Changes: German Mechanic

Revision as of 23:23, 17 March 2017

"...don't call me Junior!"

The title of this article is a nickname. This article is about a canonical subject that lacks a proper name, and is known only by its nickname or callsign. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page or explanation in the article itself.

The German Mechanic was an enormous bull of a man with a shaven head, who was one of two mechanics servicing the Nazis' Flying Wing at Tanis in 1936.

Highly skilled in boxing, brutally strong and able to soak up and deliver blows that should have felled any man , he was able to best Indiana Jones in hand-to-hand combat, but was killed by the plane's propeller blade during their confrontation.

Biography

When the Flying Wing was being prepped to fly the Ark of the Covenant out of Tanis to Berlin in 1936, the mechanic emerged from his hut to see Indiana Jones brawling with the other mechanic.

Apparently eager for a fight, the huge Bavarian stepped in after the first mechanic had been taken down by Jones, and challenged the American to a fistfight.

Raiders3 — The mechanic absorbs a right hook.

Although he easily outmatched Jones, he unintentionally saved the archaeologist's life at one point. When the Flying Wing's pilot was about to shoot Jones, the mechanic unknowingly stepped in between Jones and the pilot, blocking his line of fire before he was knocked unconscious by Marion Ravenwood. Although Jones' blows eventually managed to break the Nazi's nose, they had no effect as the man effortlessly overpowered Jones, pummeling him and knocking him to the ground several times.

Finding the challenge all too easy, the mechanic ordered the archaeologist to fight back, unaware that the rotating plane was drawing the propellers ever closer. Bemused by Jones ducking for safety, the mechanic turned around to look behind him and was immediately cut down by the spinning blades.

Behind the scenes

The German Mechanic was portrayed by the late professional wrestler and stuntman Pat Roach in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Roach also portrayed the Giant Sherpa in the same film, and later went to portray the Chief Guard in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and the Gestapo Agent in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Despite being credited as "1st Mechanic," Roach's character is actually the second of the two mechanics to appear onscreen, because the Second German Mechanic was the first mechanic to appear in the Flying Wing scene, even if its name indicates otherwise.

In the third draft of the film's original script, written by Lawrence Kasdan, the German Mechanic's death was the same, but it was a little different from what happened in the final film. This action, however, happens in the film's novelization.

In Campbell Black's novelization, this mechanic is described as being a young man with tattoos, thought of as a kid by Marion Ravenwood. He is not as tough as he is in the film, but is nonetheless persistent in his fight with Indiana Jones.

The Mechanic appears as "Enemy Boxer" as an end-of-level boss in LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures who can only be defeated when the player is carrying an anvil. It is possible for Indy to defeat him without getting hurt, unlike Indy's confrontation with him in the film.

In the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! at Disney World, the Second German Mechanic is absent from the plane fight scene. The German Mechanic is thus the one who spots Indy while working on the plane's wing. He is also directing traffic for the Flying Wing as it prepares to land. Roach reprised his role as the mechanic until his death in 2004. The mechanic's death alternates in different performances of the show; he either meets his film demise of being killed by the Flying Wing's propellers (accomplished through a trapdoor) or is shot by Marion with the Flying Wing's gun.

In Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures, the plane fight is omitted, but the German Mechanic still appears in Cairo as an end of level boss in the streets at night, which occurs before Indy finds the Well of Souls. As the player jumps on a horsecart, the mechanic hops on and kicks away the player's gun, and the player is forced to have a fist fight with the mechanic. When he dies, the level is accomplished. As with LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, it's possible to defeat him without getting hurt in Greatest Adventures.

