The 4 Christopher Nolan Scenes Fans Still Can't Agree On

The first time I ever got into a really heated debate with friends after a movie was at the end of Christopher Nolan's Inception (2010). Understandable, considering the story pushes boundaries and forces us to question reality in such a riveting manner that, of course, different perspectives would rise to the surface. But that's also not rare for Nolan and his specific brand of ambiguity that essentially demands fans pay close attention to the movies.

In other words, while there might be directors and writers out there who'll shift gears knowing that people are notoriously second-screening these days, Nolan likely won't be one of those directors. You can't walk into one of his movies with a phone in hand, and even the concept of looking up actors on IMDb to see where you recognize them from shouldn't happen until after the credits roll.

Here are the four most-debated Christopher Nolan scenes that fans still can't come to an agreement on, as well as where you can stream some of these movies on Prime Video, and more.

Memento’s Ending: Is Teddy Telling Leonard the Truth?

Part of what makes Memento (2000) such a devastating story is the fact that Guy Pearce's Leonard Shelby is unfortunately an unreliable narrator. His heartaches and anterograde amnesia allow us to understand that what's present isn't something he can retain, but what's also in the past can, to a degree, be foggy because of the loop he's been stuck in trying to unravel the darkness in his life. Like in Inception, we're meant to continuously try getting to the crux of these characters, if only they'd just show us everything. If only they could.

However, we can also argue that Teddy isn't a trustworthy character, and we can dissect the system he's a part of to explore how manipulation plays a vast role in damaging the innocent to a point of no return. 

It's been 26 years since Memento first released, and still, Nolan's writing in the film fundamentally explores complexities within the world in a way that could require an entire dissertation to crack through, and perhaps that's why the film is so often cited as one of the greats to deep dive into the human psyche.

The Joker’s "Scars" Stories in The Dark Knight

As a man who's as profoundly damaged as the Joker, it's no surprise that his scar origin stories wouldn't line up. In some ways, it's all part of his act in The Dark Knight (2008), but in another sense, it's a result of the brokenness that plagues him to a point of no return. So, is there one truth to exactly how he got the scars? Of course, but my interpretation has always been that he's spun so many stories depending on who he talks to that it's all part of his act now. Who's to say if he even remembers the origin?

We could also argue that there's some form of truth in the version he gives to Rachel because there's a difference in the raw vulnerability Heath Ledger plays that scene with, yet, really, the answer will always be ambiguous for a reason because the character isn't meant to be fully understood when he consistently spins all his stories. It's both part of his wiring and an intimidation tactic that grows more and more complex the more you think about it. 

Did Bruce Wayne Survive in The Dark Knight Rises?

It legitimately shocks me that there are people who still debate whether or not Bruce Wayne survives at the end of The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Because to me, of all the ambiguous endings, this one seems to be the most clear. Sure, it's a little convenient that Sir Michael Caine's Alfred spots him at a cafe after specifically voicing that he'd love to one day see that moment to believe he's okay, but we're also forgetting just how thoughtful Bruce is as a person.

When Bruce takes The Bat out in an attempt to defuse the bomb safely away from Gotham citizens, it's presumed that there's no autopilot on it and therefore, there's no way he'd survive the explosion. But it turns out that it had been added months ago, and Morgan Freeman's Lucien learns the truth when the I.D. patch is revealed to be Bruce's. 

In other words, Batman's resourcefulness isn't something we should discredit, and I like to believe that he also had a way of keeping an eye on his loved ones to make sure they're safe, meaning that, of course, he'd also pop in to a random cafe to ensure that Alfred gets the peace of mind he's deserved all these years. The Dark Knight trilogy is an entire character study on who these people are at their core, and how Bruce, especially, knows exactly how to give people some semblance of the peace he could never find himself.

Did Cobb Wake Up at the End of Inception?

Inception is a complicated film that tries to simplify the concept of dreams in an extremely palpable way. Yet, really, there are very few answers to how our subconscious functions and exactly how every person's version of it differs. Still, the deliberate choice to leave this ending as an ambiguous one also makes perfect sense for the sake of a movie that continuously explores how damaged people are in their longings.

Still, we can also argue that even though the audience never truly sees Cobb’s totem come to a halt after he spins it, this ending is the first time where we do actually get glimpses of his kids in a manner that differs from the memories and visions he has prior. At the same time, while sure, he could dream of passing through security, if we are to believe that it doesn't happen, then does that mean Saito doesn't keep his end of the bargain? 

Plus, Cobb isn't the only one who wakes up on the plane; they all do. Ultimately, arguing over the ending of Inception is part of the movie's appeal because we can go around in circles trying to examine every scene to justify our belief, and in a way, each person would be valid in their claims.