From what I can tell, in Limbo Malory had a safe-box or something similar and Cobb said that she put something there about her life that she wanted to forget. Is there a clue to find out what that secret was or Nolan left it up to imagination?
You'll find me in the next life, if not in this one
She put her totem (the spinning top) away because she wanted to stay in Limbo.
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Grey Fairy / White Wolf
the safe was symbolic. she locked away something that she once knew, but chose to forget. She chose to forget the knowledge that she was dreaming.
👿 I know something you don't know ... I am ambidextrous!
Thanks so much. That was the thing that had been bothering me since I saw the movie. I always thought it was something bad about her past and that's she wanted to stay in Limbo.
You'll find me in the next life, if not in this one
In some ways, that scene is about defining the symbols in the movie. A safe is defined as, "something you once knew, but chose to forget."
Later in the movie, this applies to Fischer. The answer he chose to forget is the unquestioned love his father had for him as a child (symbolized by the pinwheel.) As a result, he had chosen to define his father's words and actions in the worst way.
The catharsis Fischer achieves in the hospital safe is real. It is not something manufactured by Eames. His father was not disappointed with him. He was disappointed with their relationship. That is why Fischer reaches for the pinwheel and not the Will.
Eames expected this (and even says as much in the van while they are driving away from the militarized projections.) This is why Eames "really wanted to see what was inside that room" at the hospital dream level. He knew what was physically inside the room, but he wanted to see Fischer's reaction.
👿 I know something you don't know ... I am ambidextrous!