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What is the timeline in Inception?
Posted on 7/28/25 at 6:03 pm
Posted on 7/28/25 at 6:03 pm
Not in dreams, the real world timeline.
How long ago did Cobb and Mal spend a lifetime together in a dream?
How long were they back in the real world before she killed herself?
How long has it been since she died?
How long ago did Cobb and Mal spend a lifetime together in a dream?
How long were they back in the real world before she killed herself?
How long has it been since she died?
Posted on 7/28/25 at 6:14 pm to Tiger1242
3 years
3 months
3 hours
3 minutes ago…
3 months
3 hours
3 minutes ago…
Posted on 7/28/25 at 7:44 pm to Tiger1242
quote:
How long ago did Cobb and Mal spend a lifetime together in a dream?
Reading this question almost gave me a seizure.
Such a good question to ask for the movie, and I've read it like 10 times now.
Posted on 7/28/25 at 8:00 pm to Tiger1242
Reading this reminds me of an inception like dream I had within the last week. Went down one level, then another, then I would “wake up” but not completely awake, just to the first level. Then back down and back up a couple more times. So I guess two levels deep total. Weird.
This post was edited on 7/28/25 at 9:54 pm
Posted on 7/28/25 at 9:18 pm to Tiger1242
quote:
How long were they back in the real world before she killed herself?
What If they weren’t in the “real world” when she killed herself?
What if the “real world” is just a second or third layer in Cobb’s dreams?
Posted on 7/28/25 at 11:49 pm to Havoc
I woke up this morning wanting to dissolve my father's company. All I got.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 8:43 am to DustyDinkleman
quote:
What if the “real world” is just a second or third layer in Cobb’s dreams?
Wasn't that proven in the end with the spinning thimble thing, its been a while since I have watched it.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 9:00 am to Tiger1242
The math in the movie is fuzzy for Limbo. They spent 50 years there, which equates to a few hours in the real world.
As to the spinning top at the end, it wobbles slightly before credits. Whether it actually fell is up to the viewer's interpretation. Nolan said the real point is that maybe all layers of reality are real, and that Cobb is with his kids and no longer cares what reality he is in.
As to the spinning top at the end, it wobbles slightly before credits. Whether it actually fell is up to the viewer's interpretation. Nolan said the real point is that maybe all layers of reality are real, and that Cobb is with his kids and no longer cares what reality he is in.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 9:10 am to jpainter6174
quote:
Wasn't that proven in the end with the spinning thimble thing
It’s very much not proven. It wobbles then cuts to black very much leaving it up to interpretation. Cobb’s kids do seem the exact same age as they were when he left and they’re in the backyard doing the same thing. That’s one reason I ask the question, if it’s been 3 years it’s pretty clear it’s a dream. If it’s only been 3-6 months then maybe it could be real.
This post was edited on 7/29/25 at 9:11 am
Posted on 7/29/25 at 9:12 am to Tiger1242
quote:
If it’s only been 3-6 months then maybe it could be real.
But weren't they wearing the same exact clothes as when he left in the same position.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 9:21 am to jpainter6174
quote:
But weren't they wearing the same exact clothes as when he left in the same position.
Yea and that’s where we get into the question of the reliability of the narrator. Are we just getting it from Cobb’s view and he’s remembering them like that, is it actually how it’s happening?
Maybe it is all a dream?
Who knows I guess that’s the point
Posted on 7/29/25 at 9:32 am to jpainter6174
quote:
Wasn't that proven in the end with the spinning thimble thing, its been a while since I have watched it.
The spinning top just raised questions, not answered them.
Some stay it just kept spinning so it was still a dream and some say it wobbled so it was real life/time.
Either way, it doesn't matter, he was where he wanted to be and was happy, that's what mattered.
All that being said... it wobbled.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 11:39 am to iwyLSUiwy
quote:
Some stay it just kept spinning so it was still a dream and some say it wobbled so it was real life/time.
I remember reading somewhere that it wasn’t actually his totem. He stole it from Mal.
Because he stole it, he can’t use it “properly” and it continues to spin no matter what.
He supposedly does this to keep him out of the real world so he doesn’t have to bear the pain of actually losing his wife.
Another theory is he actually killed her in the real world and is continuing his dream state indefinitely to avoid the real-world implications of his actions.
Posted on 7/29/25 at 12:47 pm to DustyDinkleman
quote:
I remember reading somewhere that it wasn’t actually his totem. He stole it from Mal.
He says that in the movie several times
quote:
Because he stole it, he can’t use it “properly” and it continues to spin no matter what.
It’s shown falling several times in the movie too
quote:
Another theory is he actually killed her in the real world and is continuing his dream state indefinitely to avoid the real-world implications of his actions.
Haha I mean that’s a theory for sure
Posted on 7/30/25 at 7:25 am to Tiger1242
My original question was never answered so I’m guessing we aren’t supposed to know the timeline.
Posted on 7/30/25 at 8:43 am to Tiger1242
quote:
My original question was never answered so I’m guessing we aren’t supposed to know the timeline.
I’ve seen some graphics on the internet that demonstrate the levels of the dreams but not sure how much that shows a timeline.
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