We Completely Missed This ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ Easter Egg in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’
Since his on-screen debut in 1981, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones has gone from paying homage to films from 40 years prior to being the film that’s paid honor to. While many actors have played iconic characters, Ford may have the most impressive one-two punch in Indiana Jones and Han Solo. When Solo: A Star Wars Story premiered in 2018, Ron Howard paid tribute to both characters in a subtle Easter egg many fans missed.
A tale of two characters
While Ford has had a long career with memorable roles, most agree Han Solo and Indiana Jones are his most iconic, explains Indiana Jones Wiki. A hard-working up-and-comer when George Lucas cast him as Han Solo, Ford’s natural charisma and penchant for sardonic lines made him a perfect rogue outcast in the galaxy far away.
Han Solo became just as much a part of the Star Wars canon as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. While he didn’t have superpowers, he had a relentless ability to get out of situations unscathed while also being one of the best pilots on the planet. When Lucas decided to collaborate with Steven Spielberg on Indiana Jones, Ford became a perfect choice despite Tom Selleck and other leading men showing interest. A new icon was born.
Throughout the 1980s, Ford became box office gold. Between three Indiana Jones movies and two Star Wars movies, Ford boasted the kind of resume that even some of the biggest hitters in Hollywood could envy. To this day, he remains attached to both of them. Ford revived Solo in the new Star Wars trilogy. While he last donned the whip and fedora in 2008, he’s poised to revive it yet again in 2022 despite approaching 80 years of age.
However, when Solo: A Star Wars Story came out in 2018, they had to give the character to a younger actor.
Indiana Jones goes Solo
Solo is a rather infamous addition to the galaxy far away for a variety of reasons, explains Den of Geek. Initially conceived by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, production halted after the directors were fired due to creative differences. Acclaimed director Ron Howard took over on a whim. However, the bad press that came from firing the original director made the film a mess before recommencing its filming.
By the time that it hit theaters in 2018, it failed to resonate with audiences or critics. Many saw the absence of Ford, whose natural charm is challenging for other actors to emulate, as a point against it. Alden Ehrenreich has shown the chops to carry different roles. But he failed to capture the poise Ford does so effortlessly.
While the film grossed nearly $400 million, that pales compared to other Star Wars movies. Most people write it off as a forgettable addition to the storied saga. However, while the film had its faults, it found one exciting way to pay tribute to the man who made it all possible by crossing a bridge between Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
The idol in ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’
The Chachapoyan fertility idol was the artifact that set off Indiana Jones’s adventures. While mostly superfluous to the movie’s plot, the opening moments where he risks his life, escapes a giant boulder, and gets hunted by angry natives set off the franchise’s adventures. Since then, the idol has become a piece of pop culture, with appearances in several other franchises like Star Trek.
However, some eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the idol has a cameo in Solo. During a scene where Ehrenreich and co-star Woody Harrelson sit on a couch, you can see the idol on a table. To make things heavy-handed, the table also boasts a crystal skull, a reference to the fourth film in the franchise.
It’s a blink-and-you-missed-it moment, and as one of the least popular Star Wars movies, many did. However, by including the film’s idol, the bridge between George Lucas’s most famous works grows even more extensive. The mythology around it gets more exciting every time a new story unfolds.
