Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic characters in the history of film. Not every movie character is recognizable from their silhouette alone, but as soon as audiences see the fedora on his head and the bullwhip at his side, they know Indy has entered a scene. Dr. Jones is traditionally a lone wolf, like James Bond, but much like 007, he rarely travels alone.
From love interests like Marion Ravenwood and Willie Scott to wisecracking sidekicks like Short Round and his own father, Henry Jones, Sr., Indy has gone on adventures with all kinds of travel companions. Some are lovable and endearing, like Sallah, while others are just annoying, like his estranged son Mutt Williams.
Mutt Williams
Two decades after teaming up with his estranged father in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It doesn’t help Mutt’s case that Crystal Skull is the weakest entry in the franchise by far.
Indy teaming up with his long-lost son was an interesting premise for a fourth movie, but Mutt has next to nothing in common with his dad; he’s just a stereotypical ‘50s greaser. Shia LaBeouf doesn’t share nearly as much chemistry with Ford as some of his other co-stars like Karen Allen and Sean Connery.
Willie Scott
The romantic interest in Indy’s previous love interest, Marion. Whereas Marion is an action hero in her own right, getting in on all the action and saving Indy as often as he saves her, Willie is more of a damsel in distress who constantly needs to be rescued.
Willie spends most of the movie screaming at large animals and black-magic rituals. The 11-year-old is braver than her. To be fair to Willie, she doesn’t come from the dangerous world that Indy inhabits; she’s a nightclub singer who gets swept up in one of his adventures.
Marcus Brody
Marcus Brody is one of Indy’s closest friends and confidants, but he’s only able to provide help and in an academic setting. There’s a running gag in the franchise that Brody is hilariously useless outside of a museum.
There’s a hysterical juxtaposition in The Last Crusade when Indy assures the Nazis that Brody is a multilingual master of disguise who’s probably made it halfway across the globe and disappeared without a trace by now. Cut to Brody wandering around a bazaar, asking strangers if they speak English.
Sallah
Like Brody, Sallah is an old friend of Indy’s and one of his most trusted allies. Unlike Brody, he’s competent in dangerous situations. He warns Indy about “bad dates” and helps Marion escape from the Nazis (although he unwittingly leads her into another one of their traps).
Ford shares brilliant on-screen chemistry with John Rhys-Davies, whether they’re excavating the Well of Souls in the middle of the desert or chasing down a tank to liberate Brody and Indy’s father.
Marion Ravenwood
Marion Ravenwood proved to be such a fan-favorite icon in the few highlights of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Ever since her debut in Raiders, Marion has been impossible to top. She’s the ultimate Indiana Jones love interest. Marion is just as plucky and courageous as Indy himself, and also lands plenty of her own quippy one-liners.
Short Round
Short Round is an 11-year-old taxi driver who gets swept up in the same adventure as Willie and proves to be a lot more fearless than her. Even at such a young age, Ke Huy Quan shared great chemistry with Ford. Indy doesn’t have a ton of patience for Shorty, but he ultimately cares about him deeply. Making Indy a father figure brought out a softer side in the character.
Shorty has plenty of memorable quotes in the movie, like “That’s no cookie!” and “Hang on, lady, we’re going for a ride!” There’s also a heartwarming scene when Indy is under the cult’s brainwashing and Shorty is trying to snap him out of it. He tells Indy he loves him and he’s his best friend. For the most part, Short Round is used for comic relief, but Indy fans tend to tear up at this moment.
Henry Jones, Sr.
Indy’s third adventure, The Last Crusade, paired him up with his estranged father, Henry Jones, Sr., played brilliantly by Sean Connery. Since Indiana Jones was conceived as an American version of James Bond, it was appropriate for Jones’ dad to be played by the original 007. On top of that casting gimmick, Connery shares an authentic father-son dynamic with Ford.
They have a hysterical back-and-forth throughout the movie, especially in action scenes like the dogfight where their bickering gets in the way of Indy’s dangerous antics. But it’s not just a buddy actioner; the two also share some poignant dramatic moments, like Indy saving his dad’s life with the Holy Grail and his dad subsequently inspiring him to give up the Grail.
