This is the best way to determine what theory is most supported amongst fans/viewers. Do you think that the ending scene is a dream? Is it reality? Or something else entirely

Feel free to state how you voted, and, if you wish, give an explanation of why you support one theory over the other(s).

I believe it's reality, because of the symbolism of the wedding ring, the scene showing Cobb waking up on the plane, the supposed sound of the top falling after the credits and various other reasons.

What about you?

I thought it was possible it was all a dream when I was driving home last night, but after I was able to hear the top hitting the table on youtube and think more about how the film is constructed, I came to the conclusion that it's real like you. And I think that makes it a better film, not coincidentally.

Shrug. I think ultimately it's not supposed to matter -- you could spend your entire life doubting its reality. The important thing is that Cobb stopped doubting and choose to live where he was. With that in mind I think it's not necessary to decide if it was reality or not.

The old dude in the basement asked something like "who are you to tell them that it's not their reality?"

Of course it's still fun to talk about!

The wobbling top symbolizes how Cobb's false limbo reality has been destabilized, and will eventually fall.

Baz744 wrote:The wobbling top symbolizes how Cobb's false limbo reality has been destabilized, and will eventually fall.

^^^ But you hear it fall when the screen goes black so....

Baz744 wrote:The wobbling top symbolizes how Cobb's false limbo reality has been destabilized, and will eventually fall.

A lot of things could mean a lot of things but it doesn't mean that it's right.

I think the ending is reality, that is the ending i want to believe but there's evidence it is reality you see the top wobble right before it cuts to black and you can hear it fall, but people who have seen it twice claim that Leo wears a wedding ring in the dream world and not in real life and in the ending there's no ring

but you could also believe the ending was a dream meaning he is in limbo, my theory on that is that Leo no longer feels guilt and created a dream where he see's his children, but it has a deeper meaning, He stayed in Limbo to remind Saito of their agreement and he did, after that you don't see them kill themselves which makes me think that Leo is waiting for the sedative to wear off, and since a minute seems a long time in Limbo he (being so eager to see his kids again) dreams of them waking up and landing and seeing his kids (which explains the same clothes) and his conscious dreams this because it is what he is looking forward to do as soon as he wakes up, so if he is gonna stay there a little long he let himself get lost until he wakes up. (hopefully this makes sense)

the film is brilliant because you can have ur own take on the ending (there's evidence it's reality and there's evidence it's a dream)
i choose to believe reality.

I say the ending is reality based on my TOP vs RING theory.

I've also found it interesting that none of the "master of puppet" theories, ones that state that this person or that person is really behind it all, have been able to account for the wedding ring part of my theory. As of yet at least.

But that's just me! It's neat hearing everones ideas though. Truly remarkable what this film has done.

i hope you don't mind if i copy paste my response from the other thread.

Eternalist wrote:Okay, I think I've got it now. The totem tells you when you're within someone else's dream because the architect of that dream does not know it's trick function thus it won't operate under the dream's laws. If you used it within your own dream, you'd know it's function, thus it would act normally.

it could also support the idea or the allegory that films are like dreams.

if the top does fall and i did hear it fall, then Cobb was in HIS "reality" or at the very least, the reality that he accepted

but Cobb could still be a part of a dream and that is Nolan's dream, Nolan's creation

arizonabay wrote:

Baz744 wrote:The wobbling top symbolizes how Cobb's false limbo reality has been destabilized, and will eventually fall.

^^^ But you hear it fall when the screen goes black so....

Which is perfectly consistent with my theory. An unstable dream reality will eventually collapse, just like a wobbly top.