Indy as a spy

A

Arizona Smith

New member
Perhaps I didn't search this forum well enough, but I didn't find any bit of controversy regarding this. I liked the decision but I'm surprised that no one else found it strange that Indy ended up working for the OSS/CIA.
 
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Insomniac

Insomniac

New member
Ya it was weird at first but the more and more i noticed how sneaky and spy like he was in the first few disguises, hijacking airplanes, fooling hitler and rarely getting detected all while dragging a couple unexpected characters along with a target on his head.
 
Lance Quazar

Lance Quazar

Well-known member
Another terrible element in KOTCS.

I have no problem with him working for the OSS during the war (though I find it impossible to believe he was behind enemy lines in Berlin as a "double agent.")

But then he later says he and Mac "spied on the Reds." WTF????

Indy is a friggin' professor and archaeologist!!!! Gah, I HATED that. After the war, he'd go home to his REAL job. He's not James Bond.

Die, David Koepp!!!!
 
Attila the Professor

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Lance Quazar said:
Another terrible element in KOTCS.

I have no problem with him working for the OSS during the war (though I find it impossible to believe he was behind enemy lines in Berlin as a "double agent.")

But then he later says he and Mac "spied on the Reds." WTF????

Indy is a friggin' professor and archaeologist!!!! Gah, I HATED that. After the war, he'd go home to his REAL job.
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Easy enough to believe that he was there for a bit. The war got cold fast - the whole bit's about who was going to get to Berlin first and all. Certainly possible that a lot of their time was spent making sure the Reds didn't find themselves in too strong of a position at the end of the war. (We know they met in Flensburg, which was the site of the post-Hitler Nazi government, and a source of some Allied/Soviet controversy.)

I do think it's slightly strange that he joined up, as he doesn't really seem like much of a joiner, but then, neither did Rick Blaine.
 
Kevin

Kevin

Member
I posted this in another thread on the same topic:

Indy is an American patriot and he hates Nazis, he would have served his country in WW2 without question. His knowledge of history and languages would make him a perfect candidate for an intelligence officer.

However, Indiana Jones was a world-renowned archeologist. Heck, Chattar Lal recognized his name almost immediately. As such, I do not feel that he would have been a "behind the lines" sort of operative. As has been mentioned, he has killed so many Nazis by 1939 that his face must have been plastered all over Germany. The Gestapo may have even had people out looking to kill him. What Nazi is going to fall for it when Indy shows up in Germany undercover? My thought is that Indy would have been attached to Army Intelligence, but stationed Stateside or in England, analyzing information and decoding German communiques with Eaton and Musgrove. He might have occasionally been sent to recover artifacts whilst racing against the Nazis, ala ROTLA and TLC, but for actual behind-the-lines operations and commando work, Indy was too well-known, and frankly, too old.

I also agree with Lance that after the war was over, Indy would have returned to academia and archeology, not continued to "spy on the Reds." However, Indy as a post-war spy is at least a little more plausible, because he could have been stationed in Berlin, ostensibly as an archeologist or academic, while secretly gathering info on the Commies for the US govt.
 
Lance Quazar

Lance Quazar

Well-known member
Kevin said:
I posted this in another thread on the same topic:

Indy is an American patriot and he hates Nazis, he would have served his country in WW2 without question. His knowledge of history and languages would make him a perfect candidate for an intelligence officer.

However, Indiana Jones was a world-renowned archeologist. Heck, Chattar Lal recognized his name almost immediately. As such, I do not feel that he would have been a "behind the lines" sort of operative. As has been mentioned, he has killed so many Nazis by 1939 that his face must have been plastered all over Germany. The Gestapo may have even had people out looking to kill him. What Nazi is going to fall for it when Indy shows up in Germany undercover? My thought is that Indy would have been attached to Army Intelligence, but stationed Stateside or in England, analyzing information and decoding German communiques with Eaton and Musgrove. He might have occasionally been sent to recover artifacts whilst racing against the Nazis, ala ROTLA and TLC, but for actual behind-the-lines operations and commando work, Indy was too well-known, and frankly, too old.

I also agree with Lance that after the war was over, Indy would have returned to academia and archeology, not continued to "spy on the Reds." However, Indy as a post-war spy is at least a little more plausible, because he could have been stationed in Berlin, ostensibly as an archeologist or academic, while secretly gathering info on the Commies for the US govt.
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Absolutely brilliant. Spot on all the way. You've taken the thoughts out of my head, made them smarter, and put them down in digital form.
 
Dewy9

Dewy9

New member
I guess it's all interpretation. I took to mean that Indy would occasionally take odd jobs for the CIA, like being a consultant, possibly when they involved issues pertaining to his speciality ("rare antiquities"). I figure they felt that he was quite trustworthy after getting the Ark to them.
 
Attila the Professor

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Dewy9 said:
I guess it's all interpretation. I took to mean that Indy would occasionally take odd jobs for the CIA, like being a consultant, possibly when they involved issues pertaining to his speciality ("rare antiquities"). I figure they felt that he was quite trustworthy after getting the Ark to them.
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Yeah, but I think the reason some of us are skeptical that Indy would sign on right away - he'd sign on, but he doesn't seem like a patriot - is because Army Intelligence didn't seem quite trustworthy <I>to him</I> after he recovered the Ark and they snatched it away from him and Marcus.
 
