Would Indy really have joined the military?

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movieguy23

New member
After Indy's experience with the U.S. army in "Raiders" where he calls them a bunch of foolish bureaucrats at the end of the film for not researching the ark - the last thing i would expect him to do is turn around and join the military. Indiana Jones seems more anti-establishment than that.
 
Dr.Sartorius

Dr.Sartorius

New member
Well he wasn't solider during WWII. Somehow he was coerced into joining the OSS. Indy probably felt it was more important to lend his skills to help defeating the Axis than than to turn his back on the war.
 
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Horchata

New member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought in the young Indy tv series he joins to leave his dad because jones sr drives him absolutely crazy in his early years.
 
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Raiders90

Well-known member
Horchata said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought in the young Indy tv series he joins to leave his dad because jones sr drives him absolutely crazy in his early years.
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Yes, and also because he felt WWI was a conflict worth fighting that he needed to get involved with in some way. He later became a spy because he felt that he might be able to make the war end faster that way.
 
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motifone

New member
It's Lucas' character and he can do what he wants with it, but I don't like the military/spy angle at all. I don't factor in the TV show. That's some television parallel universe. So, any back story that might have happened on the TV show doesn't come into play in the movies, for me anyway.

Wasn't Indy interesting enough as an archaeologist? He's a spy now?? Didn't work for me in the least, and it added nothing to the new movie, aside from Indy and Mac occasionally talking about their past.

It just further removed Indy from the world set up in the previous 3 films.
 
Travis85

Travis85

New member
I don't think he was supposed to be referring to the US army as a whole, as bureaucratic fools, but rather to the leadership that took the ark away. Certainly Indy would be inclined to serve his country when called upon and especially since it was a conflict with the Nazi's. I'd imagine Indy would probably be a supporter of the soldiers that fight for his country, since he himself was a soldier in WWI.
 
FishbowlHead23

FishbowlHead23

Guest
Hawkeye said:
He's a movie character. He can "be" any way the writer wants him to be.
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So he could join the circus and become a crying clown...and that would still be the essence of Indy!?! Because it was written that way makes it instantly justifiable? Hah! Pssh! Flawed logic.
 
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Avilos

Active member
Indy knew of the Nazi threat before most Americans. He would have surely volunteered to help stop them. The new Making of Book gives more specifics on his missions. Saying that in addition to being a spy he also helped liberate art and artifacts. Which the Nazis had stolen in the countries they conquered. I like this idea because it plays to Indy's archaeological knowledge.
 
Agent Spalko

Agent Spalko

Guest
Just because he was in the Belgian Army during WWI and in the French Secret Service doesn't mean he should have been a Colonel in the army during WWII. He chose a life of archeology, why go back to the military especially in his mid-40's? Makes absolutely no sense, nor why they would choose him to help cover up Roswell.
 
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motifone

New member
Avilos said:
Indy knew of the Nazi threat before most Americans. He would have surely volunteered to help stop them. The new Making of Book gives more specifics on his missions. Saying that in addition to being a spy he also helped liberate art and artifacts. Which the Nazis had stolen in the countries they conquered. I like this idea because it plays to Indy's archaeological knowledge.
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Certainly, THAT would be more believeable than being a "spy".
 
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Horchata

New member
I think his interests in archeology and WWI intertwine because we know his actions are strongly based off of what he believes is right. Artifacts belonging in a museum for the world to see, and not for someone to get rich off of. To find truth. His interests in the military in young Indy support his character that Harrison ford plays.
 
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motifone

New member
Agent Spalko said:
Just because he was in the Belgian Army during WWI and in the French Secret Service doesn't mean he should have been a Colonel in the army during WWII. He chose a life of archeology, why go back to the military especially in his mid-40's? Makes absolutely no sense, nor why they would choose him to help cover up Roswell.
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Spalko,

Pretty much agree with you -- not a fan of him being in the military or a spy.

Although, I would give Indy a "pass" for being called to see the Roswell artifact (not so much the alien).... as they could have brought in a varied group of specialists to see the object -- well-known biologists, chemists -- and Indy was on the government's radar I imagine ever since he delivered the Ark.
 
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Raiders90

Well-known member
Agent Spalko said:
Just because he was in the Belgian Army during WWI and in the French Secret Service doesn't mean he should have been a Colonel in the army during WWII. He chose a life of archeology, why go back to the military especially in his mid-40's? Makes absolutely no sense, nor why they would choose him to help cover up Roswell.
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The Making of book says that during his service he helped liberate artifacts and other things from the Nazis. It is well known that the Nazis stole precious artifacts and pieces of art from those they conquered. That does fit in with Indy's character, especially being that he does care about issues at large and hated the Nazis to begin with.
 
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Avilos

Active member
It was a WORLD War you know! The world was a different place. Indy could not just travel around to other countries like in peace time. He would have been restricted in doing his normal job. WWII effected EVERYONE! Even major Hollywood actors stopped making movies during the War to join the military. It would be unrealistic to assume Indy was not affected like everyone.

That TV show is not an alternate universe! Indy directly refers to how he rode with Poncho Villa in the show. So its pointless to debate its official status.

I would also add that being a Spy is being a detective. About piecing together information and clues and making determinations from it. That is not that different from what an Archaeologist does. Indy's skills would have made him perfectly suited to Military Intelligence. Also known as "Spying"!
 
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motifone

New member
Films that got made into TV shows shouldn't bring their TV adventures back to the screen. That's just my opinion :)

Just like Lucas can turn Star Wars into a TV Christmas special... but their adventures and backstory in the Christmas special better not be brought back to the screen with them.
 
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motifone

New member
Avilos said:
It was a WORLD War you know! The world was a different place. Indy could not just travel around to other countries like in peace time. He would have been restricted in doing his normal job. WWII effected EVERYONE! Even major Hollywood actors stopped making movies during the War to join the military. It would be unrealistic to assume Indy was not affected like everyone.

That TV is not an alternate universe! Indy directly refers to how he rode with Poncho Villa in the show. So its pointless to debate its official status.

I would also add that being a Spy is being a detective. About piecing together information and clues and making determinations from it. That is not that different from what an Archaeologist does. Indy's skills would have made him perfectly suited to Military Intelligence. Also known as "Spying"!
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I still disagree. I never watched the TV show, and I still found humor in and appreciate the Poncho Villa joke.

This referring to the TV show might appeal to the hard core geeks, but great films should always stand on their own -- I shouldn't have to first see the TV show to "get it". Unless, it's a story that originated as a TV show and then got made into a movie (Star Trek). If we are to believe that Indy was a spy or in the army, then that backstory needs to hold its own in the film. For me, not having seen the TV show, it was clumsy and didn't fit the character I've grown to love. They needed to write it better to sell the idea -- hell, have the opening sequence with him on a spying adventure. SHOW don't TELL. :)
 
Way of the dodo

Way of the dodo

New member
Forget the TV show, it was World War II. Indy isn't going to spend it grading papers. Plus he was still young enough for the draft anyway.
 
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Raiders90

Well-known member
Way of the dodo said:
Forget the TV show, it was World War II. Indy isn't going to spend it grading papers. Plus he was still young enough for the draft anyway.
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Men are old as their 50s and 60s were being drafted. Through geneology research, we found my great grandfather's draft registration card--and he was around 60 at the time. It was from 1943 and I believe he was born in 1883. Besides, Indy wouldn't have needed to be drafted to join the OSS.
 
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