Triay - Temple of Doom

In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, we see Indiana Jones differently than in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Set one year before the events of Raiders, Jones is portrayed as a Mercenary Knight, letting his loyalties fall to whomever presents the most money. The opening scene demonstrates this, as Jones strikes a deal with a Chinese gangster that betrays him by poisoning him and taking Jones's payment (the diamond), setting in motion the events of the film.

Jones and his side-kick Short Round with the club singer Willie Scott eventually find themselves aiding a desperate Indian village whose magical stones have been stolen by a religious cult known as the Thuggees. Jones begins to see within himself the path to virtuousness when he agrees to help the Indians. After eating some monkey brains, heavy flirting, and a death by ceiling fan, the group finds themselves within the Temple of Doom.

Eventually, Jones retrieves the three magic stones and saves all the enslaved children. As he is escaping the Temple of Doom, he finds himself trapped on a bridge with the stones. The Thuggees are closing in on him, swords drawn. It is at this moment that Indiana Jones (as the Mercenary Knight) enters "the wasteland" within himself. He realizes that his role as the Mercenary Knight must come to an end. He has seen the good works he has done by saving the children and retrieving the stones, and he realizes that he cannot be a sympathetic Mercenary. He must decide what path to take. This apotheosis leads Jones to abandon his mantra of "fortune and glory" and let his loyalties lie within the path of virtue.