Inception

[Vivisteiner]

(SPOILER)The problem in believing that the end was a dream is that it is not supported anywhere in the narrative. We can know that the reality he returned to is reality because we have seen his totem topple in it before. Unless the transition from reality to another dream (for which Cobb requires the use of the machine) happens off screen, everything adds up to the final scene taking place in reality. One could suppose that such a transition from reality to dream occurs off screen, but I won't accuse Nolan of such shoddy storytelling. One might just assume that the whole movie was actually a dream and that we were told about his totem wasn't necessarily true, but that sort of distrust for an entire narrative leaves the story meaningless anyway.

(SPOILER)I think you are mistaken. The toppling of the totem was observed before he entered the dreams. To see if he escaped from the dreams we would've needed to have seen if the totem fell or not in the final scene. Just because the world seemed like reality didn't mean it was reality. His mind could have created 'reality' because he knows what it is like.

Thus we have no clue if he is in reality or not in the final scene but there are fairly strong hints that it is still a dream, which I have outlined already. Bear in mind that this viewpoint does not require any distrust in the entire narrative as it would fit perfectly well with the beginning being reality (although that too is a point of contention).

As a final point, I think the dream ending, if it's true, raises some interesting questions. At the end of the day, does it really matter whether it's a dream or whether it's reality? Surely all that matters to him is whether he thinks it's a dream or reality?


In summary, I think that his journey went like this:

Reality ------> Dream -----> Dream which is like a perfect, plausible reality

But the initial reality may have been a dream itself. Remember how he was chased by unknown agents in terrifying circumstances and then how he squeezes through a bizarre little hole tiype thing? Is it a fantastical reality or simply a dream?



EDIT: Just came across an awesome article echoing and expanding upon my viewpoint:

NEVER WAKE UP: THE MEANING AND SECRET OF INCEPTION