You Won’t Believe Who Indiana Jones Actually Fought (It’s NOT Nazis)!

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Summary

  • Indiana Jones is a prolific character, and his story is told in various media outlets, including a TV series called The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
  • The TV series featured Indy’s early years, meetings with historical figures, and his encounter with Dracula.
  • The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles has shifted streaming services, but is still available to watch.

The Indiana Jones series, featuring the daring exploits of its namesake protagonist, frequently includes supernatural elements. However, one less popular tale has him squaring off against Dracula, a fact confirmed as official lore. The series began with the 1981 premiere of Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Harrison Ford first brought the character to life. The film’s success led to numerous sequels, including Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. After a 2008 release with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which received mixed reviews, the franchise took an extended hiatus before unveiling its fifth film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, in 2023.

Following the triumph of the Indiana Jones series, the character expanded his presence in various platforms, enriching his tale for viewers. He’s appeared in books, comics, and video games, with the 2024 game “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” receiving critical acclaim. The franchise ventured into television in 1992 with a show titled “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles“, where Sean Patrick Flanery stepped into the role. This foray into TV allowed viewers to witness a young Indiana Jones battling Dracula.

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles And Its Re-release Explained

The television show “Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” produced by George Lucas, aired for two seasons until its conclusion in 1993. Notable talents contributed to the production, such as Frank Darabont, creator of “The Walking Dead” TV series, and Jonathan Hensleigh, who wrote both “Jumanji” and “Die Hard with a Vengeance.” Directors like Joe Johnston, who later directed “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and Mike Newell, renowned for “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” also worked on some episodes.

After the cancellation of “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” Lucas re-edited the episodes into 22 full-length movies titled “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones.” These adaptations were initially released on VHS in 1999, with DVD versions becoming available in 2007.

The series, titled “Young Indiana Jones Chronicles“, presented various tales from Indy’s early years. Corey Carrier played the character at ages 9 and 10 across the first seven episodes. Later, Flanery took on the role of Jones, depicting him from ages 16 to 21, during which time the character went through significant life events such as participating in World War I. Notably, Harrison Ford appeared in an episode, narrating a story that initiated a flashback at the start. This series also included moments where Indy interacted with several historical figures, such as T.E. Lawrence, Pancho Villa, Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Pablo Picasso, and Ernest Hemingway. These adventures were all considered part of the official franchise canon. Remarkably, one of the historical figures that Indiana Jones encountered was none other than Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula.

Breaking Down Indy’s Fight With Dracula

In the second season of “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” episode 22 titled “Transylvania, January 1918,” features the encounter between Indiana Jones and Vlad the Impaler. This episode was later included in the collection known as “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil,” serving as the continuation of the tale. The story unfolds with Indiana Jones, disguised as Henri Defense while aiding British intelligence during World War I, being sent to Transylvania to investigate missing POWs in 1918. Once there, he’s accompanied by a small group, who together explore a castle inhabited by General Targo. The courtyard of this castle is filled with impaled bodies, which leads to some background information on Vlad the Impaler. The episode takes on a chilling atmosphere reminiscent of a horror film as they navigate the haunted-like castle, building suspense through eerie sounds and dripping blood from the ceiling.

In their quest, Indy and his companions eventually track down Targo and the missing POWs. However, they discover too late that Targo’s followers are now devoted vampires. Jones hypothesizes that Targo believes he is Vlad, but the General swiftly captures them, revealing his sharp fangs – confirming that he is indeed Vlad Dracula. After managing to evade capture, Indy and Vlad engage in a fierce battle atop the castle, culminating with Vlad plummeting to what seems like his demise. Knowing that staking through the heart might not kill him, Indy and his last remaining ally retrieve the body, drive a stake through his heart. This causes him to burst into flames and explode, leaving a sinister laugh echoing from the smoke as his face appears amidst the smoky remnants.

Is Indy’s bout with Vlad the Impaler available to stream?

Since 1999, the edited versions of “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones” have been the ones presented, even though the series is officially known as “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles“. These feature-length cuts are what get shown, and they’ve appeared and disappeared on various streaming platforms such as Paramount+ and Disney+. The show was accessible on Disney+ when “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was released in cinemas, but it is no longer available there. Now, the episodes can be streamed through Amazon Prime Video for subscribers. Additionally, you can buy and watch “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” on Apple TV, with Amazon Prime Video also offering the option to purchase the episodes instead of subscribing to their streaming service.

Although The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles might keep moving from one streaming platform to another, never finding a permanent home, the iconic character will persist. It’s doubtful that Harrison Ford will reprise his role as the character, but Indiana Jones and the Great Circle holds potential for sequels. Therefore, while we may not see the character on the big screen again soon, the Indiana Jones franchise can still flourish in innovative ways.

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2025-04-18 16:15