Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny!It has been over a decade since Harrison Ford’s archeologist went on an adventure, and here is what happened to Indiana Jones between Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The 2023 movie is the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise and debuted in theaters 15 years after audiences last saw Harrison Ford’s character in action. Indiana Jones 5 reflects the passage of time that occurred in real life between installments by having the majority of its story take place in 1969, 12 years after the events of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Between the young Indiana Jones flashbacks and the main 1969 story, several new parts of the archeologist’s life are explored. By the time Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s ending wraps up, viewers learn even more about Harrison Ford’s character and his past than before. This includes several revelations about what happened to Indiana Jones between Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny. This 12-year gap in his life story all occurred off-screen, but the movie references and alludes to a handful of major events that shaped Indiana Jones’ life before Indiana Jones 5 takes place.
Mutt Died In Vietnam
One of the most significant moments for what happened to Indiana Jones after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came when Mutt Williams died. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny reveals Shia LaBeouf’s character died during the Vietnam War. Mutt enlisted in the army sometime after Crystal Skull, likely as part of President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson increasing the United States’ presence in the war by 1964. The fourth Indiana Jones movie took place in 1957, so Mutt joining the army a few years later to piss off his father lines up with what Indiana Jones 5 presents.
It is not confirmed exactly when Mutt dies during the Vietnam War. Even though the war was still underway during the main events of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the way Indy talks about his son’s death makes it sound like at least a few years have passed. Considering Mutt was only 19 years old during Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it appears he died while he was in his 20s or early 30s at the latest. The tragedy of losing his son also had larger ramifications on what happened to Indiana Jones between Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny.
Indy & Marion Got Divorced
Another major development in Indiana Jones’ life before Dial of Destiny comes with the reveal that Indy and Marion got divorced. Harrison Ford and Karen Allen’s characters were last seen in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull getting married, giving them a happy ending together. Indiana Jones 5 changes the status of their relationship almost immediately after the 1969 set story begins. This comes through the reveal that Indy and Marion got divorced, as evident by the separation papers Indy has and how he talks about not talking to her recently.
Indiana Jones and Marion’s divorce happened before Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as a result of Mutt’s death. Indy explains that the death of their son gave Marion endless grief and that he did not know how to properly comfort her. The result was the couple’s rekindled romance once again deteriorating to the point where Marion filed for divorce. The good news is that Indiana Jones 5 does not end their relationship in that spot, as they are once again reunited during the final scenes.
Indiana Jones Moved to NYC
One of the first events that happened to Indiana Jones after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull appears to be moving to New York. Indy has lived in many different locations over his life, but he was last seen in Crystal Skull as a native of Connecticut. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny establishes that he now lives in New York City, and it appears that he has called New York his home for quite some time. The implication is that Indy and Marion moved to New York shortly after they got married to start their new life together with Mutt.
Indiana Jones Took A Job at Hunter College
Part of the reason why Indiana Jones moved to New York may have been to get a new job as a teacher. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny shows that he is a professor at Hunter College. The movie includes a small retirement party for him early on that includes faculty congratulating him on being with Hunter College for over a decade. Considering what happened to Indiana Jones between Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny occurs over a 12-year span, it sounds like Indy has worked for Hunter almost this entire time. This job came after an apparent short-lived promotion to Associate Dean of Marshall College.
Indiana Jones Moved Sallah’s Family To America
Another reveal about what happened to Indiana Jones between Indiana Jones 4 and Indiana Jones 5 came with an update on Sallah’s life. John Rhys-Davies’ character is one of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s returning characters. He enters the story as a resident of New York where he lives with his family. Indiana Jones helped move Sallah and his family to America during the war. While this could have happened before Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull considering the Vietnam War and Cold War were underway at the time, Sallah’s absence from that movie indicates Indy helped the family as the wars escalated.
Indiana Jones Lost Touch With Helena & Basil Shaw
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also reveals that this period of time also covers when Indiana Jones lost touch with Helena and Basil Shaw. He last saw them in 1951, six years before Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. However, it is unclear if he kept in contact with them at all during that time period. What Indiana Jones 5 does make known is that the 12 years that passed between movies did not include Indy reconnecting with them. Indy does not recognize Helena as an adult and seemingly had no idea that Basil died.
Even though losing touch with Helena and Basil is another big life event for what happened to Indiana Jones between Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny, he still retained possession of the Antikythera all those years. He did not destroy the powerful artifact as he promised Basil. Indiana Jones instead spent the years between these major adventures keeping Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s Antikythera a secret and from falling into the wrong hands. That could be why he did not stay in contact with Helena and Basil, as he was ashamed he kept the artifact and lied to his friend.
