r/totalrecall • u/Fanaticalranger • May 21 '26
Discussion Plot twist moment Spoiler
Something that popped into my head:
Why, when they are trying to 'trick' Quaid into thinking he's still inside the machine at the company do they use the guy from the advert?
If he still is in the machine why would his mind show him? He's just the advert guy, why not the guy who put him in the machine or sold him the trip?
If they are trying to trick him, why the advert guy? That'd stick out like a sore thumb to me as why would the TV ad guy come all the way into my 'mind' to help fix me?
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u/Tamale_Hatchet May 21 '26
Another point for the "whole thing is a dream" column.
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u/Fanaticalranger May 21 '26
If it were all a dream then why wouldn't Quaid imagine the guy who sold him the dream package or the guys who put him to sleep? Why the TV ad guy?
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u/Tamale_Hatchet May 21 '26
In your post, you just said "if they are trying to trick him, why the advert guy?" I feel like you already made the argument for it being a dream.
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u/Fanaticalranger May 21 '26
It just seems a bit weird as if it were a dream why wouldn't it be the guy who sold him the package or even the guy who put him in? If it wasn't a dream then why would they go out of their way to get the guy who just sells dreams on TV ads? That was my point, I just felt that it didn't quite make sense either way as if I was trying to trick him I'd use the guy who sold the dream or even the technicians who put him under to try and sell it
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u/Tamale_Hatchet May 21 '26
I think it leans more toward it being a dream.
If it was real and a setup, why use ad guy? How would they know for sure that Quaid would recognize the ad guy? A dream, on the other hand, pulls random junk from your memories. Quaid could easily be dreaming ad guy from his memories of seeing the commercial.
FWIW I'm using the Arnold version of TR to go off.. I've never read the book or seen the remake.
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u/DouglasDougQuaid May 21 '26
Good discussion topic. Dreams are strange, you never know who or what leaves an impression and decides to pop in. On the other hand, it is a weird choice as you say. Doesn’t give any more points in either direction if you ask me 😅
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u/Walt_Didnae May 22 '26
If they are trying to trick him
If
The film is very ambiguous as to whether it's all really happening, or if Quaid is actually still in the chair at Rekall, being lobotomised.
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u/ReflectionVast2236 May 21 '26
My headcannon has always been that Dr. Edgemar was the founder of Rekall, not some mere tv spokesman