Just what the hell happened at the end of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK?

I rewatched this movie recently [edit: no need to discuss illegal activity] and im still [edit: please do not swear, even abbrebviated swearing isn't allowed] confused to what happened to all the Nazis at the end of Raiders. What the hell was that? Um, i know they were killed, but WHY and BY WHO?

 

Well, Who is pretty evident, Indy explains it at the beginning when he shows the book to the US spooks. The power or wrath of God, avenging angels, whatever, the supernatural forces nside the Ark. Why, because no human is meant to see that power, that's why the Nazis were killed and Indy and Marion spared.

 

It can also be interpreted that God has sided with the righteous- Indy and Marion- over Belloq and the Nazis who have arrogantly tried to harness God's power for their own needs. Indy has not, as evidenced by his humility in refusing to gaze at the power of the ark. He knows that no person is worthy of viewing God's glory and destructive force.

 

Old legends said that the Ark allowed the Hebrew priests to communicate with God (that's why Belloq describes it as a "radio for talking with God") and summon His wrath (like when the walls at Jericho fell). Other legends mentioned that those who touched it would die or be shot by bolts of lightning. The phantoms that emerged from the Ark in the movie could have been Angels of Death or vengeful spirits of those killed by and absorbed into the Ark.

-Dubya Fett

 

Power of God for 500, Alex.

 

There is a passage in the Bible where it says that whomever looks upon the throne of God on the ark, as inside the ark, where God's word, the 10 commandments were supposed to have been placed, would die, for no one could look upon God directly and live. So, when the ark was open, and the sweet lady image turned into death warmed over, it was the wrath of God that consumed them, so that they were no more. If you want me to look it up, please PM me, and I'll try to find the reference.

 

I read this subject title "Just what the hell happened at the end of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK?" Now any of us that have read the old testament know of one minor deatl at the end of Raiders that was not followed to it's biblical command. That command is that the "Ark of the Covenant" was never to be allowed to be carried on any wheeled device. I seem to remember someone dying because they touched the ark while it was on an "ox cart."

The "Ark of the Covenant" must be carried by men of God and whom ever the Lord God seed as worthy is the only person(s) to carry it. Most of the carriers were to use special poles that were of an exact length and these men were Rabbis or Elders. Common people would die if they touched it.

The guy in the government warehouse at the end of Raiders would most likely be dead.

The Ark of the Covenant is rumored not to be in Israel but in Africa. However, there is a person that I spoke with that said that God called it to Heaven.

 

Then maybe it wasn?t really the Ark that was being pushed in the Government warehouse. *cue dramatic music*

 

The warehouseman was pushing a wooden box which may or may not have had anything in it.

 

What is pushed at the end is indeed the Ark. If not the previous scenes of Indy with the government guys wouldn't make much sense story and shotwise on the film.

 

My feeling on the "Ark cannot be transported by wheels" argument is that:

A. The filmmakers did not know this.

or

B. They did, but they ignored it because it would rule out too many cool scenes (the truck convoy chase, the wharehouse, etc.).

Lucas and co. have conveniently altered legend at time to fit the "Indiana Jones" films. For example, the real Thuggee cult did not rip out people's hearts like in "The Temple of Doom" (that was inspired more by Aztec practice). While they did kill in Kali's name, they preferred to rob travelers and strangle them with a scarf. Killing by shedding blood was supposed to be offensive to Kali.

-Dubya Fett

 

What happened with the Ox Cart, was, the Ark fell off and a man touched it to stop it from falling, and even though he was stopping the Ark from geting harmed, he disobeyed God, and dropped dead. In Raiders they got it wrong, It didn't matter if you looked at the Ark, I'm sure Indy and Marion would've fried also. The Ark holds God's power within it, so when his commands were disobeyed, he unleashed his wrath. I guess it could make since, that Indy and Marion were showing their fear and faith in God by not looking at his Power, and were therefore Forgiven, and spared.

All you need is love!

 

Alternately (regarding wheels, touching the ark etc), if you do not take the stories in the bible literally in every instance (see: Noah's Arc, and the logistics of taking 2 of every animal on board, for example) then there is plenty of licence in the ROTLA film to deviate from the word as written in the bible.

 

How did they get the effect of the melting faces? Like melt wax figures and speed it up?

 

That is explained nicely in the "making of Raiders" section of the raider.net.

Check about half way down this page.

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"[i]Once the transformation from angel to demon has been effected, the full fury of the awesome forces within the Ark is unleashed against the Nazis violators. Flames leap forth from the open chest, and in a matter of moments, Dietrich's face shrinks to a mummy-like visage. Toht's features melt away from his skull, and Belloq's head explodes into a pulpy mess. Spielberg had decided that the villains should be disintegrated. The storyboards dictated close-ups of Belloq, Toht and Dietrich with their faces shutter and crumble away but after many efforts and thoughts they realized that they couldn't do such a thing, so instead of disintegrating them they decided to give to each of them a different kind of death. Life molds of the characters in the screaming positions they would ultimately reach had to be taken. They had them hold their positions while they took castings of their faces and then special make-up artist Chris Walas had to rebuild their faces from the molds.[/i][hr][/blockquote]Hit the link for the rest!

