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Wu Han

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This article is about the friend of Indiana Jones. You may be looking for the city Wuhan.

"I've followed you on many adventures...but into the great unknown mystery, I go first, Indy!"
―Wu Han[src]

Wu Han was a friend of Indiana Jones who joined him on several adventures before being killed by a gangster's bullet in 1935.

Biography[]

Adventures with Indiana Jones[]

Half Chinese, half Dutch[4] from a long line of acrobats, Wu Han was studying political science when his parents and sister died in an influenza outbreak. Their ashes wound up in the possession of the notorious gangster Lao Che, who used the promise of a proper burial to force Wu Han into servitude.[2]

In 1933, Indiana Jones met Wu Han in Shanghai on his way to Mongolia. Upon learning of Wu Han's predicament, Jones stole his family's ashes from Lao Che, thereby securing his new friend's freedom. The encounter inspired Wu Han to return to school, this time studying archaeology.[2]

Wu Han took up the life of an adventurer, spending half of his time away from Shanghai working for various private patrons and universities throughout the Orient. He also made a number of visits to Russia to recover artifacts hidden by exiled White Russian aristocrats.[5] He helped Chinese secret agent Mei Ying, who knew him as a smuggler, on several occasions.[3]

Wu Han as seen in Indiana Jones and The Emperor's Tomb

Wu Han in 1935.

Mei Ying arranged to meet Wu Han at Hong Kong's Golden Lotus Opera House in 1935. When he arrived, however, he found that Mei Ying had been kidnapped and she was working with Indiana Jones on a quest to find the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.[3]

Wu Han's rickshaw provided Indy transport in chasing Mei Ying's kidnappers, members of the Black Dragon Triad, and his junk boat ferried Jones to Peng Lai Island, home of the triad's leader Marshal Kai Ti Chang. After Mei Ying was rescued, she and Jones needed a ride to Shanghai. Wu Han came to the their aid once again.[3]

When an orphaned pickpocket calling himself Short Round was caught attempting to rob Indiana Jones, the archaeologist took pity on the boy and introduced him to Wu Han rather than see him arrested. Wu Han gave Short Round—and his fellow urchins—a place to stay at the small home he had bought for himself in Shanghai's International Settlement thanks to proceeds garnered from his past ventures with Jones.[5]

Wu Han and Short Round would also join Jones on a trip across the Himalayas where the three were set upon by nomadic thieves and rogue monks during a yak ride.[6]

Death and legacy[]

Later that year, Wu Han assisted Jones when he was hired by Lao Che to obtain the ashes of Nurhachi, the first Emperor of the Manchu Dynasty, in exchange for the Peacock's Eye, planning to fly the diamond out to London by way of Bangkok.[7] The night before Jones was to meet with the gangster at Shanghai's Club Obi Wan, Lao Che's son Kao Kan attempted to steal the urn from him.[1] While Jones fended him off, he asked Wu Han to be his back up at the club.[7]

GreatUnknown

Wu Han dying in Indiana Jones' arms.

Armed with a snub-nose revolver, Wu Han disguised himself as a waiter and held onto Nurhachi's urn until Jones called him over during the meeting. Flanked on both sides by Kao Kan and his other son, Chen, Lao Che reneged on the deal and had poisoned Jones's drink to keep the diamond and Nurhachi. Concealed under a tray, Wu Han pulled his gun on the gangster while Jones demanded the antidote Lao Che flaunted in front of him. Sudden celebrations at a nearby table proved enough of a distraction to allow Chen to shoot Wu Han with his own hidden weapon.[1] The loyal[8] Wu Han fell into Jones' arms and succumbed to his wounds.[1]

Enraged, Jones immediately avenged his friend's death by throwing a skewker of pigeon flambé through Chen's chest.[9] Club Obi Wan erupted into chaos and Jones fled the scene along with nightclub singer Willie Scott, who had picked up the vial of antidote during the melee. She would end up taking Wu Han's place on the flight out of China.[1] Jones decided to send money to Wu Han's family due to his sacrifice.[4]

Personality and traits[]

While he possessed a post-graduate level of education in archaeology and a sound book knowledge of Asian antiquities, Wu Han recoiled against the research aspect of the profession as well as archaeological digs. He much preferred recovering artifacts from the black market for which his skills at disguise proved useful.[5] He could speak a perfectly accented English, even though he felt it was poor despite Joan Starbuck's assurance. He was also polite enough to not deem ridiculous Christian beliefs for Starbuck's sake.[2]

Wu Han had some martial arts ability in karate and his superstitious nature would see him casting the I Ching before each of his adventures.[5] Indiana Jones considered Wu Han to be an excellent shot.[7]

Behind the scenes[]

Wu Han was portrayed by David Yip in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Wu Han has the distinction of being the first big film role of Yip's acting career[1] Alan Drevin provided Wu Han's voice in the Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb video game.[3]

Yip was offered the role of Wu Han after director Steven Spielberg had liked his lead role as Detective Sergeant John Ho in the short-lived British television series The Chinese Detective, calling his agent followed by a meeting at the 20th Century Fox office in London. When told he would work with Harrison Ford, Yip was excited yet nervous, but after arriving to the set and being interviewed by Spielberg, Ford injured his back and returned to United States of America for treatment. Due to Ford's shooting schedule being rearranged, Yip attended the film's wrap party before he shot his part. Spielberg told him as he dressed on his costume that he would have a scar on his head in reference to an off-screen adventure where Wu Han saved Indiana Jones' life, which the confused actor expected to shoot at some point. Yip ultimately enjoyed working with Ford and Spielberg.[10]

In 2003, Yip expressed interest in returning for the then untitled fourth Indiana Jones film, though he noted he would have to appear in flashbacks if he were to reprise his role as Wu Han due to his character's death, as he loved working with the filmmakers, especially after he and Spielberg worked again in his 1987 film Empire of the Sun.[10] The finished film, titled Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was released in 2008, but neither Yip or his character returned.[11]

Continuity[]

There is inconsistency for when Wu Han and Indiana Jones first meet in the Indiana Jones canon. The Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook has their first encounter as teenagers in 1914 while Indy and his father are searching for clues to the location of the Holy Grail.[5] Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs has the meeting take place in 1933,[2] with which Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide agrees,[12] while Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb has the event taking place shortly before Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1935.[3]

James Kahn's novelization of Temple of Doom states that Jones would send money to Wu Han's family.[4] However, it is unclear which family this refers to because as Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs mentions that both of Wu Han's parents and his sister had already passed on (albeit notes those were his immediate family).[2] Thus, it's unknown to which relatives Jone sent the money to.

In LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, Wu Han's death was changed. Instead of being shot dead by Chen (who neither dies nor is he skewered), he drinks Lao Che's poison with Jones and immediately succumbs to the poison's lethal effects.[13] In the sequel, however, Wu Han is absent from the scene with Indy at Club Obi Wan alone. He remains a playable character in portable versions, though.[14]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom novel
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook
  6. ↑ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom junior novel
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom junior novel
  8. ↑ Lucasfilm.com 40 Great Indiana Jones Quotes on Lucasfilm.com (backup link on Archive.org)
  9. ↑ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom comic
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Interview with David Yip at TheIndyExperience.com
  11. ↑ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
  12. ↑ Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
  13. ↑ LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
  14. ↑ LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
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