Inception observances

I finally ordered Inception from Amazon and they gave me a free VOD rental and since I had President's Day off I decided to give it a 2nd and 3rd watch-through.

Okay so, at the end is Cobb still dreaming or not?

First we'll assume that he's not dreaming, then essentially the movie was simplistic and happened exactly as it appeared. He wanted to see his children, succeeded with Fischer and Saito, and the top falls after the credits.

Very clear cut, plenty of evidence to support it. The movie, as most view it, is compelling enough to prove it's point...it is after all a love story about Cobb, Mal, and their children.

Now we'll assume that he is dreaming by the movie's end, and that the top continues to spin. Of course we can never know this, but neither will Cobb because for this one time he was not looking at the totem. This is our last indication that it could be a dream, all the other times when Cobb emerged from dreams and thought he was in reality he would sweat and frantically check the top(even sweating and bathing in a sink once). Now when he's finally out, he spins the top and looks away indicating that he no longer cares. This shows not that it's a dream, but rather that he no longer cares about whether or not it's a dream and he only wants to be home. So where could such an idea come from?

In the dream Mal preached to him that he had the power to do this, in limbo she said that they could be together forever and tried to show him the children but he refused then. So what changed? Ellen Page's Ariadne character could very well have been a member of an Inception team(or Saito too) which may have been what Mal was implying. Mal mentioned how Cobb appeared to be chased throughout the world by corporations, the cause being his failure in the beginning of the film.

So let's evaluate the chasing. We see what Cobb perceives as the real world(not including the ending) a number of times in the film. Most of those times they're secluded in a warehouse, a school, or the first class section of an airplane. When we do see them outside Cobb is being chased by a team of guys who could be 1) working for Cobalt 2) his subconscious security 3)a team of extractors. Unless I am mistaken there is no other time when this occurs as the train, plane, and car scenes are far too limited. So when Cobb is evading the men none of the other "filler" people really pay him any attention, especially with the people standing outside of the bar where Cobb tries to order something and avoid detection. Likewise, no one seems to pay Eames any attention in the bar and when Saito comes along there's no time to tell.

So based on this, we cannot assume that Cobb is dreaming at the ending unless 1) Cobb is stuck in limbo and has fabricated the entire movie(which we can't evaluate anyway because there's no exterior reference point) 2) The movie happens as described up until the lead into the limbo scene with Ariadne.

The limbo lead in:

Ariadne is featured rather prominently in the movie and she convinces Cobb to allow her to come on the mission and then mentions to him, and he then convinces himself, that they have to go save Fischer and Saito. If she were somehow able to project Mal unto Cobb or Mal were alive and sharing a dream with them then the explanation that Ariadne was there to bring Cobb out of his dreamlike state would make sense...but that does not appear to be the case either.

The evidence for the ending being reality is concreted by the lack of evidence of it being a dream, by criteria defined by movie itself. Keep in mind though that Cobb is not a reliable narrator, and as such makes everything suspect. The idea of a totem is ridiculous, that you can define something from the real world that will hold true in the dream realm(and for all members of the shared dream) is ridiculous...especially since he uses Mal's totem. What if he only thinks he succeeded with Inception on her? What if she beat him out of the dream and he was stuck in limbo the entire time and then constructed the rest of the movie? The idea of the totem is not as important as the determination of viewing it, as it determines the state of the mind and that's what the entire movie is about. So if Cobb doesn't care by the end, then what does it mean and more importantly where would he get the idea? From himself, from limbo, from Ariadne...which is really the only theory with enough credible evidence to support the ending being a dream, but it still doesn't make enough sense so he's got to be awake.

Thoughts?

Edit: When I was going to bed last night I remember one final thing. When Cobb goes to recruit Eames, Eames says that Arthur needs more imagination but they both agree that he is the best. Why does Arthur fail to notice the dream security, to notice that Fischer had extraction training? If we're told that a character is the best, and we were about 3 times, then how do they make such a disastrous mistake? Sure the plot dictates it because otherwise the ending would have been too easy, but for plots' sake we have to assume that Arthur got it wrong either 1) on purpose or 2) because they weren't in Fischer, they were in someone else...Cobb perhaps. That could be the single biggest clue in the entire movie about whether or not it the ending is a dream or not(that not it really matters to Cobb).