 

Indy and Sallah used the staffs to carry the ark, they didn't touch the ark itself and pack it around like a cardboard box. THAT would've spelt trouble.

 

Anyone who touches the ARK other then Levis would die automatically, so when the Nazis took of the cover and the top they should of died

 

Well the ark could be carried by anyone as long as they don't touch the Ark itself. So it can be carried and loaded on whatever, but the proper way to carry it was using long poles and men carrying it over their shoulders.
So when King David wanted to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, he did not do it like it was suppose to be done, instead he put it on a wagon, and it eventually fell in which Uzzah (the one who touched it and died) tried to stop it from falling, but died. I think the poles where not even supposed to be removed after it was placed wherever it was supposed to be, so there would be no excuse to do anything different.

Also another example anyone can move it, the Ark was located in the Most Holy area of the temple. During one of the Kings reign the Most Holy area of the temple was replaced with an idol which was later destroyed by King Josiah. Then Josiah ordered major reconstruction work on the temple then ordered the Ark to be returned to it's rightful place.

Another example, The Israelites did something to displease god and did not support them even though they had the Ark with them. So the Philistines killed thousands of men and captured the Ark. Another example it can be moved by anyone.

Just remember the Ark did not guarantee success, because the Israelites were defeated several times with the Ark in their presence. Once in the bible after the Ark was returned from the Philistines, the Israelites celebrated but many were struck down because they looked upon the Ark instead of looking to god.

I liked what happened at the end I just viewed like it should be viewed a movie, I don't think thing's have to be accurate.

 

true the phillistins captured the Ark, but remember they returned it after 7 months because of the Tumors and the Rat infestation it was giving the Population of the towns it was held in.

But back to the Movie looking upon the throne of the most High would give instant death to anyone with Sin! so all of us
but I doubt the Lord would send ghastly Ghouls to do the job more like bright light.

Well it was only a Movie

 

It's just a movie so a few minor errors are expected. Like when Indy tells the goverment agents that Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Mount Moab. He asks the agents if they ever wnt to Sunday school. Well I guess Indy didn't either since Moses brought back the Commandments from Mount Sinai.

 

"Indy tells the goverment agents that Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from Mount Moab. He asks the agents if they ever wnt to Sunday school. Well I guess Indy didn't either since Moses brought back the Commandments from Mount Sinai."

Actually, Indy said Mount Horeb, which is another name for Sinai.

"The Ark of the Covenant is rumored not to be in Israel but in Africa."

Actually, in the movie it was in Egypt, which IS in Africa. I do know what you meant, though. I've heard this too. It's supposedly in a church in Ethipoia, in a special room, where only one priest can view it, and even then only one once a year or something. I'm a little skeptical myself, but who knows?

 

Just what the hell happened at the end of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK?


God appears in a mainstream hollywood film, not as a joke like Bruce Almighty, not as a woman ala Dogma, but as actual genuine God. That's why I really respect the ending of ROTLA, most films would've copped out, *might* have made an earthquake swallow them up, or something that could be blamed on Karma. But to actually take the Ark of the Covenant and have it do as was described in the Bible, was quite...amazing.


Oh, and like lumberjedi said, there was never a prohibition against wheels, only against touching the Ark directly.

 

Ive always thought the events in Raiders were surprisingly accurate. The way the ark looked fit the description in the Bible very well.
And the ending was also fitting, given that the true rule was that Noone could touch the ark. In the Bible, the ark is unsteady on a platform its being carried on, and a man named Uzzah tried to steady it, and is immediately struck dead (no word on if his face melted or exploded.) Noone truly touched the ark itself til that very scene, when they lifted the lid. Then, in conjunction with that, "No man can behold the glory of God and yet live". Once it was opened, I think Indy thought of this scripture and decided to shut those baby blues. I think Raiders is the most surprisingly accurate. Temple of Doom just mixes up seperate facts like a jambalaya, and Last Crusade is based on no facts. Just as the official site says, "the grail was invented by a French poet in the 1100's". Thats some refreshing honesty. Though I do enjoy the insightful moments, like using the actual name of God "Jehovah", and the truthful sentence about "the cup of a carpeneter", even though the last supper took place in a rented room, with rented utensils. Still, what great movies! im eager to see what the McGuffin in Indy 4 is, Its gotta be "Ark" or "Grail" level, No more Sankara stones.

 

Considering im a born and bread JoHo I was like *insert massive grin here* when
1) they used gods correct name
2) they didnt spell it with a 'J'
Finally a movie that is rather accurate on these lil thangs