The famed archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) has some incredible findings on his resume throughout his many journeys. From the Ark of the Covenant to the Holy Grail, and even a run-in with aliens, Indy has seen things that most people would deem unbelievable. Another unique antiquity makes its franchise debut in the final installment, but exactly what is the Dial of Destiny?
As to be expected, his final escapade in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sees our renowned explorer on the hunt for another precious relic. Indiana Jones’ intentions are always of the utmost purity, consistently seeking to preserve historical artifacts as opposed to wielding them for power. What’s the story with the Dial of Destiny, and why is Indiana Jones seeking it?
*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny*
What is the Dial of Destiny in ‘Indiana Jones 5’?
Where have you heard this before: Indiana Jones is in a race against the Nazis to recover an artifact of extreme archaeological significance that could change the course of history. Sounds familiar right? Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny relies on a similar plot as its predecessors, and that’s because it works every time.
Similar to artifacts past, the Dial of Destiny is based on a real object—the Antikythera—which is said to be the world’s oldest analog computer and was used as an astronomy tool. In the film, the dial was created by Archimedes and can detect fissures in time, allowing users to navigate through specific coordinates as a method of travel to very unspecific points in time.
This is a small step down from the absurd aliens in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but a large step up from other artifacts in previous installments. The Dial of Destiny was split into two parts—useless on their own, but together are said to elevate its discoverer not to the level of a “King or a Führer,” but a God. Indy’s goal will always be preservation, but the Nazis have a far more sinister plan for the dial.
What spurred the hunt for the Dial of Destiny?
In typical “last adventure” fashion, Indiana Jones is not actively searching for the dial at the start of the film. His god-daughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) drags him into pursuit in an effort to finish the work her father started. Like many other heroes, he’s thrust back into a fight he is now actively trying to avoid.
Dr. Voller’s (Mads Mikkelsen) plans for the dial are unfortunately not as pure of heart as his competitor’s. His goal is to reconnect the pieces of the dial and locate a time fissure to travel back to 1939 and help the Nazis win the war. If there’s one staple in Indiana Jones‘ character, it’s that he hates Nazis with every fiber of his being. Indy goes above and beyond to make sure his competitors aren’t given the chance to rewrite history.
The Nazis inevitably repair the dial and use it to travel back in time, but they fail to account for continental drift. This grave miscalculation leads to them traveling to 214 BC as opposed to 1939. They come face-to-face with the creator of the dial, Archimedes, who is given the ultimate gift of seeing his life’s work pay off in spectacular fashion.
An awe-inspiring artifact for an incredible movie
The Harrison Ford-led Indiana Jones franchise may have come to a close, but it has some of the most iconic and sought-after antiquities in movie history. The Dial of Destiny is the perfect choice for Indiana Jones’ final hunt and fits in seamlessly among the franchise’s other trinkets.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is now playing exclusively in theaters. You can find the first four movies on Disney+ and Paramount+.
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