FURTHER DEBATE WITH SPOILERS....


















































Yes, I considered that. My other theory is that he really does discover something to end aging/death, but then spends his life trying to find some way to bring her back. He does this by trying to send the tree with her "spirit" grown into it, through the Supernova like they talked about earlier. Or alternately, he knows he can't bring her back, but wants some part of her to live on, so he does the above mentioned ridiculousness solely to make the tree be reborn.

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The tree was infused with her spirit after he planted the seed in her wintery grave. I believe he was taking her to the supernova before she/the tree died hoping that once he got there he could perhaps find a way to make her live forever. In that futuristic state/bubble he was given the opportunity to go back into the past and change his destiny, ultimately accepting that death was a part of life which led to him being able to pass that Inca warrior and get to the the tree of knowledge. Once he drank the sap his physical body died and became soil for new growth and thus soul was freed.

That is a very interesting thought and I suppose it works just as well. The only problem with it would be the way the story in the movie ends with the zen bidness and the flaming sword.

First...can you spoiler ready your post Southy?

Second, I think that your assessment disregards the whole story that Rachel wrote. It takes away the fictional aspect of it that was, IMO, supposed to be there.

I don't think that Aronofsky was trying to make things that complex and weird despite the apparent visual complexity and weirdness. You know what I mean?

i like chappy's idea. but the whole changing of the past thing is was is messing me up the most. . . chasing rachael weisz (beautiful by the way) out the door instead of going into surgery. . . don't get that part.

edit: another thought. along the adam and eve line of thinking--tree of life and all--my friend thought that it's possible the "monk" was the last person on earth who embarked on the quest with the tree/the girl to stave of the death of humanity much like the neurosurgeon trying to stave of the death of his wife. interesting parallel

Yes, I picked it up about a year ago. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I can't comment on any differences.