Ok.
Since this is in the spoiler section, I think I can talk freely. Now I've seen alot of people complain about the YIJC (and how it's ridiculous and contradicts Indy). I've heard the same complains about the possible appearence of Aliens and Crystal Skulls in Indy IV and how a version of the Ancient Aliens idea would ''retcon'' the previous Indy films. But let's have a look at the previous films, and their ''retcons''
It seems that the world in which Indy lives is not a very consistant one. Examples:
-In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jewish mythology (in the form of the Ark of the Covenant) is the MacGuffin, if you will, of the movie. Now, the Jewish (and Christian) belief system clearly and firmly states that there is but one God.
-What happens in the very next (but chronologically first) movie? We get the Hindu mythology, which is vastly different from the Judeo-Christian faith in it's beliefs, in the form of the Sankara Stones and the very explicit mentions of Kali and Shiva, and their ''power'' is also expressed quite clearly (has to be some sort of magic at work in order to rip a person's heart out of his chest and still have him manage to live) That is a big contradiction, and using fan terms it "retcons" Raiders in a way (by showing the Hindu Patheon, which means that the Judeo-Christian God is not the only God, which contradicts Jewish and Christian beliefs and the general ideas of those two religions)
-Last Crusade doesn't really retcon the previous films (you might argue it contradicts the first film in that the Ark of the Covenant is a primarily Hebrew object, since it's from the Old Testament and since the Jewish people don't accept the New Testament, the idea of the Holy Grail, an object from Christian mythology, contradicts it) but it does include some ridiculous moments and introduces some inconsistencies:
1) Indy gets his scar, his fear of snakes, his hat, his usage of the whip, his later outfit, and his later treasure-hunter identity (basically everything that separates Indiana Jones from Henry Jones, Jr.) all within the space of about thirty minutes or so. Pretty hokey, if you ask me. But supposedly not as hokey as him meeting famous people before or when they were famous.
2) The character of Indy (who is primarily motivated, in previous movies, by mercenary motives or ''fortune and glory'') changes radically. His beliefs change from "It Belongs in a Museum" (1912-1920), to "Fortune and Glory, Kid" (1935), back to "It belongs in a Museum". However the belief that it belongs in a museum is only introduced in LC.
This is a minor one, but in Raiders, when Marcus cautions Indy that the Ark is like ''nothing (he's) ever gone after before", Indy says he sounds like his mother. In that context, it would indicate his mother is alive and that she has expressed her reservation or concern about him going off on his treasure hunter adventures. However, LC and the YIJC introduce and confirm the fact that Indy's mother died in 1912, long before Indy would ever go off on a quest for a mythical or archeological artifact.
Also other events that would not occur in real life:
--Indy's truck stunt
--A man getting his heart ripped out and still living
--the Ark of the Covenant melting people's faces off
--A 700 year old Grail Knight still living
--Water from a Cup healing a gunshot wound to the chest.
Unless, of course, you had faith. Which is what the idea of the Crystal Skulls and Aliens also requires. Every object Indy searches or encounters in the films or encounters is mythical with no real basis and generally supported by faith. Aliens, meeting famous people, and Crystal Skulls are not different.
The point of this post is to point out there is definately a need in all of the Indy films to be open minded, and to have a little faith. These are not films based on truth or real archaeological fact. The Ark, the Sankara Stones, and the Grail are myths to some, truth to others and so are their supposed powers (like Aliens and the alleged powers that the Crystal Skulls possess)
The Indy universe is always evolving, and changes with every addition to the series. It is not constant. IMO, there is no ''cannon' excpet that which Lucas, Harry, and Spielberg give us. To say that what is not seen in the main series of the films is not canon is silly. Does that mean Indy never goes to the bathroom? We (thankfully) don't see that in the films, so I guess that means it never happens.
Indy's character is a realistic one in that he changes over time. Perhaps that is part of the reason we're here talking about him, because he is a realistic, complex character in the midst of unrealistic, dangerous situations.
The idea of one object or element based in popular legend being that different from other elements which are legendary in nature or ''ruining'' one's childhood or the Indy series is kind of contradictory given the general tone and concept of the films.
