Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is pure conjecture.
Please see the reasons for this title in the "Behind the scenes" section below, and/or the relevant discussion on the talk page.
An Arab guard worked on the Nazi dig at Tanis, Egypt during the Third Reich's attempt to acquire the Ark of the Covenant in 1936. He was knocked out by American archaeologist Indiana Jones after the latter and his associate Marion Ravenwood escaped from the Well of the Souls.
Biography[]
The guard, along with many other native laborers, was brought in to assist Colonel Herman Dietrich and his Nazi soldiers' 1936 search for the Ark of the Covenant at Tanis, Egypt. After recovering the Ark from the Well of the Souls with the unintentional assistance of American archaeologist Indiana Jones, the Nazis sealed him and his associate Marion Ravenwood inside the Well while the Flying Wing was prepped to travel to Berlin, Germany with the artifact.[1]
It contains information cut from the final release of an Indiana Jones medium, or otherwise unpublished. Everything said in this section and not elsewhere did not happen in the "proper" Indiana Jones continuity.
The guard was patrolling the excavation area when Jones and Ravenwood managed to create an exit from the Well of the Souls. Surprised by the sight, the guard passed out and the archaeologist proceeded to escape with Ravenwood.
The unconscious guard lying next to the Well of the Souls.
The pair left the guard's unconscious body behind as they moved towards the German airfield and the Flying Wing.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
- "Ultimately I cut out one joke where, when Indy and Marion come out of the catacombs, an Arab is standing outside the tomb, who looks at them and faints, I just thought it was a little bit over the top."
- ―George Lucas on deleting the Arab guard's scene[src]
The role of the Arab guard was performed uncredited in Raiders of the Lost Ark.[1] He was a later addition to the story as no such character surprises Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood during their escape from the catacombs in any of Lawrence Kasdan's drafts of the film's script.[2]
The guard encounters Jones in a moment cut from the film.
However, the scene was cut during the final edit of the film. While working with editor Michael Kahn, George Lucas opted to cut the moment as he felt it was slightly over the top.[3] The character is still visible in the final version of Raiders, briefly, in the background lying by the side of the hole through which Indy and Marion escaped as the pair head toward the Flying Wing airstrip.[4]
There is a similar scene included in LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. After escaping from the Well of the Souls, Indy and Marion are surprised by two Nazi soldiers. After Jones gives stained binoculars to one of the soldiers, the other one laughs when seeing marks on the former‘s face. Jones and Ravenwood then knock them out before they both slip and tumble into the Flying Wing area.[5]
Appearances[]
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (First appearance)