The following contains spoilers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, in theaters now.
As Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny barrels forth, Harrison Ford's Indy works with Helena Shaw. At first, he's excited to meet his goddaughter, but in time, he realizes she can work his nerve. Still, he needs Helena and her sidekick, Teddy (the new Short Round), to retrieve the Archimedes Dial.
After all, what Indy thought was just a plain old relic is actually something with godlike power. Intriguingly, as this new alliance takes on enemies from World War II, Dial of Destiny nods a lot to a major Marvel Cinematic Universe tentpole. This is none other than Captain America: The First Avenger, which has the same swashbuckling energy and Nazi-punching aura.
Indiana Jones 5 Mimics Key First Avenger Beats
In The First Avenger, Steve Rogers and his allies had to fight Nazis during World War II. They were also racing to find the Tesseract, which wasn't just a power source -- it could bend space and time, per when it opened up a portal and tossed Red Skull to Vormir. As that journey ensued, fans saw Captain America's team on thrilling shootouts, epic chases and high-octane train raids. On top of that, Captain America boarded a plane in the final act and got stuck in the ice, becoming a man out of time.
Indiana Jones' adventure in Dial of Destiny is quite similar: he's fighting Nazis that America integrated into their space program. As for the Dial, it points out where "time fissures" exist, allowing people to go through time portals as depicted in Indiana Jones' 5 ending. En route, there are similar fights in both the air and on the ground, car chase sequences and Indy also hanging off a speeding train after ambushing Nazis. It feels as though director James Mangold homages a lot of what Joe Johnston did in The First Avenger, from the look and feel, right down to the sound. It's triumphant Americana, evoking a truly patriotic vibe.
To top everything off, Indy ends up displaced as well, as the Dial lets Indy visit Syracuse to meet Archimedes in ancient times. Thankfully, Indy returns to the present, but clearly, the narratives are almost identical. As an added bonus, Toby Jones -- who played Arnim Zola in the 2011 MCU film -- is in Dial of Destiny as Helena's father, Basil. Similarly, Thomas Kretschmann, who appeared in The Winter Soldier as Baron Strucker plays another Nazi: Colonel Weber.
Indiana Jones 5 Makes Indy a Better, Intellectual Hero
As much as Steve Rogers is beloved, he was a G-Man, carrying out America's orders. By contrast, Indy does what Cap does, but independently of any government. Indy is depicted standing up to the CIA, and doing whatever it takes to save the Dial. He feels like a modern superhero who plays up the nostalgia, but also acts like a super-soldier of sorts for superhero and comic book loving audiences.
While Captain America focused on smash-and-grab jobs and assaults on the Axis forces, Indy has mysteries and cryptic riddles to solve along the way. He comes off a bit more well-rounded, though Steve Rogers would also be given depth as Marvel Studios unraveled his full story. That said, Indy's otherworldly journey paints a man of equal principle, realizing there's a Nazi movement infiltrating the US government. In that sense, Indy is a rebel, but still an endearing leader. Is he a people person like Steve? Not really, but he has his purpose and mission as a free, critical thinker.
On top of that, Indy goes through his treasure hunt, feeling the pain of Mutt's death and Marion's divorce. It's angsty compared to a Steve Rogers who wasn't burdened by such tragic baggage in his Nazi fight. This has Indy rallying, with a lot more weighing him down in a story that still feels original and fresh. As for Indy's supporting cast, they're as loyal as Bucky and the Howling Commandos. But Helena is a more personal relationship with a more emotional connection, while Teddy is fun, yet sentimental. Ultimately, they're a more layered and multidimensional family with Indy as their captain, compared to Steve's straightforward posse in The First Avenger.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is in theaters now.