In Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones may have survived the atomic bomb test inside a refrigerator due to his actions in The Last Crusade.
In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana's astonishing feat of surviving an atomic blast by hiding in a refrigerator may have been possible due to him drinking from the Holy Grail. Although Indiana Jones 4 was a box office success, it received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Many viewers criticized the Indiana Jones sequel for its unimpressive CGI, lack of innovative fight scenes, and inclusion of too many jokes about Indiana’s age. In addition, although viewers enjoyed seeing Indiana’s first love interest, Marion Ravenwood, return to the screen, many wanted to learn more about Indy’s original young sidekick, Short Round, rather than his unknown son, Mutt Williams.
One of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’s most infamous scenes involved Indiana Jones surviving an atomic bomb, which has now been dubbed the “nuking the fridge” scene. After escaping from Soviet KGB agents in Area 51, Indy found his way into a small town. However, the town turned out to be a suburban set to test the effects of a nuclear explosion. With only 15 seconds to take shelter, Indiana climbed into a lead-lined refrigerator and rode out the shock wave from the atomic blast, afterward emerging almost entirely unscathed.
Although this scene was meant to depict the horrors of atomic weapons, many viewers saw it as cartoonish, arguing that Indiana Jones should not have survived. Since the refrigerator was above ground, Indiana Jones should have died in the initial explosion or at least been severely injured when the fridge flew through the air and tumbled down a hill. Even if this hadn't killed him, then he still should have suffered from significant radiation poisoning. However, one theory (via Reddit) pointed out that Indiana might have survived in the refrigerator because he drank from the Holy Grail.
In Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, Indy found the Holy Grail, which could heal injuries and grant immortality. While Indiana needed the Grail for his wounded father, Henry Jones Sr., Indiana first had to pass a test and drink from the cup himself. By selecting the correct Holy Grail among other goblets, Indiana Jones survived drinking from the cup and was able to save his father. Indy wasn't injured at the time, so it was less obvious that the Holy Grail might have also blessed him with long life and good health as well. Thus, the protection of the Grail may have very well protected Indiana from the nuclear blast and blunt force trauma inside the refrigerator, allowing him to survive.
One potential problem with this theory is that the Holy Grail could not pass beyond the temple’s seal, or it would lose its power. When Elsa Schneider, an Austrian professor working with the Nazis and Indiana’s love interest, tried to leave with the Grail, the entire temple collapsed. However, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade showed that the Grail simply could not grant immortality outside of the temple. Its power still extended lifespans in the rest of the world as shown by the Grail Knight’s two brothers, who both lived to old ages. In this way, the Holy Grail may have been protecting Indy during Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, helping him survive the atomic bomb test in the refrigerator.
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A lifelong lover of writing and stories, Kristen Brown became a Movies/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant in 2021. She recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a major in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication and completed the UNC Hollywood Internship Program. This helped her obtain two development internships with Hollywood production companies, Piller/Segan and Chatrone. Her other writing experience includes self-publishing three young adult novels about superheroes, beginning with "The White Dove," under the pen name K. R. Brown. Growing up in North Carolina, Kristen lived on Scooby-Doo, Disney animated movies, the MCU, and especially Star Wars. This came in handy when she joined UNC Chapel Hill’s chapter of the A Moment of Magic Foundation, which trains students to visit pediatric hospitals and special events while portraying popular characters. Assigned as Princess Leia, Kristen gladly became an expert in all things Star Wars, especially the galaxy’s favorite rebel princess.
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