2nd Edit: Now a lot of people have probably noticed that there are Inception music comparisons on Youtube(like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVkQ0C4qDvM). Now if someone were able to watch the movie and find that there was an underlying soundtrack for the entire film and that the BRAAAAAMs lined up with the musical timings then that would be the best definitive proof(short of Nolan himself saying, sure he's voiced what he thinks happened as a viewer but never as a writer/director).

Illundiel - Market Story

That was a close one but I still have to get out of here. These people, things, whatever they are all seem different to me. I don’t know how to make anyone else see it. I’ll find a way, but first I got to get out of here. The marketplace smells foul, everywhere is affected by the plague. I can see the black melons, the rotten apples, so putrid the dogs won’t even eat them. The merchants are lifeless, but are men nonetheless. All of these people are. It’s the guards that are different. The guards, the elected officials, the warriors are the ones that aren’t right. If I had to kill real people then I wouldn’t know what to do.

An official, a Judicator perhaps, arrives in the square. An executioner and some guards accompany him as do three prisoners, “We are proud to announce that a caravan has just arrived from an Imperial Storehouse and there will be fresh food today. It will be available to all, so stock up while you can,”

The announcement causes such a stir that the people begin knocking each other over, trampling each other to get food. He wasn’t lying; the food is fine, that much I can smell. I look over and see an old man too weak to even leave his food stand, I can’t even begin to anticipate the implications of what I’m about to do, but I have to do it. Walking over to his stand, the guards pay me little attention; I’ve not yet given them reason to. I don’t have any money and if I did I would give it away, but upon picking the pomegranate up I notice how sweet and delicious it looks; the soft skin and the sweet smelling meat appeal to me and will be vital for these people. I bite into it…juicy and ripe. I give it back to the old man and walk away. I feel the corruption running through me and grow weaker as my powers begin to fail me.

“Those who stand before you are accused of heresy against the Tribunal and your King. Their use of black magic has brought blight unto the land and summons the Night Stalkers that attack our very kingdom and threaten your children. Look, the dwarves and elves have corrupted your own brethren as well in their effort to bring down the King, Tribunal, and realm. Consider yourselves lucky, that our kingdom has as good of a protector as our King is, others have not been as lucky…” The Judicator continues to play to the crowd gathered around the execution square.

Another crowd closer to the farmers' stands is erupting with rejoice. Their cries at some times rivaled the droning of the Judicator.

“My fruit!! My fruit is ripe!”

“Fresh melons, apples, and pears!”

As the Judicator continues, I realize that I can’t let these people die. They’re people, and for some reason he is a person too. So what the hell is going on here? I’m hurt enough as it is, I can’t risk a scene, and I can’t let them get away with this. Black magic? I don’t know if the crowd believes him, but he certainly knows how to manipulate them, indirectly threatening their families and children with death. Too many raids. Too many farmers killed and crops burned; these people are desperate. The screams from the crowd show how indifferent they are to the people. They cry out for hangings. They’re afraid and they need to feel better, they need to feel powerful and safe, and they’d do anything for that. I’d do anything for that, but I’m not as lucky as they are, I’m cursed.

“…Guards take position. What we do here, we do for the good of not only this kingdom but of all the kingdoms in the land. Our good King and Lord was right to bring the army and farmers back into the castle walls. We need all the protection that can get, our own mages work tirelessly with Holy magic to combat this threat, but they are evil, we have resolve… Executioner, you may be “Nooo!!!!! …What trickery is this?” the Judicator screams as the crowd becomes restless and afraid.

A mere thought and the “guilty parties” disappear and are safe. They wanted a show, they got a show… more then enough to let them know who I am, if they didn’t already know. It hurt too, if I’m lucky I’ll die, but I still have a job to do. Escape isn’t really an option anymore, and I can’t heal, run, hide, or fight, that scene in the market has left me too weak. What do I do? What can I do? Do I stay with the crowd or do I run for it, right through the gate? They’ll probably see me either way, I’m not sure what kind of creatures or demons they may be, but I won’t kill them unless I have to.

