The following contains spoilers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, now in theaters.
As Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny rolls on, it's a bittersweet experience. It's fun seeing Harrison Ford with his iconic jacket, hat and whip again. But it'll be the last time, which leads to him needing help from his goddaughter, Helena.
And make no mistake, despite their differences, they make a formidable team as Indy once more goes up against Nazis. Interestingly, while the film updates some of its essence for modern audiences, there are many Easter eggs and references made to the past. With that in mind, let's dissect the biggest moments nostalgics would love.
11 Indiana Jones 5 Retains an Iconic Visual and Audible Trait
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny uses the Open Capitals Roman font for its title. This font, along with its coloring, visual scheme and layout, echoes the style used for previous Indiana Jones movies. It's director James Mangold's way of paying homage to Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' vision.
In addition, Dial of Destiny nods to something else used when Indy killed many enemies over the years. This is the Wilhelm Scream. It's heard when a younger Indy pulls a Nazi off a speeding train in the opening sequence as he hunts a relic Voller's stealing. This is an audible gag other franchises such as StarWars deploy for fun.
10 Indiana Jones 5 Unveils the Lance of Longinus
Indy mostly chases holy relics with some ethereal power. Examples include the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Convenient. Temple of Doom had him hunting the Sankara Stones in a more Hindu-leaning adventure.
Here, though, Indy's first chase is trying to find the Lance of Longinus. This is the Spear of Destiny used by a Roman soldier to poke at Jesus Christ on the cross. It was omitted from the Raiders of the Last Ark but appeared in a '95 Indy comic from Dark Horse Comics, where Indy and his father, Henry, pursued it.
9 Indiana Jones Debuts a New Short Round
Ke Huy Quan is beloved as Short Round in Temple of Doom. Here, Helena has her own version of Short Round. He's a Moroccan kid, Teddy, who helps her steal items and swindle black market dealers.
He ends up being a very valuable sidekick as well, even running afoul and getting kidnapped by the villains. Teddy also aids the heroes by driving cars and planes. Plus, he's key in getting them back to the present in Dial of Destiny's ending.
8 Indiana Jones 5 Revisits the Theme of Fatherly Love
Indy has his watch stolen by Teddy during a chase before they become friends. The veteran's adamant he get it back, though, because it's his dad's watch. Many fans would recall it belongs to Henry (Indy's dad, played by Sean Connery) in The Last Crusade.
Ironically, Helena would use her dad's diaries and obsessively chase the Dial. Her dad was mad about it, the same way Henry was about the Grail. Notably, this Helena comes off like Indy, who used Henry's diary to chase the Grail. As a bonus, Indy has pictures of him and Henry in his apartment, as well as a Crucifixion painting Henry possessed.
7 Indiana Jones 5 Flips the Gun Incident
Raiders of the Lost Ark had a swordsman showing off his skills before he tried to kill Indy. However, the treasure hunter shot him before the fight began in an iconic scene. It emphasized one shouldn't bring a knife to a gunfight.
That lesson is taught to Indy here in a remixed manner. He pulls his whip for Helena's relic customers, only for them to all pull guns and fire on Indy. He emphatically learns how it feels to be on the other end, narrowly escaping the ambush.
6 Indiana Jones 5 Has Foul Creatures
Indy's often had to face bugs in his many cave sequences. Temple of Doom had him also running afoul of snakes. That scene lets viewers know he hated cobras in particular.
Both species are homaged in Indiana Jones 5. Firstly, Indy and Helena are attacked by eels, who act as sea serpents underwater, as they search for part of the Dial. Secondly, their trip to the Dionysius Cave in Italy has bugs attacking them, spooking Indy and reminding him of the old days he complained about so much.
5 Indiana Jones 5 References Indy's Temple of Doom Struggles
When Indy and Helena scale a rock wall, he admits he's too old for this. As Helena and Teddy joke, Indy mentions he's got a good excuse. He talks about being tortured as a voodoo doll.
He also mentions he once had to drink Kali's blood. Both were used by Mola Ram's forces decades back. These tactics were employed to try to break Indy's body and mind in Temple of Doom.
4 Indiana Jones 5 Nods to Mutt and Mac
Indy mentions his son, Mutt, who was played by Shia LaBeouf in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. With LaBeouf left out of the story, it's revealed Mutt joined the military. Sadly, he needlessly died in the Vietnam War.
It's left Indy heartbroken, which Helena eventually tries to heal. In addition, Helena calls Indy "Jonesy" in a deft cut from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This is what Ray Winstone's Mac called Indy before he betrayed the hero.
3 Indiana Jones 5 Has Marion Recreate the Kissing Scene
Indiana Jones 5 nods to another epic moment from Raiders of the Lost Ark to give Indy closure. In that movie, Marion kisses Indy on his body parts that "didn't hurt." Here, she does it again.
She kisses him as he points out the same spots he did all those years ago. It's all part of them working to reconcile in the finale and move past Mutt's death. It's a very happy ending, especially as fans were worried Indy would stay in the past after his time-traveling trip to Syracuse.
2 Indiana Jones 5 Revives Sallah's Stories and Singing
At the end, Indiana Jones 5 has Sallah coming to Indy's apartment. He can be heard telling the story of a plane explosion to his grandkids. It's from the Raiders of the Lost Ark incident with Indy and Marion.
He also sings "A British Tar" by Gilbert and Sullivan. This is what he did at the end of that film when Indy and Marion kissed. It brings all their stories full circle and reminds Indy he still has a family.
1 Indiana Jones 5 Maintains Indy's Lifelong Passion
Throughout the franchise, Indy always kept yelling how relics "belong in a museum!" It was due to his love of archeology, history and preserving culture. Admittedly, many enemies found it weird and a tad annoying.
He says that line repeatedly in this movie, especially after seeing the Nazi loot. He also keeps harping on this lesson with Helena, as she is adamant she did nothing wrong trying to hock important relics. In addition, Indy has to tell Helena he's not "a grave robber" and that she shouldn't be one too. It nodded to when he was called that in past movies and when he and Mutt saw a sign in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull chiding these kinds of hunters.