Will Indy turn 107?

[Moedred]

He was born July 1, 1899. We know he lived into his 90's. Would it be wise for the franchise to (retroactively) establish a (significant) date of death? Maybe even dramatically, like a final scene in Indy 4, on his death bed, present day? Unless he achieves immortality, of course. How should his creators handle this?

If it were up to me, I'd mark his headstone 1899 - 2002. Spanning three centuries, barely. Old enough to share his thoughts on the war on terror, but leaving it to other heroes.

[Junior Jones]

My basis for thinking this is flimsy at best, but I place his date of death sometime in 1993.

Basically, my reasoning is that the first season of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles featured bookends where Old Indiana Jones told stories from his youth. During the middle of the second season, the bookends were phased out, and Old Indy was gone.

The logic is pretty weak, but with no other information to work from, it's the best I can do.

[IndyBuff]

I actually like the idea of not giving the character a date of death. Obviously he would die sometime but we're not told how or when and I prefer it that way. It helps make the Indy legacy seem more timeless and open-ended; it also lets us use our imaginations about what Indy did in his later years and what could have happened.

It's a bit hard to explain but I would rather not have a date of death set for him.

[Moedred]

Upon further consideration, I think Indy's chances of reaching this age are good. Even if he doesn't find immortality or spend a lot of time in the parallel dimension of Etherium, he'll still have an army of Indian doctors whose lives he once saved keeping him alive.

[Violet]

And what do you reckon Temp? That the bookends disappeared because they're planning to kill off Indy in the fourth one? I for one, liked the bookends. I was watching "Curse of the Jackal" yesterday and I enjoyed Old Indy. He had spark. And the way the actor portrayed Old Indy, even was similar to the way I'd imagine Harrison would have played the part. As for knowing when and how he dies, I am easy either way. I like it open-ended. But, I want to know what was with the relatives and who they were in relation to him, rather than know when and how he dies.

[Gotro]

Indy drank from the holy grail. He can't die ;)

[Junior Jones]

He crossed the seal. He can die.

[roundshort]

Indy died on August 17th, 1982. Nads McCoy cut his legs off with a with a rusted, 1975 chainsaw.


Wasn't that in Saw 14?

[Ray Delark]

Upon further consideration, I think Indy's chances of reaching this age are good. Even if he doesn't find immortality or spend a lot of time in the parallel dimension of Etherium, he'll still have an army of Indian doctors whose lives he once saved keeping him alive.

Indeed! If there's no known date of death, Indy could cross paths with Monotrium of Prototheria:eek:

[fortuneandglory]

I actually like the idea of not giving the character a date of death. Obviously he would die sometime but we're not told how or when and I prefer it that way. It helps make the Indy legacy seem more timeless and open-ended; it also lets us use our imaginations about what Indy did in his later years and what could have happened.

It's a bit hard to explain but I would rather not have a date of death set for him.

I completely agree. It leaves not only a legacy for Indy, but leaves all the loose ends for the fans, just like Star Wars. Indiana Jones belongs to his fans, not George Lucas. If he killed Indy, it'd be taking away our rights as fans. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made that mistake himself LOL!

He crossed the seal. He can die.

Ah, but did the Knight actually say that the power of the grail goes only so far? He simply said the Grail couldn't be taken past the seal. This leaves another open end for the fans, which I believe was Lucas' intent. In this theory, it just means he wont die of old age. It does not mean that he cant be killed though.

[Viper]

Technically, Indy didn't cross the seal. The grail did, and so did Elsa, but I'm pretty sure Indy didn't, plus what fortuneandglory.

BTW, I also like not having it written that he dies.

[torao]

Something in me wants to see him die a heroic, tearfull -and maybe ... I'm not quite sure about that: tragic- death.

[IAdventurer01]

Ah, but did the Knight actually say that the power of the grail goes only so far? He simply said the Grail couldn't be taken past the seal. though.

So... you're saying that the "price of immortality" is that you can't take a cup with you? Wow! Sounds like a good deal to me. :up:

[chicago103]

My basis for thinking this is flimsy at best, but I place his date of death sometime in 1993.

