Christopher Nolan - Inception - The Shooting Script

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COBB (CONT’D)

However lost I might seem… it’s always there. Telling me something. Reminding me of the truth.

MAL

What truth?

COBB

That you were wrong to doubt our world. That the idea that drove you to question your reality was a lie…

MAL

How could you know it was a lie?

COBB

Because it was my lie.

MAL

(realizing)

Because you planted the idea in my mind.

COBB

Because I performed inception on my own wife, then reaped the bitter rewards…

ARIADNE

Why?

COBB

We’d become lost in here. Living in a world of infinite possibilities. A world where we were gods. I realized we needed to escape, but she’d locked away her knowledge of the unreality of this world…

INSERT CUT: Mal opens the doll’s house. Takes the spinning top, lies it down in the safe. LOCKS IT AWAY.

COBB

I couldn’t make Mal understand that we needed to break free. To die. So I started to search our world…

Cobb turns to Mal, but keeps talking to Ariadne…

INSERT CUT: Cobb WANDERS the streets of Limbo…

COBB

Searching for the right place in her mind…

INSERT CUT: Cobb stops outside the VICTORIAN HOUSE, MAL’S CHILDHOOD HOME, looking up at it. He heads inside…

COBB

And when I found that place, that secret place where she had shut away her knowledge years before, I broke it open…

INSERT CUT: Cobb looks around Mal’s childhood bedroom. Comes to the doll’s house…

COBB

I broke into the deepest recess of her mind, to give her the simplest little idea.

INSERT CUT: Cobb throws open the safe doors. Sitting on the shelf of the safe is a spinning top. On its side.

COBB

A truth that she had once known, but had chosen to forget…

INSERT CUT: Cobb picks up the totem. He SPINS it in the safe. IT SPINS AND SPINS WITHOUT END. Cobb CLOSES THE DOOR of the safe…

COBB

That her world was not real.

INSERT CUT: COBB AND MAL ARRIVE AT TRAIN TRACKS CUTTING THROUGH WASTELAND.

COBB (V.O.)

That death was a necessary escape.

They lie on the tracks looking into each other’s eyes. Mal is crying. Cobb takes her hand, reassuring. He starts to speak—

COBB

You’re waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you can’t know for sure. Yet it doesn’t matter…

Mal looks at him across the railroad tracks. Replies—

MAL

Because you’ll be together.

The train comes, OBLITERATING the lovers.

Back in the present— Cobb looks into Mal’s eyes. She is crying.

COBB

I never thought that the idea I’d planted would grow in her mind like a cancer. That even after we woke…

INSERT CUT: Cobb looks around the HOTEL SUITE, confused. He moves to the CURTAINS… Mal is on the ledge opposite.

COBB

You’d continue to believe that your world was not real…

Crying, Mal nods—

MAL

That death was the only escape?

INSERT CUT: Mal PLUNGES to her death.

MAL

You killed me.

Cobb looks at Mal. Whispers—

COBB

I was trying to save you — I’m sorry.

Mal comes in close to Cobb. Looks him over.

MAL

You infected my mind. You betrayed me. But you can make amends. You can still keep your promise. We can still be together… right here. In our world. The world we built together.

CUT TO:

INT. ELEVATOR — NIGHT

Arthur hits “Play” on his music player — Edith Piaf starts to ring out, Arthur checks his detonator and we—

CUT TO:

INT. ANTECHAMBER — DAY

Eames races back in- in the relative quiet he notices MASSIVE LOW-E MUSICAL TONES. He drops his gun and goes to Fischer’s side…

INT. DUCT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS

Saito musters all his remaining strength as the guard emerges — Saito FIRES, dropping the guard, then COLLAPSES, the gun clattering to the duct floor… Saito is dead.

INT. ANTECHAMBER — CONTINUOUS

Eames powers up the defibrillator, puts the paddles on Fischer’s chest, then Pow! — he shocks him, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — DAY

LIGHTNING crackles across the sky — Ariadne sees it.

ARIADNE

We need Fischer.

MAL

You can’t have him.

Cobb stares at Mal. Mesmerized.

COBB

If I stay, can she take him back?

ARIADNE

Cobb, what are you saying?

MAL

Fischer’s on the porch.

ARIADNE

Cobb, you can’t do this.

COBB

Go check he’s alive, Ariadne.

Ariadne moves onto the porch, high above the metropolis, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. ELEVATOR — NIGHT

Arthur nods his head in time with the music, counting down, holding the detonator. He starts bracing himself, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. ANTECHAMBER — DAY

Eames recharges the defibrillator. SHOCKS Fischer again, and we—

CUT TO:

EXT. PORCH, PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — DAY

Ariadne looks up as a LARGE BOLT OF LIGHTNING RIPS across the sky… she looks down to see Fischer, BOUND AND BLOODY, lying below the rail.

ARIADNE

He’s here. And it’s time. But you have to come with us.

Another massive lightning strike flickers across the sky—

ARIADNE

Cobb, I’m not going to let you lose yourself in here! You have to get back to your children!

COBB

Send Fischer, I have to stay—

ARIADNE

You can’t stay here to be with her—

Cobb turns from Mal. Looks at Ariadne.

COBB

I’m not. Saito is dead by now. That means he’s here. I have to stay here and find him.

Ariadne removes Fischer’s gag — pulls him up, onto the rail.

Cobb looks back at Mal.

COBB

I can’t stay here to be with her because she’s not real.

Mal looks at Cobb, furious.

MAL

Not real? I’m the only thing you do believe in anymore. Here — doesn’t this feel real, Dom?

She STABS him in the chest — Cobb WHEEZES — GASPING, looking at Mal—

COBB

I wish you were. But I couldn’t make you real. I’m not capable of imagining you in all your complexity and… perfection. As you really were. You’re the best I can do. And you’re not real.

Mal pulls the knife and moves to STRIKE again—

ARIADNE

No!

A SHOT rings out, Mal GRABS her shoulder — Cobb turns to Ariadne, who is pointing Cobb’s gun.

COBB

What’re you doing?

ARIADNE

Improvising.

She KICKS Fischer off the roof — AIMS again at Mal—

Fischer DROPS as the sky LIGHTS UP WITH ELECTRICITY — Fischer SCREAMS, then GASPS, no longer falling, and we are—

INT. ANTECHAMBER — DAY

Eames pulls the defibrillator from Fischer’s chest as he COUGHS AWAKE.

EAMES

Get in there — quick!

Fischer looks up at the double doors. STAGGERS to his feet. Fischer pushes open the doors to the STRONGROOM.

INT. STRONGROOM — CONTINUOUS

Fischer walks into the silent white room. At one end of the room is a bed. A figure lies in the bed. His FATHER. Breathing with tremendous difficulty. Dying. And we-

CUT TO:

EXT. PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — DAY

Ariadne takes aim at Mal—

COBB

No!

Cobb holds Ariadne’s gaze. She lowers the gun. And we—

CUT TO:

Eames GRABS the detonator- then moves to the door of the strongroom…

CUT TO:

INT. ELEVATOR, HOTEL — NIGHT

Arthur HITS THE DETONATOR—

INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT — CONTINUOUS

The CHARGES on the bottom of the elevator EXPLODE, and we move into EXTREME SLOW MOTION as the flames BALLOON—

CUT TO:

INT. STRONGROOM — CONTINUOUS