Inception Questions

Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.

  1. At the end of the film, is Cobb dreaming? We just had to get this one out of the way. It's the first question on everyone's mind. There are more theories than we can count, so what's your favorite?
  2. Should Cobb be filled with regret? He does play a role in his wife's suicide, but does that make him responsible? Even a little responsible? Can guilt or regret ever be healthy?
  3. Does Fischer ever really come to terms with his late father? All of his reconciliation was fabricated by a team of people invading his dream. Even his father's projection is all a ruse. Is it still an emotionally healthy journey for Fischer, or does its basis in deception ruin it?
  4. What if extraction were real? Would you be against the use of extraction on, say, people who know information that could help prevent disaster or save lives? Is this unethical… or do you think there would be benefits that would outweigh any moral qualms?
  5. Nolan says that the ending is ambiguous because what's important is that Cobb is not obsessed with being in a dream world anymore. This sounds like a good thing, but that argument could be twisted into saying Cobb has every right to stay with Mal in Limbo if he wants to. If he is dreaming at the end, is it morally okay for him to give up a physical reality for a mental one that pleases him?
  6. What would you create in Limbo? Massive skyscrapers? A playground? A fantasy realm to LARP in?