Indiana Jones 5 Owes Short Round Justice After Crystal Skull’s Mistake

Indiana Jones 5 has plenty to fix following the debacle of Indy’s previous entry – and that includes delivering justice for Ke Huy Quan’s Short Round. Introduced by 1984’s Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom, Short Round became the youngest sidekick of Harrison Ford’s famous archaeologist, playing getaway driver, riding an elephant, and saving Dr. Jones from mind-altering blood rituals. Though he doesn’t appear in Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, canon tie-in comics reveal Short Round continued adventuring alongside his fedora-clad mentor in later years.

Set 20 years on from Indy’s not-so-last crusade, early drafts of Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had Short Round lined up for a cameo during Indy and Marion’s wedding scene, but as the rewrites piled up, Ke Huy Quan’s possible comeback was nixed. The 2008 critical flop did, however, introduce Shia LaBeouf as Mutt Williams – the protagonist’s son, crafted from that same “young sidekick” mold. Mutt proved one of many elements Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull botched completely. Poorly written and just as badly conceptualized, LaBeouf’s character came across unlikable, out of place, and lacked chemistry with his onscreen dad.

Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull made the very idea of Indy having a kid sidekick seem bad, when the actual problem was Mutt’s misjudged characterization specifically. As James Mangold’s Indiana Jones 5 seeks to un-nuke the fridge in 2023, a meaningful return for Short Round feels like a necessary step on the franchise’s road to redemption. Ke Huy Quan has openly expressed his willingness to feature in the upcoming sequel (despite a lengthy absence from Hollywood), and although both actor and character have grown a little older during that time, he and Indy getting back together onscreen – even if just for a few scenes – can atone for the missteps of 2008, reminding audiences of what a dynamic between Indiana Jones and a younger companion should look like.

Indiana Jones 5 could also have endless fun with how that relationship has evolved across the years. Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom crafted a heartwarming father-son bond between Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan’s characters, despite the youngster being placed in near-constant danger. By the time Indiana Jones 5 begins, Short Round won’t be so short, and Indy will be significantly longer in the tooth. The pair may find themselves swapping roles somewhat, as Shorty implements the lessons he learned under Dr. Jones’ tutelage, occasionally taking the lead over a more grandfatherly Indiana.

A Short Round appearance in Indiana Jones 5 can also correct the character’s insensitive portrayal from the 1980s. Though Ke Huy Quan’s character was largely popular with audiences, certain details of his depiction in Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom were far from ideal, resorting to the laziest offensive Hollywood stereotypes. Attitudes have mercifully progressed since then, and as well as rectifying the “young sidekick” problem created by Mutt Williams in Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones 5 can also, finally, portray Short Round the right way, stripping away the negative racial tropes of 1984.

Ke Huy Quan’s Short Round is a fun personality with plenty of untapped potential, but whether through offensive portrayals or inferior replacements, Indiana Jones hasn’t ever really done the character justice. With Harrison Ford bidding farewell to his famous fedora, Indiana Jones 5 provides the best – and maybe even the only – chance to correct those mistakes.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3631 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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