Why did Cutter retell the sailor story?

Question

At the end of the movie, before leaving Angier behind, Cutter told (not exact quotes):

(Cutter) Once I told you a sailor who onced described drowning to me. Remember?

(Angier) Yes you said it was like going home!

(Cutter) I was lying. He said it was agony.

I can understand why Cutter lied (to console Angier for his wife's death) But could not understand why did he need to tell the truth at the end?

Was it because he knew Borden (twin) was going to kill him and that before death Angier must know the truth?

Answer 1

As you say, he told the original story about the sailor to Angier to comfort him after his wife had drowned during the show, in a box very similar to that used by Angier in The Real Teleported Man 'trick'.

It is my interpretation that Cutter was disgusted with the lengths that Angier has gone to prove he was the better magician. It is possible (but in my opinion not certain) that Angier had deliberately framed Borden for his murder - a thought that also probably occurred to Cutter. (Deliberately or not, the secret of how Angier was performing the trick prevented him from ever revealing to the police that Borden was innocent. His secret would be revealed and he would probably have been tried for murder himself.)

Cutter understands now how Angier performed the trick and that 'copies' of him have been drowning every night, copies that are to all intents and purposes Angier himself. Cutter just wanted to tell Angier that he has been dying every night in agony.