Indiana Jones (character)

Lore & Background

Indiana Jones was introduced as a tenured professor of archaeology in Raiders of the Lost Ark, set in 1936. He studied under Egyptologist Abner Ravenwood at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago and later taught at Marshall College. His adventures include recovering the Ark of the Covenant from Nazis, freeing enslaved children in India, and searching for the Holy Grail with his father, Henry Jones, Sr. The character's backstory reveals that "Indiana" is a nickname taken from the family dog, and his fear of snakes originated in a childhood incident shown in The Last Crusade.

The television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992–1996) depicted his youth, including his service as a soldier in the Belgian Army and as an intelligence officer during World War I. The series also established his birth date as July 1, 1899, and his middle name as Walton. Later films show Jones in the 1950s and 1960s, facing Soviet agents and dealing with personal losses, including the death of his son Mutt in the Vietnam War.

Jones is characterized by his iconic accoutrements (bullwhip, fedora, satchel, and leather jacket), wry and sarcastic sense of humor, deep knowledge of ancient civilizations and languages, and fear of snakes. He has been portrayed by Harrison Ford in the films, with other actors playing younger versions, and voiced by several actors in video games.

Reader's Guide

Since his first appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones has become one of cinema's most famous characters. In 2003, the American Film Institute ranked him the second-greatest film hero of all time. He was also named the greatest movie character by Empire magazine. Entertainment Weekly ranked Jones 2nd on their list of The All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture, and Premiere magazine placed him at number 7 on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. The character has inspired several Disney theme park attractions, including Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, the Indiana Jones Adventure, and Epic Stunt Spectacular! attractions. Jones appears not only in films and television but also in novels, comics, video games, and other media. His legacy endures as a template for the adventurous archaeologist in popular culture, blending academic expertise with daring exploits.

Did You Know?

• The character's middle name, Walton, is George Lucas's middle name.
• Indiana Jones is not the character's first name; it is a nickname he took from the family dog.
• The elderly Indiana Jones wears an eyepatch in segments of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, indicating he lost his left eye between 1969 and the early 1990s.
• Jones was recruited by the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel in the United States Army.