Hi, Lone Raider. Welcome to The Raven.
The 4 movies aren?t 'the franchise' so, chronologically, Indy starts out its progression as a newborn baby.
Whatever 'different feel' you may perceive isn?t due to Ford?s 'great' acting, it?s due to the lines of dialogue. Harrison pretty much plays the role the same way every time (except some scenes with his dad in ?Crusade? & 2 really stupid parts in ?Skull?). Many fans often exaggerate the difference in Indy?s character from film-to-film.
Indy is actually more ruthless In ?Raiders? than he is in ?Doom?. For example, he doesn?t warn the German Mechanic about the propellor but he does try to save the Thug chief from the rock crusher. Would a ruthless, selfish, less morally straight guy care about the life of an enemy who?s trying to beat him to death? He's more soft-hearted in 1935 whereas he fights dirty in 1936.
Another thing that some people put way too much emphasis on is the ?It belongs in a museum!? line from ?Crusade?, as if it?s a sure sign that Indy is a changed man - from hard-boiled-mercenary to goodie-two-shoes. They?re forgetting (or conveniently ignoring) that he already has this trait in ?Raiders?. As soon as Indy learns he?s been hired to look for the Ark, the very first thing he asks is if the museum is going to get the prize. When the museum doesn?t get it at the end, Indy is pissed off, even though he got paid for the job. That?s not exactly the way a true mercenary-type would react.
How do you figure that? I totally disagree. In the diner scene, Indy doesn?t believe the British Museum?s crystal skull has any supernatural abilities and he tells Mutt that the power is ?just a story?. This doesn?t seem like someone who 'completely believes in the paranormal'.