Inception ending explained

What happens

Cobb gets through immigration and reaches his children, so the job has worked and he is finally home. He spins his totem, then turns away to join them. The film cuts to black before you see whether it falls.

The last image

The top spins on the table while Cobb walks off to his children, and it is still turning, just starting to wobble, when the screen goes black.

Three readings

1 · It's realThe reunion feels earned, and Cobb's wedding ring is gone, a detail some read as a sign that this is the waking world.

2 · Still dreamingWith no answer, you are left in Cobb's own doubt, never sure whether this world is real.

3 · It doesn't matterCobb walks away without watching the top, so the point is what he chooses, not the answer.

What it says

Cobb has made peace with Mal's loss, so he no longer needs proof. Nolan has never confirmed the answer. The ending asks whether you can live in a world, not whether it is real, and leaves you with Cobb's question.