Basically, my reasoning is that the first season of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles featured bookends where Old Indiana Jones told stories from his youth. During the middle of the second season, the bookends were phased out, and Old Indy was gone.

The logic is pretty weak, but with no other information to work from, it's the best I can do.

I personally think that makes sense, but they should not incorporate his death into Indy 4 or anything cannon like that but I do think that after Indy 4 they can put it into a novel or something. My guess is that he died around the time of the Young Indy Chronicles as well, a peacefull death where he dies in his sleep or something, 93 years is a good long life, living to 108 or whatever just to have him live to the time of the realease of Indy 4 or whatever is kind of corny and gives too much credence to the immortality theory. My guess is that his father Henry Sr. also lived to at least 90, maybe because of the grail or maybe just good longevity genes or both. Its nice to think of the old Indy bookends in Young Indy as being at the very end of his life looking back. I like to think of Indy as being a fairly young guy or old as in Indy 4 old, living past the early 90's he would just be lingering for no reason.

[IndySeven]

I don't think that they'll show Indy dead in Indy 4. It wouldn't make a great storyline for an Indy movie.

[Vendetta08]

No way.

They should never give Indy a date of death. It was bad enough showing him in the 90s as this real old man.

[Attila the Professor]

Indiana Jones as a character, despite the fantastic events that he takes part in, has a considerable deal of verisimilitude. As such, of course his mortality is a valid subject for treatment, and I don't see anything wrong with portraying him as old or dead.

[Vendetta08]

I've never thought of Indy past the age of 60. There's so much to know about him when he's capable of being the package of awesomeness that we all have come to know and love, I don't want to, nor ever have, thought of him as this old man in a rocking chair reminiscing of his days of adventure.

[chicago103]

I've never thought of Indy past the age of 60. There's so much to know about him when he's capable of being the package of awesomeness that we all have come to know and love, I don't want to, nor ever have, thought of him as this old man in a rocking chair reminiscing of his days of adventure.

I cant think of Indiana Jones being any older than Harrison Ford is (or right now the age he is portraying in Indy 4), I suppose when Harrison Ford gets really old I will then be able to picture Indy as being really old. If Harrison Ford lives to 90 do you think its possible that the old man scenes in Indy can be redone in Lucas style with Harrison Ford as the old indy? Thats assuming the Lucas even lives that long and/or there is anyone around to care. I know its depressing to think about but even Harrison Ford might be that old someday but until then no I cant picture Indy as an old man. Ford ages with us so thus Indy can age gradually in our imagination, just seeing Indy 50 years older than we knew him in Young Indy was just always out of place to me.

The closest I can come to picturing an old Indy is the end of K-19 where Ford portrays his character as an old man (age 80's, with a beard).

[Vendetta08]

I cant think of Indiana Jones being any older than Harrison Ford is (or right now the age he is portraying in Indy 4), I suppose when Harrison Ford gets really old I will then be able to picture Indy as being really old. If Harrison Ford lives to 90 do you think its possible that the old man scenes in Indy can be redone in Lucas style with Harrison Ford as the old indy? Thats assuming the Lucas even lives that long and/or there is anyone around to care. I know its depressing to think about but even Harrison Ford might be that old someday but until then no I cant picture Indy as an old man. Ford ages with us so thus Indy can age gradually in our imagination, just seeing Indy 50 years older than we knew him in Young Indy was just always out of place to me.

The closest I can come to picturing an old Indy is the end of K-19 where Ford portrays his character as an old man (age 80's, with a beard).

George Lucas is actually younger than Harrison Ford lol

*waits for gasp*

[Sankara]

I don't think that Indy was born 1899. Look at River in "LC". He doesn't look like 13. Fact is: River was much older while filming "LC".

I guess Indy was born in 1895...

His age was never mentioned in the movies. 1899 came up with this lous-lousy "Young Indy" Series.