That’s when I felt the dagger stab me in the back. Was already too hurt, might have been able to phase if I hadn’t saved those innocents, hopefully I sent them somewhere safe. I don’t think I’m going to die, but I don’t see the reason that I should be made to suffer. I was a target when I was doing nothing, and now I’m just that much more approachable now that I help people. Someday it’ll change, someday what he said would come true … just … not … now…

Those were the events that led up to where I am now. I have just awoken, and yet the events seem so long ago. All my old wounds are healed and only the stab wound remained, and it’s too bad they didn’t stab me in the heart, if that would even work. My strength slowly returning now, I begin to look around my accommodations, my room, a prison and yet an escape from my own. This was a torture chamber. The wooden machine might soon be used to stretch, to break me, and if I were lucky would kill me. The floor is covered in blood, the walls are covered with blood, and oddly enough there is blood on the ceiling; yet all of the blood was dry, it appeared as if this room hadn’t been used in ages. The only thing that doesn’t have blood on it was a beautiful blue and silver stained glass window depicting the birth of the Gods. What the window does have on it was enchantments, designed to keep me in no doubt. They might be the reason why I was feeling weaker not weaker, just out of it. Maybe I don’t have any powers any more, I mean that happens to most people…maybe I used up the last of them by not dying this time before I can survey my surroundings anymore a man bursts through the door.

“How are you? I hope we haven’t inconvenienced you too much?” his voice was regal and kind, and in an instant I realize that I should be as scared as I was reassured. He waits, studying me no doubt. Maybe waiting for my answer. “Well, either way, I think we both know that the people you freed today weren’t a threat to anyone. They were to be made examples of, to further canonize the people to...” He continued to speak and as he said the words, he looked not at me, but into and through me and I could feel his red hot eyes on my soul. I could not concentrate on what he was saying, my mind was shifting between had had already occurred and what was yet to come; more importantly though, what would never come.

“Why are you doing this? Who are you? How many of you are there? Nothing can be gained by this. How have you tricked the Tribunal into allowing this farce to continue?” I pleaded, our great and wise leaders would have to put a stop to this eventually. They had dealt with matters far more pressing then this before, yet this blight was crippling the kingdoms. I was getting stronger by the moment, but feeling out of it all the same.

“Listen, I know that you have questions, and I want you to know that we’re not going to kill you because we’d rather have you on our side. You’re special, perhaps more so then you know. You will be our weapon, our vanguard, and our salvation. I am Jacobi, many refer to me as the Sovereign, I control and protect this land, and soon you will too.”

As he spoke I began to hear voices inside my head. “RUN. TAKE HIM! TAKE HIM NOW! THE WINDOW, QUICK!” What was happening to me? I must be going crazy. I’ve never heard voices before, maybe that means I’m closer to my goal, maybe it’s the voices of those I’ve wronged trying to trick me, maybe it’s nothing at all.

“Jacobi, I must say I’m flattered. You say that I am special, yet I had no idea what was going on here. No idea that you were here, your skill is legend.” I flatter him.

“Well I can’t say that I wouldn’t have been hurt if you did not know who I was. Yourself though, you are legend¾” Jacobi is interrupted by the prisoner guard.

A knock at the door, “An Inquisitor has just arrived and wished to immediately speak with the prisoner…he also requests that you allow him to take the prisoner with him. We’ve dispatched messengers as well, an attack against The Order should commence shortly.”

Jacobi gets out of his chair and moves over to the door. “Tell the Inquisitor, he can meet the prisoner after diner and that we are not to be interrupted again. And tell him that I yelled a lot when I said this.”

“I’m sorry, good private time is so hard to find nowadays. You’ll see that our kingdom is not perfect, the plague affects us here as well. I don’t know who you think we are…I simply try to rule for the good of my people, to protect them from the natural dangers of this land.”

“I know you’re a demon.” As I say this, Jacobi shows no indication that my words mean anything to him. “There are rumors about you. Your speed and skill as a swordsman, no man could be that good. You obviously know that I’ve met with The Order before, they told me to come here and they told me that you were a bad creature…but oddly enough they never mentioned that you were here.”

“People say things. Good and evil, right and wrong. These are just meaningless words, it’s the perception that matters,” he remains calm as he lectures to me, but grows angry as he hears screaming down the hall. “Ahem, now you must realize that perception is key to everything. I may appear to be young and beautiful, but I am actually very old and quite ugly. I care little about what you think, I’ve been told that will be the key to our endgame. I know you, I know that you’ve either seen it already or will soon as you begin to come into your powers…you don’t understand.” As he went on, he appeared to become upset and his age showed more and more upon his face. “Whether or not you realize it, I am your friend. I am the people’s friend, we fight only The Order…they are not the holier than thou rag-a-muffin group that you met. I assume they offered you assistance? Rushed in to save the day.”

