Holy Grail

The Holy Grail is an artifact said to have supernatural powers. Believed to be the cup that caught Jesus Christ's blood during the crucifixion, it was said that the Grail can give to whomever drank it eternal life.

Indiana Jones's father, Professor Jones Sr., was obsessed about the Grail and made several notes about it in his diary. Professor Jones was hired by antiquities collector Walter Donovan to search for the Grail but ended up captured by the Nazis. Donovan, who is in league with them, was also obsessed with the Grail and planned to acquire it and later give it to the Nazis for their own use.

The Grail was located in a mountain-side temple, in the Canyon of the Crescent Moon, in the Middle East. In order to get to it, the person must get past three challenges. The first was the Breath of God, the second being the Word of God, and the third being the Path of God. Afterwards, the person has to defeat the guardian of the Grail in single combat in order to succeed in being guardian. Finally, the person has to choose which cup is the Grail for it was placed on a large table amongst other cups. If the person chooses right, he/she will be granted eternal life but cannot leave the temple with the Grail for that is the price of immortality. If the person chooses wrong, he/she will have their life taken away.

Indiana recovered the grail in order to heal the gunshot wound that Donovan inflicted upon Henry Jones Sr. After Henry was healed, Elsa Schneider tried to take the grail from the temple. This caused a large earthquake, and the grail fell onto a small ledge in a ravine. Elsa, who had nearly fallen herself but was saved by Indiana, greedily tried to reach the grail below her. Because Elsa was wearing slippery gloves on her hands, Indiana could not hold her for long. Before she could grasp the chalice, her hand slipped from its glove and she fell to her death. Indiana nearly tumbled into the abyss himself, but was caught by his father. Indiana, like Elsa, tried to reach the cup, but was persuaded by Henry to let it go.

As a result, the grail was ultimately lost following the events of the adventure, but the experience gave both Indiana and his father the chance to rekindle their rocky relationship.

Appearances

 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade