What would be a good McGuffin?

[Darklord Dave]

I'd like to see something Greek or more ancient than Christianity but isn't Egyptian.

Perhaps he seeks the Oracle at Delphi and finds her - whoever controls the Oracle can know the future!

Or the Gorgon's head or Perseus' shield - there were a lot of gifts from the gods - this could be a goldmine.

Or something with the Trojan War?

The "true" cross has so many splinters in churches around the world there's no real hope/belief that it would be intact.

The Amber Room is interesting, but no where near old enough and isn't really associated with anything mystical.

Solomon's Temple would be cool - there's a lot that could be done with that, but it's close to what has already been done with the Ark.

Noah's Ark - there have been so many documentaries about that - it's a bit tired I'm afraid.

 

[screamingmetal]

How about the Horns of Jericho? They could possibly be seen as a weapon.
But I'm also sick of Judeo-Christian relics associated with Indy.
From Norse mythology there's Thor's hammer, or Odin's Spear Gungnir. Either one might make a good world ending McGuffin.
But I like Dave's suggestion of Ancient Greek Relics, so you could have Zeus' Thunderbolts or Aegis, Athena's Medusa Shield, Posidon's Trident, Apollo's Bow, Helios' Chariot, Hermes's Winged Helmet and Sandals, Achilles' Armor, or the Golden Fleece.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

I am sure someone has probably suggested it and I am too lazy to check but what about the Golden Fleece?

 

[DarthNeil]

I WOULD like to see Excalibur. Since no sword has ever been identified as "THE EXCALIBUR" (and in fact there isn't much if any proof it existed) it would be a great Macguffin for Jones.

I have to stress once again that this item is completely FICTIONAL. No such item is, was, or ever will be in existence.

But most of the general public don't know that so for to go looking for it (with a plausible origin given) would be interesting.

 

[screamingmetal]

I am sure someone has probably suggested it and I am too lazy to check but what about the Golden Fleece?

Eh, not looking at my post just before yours is far beyond lazy.
The Fleece isn't really a powerful object though, for a proper Indy McGuffin you would need something that either has very strong contemporary religious significance (Sankara Stones, Ark, Grail) or world threating power (Ark, Grail). Maybe if it bestows worldwide kingship on it's owner, sort of like what it did to Jason but far more powerful.
I like Posidon's Trident as the McGuffin which could cause Earthquakes.

 

[screamingmetal]

Anyone posting pics of a breakfast food will be banned.

So it took Lucas 20 years to come up with the Crystal Skull. What are some McGuffins that Indy could look for in upcoming adventures?

In the films they've used the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail and Sankara Stones (is that a real thing?). In other media they've used: Atlantis, Spear of Destiny, and some other stuff.

What would be a cool thing for Indy to look for? How would it play into the time period of the film - late 50s or early 60s?

Indy and the Grassy Knoll?

Indy and Marilyn?

But seriously - Bermuda Triangle might be cool - as long as it wasn't aliens.

I watched an Indiana Jones Special on the History Channel, and it said they're fictional but based on real stone religious objects from Hinduism.

 

[d_jedi1]

I have to stress once again that this item is completely FICTIONAL. No such item is, was, or ever will be in existence.

But most of the general public don't know that so for to go looking for it (with a plausible origin given) would be interesting.

Well, I'm thinking that there has to be SOME origin to the legends.. obviously there wasn't a sword pulled from a rock or thrown at Arthur by a "watery tart" but who knows.. there might have been SOMETHING at some point in history.
Seems that it has origins in several legends...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur
Also, I dont disagree that it NEVER existed, I think I inferred that in my post. I just didnt come out and say it because I don't want to start a war or anything. I'll leave that to the film enemies whomever they may be.

 

[DarthNeil]

Well, I'm thinking that there has to be SOME origin to the legends.. obviously there wasn't a sword pulled from a rock or thrown at Arthur by a "watery tart" but who knows.. there might have been SOMETHING at some point in history.
Seems that it has origins in several legends...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur
Also, I dont disagree that it NEVER existed, I think I inferred that in my post. I just didnt come out and say it because I don't want to start a war or anything. I'll leave that to the film enemies whomever they may be.

No harm no foul... I just get tired of explaining how the Arthurian Legend is not historical fact.

I definitely think however that it could be plausible to create an origin for Excalibur-- thus giving Indy (and sword loving Mutt) an item of great importance and possible power to seek for.

 

[zoid2323]

Well Indy IV kinda changed the whole Biblical MacGuffin thing.Also why does he have to be against a country like Russia cant he be in a race with some radical group like Spectre in the early Bond films.Looking for something interesting like hidden Nazi secrets & Gold in some remote unknown place (booby trapped of course) that can be used for another run @ world domination.

 

[Darklord Dave]

No harm no foul... I just get tired of explaining how the Arthurian Legend is not historical fact.

I definitely think however that it could be plausible to create an origin for Excalibur-- thus giving Indy (and sword loving Mutt) an item of great importance and possible power to seek for.

And the "holy grail" is a based on a misinterpretation of a translation. And the crystal skulls have pretty much been established to have been made by craftsmen in the 19th century.

The power of Caliburn has never really been established - although making the holder indefeatable in battle would be a good power.

 

[IrishJedi]

And the "holy grail" is a based on a misinterpretation of a translation. And the crystal skulls have pretty much been established to have been made by craftsmen in the 19th century.

Not all of them.

 

[Captain Britain]

Shangri-La - because like in the Marvel comics they could find Abner Ravenwood there, and that would be the 'family' part of Indy 5 (just as Indy's dad was in LC and his son was in KOTCS).

It would also mean that you could pit Indy against more communist bastards, this time Chinese ones.

 

[RJMacReady16]

The Tree of Life/Garden of Eden. The beginning of all existence and of course, the flaming sword guarding the entrance.

I'd pay to see that

 

[Captain Britain]

I'm going to go slightly off-topic (or alternately widen the scope of this thread) to post about possible locations. I think Spielberg and Lucas are too old to travel to the kind of exotic places that an Indy film requires -they won't go anywhere outside America or at a stretch Europe!

So where's left for Indy to go?
1. Africa (but not Sub-Saharan Africa) - too arduous for Spielberg and Lucas.
2. Indochina would be neat - again, too arduous.
3. Japan and Korea - I could see them finding the hotels in Japan acceptable.
4. Australia - acceptable, but not very exotic.
5. Britain - I'd like to see a section of Indy 5 here, given the first three films were largely filmed just outside London. Lots of good hotels.
6. Borneo (which appeared in the Saucer Men script) or Indonesia, New Guinea, that kind of place. All good Indy-type locales. There's no way they'd actually go there, of course - Hawaii again!

Any other ideas?

 

[Darklord Dave]

The Tree of Life/Garden of Eden. The beginning of all existence and of course, the flaming sword guarding the entrance.

I'd pay to see that

Still a bit too Judeo/Christian - but a great idea. Fruit from the tree of life, although we've done the immortality thing with the Grail. Fruit from the tree of knowledge?

 

[Darklord Dave]

Speaking of immortality - there's the Fountain of Youth - Indy gets there and Cap'n Jack Sparrow is waiting for him, having drunk the water 200 years before, but unable to escape.

 

[Agent0028]

Speaking of immortality - there's the Fountain of Youth - Indy gets there and Cap'n Jack Sparrow is waiting for him, having drunk the water 200 years before, but unable to escape.

And when he sees Indy he says, "drink up me heartie, yo ho!"

PS: I just noticed the Indy icon is in our icon bank. Awesome.

 

[dwing]

"Idiana Jones and the search for lower gas prices" I know it's just a myth but I've seen some blurry pictures and Coast to Coast had a special guest that talked about a few possible locations.

 

[Entropy]

Shangril-La. Indy in Tibet, cool Eastern Buddhist stuff, Indy shivering & fighting in the snow. It'd also be a nice reference to the Frank Capria film Lost Horizon.

Though Indy would need a tangible artifact to track down rather than simply a location or a temple and I'm not sure what that would be.


Excaliber would be ok, but they already did the knight & crusade stuff. It would be nice to tie it into the "Once and Future King" stuff.

Spear of Destiny was already done pretty heavily in the Constantine movie and the Indy comic of course, plus yet another Christian myth would be boooring.

 

[djklambake]

Hows about the briefcase Jackson and Travolta are toting around in Pulp Fiction. No telling what was inside that. That'd be ridiculous/cool.