The Ordinary World:
Jones is introduced attempting to retrieve a valuable Idol from an ancient, booby trapped ruin. He retrieves the Idol but has it stolen shortly after by Dr. Rene Belloq, leading the local Hovitos tribe. He narrowly escapes with his life and expresses his that he is still upset at the loss of the statue to his Archeology class. In some ways, this is also the “Road Back” from a previous adventure and establishes Indy as already being a hero while many other narratives develop the hero along the way.
The Call to Adventure:
This occurs when two army officers approach Indy and his friend Marcus, stating that the Nazi’s have discovered the possbile location of the Ark of the Covenant which holds great power. However, the only way to find it is with the Staff of Ra.
Refusal of the Call:
There isn’t really a refusal of the call, probably due to the fact that Indy is already an established hero figure.
Meeting with the Mentor:
In this film, Indy doesn’t meet with a mentor, possibly due to the fact that he is already an established hero doesn’t need someone to guide him on his adventure.
Crossing the Threshold and Tests, Allies and Enemies:
These two events occur simultaneously. Indy travels to Nepal with Marcus hoping to meet his old teacher/friend Abner Ravenwood to try and seek out the Staff of Ra. He is followed by a Nazi agent by the name of Toht. He travels to Abner’s daughter, Marion’s bar, who also happens to be Indy’s ex. He reveals that he needs the headpiece of the Staff of Ra and she reluctantly gives it to him after she is promised $3,000 and more on their return. It is at this point where Nazi soldiers enter the bar and a fight ensues. Afterwards, Indy and Marion travel to Egypt to meet with one of Indy’s friends, Sallah who is known as one of the country’s most renowned excavators.
The Ordeal:
Indy actually goes through two ordeals in the film. The ordeal consists of Indy believing that Marion has died after being attacked by Arabs and Nazis. There is no reward after the ordeal as Indy drowns his sorrows in alcohol.
The Approach:
Indy infiltrates the Nazi digsite and uses the headpiece of the Staff of Ra to find the location of the Well of Souls, the area where the Ark of the covenant is buried. He finds Marion tied up. He realizes he can’t free her without revealing his location.
The Ordeal and The Reward:
Later, he leads a digging party of his own into the Well of Souls which is filled with snakes, something that Indy despises. Indy and Sallah eventually retrieve the Ark but Indy is sealed in the hole where they found it by Belloq and Toht. Marion is also thrown into the hole do die and the Nazis flee with the Ark. The hero loses the treasure but is driven to retrieve it.
The Road Back:
Indy is driven to retrieve the Ark and escapes the chamber with Marion and a fight ensues on a plane between Indy, Marion and Nazi soldiers. The plane explodes but Indy and Marion are able to escape.
The Resurrection:
Indy and Marrion are eventually captured by a Nazi submarine and taken to a ritual site atop a mountain. At this point Indy and Marion are tied up and forced to watch as the Nazis open the Ark and attempt to harness its power. Indy orders Marion to close her eyes as the spirits are freed from the Ark, resulting in all the Nazi’s dying while Indy and Marion survive, although gravely weakened.
Return with the Elixir:
At this point in the story, Indy is changed by the events of his adventure, however, he was never able to retrieve the Ark as it was taken by the government and sealed in a warehouse containing several other similar crates.