“There was an ambush…Night Stalkers. I could have handled them had I been alone, but there were too many to fight at once while protecting the others. I’m cursed…I can’t die, and don’t think you can offer that to me. I won’t die until I know that I’m not needed”

He yells, “You should not be so quick to assume! Do not play with death in such a manner! You have no yet died, you can die, and you will die!…but you will be ours first.”

Jacobi moves for the door and I feel more compelled to move, for the window. I don’t know what was controlling me now, but I know that I have to get out of here; magical barrier or not I’m shattering that window. I shatter the flaming blue, silver glass and plummet downward. As I fall, I can’t make out the shouting above me and can only see the ground waiting to break my fall. I don’t do anything, can’t do anything, but I escape.

Virus Story - unedited

How did we get here?

The first day of school is always the toughest and Henry Ian Vincenz was new to Jane Samantha Kitrich Elementary School. Henry always seemed to be the new kid in town and being the new kid is hard. He tired to make friends, but everyone else had their own cliques already. Juan Carlos, the foreign exchange student, was always too hot and buggy to play with anyone, he was good for a wave but wouldn’t hang out with anyone because they would always just end up getting headaches. Rooster was always covered in acne and cowered because he wanted to hide his face from the jeering students, so he got the nickname “Chicken”. Joe Smith was the most active boy in school. He was persistent, on every team, in every club, and impossible to get rid of.

On this first day of school Joe Smith targeted Henry Ian Vincenz and made fun of him just for being new, and as a bully nothing that he said actually made sense. Henry would have been heartbroken, if not for The Sals. They were called The Sals but their names were really Timmy, Tommy, and Tony. They were members of the Student government and aided in the everyday operations of the school, helping to better and beautify it. They openly offered Henry entrance into their group and his spirits lifted. Years went by and elementary school turned into high school, which turned into college. People like Juan Carlos would come and go, there was an adopted boy from the Orient named Stephen Anthony Richard Smith who would caused a big commotion and was never seen from again. Over the years, plenty of people would come and go but Henry and The Sales stayed together. And Joe Smith was with them, he was: Valedictorian, Student Body President, an All-State athlete in three sports, and a freshman starting quarterback for a Division I school. He always had the upper hand in everything, nobody could ever adapt to him.
The Sals didn’t notice the change that was happening to Henry, he started to change and Joe saw it immediately. Joe wanted to use it to his advantage so he started to hang out with Henry all the time. Joe offered the popular acceptance that Henry had always wanted and when he suddenly changed his name to Adam Ian Donofrio and started his on his self-destructive path The Sals were the first of his victims. He couldn’t control himself and became a bad influence on everyone around him, and then suddenly The Sals were all dead being brought down from within. They could no longer protect and beautify the world around them and it began to crack. Joe Smith loved it, nobody had ever realized before that he needed all the attention. He was always on top because he liked keeping everyone on bottom.

“It’s time to stop, you don’t have to hurt anyone anymore,” said Agent Francis Daley Andrews, but there was no way he could rubberstamp a solution to this problem.

“I’m sorry, you have to believe that. I never wanted this to happen; I don’t know why it does. They all left me though. I’m all alone and I can’t stay with anyone. I try too, I don’t push them away…but they just disappear. They die, they abandon me,” sobbed Adam Ian Vincenz.

“I can help you. You didn’t do this, Joe did. He did all the work, you were just there. You can’t help it if you like being involved.”

“You can’t help me anymore then I can help myself, or them,” Adam began to run off. “I’ll end this now.”

Henry ran back to Jane Samantha Kitrich Elementary School and found it was no longer the beautiful place that he loved. Time had eroded the building, newer students had defaced it, and The Sals were no longer around to safeguard and restore it.

“Glorious, isn’t it?” Joe Smith was inexplicably already here, admiring the scenery. “This place, it was great because of me. It crumbled away without me.”

“…it crumbled because I let it. I didn’t stop you then, but I won’t let you continue now. You and I together are no good, you’re not moving onto another school, no new job for you, you’re done.” As he talked, Adam began circling Joe, who was taken aback. Adam lunged for him with surprising consequences. Joe had always been the big athlete, but he could barely contain Adam, who was not a good fighter either. They were clearly mismatched and as they fought the building began to crack up around them. The years had been stress enough on the building, eating away at the foundation, and now this final battle was more then it could take. A massive crack ran through the ceiling, the walls began to cave in, the water pipes burst, furnace exploded, and the roof caved in. The years had been too much for the old building and it was Adam Ian Donofrio who had brought it down, but only to stop Joe Smit