This post contains an introduction to the 2010 film “Inception”. In this explanation about the world of “Inception”, you’ll find all the information regarding: the team, the roles, totems and dream levels.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, the 2010 sci-fi thriller stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb. In the film, the protagonist is a man who is trying to reunite with his family and make peace with the past.
Inception tells the story of a man (Dom Cobb) who embarks on a dangerous mission in exchange for his freedom. One day, after a failed assignment, his target, a wealthy businessman named Saito, hires him to perform inception (planting an idea) in the mind of his competitor, Robert Fischer. In order to accomplish the task, Cobb assembles a team of specialists.
The Inception Team (Characters and Roles)
Dom Cobb is the “Extractor”. He is someone who can enter people’s subconscious and steal their secrets while they are dreaming. The reason Cobb decided to collaborate with Saito was to clear his name. Apparently, the US authorities are after Cobb for the murder of his wife, Mal. It’s Cobb’s responsibility to design the inception plan.
Arthur is the “Point Man”. He is Cobb’s right-hand man. As the “Point Man”, he is in charge of researching the target’s background. Also, it’s Arthur’s responsibility to gather the right people and resources for the job. He is the one who makes sure that the team follows the plan and stays safe from the projections.
Ariadne is the “Architect”. She is the one who designs the dream world for the team. Her job is to create realistic and complex labyrinths that can fool the target’s subconscious. Not only that, but Ariadne also has to make sure that the team can navigate the dream levels safely and find their way back to reality.
Eames is the “Forger”. He can impersonate anyone in the dream world. Eames uses his skills to manipulate the subconscious of the target and extract or plant information. As the “Forger”, it’s his responsibility to create convincing characters and scenarios that fit the mission and the team’s plan.
Yusuf is the “Chemist”. He is the specialist who provides the sedatives for the team to ensure a deep sleep. On top of that, Yusuf is the one responsible for making sure that the dreamers stay asleep and stable during the inception mission. The “Chemist” also joins the team in the first level of the dream, where his job is to drive the van and control the kick.
Saito is the “Tourist”. He is a wealthy businessman who hires Cobb and his team to perform inception on his rival, Robert Fischer. Saito wants his competitor to dissolve his company in order to avoid an energy monopoly that no one can compete against. As the “Tourist”, Saito is more of an observer than an active participant during the dream mission.
The World of Inception Explained
In the world of “Inception”, there is a technology that allows its users to enter people’s dreams. The device allows its operators to steal and plant ideas in their targets. Also, the “dream machine” allows its users to create and manipulate the dream world.
What is Inception?
Inception is the process of planting an idea in someone’s mind instead of taking one out. In theory, it’s a harder task to accomplish than stealing an idea. Inception requires creating a complex dream within a dream within a dream and making the target believe that the idea is their own.
Projections in Inception
The story of Inception often mentions the concept of “projections”, which means people or objects that appear in dreams. They are created by the subconscious mind of the person who is dreaming. Sometimes, projections can be dangerous because they can attack the dreamers who are trying to manipulate the dream.
For instance, Cobb’s projection of his late wife, Mal, often sabotages his missions and puts him and his team in danger. This happens when the subconscious mind realizes that something is wrong with the dream and tries to defend itself. To sum up, projections can interfere with the plan of the dreamers and also reveal secrets.
What is a Totem?
A totem is a personal object that helps its owner distinguish dreams from reality. It has a unique feature they know about, meaning no one can fake it in a dream. For example, Cobb’s totem is a spinning top that never stops in a dream; Ariadne’s is a chess piece that falls over when she pushes it; Arthur’s is a loaded dice that always lands on a specific number; and Eames’ is a poker chip that has a misspelled word on it.
Time in Inception
The film explores how time works differently in different levels of dreams. Usually, the deeper the dream, the slower time passes. According to Cobb, time in a dream can stretch: seconds turn to minutes, minutes turn to days, and days turn to years.
Although the team “gains” time to execute their mission in a multi-level dream, there are some dangers associated with this method. Staying too long in a dream in Inception can have serious consequences for one’s mind.
