Indiana Jonesis a character and franchise that has endured forover forty years. He began as a history professor and became an archaeologist adventurer inIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the prequelIndiana Jones and theTemple of Doom, Indy faces an Indian death cult and the temptation of greed.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusadewas a coming-of-age escapade, showing where his love for history started and where it’s headed.
The series went on to introduce ancient aliens and technology inIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullandIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. He’s fought Nazis, black market peddlers, snakes, and most of all, for the preservation of artifacts in museums. All good adventures of course must come to an end. Indiana Jones may have ended as a franchise, butthe character lives onin cinematic history. In the spirit of adventure, we rank each of the archaeologist’s finales from the series.
5Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullis probably the most derisive movie in the franchise. From surviving a nuclear bomb blast inside a refrigerator to swinging on vines with monkeys, the gripes from audiences are understandable. The dénouement shows the awakened alien destroy its temple burial ground before taking off in its flying saucer. After, Indiana Jones and his first love interest, Marion Ravenwood, get married.
A storybook ending is a safe ending and a hard contrast against the discovery of aliens influencing the course of human civilization.
4Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doomtakes placeearlier in Indy’s careerat the humble site of the Mayapore village in India. He helps the village people recover a Shiva stone and free their children from Thuggee cultists and their master of dark arts, Mola Ram. One iconic scene later, where Indy cuts a rope bridge, speaks Hindi, and sends Mola Ram down into the jaws of a crocodile, he returns to the village, stone in hand. The power of the stone humbles Indy as he understands the true meaning of fortune and glory.
Related:15 Movies to Watch If You Love Indiana Jones
3Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Raiders of the Lost Arkis the first adventure of Indiana Jones. Nazi Germany is dominating as a world power and plans to be a permanent fixture by finding the Ark of the Covenant. Indy treks across Nepal, Egypt, and an island in the Aegean Sea. There, the Ark unleashes its divine powers, killing the Nazis.
The U.S. government decides to stow away the Ark inside an undisclosed warehouse full of other top secret objects for “top men” to study.Indy is unsatisfied, knowing that priceless relics from Earth’s history are being kept from the public eye and consciousness. Too many questions with very little answers remain in this world. The ending gives plenty of reasons to explore the mysteries, truth, and new beginnings.
Related:Is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny a Money-Grab?
2Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Time heals all wounds inIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Dr. Jones has reached retirement during the Space Age. He is teaching about the past when everyone else is concerned about the future. When half of the astronomical device known as Archimedes' Dial is stolen years ago by Indy, the Nazis come looking for him as both race to secure the rumored time-traveling mechanism.
Indiana Jones' age shows, but he’s not afraid to show it. He comes to terms with his age and the stories he’s told and protected. In a sincere gesture, the archaeologist proves he is not a product of his time, but a moment in time, a part of history. Despite the poor performance atthe box office, the series does come to a touching close.
1Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusadehas the best ending fans could ask for. The third and final film from the original trilogy came full circle, presentingthe origins of Indiana Jonesand his undying devotion to the past. Seeking history’s treasures runs in the family, as Indy’s father, Henry Jones, was more concerned with finding the Holy Grail than he was caring for his son.
The father and son duo outrun and outwit Nazis as they retrace the first’s research to discover the cup of Christ. They surpass the cryptic booby traps, but are warned by the Grail’s guardian and ancient knight not to cross the seal with the cup. The Nazis didn’t listen, causing the temple to collapse and the chalice to fall onto a precipice.
Indy attempts to recover the Grail as the place crumbles around them, but his father consoles him in time to escape imminent death. Safe and sound, they ride triumphantly into the sunset, no longer sad by their loss, but happy that their adventure happened.
