Ghosts were spiritual beings who inhabited the Ark of the Covenant.
History
Unleashing God's wrath
On April 23, 1936, as René Emile Belloq and the Nazis opened the Ark of the Covenant, the spirits emerged from the chest and flew around and through the awestruck soldiers, who didn't believe in the supernatural. When they flew near Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood, they simply bypassed them because their eyes were closed.[1]
At first appearing to be benevolent and in Belloq's words "Beautiful!", the spirits suddenly transformed into sinister angels of death, effectively sealing the fate of Belloq and the Nazis. The spirits went back into the Ark and combined to form Holy Fire, a fiery ball of lightning that shot all the Nazi soldiers dead, imploded Herman Dietrich, melted Arnold Ernst Toht and exploded Belloq. The Ark then swept their remains into the air with the Holy Fire to have their souls judged, before the holy fire returned into the Ark, as did its cover. Only Jones and Ravenwood survived the ordeal having not looked at the spirits and showed proper respect to God.[1]
Legacy
As all filming equipment was destroyed by the electric currents unleashed by the Ark, nothing, neither the spirits, was recorded. As noted by Belloq's son, Jones later described in a transcript, from what he heard, that he felt "wailing spirits" and "screams of agony" coming form those around him until the supernatural forces were sucked back into the Ark.[2]
Appearances
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Non-canonical appearance)
- LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (Non-canonical appearance)
Sources
- Indiana Jones Adventure Heroes
- Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
- The Complete Making of Indiana Jones
- The Greatest Adventures of Indiana Jones