As mentioned before, time slows down in dreams. This means that one can spend years or even decades in a dream, while only a few hours pass in the real world. However, there are a couple of “side-effects” that come with staying too long in a dream: a person might lose their sense of identity, their connection to reality, and their sanity. Not only that, but one can also become addicted to the dream world.
What is a Kick?
A kick is a jolt that wakes you up from a dream. In Inception, the characters use kicks to move between different levels of dreams. Moreover, a kick can be physical, like falling or hitting something, or auditory, like a loud noise.
Synchronized kicks are a way of waking up from a dream within a dream. They work by creating a sensation of falling or jolting in the lower level of the dream, which triggers the same sensation in the higher level. This way, the dreamer can escape from a multi-level dream all at once.
What is Limbo?
Limbo is a state of deep subconsciousness where time is dilated and dreamers can create anything they want. It’s like a playground for the mind, but it’s also an incredibly dangerous place. If you die in a dream, you normally wake up. However, if you die in a dream while sedated, you will end up in “Limbo”.
For instance, Mal and Cobb spent decades in Limbo. In order to wake up and go back to reality, they had to die first. But Saito’s case is different, he died in the dream while heavily sedated, meaning the businessman couldn’t simply “wake up”. As a result, Saito ended up in Limbo, where he spent a long time, which would justify his “old appearance”.
The Dream Levels in Inception Explained
In order to perform inception on Robert Fischer’s mind, Cobb devises a multi-level dream. The original plan consisted of three different levels, and each level is supposed to serve a purpose. However, due to a couple of mishaps and unexpected situations, some members of the team had to go through a fourth level. Without further ado, here is a brief explanation of each level.
Level 1: Raining City
This is the first dream level, where the team kidnaps Fischer and tries to convince him that he has been kidnapped by Browing (Fischer’s uncle). In the dream, Eames is the one impersonating Browing. The plan is to make Fischer trust Cobb and follow him deeper into the dream. However, Fischer’s mind is trained for these types of situations. As a result, the team had to escape Fischer’s security projections and reach a warehouse where the next level begins.
Level 2: Hotel
This is the second dream level, where Arthur stays behind to set up a kick for the others. The rest of the team goes to a hotel, where Cobb pretends to be Fischer’s security consultant and tells him that he is in a dream within a dream. The goal is to make Fischer reveal his subconscious password and enter a hidden vault where the next level begins. Meanwhile, the hotel is affected by the gravity shifts caused by the team’s van falling off a bridge on the first level.
Level 3: Snow Fortress
This is the third dream level, where Eames impersonates Fischer’s godfather and leads him to a snow fortress where his father’s safe is located. The idea is to make Fischer open the safe and find a planted idea that suggests he should break up his father’s empire. Shortly after, Fischer’s militarized projections attack the snow fortress. Also, Mal shows up and tries to sabotage the mission. The team fights their way to the safe and escapes before the explosives go off.
Level 4: Limbo
This is the fourth dream level, where Cobb and Ariadne go after Fischer and Mal. When Cobb finds Mal, he confronts his wife and releases himself from the guilt over her death. Also, Ariadne finds Fischer and they both execute the “kick”. While they move back to the upper levels of the dream, Cobb stays behind to look for Saito in Limbo.
Additional Notes
The opening scene of Inception takes place when Cobb tracks down Saito in Limbo, who is now a much older man. Fortunately, Saito hasn’t completely lost the memory of who he really is. The businessman still remembers his last conversation with Cobb and his promise to him. Together, they wake up from Limbo and return to reality.
After waking up, Cobb is a free man again. Saito kept his promise, and the US authorities dropped all the charges against Cobb. His father is at the airport waiting for him. At home, Cobb reunites with his children. The last scene shows Cobb spinning his totem. Nevertheless, the ending of Inception is rather ambiguous, as it’s not clear whether Cobb is still dreaming or not.
For those who are interested, here is another article containing a more in-depth discussion about the meaning behind the ending of “Inception”.
