The Real Hidden Key To Indiana Jones’ “Indy Did Nothing” Theory

The theory that Indiana Jones did nothing to influence the plot of Raiders of the Lost Ark actually conceals a truth about the movie that’s easy to miss. A certified classic of the action-adventure genre, 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark introduced audiences to Indiana Jones, a man whose bullwhip and fedora helped mark him as one of the most iconic characters in all of cinema. Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s success spawned an entire franchise following Jones’ treasure-hunting exploits, cementing him as one of the most beloved fictional characters of all time.

Despite the Indiana Jones‘ franchise’s popularity, there is a commonly held belief that the titular character was ineffective in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Though the “Indiana Jones did nothing” theory has been debunked, it stems from the fact that despite his best efforts, the Nazis still got ahold of the titular Ark, then quickly facilitated their own demise by opening it without properly respecting its power. The film’s story does seem to lend credence to the fact that Indiana Jones may not be quite as heroic as he seems because the amount that he influences the narrative is somewhat subtle.

However, there is another character in Raiders of the Lost Ark who actually does far more to inconvenience the Nazis. Though Indiana Jones is undoubtedly presented as the movie’s hero, it’s actually Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) who proves to be the bigger thorn in the Nazis’ side. This is partly because she openly opposes and works against them throughout the movie, where Jones simply attempts to recover the Ark from under them – a plan which ultimately fails, leading to the “Indy did nothing” theory.

Marion Did Much More Than Indy To Stop The Nazis

One of the most significant ways that Marion inconvenienced the Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark is also one of the most obvious. At the beginning of the film, Marion is in possession of the headpiece of the Staff of Ra when Indy offers to buy it. After putting him off, the Nazis then attempt to take it from her. Despite them outnumbering her considerably and hurling thinly veiled threats across her bar, Marion is dismissive of the Nazis and fights back once they attack.

In doing so, Marion prevents the Nazis from taking the headpiece – one of the Indiana Jones franchise’s most important artifacts – which is what leads them to dig in the wrong place. In fact, Marion’s resistance is what enables Jones’ own, and the way that events unfold means that she’s actually much more effective than he is. Marion’s attempt to thwart the Nazis had an irrefutable effect and the delay it caused was enough for Jones to delay their plans further.

Ultimately, both Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood are incredibly important to Raider of the Lost Ark‘s story. However, when measured against one another in the context of who does more to thwart the Nazis’ attempts to recover the Ark, it would seem that Marion comes out on top. This undoubtedly led to the fan theories that Indy caused World War II or that he didn’t affect the plot of Raiders of the Lost Ark at all. While the latter certainly isn’t true, Marion’s greater importance to the story perhaps adds to the credence of the theory, making her heroism the hidden key to understanding Indiana Jones’ role in the story.