WARNING: This article has SPOILERS for Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may have left fans with many lingering questions, but director James Mangold has set out to answer one: the decision to kill off Shia LaBeouf's Mutt Williams.
The stakes are high when bringing a beloved character back for one last hurrah. That is the challenge Mangold faced when bringing Harrison Ford back as the whip-wielding archaeologist in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The previous film, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was not the highest-ranked film in the Indiana Jones franchise, creating even more obstacles for The Dial of Destiny. But with new characters, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy's goddaughter Helena, Mangold made it work. Fans may have also been comforted by the reappearances of some of the best characters, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marion (Karen Allen). However, one established character never made it to the screen.
After LaBeouf played Indy and Marion's son in TheKingdom of the Crystal Skull, the character died as a casualty during the Vietnam War. Writing this event was purposeful on Mangold's part, as he explained to Variety. “That seemed to me to be right emotionally,” Mangold reflected, “that a disillusioned hero could end up at this wonderful tumultuous moment in world history and -- with his son gone and his wife gone -- that he’d picture himself staying in the place he loves best, which is this imagining these worlds.”
Mangold knew he had to decide between a story featuring the relationship between Indy and Mutt (LeBouf) or one about the archeologist moving on. The director chose the latter. Instead of forcing a story that he felt had no emotional weight, Mangold did the opposite. He decided to kill off Indy's son because it paved the way for an emotionally resonant story that didn't need an alternate Indiana Jones 5 ending.
There was no malice in Mangold's decision, even if the character’s only appearance was in a lackluster film. Mutt's (LaBeouf) death is the primary motivator for Indy throughout the film. It drove a wedge between him and Marion and caused him to sleepwalk through life. He waded through his final years of teaching at Hunter College toward easy retirement and lost the fire and vigor he was known for. He only became his old self when Helena showed up and gave him a chance at another adventure. He still struggled with grief, and he and his wife had a long road to travel. But in the end, Marion returned to him because he seemed to be working through the tragedy. Returning to the world and being an active part of it was the lesson he needed to learn, and Indiana Jones did it all without needing to die.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is showing in theaters.
Source: Variety