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

 

[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.

 

[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*