After watching the Gabi Belle video How One Hat Drove a Fandom Insane, I was inspired to take a deeper dive into the artifacts in Indiana Jones. I watched all the movies and played the Lego video games. However, that is as far as I have learned about the franchise. So, without further ado, let us get into it.
The Origin Story of Man, The Myth, the Legend
As I explained the premise of this article to my mom, she described one fun fact about this series that I think is well-known. Indy is not our protagonist’s name. His name is Henry Walton Jones Jr., with Indiana being a cute nickname. In The Last Crusade, it is revealed that Indy’s family dog was named Indiana. Many believe this is a nod to George Lucas’s dog of the same name, whom he loved very much. Overall, I do not think this would be a deep dive into this character if we did not include this tidbit.
When we think of Dr. Jones, we think of Harrison Ford. The two go hand-in-hand at this point. This hero is famously known for his fedora and fear of snakes. This tenured professor works at Marshall College when he is not off adventuring. It is here that he teaches archaeology. Finally, a fun fact is that Marshall College is a fictional university named after producer Frank Marshall.
The Indiana Jones Films
Raiders of the Lost Ark
In the first film of this franchise, the year is 1936. The United States government recruited our beloved hero to find the Ark of the Covenant. This is a real-life sacred relic, which is said to be a wooden chest covered in pure gold. According to the World History Encyclopedia (2021), it holds the first ten commandments. Ultimately, in this movie, Indy must uncover its whereabouts before the Nazis do. In the end, it is a race to the end, full of romance, intrigue, and fight scenes.
Temple of Doom
Dr. Jones had joined forces with Willie Scott and Short Round one year before the last movie. As the trio is on the run, they stumble into a mystery within a village in India. The village’s Sankara stone was stolen, and their children were kidnapped. According to Empire (2012), the Sankara stones are based on a symbol for the Hindu God Shiva. Overall, this movie is darker than its predecessor but full of action and mystery.
The Last Crusade
In 1938, Jones was tasked with finding the Holy Grail. The History Channel (2018) explained that the Holy Grail is the cup Jesus drank from during the last supper. Jones learns that another archaeologist went missing while hunting for this relic. This adventurer is Jones Senior, which tugs at the heartstrings. After a quick rescue mission, it is yet another race against the Nazis to find an all-powerful sacred artifact. In the end, this movie has the same vibe as the original.
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
During the Cold War, Jones teamed up with Mutt Williams. The pair aimed to find Indy’s friend Professor Oxley. Oxley found a crystal skull in Peru and was captured along with Mutt’s mother. The Archaeologist (2023) explained that while these crystal skulls exist, one has never been documented during an excavation. Jones and Mutt duke it out with Soviet agents, with a flair for dramatic fight scenes. Overall, I remember this film having an out-there ending, but I enjoyed watching it.
The Future of Indiana Jones
Our hero Indy is coming back for his final adventure later this month. For more information on the movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, check out nicoleannfindlay’s article. One thing I know for sure is that I think we will see a familiar antagonist. Overall, it was fun to learn about the history of the artifacts used in the films and learn more about our hero himself.