Since this is in the spoiler section, I think I can talk freely. Now I've seen alot of people complain about the YIJC (and how it's ridiculous and contradicts Indy). I've heard the same complains about the possible appearence of Aliens and Crystal Skulls in Indy IV and how a version of the Ancient Aliens idea would ''retcon'' the previous Indy films. But let's have a look at the previous films, and their ''retcons''
It seems that the world in which Indy lives is not a very consistant one. Examples:
-In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jewish mythology (in the form of the Ark of the Covenant) is the MacGuffin, if you will, of the movie. Now, the Jewish (and Christian) belief system clearly and firmly states that there is but one God.
-What happens in the very next (but chronologically first) movie? We get the Hindu mythology, which is vastly different from the Judeo-Christian faith in it's beliefs, in the form of the Sankara Stones and the very explicit mentions of Kali and Shiva, and their ''power'' is also expressed quite clearly (has to be some sort of magic at work in order to rip a person's heart out of his chest and still have him manage to live) That is a big contradiction, and using fan terms it "retcons" Raiders in a way (by showing the Hindu Patheon, which means that the Judeo-Christian God is not the only God, which contradicts Jewish and Christian beliefs and the general ideas of those two religions)
-Last Crusade doesn't really retcon the previous films (you might argue it contradicts the first film in that the Ark of the Covenant is a primarily Hebrew object, since it's from the Old Testament and since the Jewish people don't accept the New Testament, the idea of the Holy Grail, an object from Christian mythology, contradicts it) but it does include some ridiculous moments and introduces some inconsistencies:
1) Indy gets his scar, his fear of snakes, his hat, his usage of the whip, his later outfit, and his later treasure-hunter identity (basically everything that separates Indiana Jones from Henry Jones, Jr.) all within the space of about thirty minutes or so. Pretty hokey, if you ask me. But supposedly not as hokey as him meeting famous people before or when they were famous.
2) The character of Indy (who is primarily motivated, in previous movies, by mercenary motives or ''fortune and glory'') changes radically. His beliefs change from "It Belongs in a Museum" (1912-1920), to "Fortune and Glory, Kid" (1935), back to "It belongs in a Museum". However the belief that it belongs in a museum is only introduced in LC.
This is a minor one, but in Raiders, when Marcus cautions Indy that the Ark is like ''nothing (he's) ever gone after before", Indy says he sounds like his mother. In that context, it would indicate his mother is alive and that she has expressed her reservation or concern about him going off on his treasure hunter adventures. However, LC and the YIJC introduce and confirm the fact that Indy's mother died in 1912, long before Indy would ever go off on a quest for a mythical or archeological artifact.
Also other events that would not occur in real life:
--Indy's truck stunt
--A man getting his heart ripped out and still living
--the Ark of the Covenant melting people's faces off
--A 700 year old Grail Knight still living
--Water from a Cup healing a gunshot wound to the chest.
Unless, of course, you had faith. Which is what the idea of the Crystal Skulls and Aliens also requires. Every object Indy searches or encounters in the films or encounters is mythical with no real basis and generally supported by faith. Aliens, meeting famous people, and Crystal Skulls are not different.
The point of this post is to point out there is definately a need in all of the Indy films to be open minded, and to have a little faith. These are not films based on truth or real archaeological fact. The Ark, the Sankara Stones, and the Grail are myths to some, truth to others and so are their supposed powers (like Aliens and the alleged powers that the Crystal Skulls possess)
The Indy universe is always evolving, and changes with every addition to the series. It is not constant. IMO, there is no ''cannon' excpet that which Lucas, Harry, and Spielberg give us. To say that what is not seen in the main series of the films is not canon is silly. Does that mean Indy never goes to the bathroom? We (thankfully) don't see that in the films, so I guess that means it never happens.
Indy's character is a realistic one in that he changes over time. Perhaps that is part of the reason we're here talking about him, because he is a realistic, complex character in the midst of unrealistic, dangerous situations.
The idea of one object or element based in popular legend being that different from other elements which are legendary in nature or ''ruining'' one's childhood or the Indy series is kind of contradictory given the general tone and concept of the films.
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