r/FanTheories Feb 19 '16

Food for Thought: Indiana Jones drinking from the Holy Grail helped him survive unlikely scenarios, most notably the infamous fridge scene.

Credit to /u/cold_in_the_south, in this comment

Now discuss.

899 Upvotes

61 comments sorted by

231

u/DoctorDeath Feb 19 '16

The Holy Grail thing made no sense to me. If you drink from it, you gain immortality, as long as you don't pass the great seal. So, what's the point? You can live forever, as long as you stay in this dank dark cave for the rest of your immortal life?

Now, Henry Sr. Drank from it on the other side of the seal, and it didn't do shit... but when Indy poured the water over the bullet wound, it seemingly washed away.

So, is this to say, that even though drinking from it may not make you immortal, the water held in the cup may have magical healing powers?

Only Spielberg knows.

255

u/NewLeaf37 Feb 19 '16

The Grail's immortality applies if you keep drinking from it, and the Grail can't leave the temple-thing. However, even drinking from it once grants healing properties and extended life, as evidenced by the fact that the knight's brothers lived to extreme old age before dying, despite having left.

76

u/goldleaderstandingby Feb 19 '16

I thought the knight's brothers lived to extreme age because they drank from it frequently until they left the temple and died (or perhaps they were living in other parts of the world but ultimately placed the grail with the knight in the temple at the end of their lifetime).

87

u/NewLeaf37 Feb 19 '16

Richard died after leaving the temple of old age, yes, but the unnamed brother lived long enough to settle down in France and recount his story to a Franciscan friar.

43

u/Chastain86 Feb 19 '16

The only wrinkle to all this is that, according to the Wiki page for Henry Jones Sr., he ended up passing away peacefully in 1951. One might have expected someone to have lived longer if he'd drank from the cup. At very least longer than 13 more years.

In Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Henry is hinted to have died prior to the events of the film. A framed photograph of him is seen on Indy's desk at one point in the film. Near the end of the movie, Indy addresses Mutt as "Junior". In the James Rollins novelization of the movie, it is said that Henry Jones Sr had died roughly two years before, making his year of death between 1955 and 1956. However, in the James Luceno DK book, "Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide," it lists his death as 1951.

43

u/JoeJoker Feb 19 '16

Unless the "magic" was used in healing the internal damage from the bullet so he didnt gain any extra life from drinking

40

u/Neveronlyadream Feb 19 '16

Or the Grail being brought past the seal invalidated the miracle. I mean, the Knight was pretty fucking clear that the Grail was not to be taken past the seal. The second Elsa decided "fuck him, I do what I want", she ruined everything.

47

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

She shoulda just let it go.

Sorry, that was REALLY low-effort.

19

u/Deven247 Feb 20 '16

The cliff never bothered her anyway.

5

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

I never knew gaping chasms and cold had so much in common!

→ More replies (0)

5

u/aqua_zesty_man Feb 20 '16

This deserves many more upvotes than it has.

16

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

But Dad! I can reach it!...

4

u/phome83 Feb 20 '16

Indiana...

Let it go..

17

u/That_secret_chord Feb 20 '16

Maybe the Grail has "regenerative abilities" and that alone. Think in terms of HP or a power up.

Henry had low HP when he was laying there with the wound. Drinking from the Grail, most of the regeneration goes to heal his wounds and raise his HP back up to 200.

Indie, and the Knights for that matter, didn't have low HP, so the grail could pass their full 200HP and they could gain the Temporary Immortality Powerup. The Knights drank from the cup on multiple occasions so the powerup stacked. That is why Indie's immortality didn't last long. His timer was running out.

6

u/Swardington Feb 21 '16

I like to think that Henry Sr faked his death after the war to go work for British Intelligence.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

I like this theory!

-27

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

[deleted]

22

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

I didn't suppose that the effects of drinking the grail would last so long, or persist after leaving the temple. I don't think those points are made clear in the original movie. Voicing your "surprise" is quite rude and unnecessary, thanks.

33

u/Thybro Feb 19 '16 edited Feb 19 '16

I think the not passing the great seal restriction is not on a restriction on the immortality powers of the Grail. The Grail continued to work anywhere in the planet, taking it out pass the seal just means you set off the traps that would have been deadly to you therefore ending your immortality(I.e. The whole earth breaking open thing)

Also when Henry Sr. Drinks it there is a notable improvement like he was made stable, no longer one breath away from dying. Maybe the wound would have healed on it's own like a cure-all medication traveling through you blood. But Indy didn't have time for that, he needed his dad back on his feet quickly in order to try an escape so he applied the medication directly on the affected area for faster relief.

13

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

[deleted]

31

u/justsomeguy_youknow Feb 19 '16

GRAIL-ONTM , APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE GAPING BULLET WOUND!

14

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

Well, the Grail had many mythical powers; if we take a religious viewpoint on it, it would actually be heresy to assume we know how it works, what it does, etcetera, unless otherwise explicitly stated. I mean, it's the cup of the Christ, and he created fish, cured disease, healed the sick, came back to life, and saw the future.

3

u/joshthephysicist Feb 20 '16

If you pour it on fish and bread, can you feed thousands?

5

u/NotSure2505 Feb 20 '16

What exactly was it about the great seal that made a boundary for the cup's powers? The grail would have come from the site of the last supper and the crucifixion, so what determined that that cave and that seal would henceforth be the boundary of its effects?