Junior Jones

Junior Jones

New member
Arizona Smith said:
I'm surprised that no one else found it strange that Indy ended up working for the OSS/CIA.
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When you consider that he spent much of his teenage years in French Intelligence during "the Great War", it doesn't seem that strange.
 
Kevin

Kevin

Member
Lance Quazar said:
Absolutely brilliant. Spot on all the way. You've taken the thoughts out of my head, made them smarter, and put them down in digital form.
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Thanks man, I do what I can:eek:

Attila the Professor said:
Army Intelligence didn't seem quite trustworthy <I>to him</I> after he recovered the Ark and they snatched it away from him and Marcus.
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Now that's a good point. But, I think as between joining Army Intelligence and letting Nazi Germany run rampant, Indy would rather choose the former.
 
Lance Quazar

Lance Quazar

Well-known member
Junior Jones said:
When you consider that he spent much of his teenage years in French Intelligence during "the Great War", it doesn't seem that strange.
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Actually, it makes it even stranger. How many WWI vets were just chomping at the bit to get more of the same?

I agree with Kevin, though, Indy would have done his patriotic duty. And Kevin's ideas about the best uses for Indy's skill set are spot on.

And afterwards, Indy, like countless other vets, would have been only too eager to go back to his old life.
 
Indy's Fist

Indy's Fist

New member
Well after all IJ was somewhat based on James Bond. Seems to me he would work as a spy to some capasity. Besides in Yound Indy Jones he was a spy too.
 
Stoo

Stoo

Well-known member
Indy's Fist said:
Well after all IJ was somewhat based on James Bond. Seems to me he would work as a spy to some capasity. Besides in Yound Indy Jones he was a spy too.
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Ever since the TV show, I always imagined that he would have probably been involved with the O.S.S. during WW2 so I'm pleased that it was mentioned in "Skull". It was only natural.

Old Indy: I haven't had this much trouble with a package since the incident in Vienna when I was a spy!

Postal Woman (dubiously): A spy? You mean like James Bond?
 
Indy's Fist

Indy's Fist

New member
Stoo said:
Ever since the TV show, I always imagined that he would have probably been involved with the O.S.S. during WW2 so I'm pleased that it was mentioned in "Skull". It was only natural.

Old Indy: I haven't had this much trouble with a package since the incident in Vienna when I was a spy!

Postal Woman (dubiously): A spy? You mean like James Bond?
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It also follows Indy's personality. He's seems patriotic (who wasn't in WWII?) He was in his 40's in WWII maybe too old to be a soldier. He seems like the type to want to lend a hand. Just seemed like a good fit for Indy all around.
 
mattzilla2010

mattzilla2010

New member
To be honest, I never really gave it a second thought. But I like Kevin's idea about Indy potentially being stationed in Berlin as an archaeologist while secretly gathering dirt on the Commies. Makes sense to me, and I don't think it's outside of his character.
 
D

Darth Vile

New member
Attila the Professor said:
Yeah, but I think the reason some of us are skeptical that Indy would sign on right away - he'd sign on, but he doesn't seem like a patriot - is because Army Intelligence didn't seem quite trustworthy <I>to him</I> after he recovered the Ark and they snatched it away from him and Marcus.
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I for one think it's quite nice to have all these little nods to Indy's past (logical or not). It’s a little like Obi-Wan talking about the ‘Republic’ or the ‘Clone Wars’ in Star Wars: ANH i.e. it piques interest in elements we know little about. I don't have an opinion on whether or not espionage was in keeping with his personality, but it does give us something to muse over... ;)
 
Indy's Fist

Indy's Fist

New member
Stoo said:
Ever since the TV show, I always imagined that he would have probably been involved with the O.S.S. during WW2 so I'm pleased that it was mentioned in "Skull". It was only natural.

Old Indy: I haven't had this much trouble with a package since the incident in Vienna when I was a spy!

Postal Woman (dubiously): A spy? You mean like James Bond?
Click to expand...

Indy responds with that familiar sideways smile,"Yeah...something like that." As the Postal woman was about to turn away she could see a sparkle in the older man's eye, a sparkle that contained a whole lifetime of couragous adventure and discovery. In that moment she understood exactly what he ment.
 
J

James

Well-known member
Darth Vile said:
It’s a little like Obi-Wan talking about the ‘Republic’ or the ‘Clone Wars’ in Star Wars: ANH i.e. it piques interest in elements we know little about. I don't have an opinion on whether or not espionage was in keeping with his personality, but it does give us something to muse over...
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Yeah, I don't mind when the backstory is limited to vague references. It's only when they start trying to explain everything that it seems to fall apart. :D

But I did feel the espionage tease was consistent with Indy's character. LC makes it clear that he hates the Nazis, and his little speech to Elsa gives the impression that he has chosen a side. We also have to consider his reconcilliation with Henry Sr., and the affect that relationship would've had during wartime.

When it comes to recovering artifacts, Indy is no stranger to disappointment. So I'm not sure how much the Army's bureaucracy would've really influenced him in the long run.
 
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