When it was announced thatIndiana Joneswas putting the hat back on, and threading the whip, many expected the worst. Characters can never have a happy ending these days, so it begs the question, doesIndiana Jonesdie at the end ofIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? With a time-traveling threat, and a resurgence of Nazis, as well as an aging body, things could look bad for therugged archaeologistthat has been a cinematic icon for decades.
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Considering Indiana Jones has faced off against Russians, Nazis, voodoo, and even aliens, it wouldn’t be shocking to say that the titular character’s life has been under threat for decades. However,Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinycould well be the last adventure for Indy, but is it the one that kills him?
This article contains spoilers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny!
Does Indiana Jones Die?
The short answer to the question of if Indiana Jones dies inIndiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyisNO. Indiana Jones does not die. Indiana Jones lives! After a gunshot to his chest, many feared that the life of Indiana Jones was closing. Even Indy thought his life would be over, so he resides to the fact that he can spend his last few moments around c. 218 BC, watching the marvels of Archimedes and seeing the ancient city of Syracuse, Sicily in its prime.
However, Helena Shaw refuses to allow her godfather to die in a time that is not his. She punches him, knocking him unconscious so he cannot resist being placed in the plane that will bring him back to the present. Indiana Jones wakes up in his shoddy New York apartment, his wound mended with bandages. In his weakened state, Indiana Jones wishes that Helena would have let him stay in Sicily, to experience the marvels he has studied all his life because as an old man, there is nothing for him here in the present.
Yet, the heartbreak of Indiana Jones is mended, as his beloved wife, Marion comes through the door. The two have a beautiful heartfelt moment and mend the marriage that collapsed after the death of their son. The film ends on a beautiful note, with the two embracing each other. The final shot ofIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyis an iris shot, in which a circle slowly encapsulates the screen, lingering on Indiana Jones’ iconic hat for a moment. Until Indy himself snatches the hat, thusclosing the chapter on this story.
The symbolism of Indiana Jones snatching his hat as the final shot is a poetic one. It shows that even with theIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyending, Harrison Ford is, and forever will be, the iconic Indiana Jones. This is his character, and the film respects that. It’s great to see Indiana Jones live a happy life, and audiences can go peacefully knowing thatIndiana Jones does not die in the Dial of Destiny.
Jurgen Voller
Jurgen Voller was a Nazi, committed until the dying days of the despicable regime, where he would later defect to the United States to help put astronauts on the moon. As a gifted physicist, mathematician, and rocket scientist, Voller had a cunning intellect, but his obsession with history, and the Nazi partywinning World War 2 consumed him.
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Voller played the villain inIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and like all villains of the franchise, he is the cause of his demise. Voller finally manages to go back in time but finds himself trapped in his plane, being shot at by arrows from Roman soldiers, centuries before his determined target of 1939, where he would usurp Adolf Hitler as the Fuhrer.
Voller is forced to watch his plane crash into the ground, and his body is left charred, engulfed in flame. Voller dies as he lived; a Nazi out of his depth. He is yet anotherIndiana Jonesvillain to meet a violent and deserved end.
Helena Shaw And Teddy
Many comparisons can be made between Helena Shaw and Teddy to Indiana Jones and Short Round. The duo is inseparable, even if their motives are less friendly and endearing than Indy and Short Round. Helena Shaw and Teddy spend their time stealing and getting into trouble. Not for museums, but for themselves. However, by the end of the movie, they seem to have had a change of heart.
Both Helena Shaw and Teddy live to see the end ofIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. They leave Indiana to reconcile with his wife, Marion. With Helena’s change of heart, perhaps the duo will embark on new adventures for the preservation of history, rather than its monetary value to the highest bidder.
Sallah
Sallah is a dear friend to Indiana Jones and one who holds him in incredible esteem. Sallah is eternally grateful to Indiana for helping him get his family to America during the war. As a loyal friend, Sallah tells Indiana that he has his passport, and is ready for another adventure. However, fearing the safety of Sallah and his family, he tells him to stay home.
Sallah’s appearance inIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinymay be brief, but it is filled with heart. It’s great to see the character return to the life of Indiana Jones. The character and his family are alive and well by the end of the film, and even ifSallah won’t find another adventure, he has his loving family.
Klaber And Hauke
Following Voller across his journeys to find the Dial of Destiny, Klaber, and Hauke are his right and left hands. Both men are constantly armed with guns and are determined toshoot anything that moves. Klaber and Hauke are obsessed neo-Nazis who want to join Voller in his attempt to rewrite time. Luckily for the audience, these two characters meet a grizzly fate.
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Hauke is killed after he falls off a rickety bridge in a cave. He wrestles Teddy underwater, but Teddy manages to handcuff his captor to a metal grate. Hauke drowns here, stuck handcuffed to an immovable object. This death is a pretty sadistic one, although not as bad as having one’s face melt off from seeing angels or getting eaten alive by ants. After the death of Hauke, Klaber is killed in the same plane as Voller. The two watch helplessly as their plane crashes into the ground, engulfing them in a fiery death, centuries before they are even born.
Mutt Williams
The fate of Indiana Jones’ son, Mutt Williams is explained inIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Many fans of the franchise might be wondering what happened to his son, who was only seen inIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. However, it seems that poor Mutt Williams was killed off-screen. Mutt Williams enlisted in the army and was killed in action during the Vietnam War.
The film shows that the death of Mutt Williams has takena heavy toll on Indiana Jonesand Marion. Marion is still grieving, and Indy just doesn’t know how to console her, forcing the two to separate. Indiana Jones said that he would stop his son from enlisting if he could go back in time, but unfortunately, he can’t. Mutt Williams remains dead, but Indiana Jones keeps photos of his son, and the reconciliation of his
Marion Ravenwood
Marion and Indy have a complex relationship. Not only was their romance questionable due to their age difference in the first film, but the two seemed to rekindle their flame at a more appropriate time, in a daring adventure that saw the two battle Nazis and shield their eyes from angels inThe Raiders ofthe Lost Ark. However, between films, they broke up again. Until they met once more inThe Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where Indy seemed ready to tie the knot and settle down with Marion once and for all.
It was great to see the two get married in Indy’s fourth cinematic adventure, but it seems that not all good things last. When audiences finally catch up to Indy, they find that he has been sent separation papers from Marion. However, the ending of the film sees the two reunite, with Indy’s spark for life back, and his arms comfortably wrapped around the love of his life. Marion and Indiana Jones decide not to divorce, and get the happy ever after that they both deserve as icons on the screen, thus putting an end to the complexity and rockiness of their marriage.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyis in theaters on June 30th.
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