Indiana Jones Primer: Get Ready The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Through Indiana Jones' many adventures, Indy has had to rely on various weapons. Sometimes they come in the form of the conventional and sometimes not. Here's a look at the weapons Indiana has used over the years.

Indy's pistol has seen him through many a tough spot, most notably when having to face down a sword-wielding bad guy in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Throw me the Idol. I throw you the whip. Indiana's whip has allowed him to cross a couple of impossible passes, help him battle enemies and even "catch" a girl.

Indiana has found himself in numerous fist fights over the years. Some he's won. Other's he hasn't, but for certain, his fist has certain received a workout.

Of all of Indy's weapons, this is the one that has come in most handy. It's saved him from an ugly death as he went after the idol in Peru, kept him from turning to mush when the Ark was opened and allowed him to choose the correct cup when searching for the Grail.

Through the course of three movies (soon to be four), Indiana has had numerous love interests.

Okay, three to be exact. Of course, if you're going to include The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as well as the novels, there's more than that, but for this lens, we're including only those seen in the films. I think you'll find that they are all very different and the only thing they really have in common is Indiana Jones.

Marion may have very well been Indy's best match. A non-nonsense kind of girl, she could drink you under the table and still remain lucid. She also has a knack for getting out of close scrapes, just like Indiana.

The sordid history between Marion and Indy

It's clear from the first scene Marion and Indy share that there's a checkered past between the two. So much so that when Indiana steps into her bar, it isn't long after he begins to exchange pleasantries that she delivers a nice slap to him in greeting.

Marion was the daughter of Abner Ravenwood, Indy's mentor. Abner, like Indy, was a archeology professor and Indy accompanied him on some of his digs. It was during this time that Indy became involved with a young Marion, only 16 at the time (ten years Indy's junior). This drove a wedge between Abner and Indy and eventually, Indy returned to the States, leaving Abner and Marion behind.

More than likely, Indiana was Marion's first love and being as their reunion in Raiders was years after he had left a 16 year old Marion, it's understandable that Marion would be anything but hospitable.

Of course, now Marion is in the newest Indiana Jones film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. What their relationship is at the time of the film will be a mystery until May 22.

Willie Scott was a nightclub singer at Club Obi Wan when she met Indiana. A bit on the "dainty" side, Willie probably wasn't the best partner for Indiana on his adventures and perhaps this is why she's a distant memory when Raiders takes place. Constantly complaining about ickiness and even a broken nail, she is everything that Marion Ravenwood isn't.

Dr. Elsa Schneider seemed to be nothing more than a graceful blonde goddess when Indiana met her in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Of course, then she turned out to be a Nazi spy. Don't you hate it when that happens? Eventually, Elsa turned against Indy, but soon got her due when she was killed in an avalanche she caused when she tried to remove the Holy Grail from its home.

Other than Harrison Ford.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, before Indy is faced with the power of the Ark, he is cynical of the power. When Marcus Brody tries to warn him of the power of the Ark, Indy scoffs.

"I don't believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus pocus. I'm going after a find of incredible historical significance, you're talking about the boogie man. Besides, you know what a cautious fellow I am." And then, of course, tosses his pistol in his suitcase.

Now, how does this make him like Han?

In Star Wars: A New Hope, Obi Wan Kenobi discusses the Force as Luke trains and Han looks on. Han, like Indy, scoffs at the mystical Force.

"I've seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field controls my destiny."

Han's reasoning that he can take care of himself with manmade weapons is similar to that of Indy's as well.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Of course, in the end, both characters learn that there are powers that can't be fought with blasters or guns.

Throughout the Indiana Jones saga, Indy has had a group of friends who have helped him out of ugly predicaments.

An excavator from Cairo, Sallah has been Indiana's sidekick on many an adventure. Having appeared in both Raiders and The Last Crusade, Sallah is known for his astute observations ("Asps. Very Dangerous. You go first.") and being a dedicated husband and father to possibly many children.

Short Round was a taxi cab driver who helped Indiana escape with Willie Scott in Shanghai during the events that occurred in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He was also instrumental in freeing Indiana from mind possession before Indiana's final showdown with Mola Ram.

A museum curator who occasionally helped Indiana as he attempted to acquire various artifacts. He appeared only briefly in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but had a larger role in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

"It belongs in a museum!"

In 1936, Indiana made the trek to Peru in order to obtain an idol. However, after going through a deadly maze inside the temple where the idol was located, the idol was stolen from Indy as he escaped.

At Tanis, there is a map room that shows the location of the Well of Souls, the resting place of the Ark. However, to be able to pinpoint the exact location, one must bring the Staff of Ra - a staff that is topped with a headpiece that has a jewel in the center. When the sun shines through the headpiece as it passes over the jewel, the jewel radiates a beam of light, pinpointing the exact location of the Ark. Marion Ravenwood came into possession of the headpiece as it had once belonged to her father. When it becomes clear that the Nazis are after the Ark, Indy goes to Nepal in order to procure the headpiece from her.

It was said that anyone who drank from the Holy Grail achieved eternal life. The Holy Grail was the passion of Indy's father, Henry Jones, Sr. Indiana is forced to search for the Grail when his father goes missing while in pursuit of the Grail. When his father is wounded, Indiana is forced to use the Grail to save him. In the process, it takes the life of two others, Dr. Elsa Schneider and Walter Donovan, both Nazi spies.

When it was discovered that Hitler was in pursuit of the Ark, Indy and company tracked the Ark down and finally intercepted it. It was believed that the Ark could give those that controlled it the ability to channel the power of God.

Described by Belloq as a transmitter, a radio for speaking to God, Hitler's reasons for wanting the Ark were easy to see. Marcus Brody best explained it when he said, "The Bible speaks of the Ark leveling mountains and laying waste to entire regions. An army which carries the Ark before it is invincible."

In 1992, George Lucas produced The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles with ABC. The series chronicled Indiana's adventures before the films. During the course of the series, Young Indy meets a number of historical figures including Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and Al Capone.

In the series, an older Indiana is revealed to be both a father of a daughter and has several grandchildren as well.

Harrison Ford also once cameoed on the series as a 50 year old Indiana Jones.

Believe it or not, there have been other actors that have appeared in the Indiana Jones films beside Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Here's what these guys do when they're not taking part in Indiana's adventures.

John Rhys Davies has had an extremely successful career as a character actor in film and television. However, he is perhaps best known for his role as "Gimli" in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Denholm Elliot portrayed Marcus Brody in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Elliot had a prolific career before he passed away in 1992.

In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Willie Scott was the love interest of Indiana Jones. In real life, Kate Capshaw became the love interest of director Steven Spielberg. The two are still married. Professionally, Kate has continued to act in numerous films.

Alfred Molina has portrayed many memorable characters including that of Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2. He has also appeared in the film Chocolat and Boogie Nights.

While many of us have him cemented in our memories as little Short Round, the truth is, Jonathan Ke Quan is now a full grown man well into his 30s. Being fluent in Vietnamese, English, Cantonese and Mandarin, he has served as a translator. He has also worked as a stunt coordinator on several films including X-Men and The One.