The following contains major spoilers forIndiana Jones and the Great Circle.
TheIndiana Jonesfranchise is quite obviously known for the rugged, very human titular character himself, but when it comes to its storytelling, it tends to explore the supernatural side of things perceived by some to be unreal. In the end, this serves thefamous archaeologist’s storywell, as it blends history and myth with present-day adventure, effectively connecting Indiana Jones to the past. In the same way, MachineGames’Indiana Jones and the Great Circleappears to have traveled back to Biblical times with its main narrative, to the point that it might have a lore retcon hidden in its plot.
Throughout its lifespan, theIndiana Jonesseries has reimagined history, particularly history according to the Bible. This is, in fact, a significant part of its appeal, and the themes that drive its stories.Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, specifically, chooses to go back to the days of Noah’s ark in its narrative, adding unique elements of its own to one of the most famous stories ever told.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Reimagines the Purpose of Noah’s Ark
According to the Bible, Noah’s Ark Was a Vessel of Preservation and a Refuge
The originalpurpose of Noah’s ark, as described in the Bible, was to serve as a vessel of preservation for humanity and wildlife from a catastrophic flood sent by God. The reason for the flood came from God’s judgment, which was released in order to see widespread human wickedness and corruption completely eradicated from the earth and create a blank slate, as it were, for humanity to start over again in their pursuit of God. Ultimately, Noah was chosen by God because he was described as a righteous man who walked with God, and would therefore set a new standard for humanity.
God instructed Noah to build the ark to protect him, his family, and representatives of all living creatures to ensure the survival and renewal of life. Noah was commanded to bring two of every kind of living creature, male and female, into the Ark to keep them alive during the flood, thereby making the Ark a floating sanctuary of sorts. However, God told Noah in Genesis 6 that all the animals would come to him in order to be kept alive. It was then through Noah’s obedience to God that a new line of humanity would come, as it symbolized humanity’s submission to theauthority of Godand the importance of following His commands to achieve salvation.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Suggests Noah’s Ark Was a Means of Global Transportation
WhileIndiana Jones and the Great Circlecertainly keeps the legacy of Noah’s ark alive, it changes some things about its history. Most notably,Voss explains inIndiana Jones the Great Circlethat an angel gave Noah seventeen stones imbued with the power to “fold the earth,” each stone connected to one of the locations of the Great Circle and each representing a word. Apparently, upon speaking these words, Noah could effectively teleport the entire ark to anywhere on the earth, but specifically for the purpose of gathering the animals in order to later repopulate the earth.
The original purpose of Noah’s ark, as described in the Bible, was to serve as a vessel of preservation for humanity and wildlife from a catastrophic flood sent by God.
If the Bible is viewed as a historical document, thenIndiana Jones and the Great Circlecontains a potential lore retcon where Noah’s ark is concerned. Specifically, whereas the Bible states that the animals came to Noah before the flood arrived,Indiana Jones and the Great Circlechangesthat bit to emphasize the power of the sacred stones, in that they once allowed Noah to teleport the ark to anywhere on the earth in order to retrieve the animals. InIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, Voss wanted this power for himself, but met his end due to not being considered “worthy.”
This isn’t the first timeIndiana Joneshas altered Biblical history as part of its storytelling, withRaiders of the Lost Ark, for instance, reimagining the purpose of theArk of the Covenantas a supernatural weapon capable of unleashing divine wrath, as opposed to the vessel it was created to be to hold the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusadealso repurposed the Holy Grail to offer eternal life to the one who drinks from it, when there is no record of that in the Bible. If nothing else, this all just goes to show MachineGames' commitment to authenticity inIndiana Jones and the Great Circle, as it approaches its storytelling in a very similar way.
