Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Characters & Cast

Initially, Indy is motivated by the mission to find his missing father and the historical significance of the Grail. However, his primary motivation becomes protecting his father from the Nazis and, ultimately, saving his life, which forces him to confront his own beliefs and priorities.

Indiana begins the film still harboring deep-seated resentment toward his emotionally distant father. His initial motivation for the quest is professional duty and a reluctant sense of filial obligation. Throughout the journey, he is forced to protect his father, shifting from a resentful son to a protective one. His arc culminates in him choosing to save his father over retrieving the Grail, letting go of his obsession and healing the emotional wounds of his childhood.

Henry's lifelong obsession is to find the Holy Grail, a quest for spiritual and historical truth. This singular focus has defined his life, even at the expense of his family. He is driven by a deep-seated belief in the Grail's significance and a desire to complete his life's work.

Henry starts as an absent-minded professor, more concerned with his lifelong quest for the Grail than with his own son. He is a man of books, not action. As the adventure unfolds, he is pulled from his academic world and must participate in Indy's dangerous reality. His arc is one of "illumination"; he realizes that his relationship with his son is more important than the artifact he has pursued his entire life, culminating in the moment he urges Indy to "let it go."

Elsa is motivated by a complex mix of professional ambition, misplaced patriotism, and an obsessive desire for the Grail. She is seduced by the power and prestige associated with the Nazis and the artifact, believing she can control the outcome for her own benefit, but ultimately her greed is her undoing.

Elsa is introduced as a sympathetic colleague, but is revealed to be a Nazi collaborator driven by ambition and a fascination with the Grail. Her allegiance is ultimately to herself and the prize. Her character arc is a tragic one; despite moments of remorse, her greed and obsession lead to her downfall. She cannot "let it go" and plummets to her death trying to recover the Grail, a victim of her own desires.

Donovan's sole motivation is to obtain the Holy Grail to achieve immortality. He views it not as a spiritual relic but as a tool for ultimate power and control, willing to ally with any evil to achieve his goal.

Donovan presents himself as a benevolent philanthropist but is a ruthless industrialist allied with the Nazis. He has no arc; he is consistently driven by a singular, selfish desire for eternal life. He is a coward who manipulates others to do his dirty work, as seen when he shoots Henry to force Indy's hand. His demise is swift and poetic, as his greed leads him to choose the most ornate and incorrect Grail, resulting in rapid aging and death.