Shocking New Theory Exposes Hidden Truth Behind Inception’s Most Puzzling Plot Hole

Wait, are we still spinning, or have we toppled over into a whole new layer of dreamland? Because just when you thought Christopher Nolan had us all stumped with Inception’s never-ending mind games, here come the film sleuths with a theory that might break your totem (and possibly your brain) . Imagine discovering a “major plot hole” in a Nolan film—a director so meticulous, even his mistakes are probably deliberate! It’s the cinematic equivalent of finding out your grandma invented TikTok . Yet, as the fandom spirals into Reddit-fueled speculation, this theory might just upend what we believed about Cobb, dreams, and who’s really getting incepted . Are we the dreamers, or just extras in Nolan’s master plan? Buckle up, because reality—much like Leo’s time with that spinning top—might not be as solid as you think . LEARN MORE

Film fans discovered a new theory at the true story behind Inception after spotting a ‘major plot hole’ in the Christopher Nolan movie.

Due to the love for Christopher Nolan’s films, there is a widely agreed view of the ‘mistakes’ in his films – that there simply are none.

This is most often discussed in Interstellar, where fans for years have been discussing theories around why the exact same shot is shown at two different parts of the film, seemingly a simple mistake, but fans think it actually reveals a huge secret theory about the film.

This same logic can be applied to Inception, where a fan has figured out a huge issue with the plot – one they believe must actually be part of Nolan’s hidden plans for the film.

DiCaprio’s Cobb is hired in the film to incept into the mind of Robert Fischer, played by Cillian Murphy.

He is sent to ‘incept’ his dreams and implant in his subconscious the idea that he should break up his company. The theory goes, however, that Cobb is not actually doing this, but the team are in actual fact going into his mind.

Whilst you may have heard flimsy versions of this theory before, one viewer posting to the r/FanTheories subreddit pointed out a major plot hole which supports it related to totems.

One of the major plot points in the film revolves around the idea that everyone has a ‘totem’ that they can use to figure out if they’re dreaming or in the real world.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character Arthur uses loaded die which will always land on one face in reality but won’t do so in dreams. Totems have to be something that can be reliably tested and verified when you’re in reality.

The loaded dice makes sense as a totem, something which can’t be said for Cobb’s (Warner Brothers)

The Reddit poster acknowledged previous theories that Cobb was in a dream but pointed to his totem, saying it’s a paradox and doesn’t work properly.

They then said: “I realized it is a MAJOR plot-hole, something too big to be a slip-up by Nolan… The idea is that if someone else is trying to convince you a dream is reality, they won’t know what is unique about your totem (or what it even is), so they would naturally make objects, including your unknown totem, act normally in a dream.”

Cobb’s totem in dreams spins perpetually, meaning that someone could convince him he is in reality by simply making sure it is knocked over.

The poster suggests he is being incepted by Michael Caine’s Miles, with the team being sent in to incept the idea that he should move on from the death of his wife.

The theory totally changes the film (Warner Brothers)

Several fans chimed in to agree with the theory, with many joining in with the idea that it must be true because Nolan ‘doesn’t make mistakes’.

One comment said: “Never heard this one. I kinda love it. There are hints prior to the big dream heist on the plane that something dreamlike is happening in what is supposed to be the real world (such as that alleyway seemingly closing in on Cobb, and the nightmarish agents chasing him).

“I thought those were just put there to make it difficult later on to know whether or not a dream was being depicted, but it would make way more sense if literally everything we see in the film is part of a dream.

“Stuff like this is why Nolan is my favourite working director.”