Appearances

Raiders of the Lost Ark novel (First appearance)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark comic
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark junior novel
Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Non-canonical appearance) (As "Enemy Boxer")
LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (Non-canonical appearance) (As "Enemy Boxer")
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings (Indirect mention)

Sources

Raiders of the Lost Ark Sourcebook (As "Chief Mechanic")

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Raiders of the Lost Ark Sourcebook

[Raiders_Sourcebook-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Raiders of the Lost Ark Sourcebook

[1]

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 == Behind the scenes ==
+The German Mechanic was portrayed by the late professional wrestler and stuntman [[Pat Roach]] in ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''. Roach also portrayed the [[Giant Sherpa]] in the same film, and later went to portray the [[Chief Guard]] in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' and the [[Gestapo Agent]] in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''. Despite being credited as "1st Mechanic," Roach's character is actually the ''second'' of the two mechanics to appear onscreen, because the [[Second German Mechanic]] was the first mechanic to appear in the [[Flying Wing]] scene, even if its name indicates otherwise.
-The burly mechanic was played by [[Pat Roach]], a stuntman and professional wrestler who appeared in all three of the original movies as henchmen of the villains. In addition to the mechanic, he also played the [[Giant Sherpa]] in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark''.
+In the third draft of the film's original script, written by [[Lawrence Kasdan]], the German Mechanic's death was the same, but it was a little different from what happened in the final film. This action, however, happens in the [[Raiders of the Lost Ark (novel)|film's novelization.]]
-Despite being credited as "1st Mechanic," Roach's character is actually the ''second'' of the two mechanics to appear onscreen.
-In [[Campbell Black]]'s novelization, this mechanic is described as being a young man with tattoos, thought of as a kid by [[Marion Ravenwood]]. He is not as tough as he is in the film, but is nonetheless persistent in his fight with [[Indiana Jones]]. Although in the film he overpowers Indy and knocks him to the ground before being killed by the [[Flying Wing]]'s propellers, Indy knocks him into the propeller in the novel.
+In [[Campbell Black]]'[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (novel)|s novelization]], this mechanic is described as being a young man with tattoos, thought of as a kid by [[Marion Ravenwood]]. He is not as tough as he is in the film, but is nonetheless persistent in his fight with [[Indiana Jones]].
 The Mechanic appears as "Enemy Boxer" as an end-of-level boss in ''[[LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures]]'' who can only be defeated when the player is carrying an anvil. It is possible for Indy to defeat him without getting hurt, unlike Indy's confrontation with him in the film.
-In the ''[[Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!]]'' at Disney World, the [[second German Mechanic]] is absent from the plane fight scene. The German Mechanic is thus the one who spots Indy while working on the plane's wing. He is also directing traffic for the Flying Wing as it prepares to land. Roach reprised his role as the mechanic until his death in 2004. The mechanic's death alternates in different performances of the show; he either meets his film demise of being killed by the Flying Wing's propellers (accomplished through a trapdoor) or is shot by Marion with the Flying Wing's gun.
+In the ''[[Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!]]'' at Disney World, the [[Second German Mechanic]] is absent from the plane fight scene. The German Mechanic is thus the one who spots Indy while working on the plane's wing. He is also directing traffic for the Flying Wing as it prepares to land. Roach reprised his role as the mechanic until his death in 2004. The mechanic's death alternates in different performances of the show; he either meets his film demise of being killed by the Flying Wing's propellers (accomplished through a trapdoor) or is shot by Marion with the Flying Wing's gun.
-In ''[[Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures]],'' the plane fight is omitted, but the German mechanic still appears in [[Cairo]] as an end of level boss in the streets at night, which occurs before Indy finds the [[Well of Souls]]. As the player jumps on a horsecart, the mechanic hops on and kicks away the player's gun, and the player is forced to have a fist fight with the mechanic. When he dies, the level is accomplished. As with ''[[LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures]]'', it is possible to defeat him without getting hurt in ''Greatest Adventures''.
+In ''[[Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures]],'' the plane fight is omitted, but the German Mechanic still appears in [[Cairo]] as an end of level boss in the streets at night, which occurs before Indy finds the [[Well of Souls]]. As the player jumps on a horsecart, the mechanic hops on and kicks away the player's gun, and the player is forced to have a fist fight with the mechanic. When he dies, the level is accomplished. As with ''[[LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures]]'', it's possible to defeat him without getting hurt in ''Greatest Adventures''.
 == Appearances ==
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ==Notes and references==
 {{Reflist}}
 [[ja:ジャーマン・メカニック]]
 [[de:Nazi-Mechaniker]]