[Papa Jones]

The official Indianajones.com site says:

In truth, "Indiana" was but a fanciful alias adopted by Jones at a very young age. He was born Henry Jones, Jr. on July 1, 1899, in Princeton, New Jersey. The son of Henry and Anna Jones.

If this ain't a reliable source... :hat:

[Sankara]

@papa jones
Only things mentioned and happend in the three Movies are "true" :-)
Indys age was never mentionend in the movies. So...

Does River look like 13 in "LC"? Of course not!

Does Harrison look like 39 in "LC" Of course not!

[Finn]

Indiana Jones' birthday is July 1st, 1899. That's a widely acknowledged canon fact.

Of course one who only wishes to take movies into account can think whatever they like. But one shouldn't be telling other he is wrong, especially if he has a good source.

[Sankara]

It was never mentioned in the movies. Only the movies are the TRUE canon.
Do you believe that Indy fights against vampires...*LOL* or against an evil twinbrother of Belloq...

Question:

Does River look like 13 in "LC"

Does HF look like 39 in "LC"


They came with his Birthday years after shooting "LC"...

[Papa Jones]

Yeah, all our theories are pure and wild speculations, since we're talking about a fictional character...
I'm just trusting the official Indiana Jones site, and I trust Young Indy series. They were produced by Lucas (the daddy of the Indy story), unlike all those novels and comics or video games. :) Yeah, that Belloq twin is pretty ****ty... :rolleyes:

And yes, I'm a tool, I trust in Lucas... :p

[Finn]

It was never mentioned in the movies. Only the movies are the TRUE canon. Who cares? It won't make people quit thinking Indy's birthday is 7/1/1899. And it gives you no excuse to tell them they're wrong.

And perhaps River Phoenix doesn't exactly look like a 13-year-old in the LC opening. But he doesn't look that much older either it'd bother my suspension of disbelief. If it bothers yours, it's not our problem.

And considering Ford's age... I think he passes fine for a 39-year-old.

[oki9Sedo]

Who cares? It won't make people quit thinking Indy's birthday is 7/1/1899. And it gives you no excuse to tell them they're wrong.

And perhaps River Phoenix doesn't exactly look like a 13-year-old in the LC opening. But he doesn't look that much older either it'd bother my suspension of disbelief. If it bothers yours, it's not our problem.

No way does he look even close to 13, but there's no point being bothered by these things.

And considering Ford's age... I think he passes fine for a 39-year-old.

Agreed. He was in better shape in Last Crusade than in Raiders, so I think that helped negate the fact that he'd aged 8 years.

[Moedred]

What? Belloq's brother Claude? Toht's sister Ilsa?
This franchise used to be out of control...

[chicago103]

Harrison Ford was 38 when he filmed Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1980 which took place in 1936, so assuming he was born in 1899 his character would be 37, very close to Ford's age at the time.

I mean if they really wanted to be completly in check with Ford's age they would have made Indy born on July 13, 1898, have Raiders take place in 1936, Temple of Doom in 1939, and Last Crusade in 1944 (and still have the nazi elements, desperate nazis in search of the grail to turn the war around), and Indy 4 would be set in 1963. Oh and have the young indy scene in Last Crusade take place in 1916 to reflect River Phoenix's near 18 years of age at the time of filming.

[Shortie]

Didn't Lucas cut out the bookends with Indy as an old man from the Young Indy series? That could mean Indy finds the Fountain of Youth which in turn means he lives forever. (As long as he keeps going to it)

[Attila the Professor]

Didn't Lucas cut out the bookends with Indy as an old man from the Young Indy series? That could mean Indy finds the Fountain of Youth which in turn means he lives forever. (As long as he keeps going to it)

Or it could mean that he dies.

More likely, it was nothing other than the desire to market the series as full-fledged films.

[Vendetta08]

Who knows. Lucas will probably go back to the original Indy films, change the dates at the beginning, and fix up a few problems so they can be like he originally 'intended.' I heard on a rumor site he wants to alter the arab with sword scene where the arab digitally throws a sword at Indy, Indy's head flicks over to the side, then he shoots the arab down.


Arab Man threw knife first!