This dude is a walking disaster!
Everywhere he goes, he brings death and destruction with him and doesn't seem to even recover artifacts as much as he destroys them.
And in the rare event where he actually does actually recover one, a bunch of people die.
Why does the university employ a mass murderer?
Because the movie would be less entertaining otherwise. Though I wouldn't mind a drama about a real life archeoligist.
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Indy is actually quite adept at recovering artifacts. He recovered the Ark, Cortes' cross, and the Sankara stone. The Holy Grail was lost because the hot Nazi didn't listen to Indy. We presume he will at some point recover the Peruvian gold idol as he did with Corte's cross. And by listening to Brody, Indy has just about filled the university's museum with artifacts by himself - why else would the university fund his expensive expeditions?
As far as the wholesale death and destruction - that's just a bonus.
First, let's analyze what you mean by "recovering artifacts". His idea is more akin to looting than it is archaeology work.
I mean, here's a poor Peruvian indigineous tribe who has a golden statue that is clearly sacred to their culture. In comes Indiana, who defiles this sacred place as a colonizer so he can make a name for himself. Is he interested in anything but the gold? Nope. He has no interest in studying culture and such which means he's a illegitimate archaeologist. He's only interested in stealing treasure.
Disrespecting local culture is what Indy loves to do. For instance, the locals didn't want the Ark to be removed. By "discovering" it, Indy caused a serious risk of it being destroyed forever, and indeed got it lost in a warehouse thanks to his actions. How would you feel if you were a local?
As for the Cross of Coronado...well....Indy uses his "archeological" styling to loot it. Indy's relentless pursuit led to extensive property damage and endangered lives, highlighting his disregard for the law and public safety. This pattern of behavior suggests a man more interested in personal glory than in the preservation of history.
Then there's the Sankara Stones. Once again, Indy the colonizer disrespects local culture and traditions. His interference disrupted the delicate balance of power in a remote and peaceful Indian village, showcasing his neo-colonialist mindset. His actions often result in the loss of control over these artifacts, leading to consequences he conveniently distances himself from.
As for the Holy Grail, Indy's failure to secure it permanently was not solely the fault of "the hot Nazi" but also a result of his own hubris. His inability to prioritize the artifact's safety over personal vendettas and romantic entanglements underscores his professional inadequacy. His insistence on pursuing these relics, despite the risks to himself and others, demonstrates a dangerous obsession
I mean, here's a poor Peruvian indigineous tribe who has a golden statue that is clearly sacred to their culture.
For instance, the locals didn't want the Ark to be removed.
Then there's the Sankara Stones. Once again, Indy the colonizer disrespects local culture and traditions. His interference disrupted the delicate balance of power in a remote and peaceful Indian village, showcasing his neo-colonialist mindset.
Belloq was exploiting the tribe, sure, but he was at least kind enough to pay them. Indy just straight up stole it. It turns out that they desperately needed the money for hospital treatments, as many of the tribe had fallen ill from colonizer Indy introducing diseases amongst them. Indy's a psycho. He's worse than a literal Nazi in this very scene.
The locals in Egypt don't seem to want it removed. I mean, doesn't Egypt have laws about defiling ancient tombs and such? Pretty sure they do.
And yeah, Indy committed a cultural genocide that erased a vibrant Indian society forever. I mean, look how rich that culture was. Sure, it may not conform to your Neo-colonial sensibilities, but it was their heritage. As for your accusation that the stones led to famine, that's not at all substantiated. That's just local superstition.
Truth is, that dumpy village that claimed Pankot stole the stone was just bad at farming and has no proof of ownership of a stone. Indeed, it would appear that Pankot had the stones long before that backwards colonialist-sympathizing village did as evidenced by the fact that they had the device designed to hold all three stones. Also, pitting one village against another and blaming them for all their problems is a classic colonialist play. Are we supposed to believe that Indy, a man who teaches college, really believe that there's a magical stone that brings rain? No.
"Belloq was exploiting the tribe, sure, but he was at least kind enough to pay them. Indy just straight up stole it. It turns out that they desperately needed the money for hospital treatments, as many of the tribe had fallen ill from colonizer Indy introducing diseases amongst them."
I must have blinked and missed the moment in the movie that explained all this. Where did it say all this? I thought Belloq took advantage of the tribe like Jones did. "Too bad the Hovitos don't know you the way I do, Belloq" - "Too bad, you could warn them if you only spoke Hovito..."
"Indy's a psycho. He's worse than a literal Nazi in this very scene."
You lost me here, pal. I bet you're a neo-feminist too.
" I must have blinked and missed the moment in the movie that explained all this. Where did it say all this? I thought Belloq took advantage of the tribe like Jones did."
Why else would a primitive tribe without even their own currency need money? I'm pretty good about reading between the lines on these things, so don't feel bad and beat yourself up about it.
"You lost me here, pal. I bet you're a neo-feminist too."
His rival is in the film later as a literal Nazi. While in Raiders of the Lost Ark, it appears that Indy is against the Nazis, we would later learn that this wasn't the case. He just wanted the Ark for himself. In the third film, he is such a Nazi sympathizer that he even dates what fans infamously refer to as "the hot Nazi".
Maybe Indy couldn't get the job of Frank Drebin in Police Squad...
shareHe's not and archaeologist. He's a treasure hunter.
shareHe has to constantly go around rescuing girls, so he doesn't have time for much else. They always seem to want to come along.
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