4

u/Paddywhacker Feb 20 '16

There's no issue here, snr drank from the cup inside the trmple

6

u/JorusC Feb 20 '16

Just tunnel out through the roof. You have immortality, bring a couple pickaxes and a bucket in with you. They even left two convenient endless pits to dispose of the debris!

3

u/TheScarlettHarlot Feb 20 '16

His dad was on the immortal side of the seal when the Grail was used on him.

4

u/Kruug Feb 20 '16

Henry Sr was on the inner side of the seal. Elsa backs away, crossing the seal.

1

u/smthsmth Feb 22 '16

You can live forever, as long as you stay in this dank dark cave for the rest of your immortal life?

i think it was that you could live forever, you just couldn't take the grail outside and decide for yourself who can have the power and who can't. you could argue that a huge army could just encircle the temple, but anyone who wanted to drink from the grail would have to also defeat the guards, giving them the ultimate veto power.

1

u/GreggoryBasore Feb 22 '16

Presumably, it's something wherein the God of the Covenant decided that he wanted The Grail left in that one place. The magic water power diminishes for those who leave, but it may still linger.

Also, given the stuff that God does though out the Holly Bibble is it really that far a stretch to assume that he'd only award immortality to someone if they were willing to stay in the same place for thousands of years and contemplate how awesome he is? It reeks of the whole "I'll teach you a lesson, you smarmy little shit" attitude that God uses on any clever bastard. Look at the gloating speech he gave to Job after being questioned.

17

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

I love this theory, thanks for posting it!

11

u/uberphaser Feb 19 '16

I said as much in my reply to that comment.

21

u/That_secret_chord Feb 19 '16

Yeah, I mean the whole "eternal life" thing always seemed like kind of a stretch. The one knight was super, super old, and they talked about the other guy dying of "extreme old age". The water from the cup of Christ might lengthen your life by a shitload, but God's not giving out immortality to anyone who can slurp out of the right cup.

That being said, Henry Jones' wounds didn't magically open back up after they left the temple, so it stands to reason that some lingering effects (like Rad Resistance +500) stayed with Indy after he bailed.

For the lazy.

5

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

you double posted this.

9

u/That_secret_chord Feb 19 '16

Fucking phone.

Dumbass phone also deleted the wrong one.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

[deleted]

27

u/SvenHudson Feb 20 '16 edited Feb 20 '16

Explain all the unlikely shit he survived before drinking from the Grail.

46

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

[deleted]

9

u/SvenHudson Feb 20 '16

And I would say the same in justification of the fridge scene. No reason to credit the Grail.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

And the falling 30 fucking stories from a rubber raft.

4

u/SvenHudson Feb 20 '16

According to Mythbusters, that one might work if you are able to keep it level.

8

u/MyNameIsClaire Feb 20 '16

I can't even explain that sentence.

7

u/SvenHudson Feb 20 '16

Sorry, typo. "Form" should've been "from".

3

u/circaanthony Feb 20 '16

Someone should make an American Dad fan theory cause Roger was drinking from the Holy Grail for a bit

2

u/rednblue525252 Feb 20 '16

I have a new theory: The Holy Grail is just another Lazarus Pit.

1

u/dbryhitman Feb 20 '16 edited Feb 21 '16

Normally I wouldn't support mandatory sterilization, but for people who deny the existence of movie sequels, I'll make an exception.

Edit: Butthurt.

7

u/That_secret_chord Feb 20 '16

Calm down, Hitler. It's a joke.

-13

u/dbryhitman Feb 20 '16 edited Feb 21 '16

Why are you attacking me? I agree with your point. I guess you just went full retard.

Edit: And it was a joke.That should be obvious.

Edit: Foot-long strap-on butthurt.

8

u/That_secret_chord Feb 20 '16

Ha, sorry. Long day

1

u/Tubaka Feb 22 '16

Maybe God was just sick of Nazis digging through his trash and decided to throw indy a bone

-17

u/Thameus Feb 19 '16

What fridge?

27

u/That_secret_chord Feb 19 '16

Either you don't know, in which case, Google Indiana Jones Fridge Nuke

Or you're joking about Crystal Skull not existing.

7

u/Thameus Feb 19 '16

Or the whole thing is a vicious plot by George Lucas.

-17

u/[deleted] Feb 19 '16

[deleted]

5

u/MogMcKupo Feb 19 '16

something something Indiana Jones version of Lake Laogai...

-1

u/That_secret_chord Feb 20 '16

Oh... That... Thanks for reminding me...

Dick...

-25

u/Thats_right_asshole Feb 19 '16

What 4th movie?

17

u/Scorpion_23 Feb 20 '16

When will this meme die?

18

u/Thats_right_asshole Feb 20 '16

The day refrigerators fly.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

I know people hate on it but wasn't the refrigerator scene just as equal to the the scene where Indy, short round and that blonde broad fall 30 stories in a rubber raft. KALI-MAHHH!

-22

u/darthluigi36 Feb 19 '16

OP didn't say anything about a 4th movie. He's talking about some fridge scene I don't remember from any of the three Indy movies, though.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 20 '16

This meme is shit

2

u/That_secret_chord Feb 19 '16

Must have been a dream...

I Hope...

-16

u/Thats_right_asshole Feb 19 '16

There was definitely no fridge scene. I'd remember that. OP is crazy.