In the movie The Prestige, why do people think that the original Angiers was the one at the end?

Question

That would not be possible because the machine does not transport, it only clones. That clone would be created up in the balcony and the person in the machine drowns. So Angiers must have killed himself the first time he did the trick and a new clone carries on the act and kills himself everynight while a new clone is created in the balcony. I guess the clones would carry over all of Angiers memories and thoughts so it sort of be like the original Angiers was being created over and over.

Also why does everyone think that it's Borden's brother? When he tells Angiers about Tesla, that shows that he had knowledge of the machine and had created a clone of himself earlier.

Answer 1

i also had that discission with a friend, he said that borden had a twin. I THINK NOT!!!! due to the prior knowledge of tesla proves that he did if fact have a clone. but then he said that it goes back to the fact of "living the trick", i dunno it was a good freaking moive either way!

Answer 2

Maybe Angier used a clone when performing the trick while he waited on the balcony. The clone obviously doesn't know that the bottom with fall out and he will be locked inside a water tank and drowns. That's the only logical thing I could come up with.
As far as Borden goes he does say at the end of the movie that he did infact have a twin. He might have known about the cloning machine and sent Angier over there knowing he would use it.

Answer 3

everyone has a question abot this movie, no one completly understands it so i think there is someting really wrong with the story or with the directing(but i don t blame cristopher nolan)