kids
9.4. Cobb explains more about his time in Limbo with Mal and her death (more flashbacks from 1 and 2)
9.5. They find Mal
9.5.1. Fischer is on the porch
9.5.2. Ariadne goes to the porch and talks to Fischer
9.5.2.1. Assumption: She explains to Fischer that this is a dream (see 9.9.1)
9.6. Cobb explains that he must leave Mal as she is not real and not as good as the real thing
9.6.1. Their world in Limbo starts to fall apart
9.7. They see the lightning form the defibrillator (see 8.7)
9.8. Mal stabs Cobb
9.9. Ariadne shoots Mal and pushes Fischer off the building
9.9.1. Assumption: Ariadne explained to Fischer it was not real, therefore he can wake up from Limbo (see 1.4.1)
9.9.2. His body in the previous level is now alive – thanks to the Eames – so he wakes up (see to 8.7)
9.10. Ariadne jumps off the building
9.10.1. Her body in the previous level is alive – so she wakes up (see 8.10)
9.11. Cobb doesn’t jump but stays to find Saito
9.11.1. Their world has fallen apart – it is now all black
9.11.2. Cobb dies from the stab wound
9.11.2.1. Eames’ dream has now fallen apart, as has Arthur’s, as they have woken up 9.11.2.2. He therefore wakes up in Youfus’ dream, but he is dead there 9.11.2.3. He goes back to Limbo (see 10.4)
10. Limbo Part B (Saito)
10.1. Saito washes ashore in Limbo 10.1.1. Assumption: It is the same Limbo as Part A 10.1.2. Assumption: Saito is dead in all other dreams, or the other dreams have fallen apart. Therefore he can only get out of limbo by realising he is dreaming, then killing himself, but only once the sedative has worn off 10.2. Saito imagines a world to inhabit and grows old
10.3. Cobb washes ashore (this is where the movie starts)
10.3.1. Cobb looks old and worn out
10.3.2. Cobb is bought to Saito
10.3.2.1. Cobb does not appear to know exactly what he is doing there
10.3.3. Saito gives the speech about a “half remembered dream”
10.3.3.1. Assumption: Maybe they realise this is a dream and kill themselves, but the sedative has not worn off yet. They both go back to Limbo (see 10.4). 10.3.3.1.1. Or maybe only Cobb kills himself, which is why Saito is still old 10.3.3.1.2. Or maybe Saito is still old because he has less control over how he ages then Cobb 10.3.3.1.3. Or maybe the change in dialogue is just flashback humour
10.3.4. Film cuts to flashback (see 3.4)
10.4. Cobb is shown washing ashore again (see 9.11.2.3)
10.4.1. Cobb looks old and worn out
10.4.2. Cobb is bought to Saito
10.4.2.1. He does not appear to know exactly what he is doing there
10.4.3. Saito gives the speech but Cobb delivers line about a “half remembered dream”
10.4.4. They realise that this is a dream
10.4.4.1. Assumption: They use the gun to make themselves both die. They have been in Limbo long enough now that the sedative has worn off and therefore they wake up on the plane (see 5.6)
