20 Things You Didn't Know About Arrival
1. Louise's Message To General Shang
One of the film’s most notable scenes sees a future version of Louise interacting with General Shang at a United Nations event. Here, the Chinese general informs the linguist that her actions 18 months earlier changed his mind and helped usher in the newfound peace the world is experiencing.
It turns out that Louise’s ability to perceive time non-linearly enabled her to see this event, retrieve General Shang’s personal number and share with him his wife’s dying words, words that change the General’s decision to strike at the alien ships. Now, these words are unfamiliar to non-Mandarin speakers but the movie’s writer Eric Heisserer revealed the crucial words on a Reddit AMA following the movie’s release.
The words translate to “In war, there are no winners, only widows.” The screenwriter mentioned that he took considerable effort to come up with this line (and ensure it is accurately translated) but Villeneuve ultimately opted to keep the line untranslated in the final film. The line is simple but expertly highlights the consequences of an armed attack on the well-meaning extraterrestrials.