Okay, so, the third thing that's established is Cobbs relationship with his wife. Right away she's presented as being an antagonistic force in the film but it's not until later that we start to understand what she really represents and why she is the main antagonist of the story. So, anyway let's get back to basics it's writing 101 to establish protagonists desire their want their goal and usually this is contrasted with their need which is to say what they need to do in order to reach their goal, now this is usually something difficult maybe a change in philosophy a change of values something that's hard for the character but something they have to do in order to evolve in order to complete their character arc.


So we understand what Cobbs want is right he wants to be reunited with his children now the plot gives us an obstacle an explanation for why Cobb can't go home to his children yet and that is that. He's been charged with the murder of his wife mom so this is the plot justification but the story justification for why he can't go home just yet is that Cobb hasn't completed his arc yet he still has story related obstacles to overcome. It's only later that we understand that what Cobb needs to overcome is that doubt in his mind the doubt over whether or not he's actually in a dream Cobb needs to kill that doubt before he's able to go home and as we learn later it's more who represents this doubt. The reason Maul still has control over Cobb is that Cobb still harbours this doubt deep down inside his subconscious, she's pulling him in the direction of that doubt she wants him to stay in the dream world.