This scene, taken from the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is indicative that Indiana has reached the final stage 0f the knight's quest--that of the Grail Knight. Although each stage of the knight's quest is highlighted individually in each Indiana Jones movie--the Mercenary Knight in Temple of Doom, the Indentured Knight in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and of course the Grail Knight in Last Crusade--scenes that portray Indiana in each of these roles all appear in the final movie.
The scene that shows Indiana Jones as a Mercenary Knight in Last Crusade happens at the very beginning of the movie when he discovers the cross of Coronado in a cave in Utah. Despite the fact that the cross was found by someone else (and thus belongs to him), and despite Indiana's righteous quote, "It belongs in a museum," it is clear from the look on Indy's face that he's somewhat starstruck by the cross. While it is clear that he steals the cross with the intent of having displayed in museum, there is also an undercurrent of perhaps wanting to be the person who famously recovered it. The scene immediately following this one also sets the story for Indiana's overall "anything goes" Mercenary Knight attitude in Temple of Doom, as he is betrayed, and this squashes any intent he had to go on his quest for any higher purpose than money and glory.
The scene in Last Crusade that shows Indiana Jones as an Indentured Knight are the scenes where Indy agrees to go on the journey to find his father at Donovan's request and on Donovan's dime. It is clear that he is only on the quest to serve one end--to find his father--and, unbeknownst to him, becomes Donovan's puppet in his quest to find the Grail and, ultimately, eternal life and power.
Indiana's transition into Grail Knight in Last Crusade begins with the scenes conquering the three tasks that you must pass in order to prove yourself worthy of finding the Grail. These scenes show Indiana's new found faith and belief in God and the Grail, as well as his exhibiting the mythic characteristics needed for a Grail Knight. His transition is complete when, in the second-to-last scene of the movie, he gives up reaching for the Grail (and eternal life, fortune, and glory) in order to save his life and the life of his comrades. This scene proves that he has conquered his demons and his love of material things and grasped onto a larger purpose.
Okay, nice post. do a bit more with the last stage since it is the most important. You also point out the importance of his letting the grail go. Good pt.
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