Lucasfilm takes a closer look at the introduction of Indiana Jones in last summers Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, investigating the deeper meaning of that first sight of Indy and what it signalled for the fifth and final movie.
Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny’s (2023) introduction is reminiscent of both The Last Crusade and Crystal Skull: Indy is again a prisoner, this time during a prologue set in World War II, when he is dragged inside a castle by German troops, a bag over his head. We’ve grown quite accustomed to seeing Indy in these circumstances, and have no doubts about his ability to find a way out of the situation. But where his earlier entrapments show Indy gruff and defiant, one subtle moment hints at the character’s deeper vulnerabilities.
When the bag is removed from Indy’s head, he appears to be wearing a German uniform. His antagonists have discovered that he is an infiltrator, and as the commanding officer begins his interrogation, he asks Indy if he is alone on his mission. Indy needs to deflect the question because he indeed has a friend hiding out in the nearby woods, fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones). “I like to be alone,” Indy says with quiet irreverence.
He isn’t exactly lying, nor is he sharing the whole truth. But in his attempt to throw his opponent off the scent, he reveals a piece of his true self. This moment communicates across eras. The prologue is set some 25 years ahead of the primary story told in Dial of Destiny, where yet again we see Indy alone. It’s a poignant opening line, and noticeably different from what’s been seen in the past. For those who have followed Indy on his decades-long journey, it’s an indication that this last adventure will waste no time in going to the heart of the character.
- Hardcover Book
- Wallace, Daniel (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 156 Pages - 11/12/2024 (Publication Date) - Insight Editions (Publisher)
