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.