WHO THE HELL IS ABNER RAVENWOOD?

Posted by HANNIBAL KING from ausfire.austin.ppdi.com on November 28, 1998 at 03:13:46:

Hey,
How are you all doing? Of course, I do know that Abner was Marion's dad and Indy's mentor (possibly even a father figure to the intrepid archaeologist), but what kind of guy was he? He was obviously a very talented archaeologist and treasure hunter but the question that kind of bugs me is - who did he do it for?
I mean he obviously kept the head piece of the staff of Ra for years and this doesn't really wash with our knowledge of Indy's motives. Admittedly these have ranged from "Fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory" to "That belongs in a museum". But what we can gather is that he is not interested in owning these valuable pieces for his own benefit. Sure, he may trade these artefacts (i.e Nurhachi for the diamond) but the relics he obtains always end up in either a museum, a government warehouse, down a big ravine or in the villagers shrine.
Perhaps it wasn't really the affair between Indy and Marion which brought about the rift between the men. Perhaps it was the fundamental difference in the mens motives. This is pure conjecture, but it makes sense. The other theory that I formulated whilst watching the Indy trilogy during a particularily nasty bout of the flu is that perhaps we have met Abner in one of the movies . . .!?!?!?

Pause for dramatic effect.

Maybe, just maybe, Abner Ravenwood was the name of the mysterious fedora wearing treasure hunter that Indy first encountered in Utah. I mean we know that this episode accounts for Indy's lucky hat and from all the episodes of Young Indy we know where he gets his sense of adventure from. But one brief meeting when he was thirteen seems to have influenced Indy an awful lot. Compared to the horrors that he suffered durin the First world war. Is it possible that after graduation Indy met up with the mysterious adventurer (who was now widowed with a youngish daughter) and perhaps the men hooked up with each other for a while. After all somebody would have had to tell Indy about the dangers of going into Tombs. I may be wrong but I don't think your average archaeological course has classes called "Fiendish Booby Traps Module One: Forced perspective stone bridges".

I don't know but I think that it's pretty interesting. If you have any opinions please share them.

Seeya, Hannibal.

Follow Ups:

Re: WHO THE HELL IS ABNER RAVENWOOD? Indy Magnoli 09:31:02 11/28/98 (1)
- Re: Little bits of junk ~The Raider~ 16:38:12 11/28/98 (0)

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: Hey,
:    How are you all doing?  Of course, I do know that Abner was Marion's dad and Indy's mentor (possibly even a father figure to the intrepid archaeologist), but what kind of guy was he?  He was obviously a very talented archaeologist and treasure hunter but the question that kind of bugs me is - who did he do it for?
:    I mean he obviously kept the head piece of the staff of Ra for years and this doesn't really wash with our knowledge of Indy's motives.  Admittedly these have ranged from "Fortune and glory kid, fortune and glory" to "That belongs in a museum".  But what we can gather is that he is not interested in owning these valuable pieces for his own benefit.  Sure, he may trade these artefacts (i.e Nurhachi for the diamond) but the relics he obtains always end up in either a museum, a government warehouse, down a big ravine or in the villagers shrine.  
:     Perhaps it wasn't really the affair between Indy and Marion which brought about the rift between the men.  Perhaps it was the fundamental difference in the mens motives.  This is pure conjecture, but it makes sense.  The other theory that I formulated whilst watching the Indy trilogy during a particularily nasty bout of the flu is that perhaps we have met Abner in one of the movies . . .!?!?!?

: Pause for dramatic effect.

:     Maybe, just maybe, Abner Ravenwood was the name of the mysterious fedora wearing treasure hunter that Indy first encountered in Utah.  I mean we know that this episode accounts for Indy's lucky hat and from all the episodes of Young Indy we know where he gets his sense of adventure from.  But one brief meeting when he was thirteen seems to have influenced Indy an awful lot.  Compared to the horrors that he suffered durin the First world war.  Is it possible that after graduation Indy met up with the mysterious adventurer (who was now widowed with a youngish daughter) and perhaps the men hooked up with each other for a while.  After all somebody would have had to tell Indy about the dangers of going into Tombs.  I may be wrong but I don't think your average archaeological course has classes called "Fiendish Booby Traps Module One: Forced perspective stone bridges".

:    I don't know but I think that it's pretty interesting.  If you have any opinions please share them.

: Seeya, Hannibal.

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]