'Inception' ending theory suggests Leonardo's Cobb was not dreaming in the end

Inception released back in July 2010 and puzzled the audience, earning $828 million at the worldwide box office. The film's ambiguous ending has been a matter of discussion ever since it released and movie buffs around the world debate whether Leonardo DiCaprio's character was dreaming or not.

During Inception's conclusion, Leonardo's Cobb reunited with his children and turns the spinning top to determine whether he is dreaming. If the top falls down, he is awake, if it keeps on spinning, he's still in a dream. But, Nolan decides to end his film by cutting to black before the audience ever knows whether he is still dreaming or not. Now, a Reddit user has come forward with a theory that suggests that Leonardo's character was in fact, not dreaming. 

Also read: 10-years of Christopher Nolan's 'Inception', some interesting facts about the film

Reddit theory on Inception's ending 

A Reddit user named 'routlinemagic' has come forward with a theory that suggests that one minute in the real world equals to 40 hours in the dream world. Using this logic, the user suggests if Cobb's wife Mal was right about being in a dream, she would have woken up in the real world and try to wake Leonardo's character too. Thus, Leonardo's character wouldn't have to be in the dream for the next one and a half years after Mal's suicide.

In conclusion, the theory suggests that Leonardo's character does not remember when was the last time he saw his kids, which means it has been more than one and a half year since he has departed from his kids and Mal is actually dead in reality, the same place where Cobb returns at the end of the film. 

Also read: Leonardo DiCaprio's Inception & other movies scored by Hans Zimmer

Image courtesy - Still from Inception

Also read: 'Joker' to 'Inception': 5 Tamil-dubbed Hollywood films on OTT platforms

Earlier actor Michael Caine, who plays a pivotal role in the film, had spoken to a news daily in the USA revealing that he had actually asked Christopher Nolan to explain when the characters are in a dream and when in reality. According to Caine, every scene which features him in the film is based in reality, if he is not in the scene, it is a dream. In the final scene of the film, Michael Caine can be seen receiving Leonardo's character at the airport and escorting him to his house to meet the kids, thus hinting that Cobb was not dreaming at the end of the film. 

Also read: Can Ayushmann Khurrana play Cobb in Bollywood remake of Christopher Nolan's 'Inception'?