Inception
A modern version of Jason & the Argonauts
EST V ACT domestic box office revenue
$191 – 233MM V $293MM
Mythosis universal quests used
4
Audience appeal
7.81 – 9.55%
Script Score
0.27
In 2010, Christopher Nolan transformed a simple heist movie by creating a world of mind-bending dreamscapes. Mythosis explores whether the film’s Plot structure is as powerful as its cinematic journey that challenges our perception of reality.
1. The invisible plot structure of Inception
1A. The script of Inception borrows 95% of its events from 4 mythological tales
Cobb’s quest is driven by the desire for finding and elusive person/object. The quest borrows events from the tale of Jason in Greek mythology. Jason’s desire to find The Golden Fleece is shared by Cobb who wants to implant a thought in Fischer’s mind.
Saito’s quest is driven by the desire to explore. The quest borrows events from the tale of Inanna in Sumerian mythology. Both Innana and Saito pay the price for their imprudence of venturing into unknown territory.
Mal’s quest is driven by loyalty & honour. The quest borrows events from the tale of Amba from Hindu mythology. After being dishonoured, both Amba and Mal cease to be righteous.
The Crew’s quest is driven by the desire to survive a threat. The quest borrows events from the tale of Noah in Abrahamic mythology. Both Noah & The Crew look for a safe passage to protect others from a calamity.
NOTE: Detailed mirroring of each character’s primary quest to their respective mythological tales is in section “3A. Quests of characters and their mythological counterparts”
Mythosis plot structure
# 466,373
Tales interweaved
Jason, Innana, Noah & Amba
I. How does interweaving mythological tales lead to infinite story plots?
II. Can the pursuit of a Desire have more than one quest?
2. The potential of Inception's plot structure: $191 – 233MM
The interweaving of 32 mythological tales can generate a billion unique stories. By using these 32 tales, we can extract the plot structure of any story across various genres. Our study of blockbuster, hit, and flop plot structures led to the discovery of the Mythosis Code, a set of principles for creating compelling stories. The plot structure of a story is analyzed to see how well it adheres to these storytelling principles.
2A. Plot structure evaluation of Inception
- All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. The script uses 3 universal quests of Expedition, Preservation & Honour. The quest of Curiosity is sparingly used.
- In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. Cobb mirrors the quest of Expedition. Mal mirrors the quest of Vengeance. The Crew mirrors the quest of Preservation whereas Saito mirrors the quest of Curiosity.
- Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Cobb borrows 64% of the quest of Expedition. Mal borrows 24% of the quest of Vengeance. The Crew borrows 19% of the quest of Preservation. Saito borrows 9% of the quest of Curiosity.
- Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Inception’s quest interweaving score of 0.33 is below par.
An example of interweaving the quests of Cobb & Saito:
2B. Box office revenue estimation of Inception
Inception’s plot structure has an extremely robust quest for Cobb but the other quests are quite weak.
The Script Score measures a plot structure’s adherence to the four principles of Mythosis Code. We use the Script Score to estimate a movie’s audience appeal & revenues. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
Script Score
0.27
Audience appeal
7.81 – 9.55%
I. How is Mythosis Code used to estimate revenues?
II. Aren’t box-office revenues influenced by several factors beyond just the story plot?
3. The ideal plot structure of Inception
We have identified 32 mythological tales, the superset of all tales across cultures. The quests of these tales have also recurred over time periods. They represent human behaviours that are deeply embedded in our shared memories. Each tale is the richest expression of the pursuit of a human desire. The tales have a unique pattern of events spread over 5 major arcs.
Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. Plugging these gaps with the missing events deepens the character quest. The missing events also provide an opportunity for interweaving the various quests. These events strengthen the story and unlock its hidden potential.
3A.Quest of characters and their mythological counterparts
Quest 1: Cobb mirrors the universal quest for Expedition
Cobb’s desire for Expedition stems from the need to find an elusive person or object. The tale of Jason from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Expedition.
Quest 2: The Crew mirrors the universal quest for Preservation
The Crew’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Noah from Abrahamic mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.
Quest 3: Mal mirrors the universal quest for Honour
Mal’s desire stems from the need to restore her honour after being wronged. The tale of Amba from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
Quest 4: Saito mirrors the universal quest for Curiosity
Saito’s desire for Curiosity stems from the need to explore & discover. The tale of Innana from Sumerian mythology is the universal quest for Curiosity.
3B.Gaps in the current plot structure
The gap in Inception’s plot structure arises from the disproportionate focus on one quest.
3C.Unlocking the hidden potential
The plot of Inception is a subset of Mythosis plot structure # 466,373. It emerges from interweaving the tales of Jason, Innana, Noah & Amba.
Contact us for Mythosis plot structure # 466,373.
Tags: Noah, Preservation, Innana, Curiosity, Jason, Expedition, Amba, Honour, Christopher Nolan, Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Syncopy, 2010