Indiana Jones (franchise) gruesomely by the Ark's wrath. Indiana and Marion, who survived by closing their eyes, manage to get the Ark to the United States, where it is stored in a secret government warehouse. The second film, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984) is set in 1935, a year before "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Indiana escapes Chinese gangsters with the help of singer/actress Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) and his twelve-year-old sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan). The trio crash-land in India, where they come across a village whose children have been kidnapped. The Thuggee led by Mola Ram (Amrish
Indiana Jones (franchise) and "Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Sphinx". McCoy set his books closer in time to the events of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", which led to his characterising Indiana as "a bit darker". The prologue of his first book featured a crystal skull, and this became a recurring story, concluding when Jones gives it up in the final novel. Lucas' involvement with McCoy's novels was limited, although LucasFilm censored sexual or outlandish elements in order to make the books appeal to younger readers; they also rejected the theme of time travel in the final book. Sallah, Lao Che,