Return of the Ark of the Covenant... Or something like that!

INDIANA JONES V: THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

PLOT SUMMARY

Indiana Jones, Mutt and Marion are in Shanghai trying to recover the diamond and the  ashes of Nurhachi, the first emperor of the Manchu Dynasty. They do so with the help of Short Round (still played by Jonathan Ke Quan), but something goes wrong when KGB agents show up and try to grab Indiana Jones and the group's attempt to get the diamond/ Nurhachi ashes is botched. Lao Che laughs as they leave and moves his valuables to an even more secure location.

The defeated group go to Hong Kong to re-strategize and are contacted by the CIA, who want to know why the KGB just made a 2nd attempt to raid Area 51, and despite increased security managed to secure the Ark. They accuse Indy of selling information to the Russians, but slowly lead into wanting to know who else knows about the Ark of the Covenant being in the possession of the Americans.

(Following the incident at Area 51 in Indiana Jones IV photographs reached the KGB showing what was inside the warehouse. The Ark of the Covenant is spotted amongst the photographs and the KGB contact someone (Primary Villain) in an effort to get their hands on the Ark. The Primary Villain now has the Ark, but where are they taking it?)

Indy tells them what he knows, but isn't sure how he can help them further. The group decide to travel to Egypt to visit Sallah. Short Round decides to tag along. The CIA tell Jones they will have a field agent meet him in Egypt.

Indy and the group arrive in Egypt to meet Sallah, but tempers flare when the CIA field agent turns out to be Willie Scott (who gave up singing and now works as a spy, part time). Sallah is equally confused about how the KGB managed to find the Ark and where they might be taking it. Everything is going fine until KGB agents show up and nab Indy. During the fighting Willie notices they aren't speaking Russian, they're speaking German.

Fortunately when they search the bodies of several Germans they find each of them is carrying a plane ticket to Brazil. The group disguises themselves and short on funds, takes the same plane to Brazil. Resulting in a fight on the plane, capturing several Germans and accidentally hijacking the plane to Cuba, no wait to Brazil! Near the end of the flight the Germans try to retake the plane and in the confusion the pilot and co-pilot both get shot, Marion and Willie have to work together to land the plane.

And unlike Indy, they manage to land it perfectly.

Meanwhile Indy arrives in Brazil and is trekked into the wilderness to a mansion belonging to Germans... and lots of Hitler clones running around, still children, but growing. The place belongs to the Primary Villain, who turns out to be Elsa Schneider (who survived the fall into the chasm, is now working for the KGB [and her own interests] and remembered hearing about the Ark when Indy mentioned it briefly in Venice).

But Elsa reveals she doesn't want the Ark. She says it is useless now that the Russians have nuclear weapons. Instead she offers him a deal wherein he can take the Ark back to the USA if he can lead her to a great treasure which lies deep inside the Brazilian jungle using an ancient map she has found. She believes the treasure belongs to the people of Atlantis, who hid their treasure in Brazil. (This time X does NOT mark the spot.) Elsa even tries to seduce Indy in her efforts to get him to help her, but he turns her down.

Marion, Sallah, etc follow the Germans back to the compound and try to rescue Indy, but the Nazis are better armed than they expected. Willie Scott sends a message to the CIA for reinforcements before she and others get captured. Mutt and Sallah are the only two who don't get captured. (They will later lead the CIA on a rescue mission.)

Using the captive people as a guarantee, Elsa demands Indy's help and he complies. The way to the treasure is guarded by booby traps both in the jungle surrounding it, but also within the strange structure itself.

Once in however it is revealed that Elsa wasn't after a treasure at all, but a weapon. An ancient weapon from Atlantis so powerful it makes H-bombs seem small. Indy attempts to translate it and he describes it as an "anti-matter bomb" designed to destroy the planet.

Yada yada yada, the CIA sends in the military, big fight scene, a stand off between Marion, Willie and Elsa, Indiana Jones eventually saves the day (and the planet). Elsa gets killed (this time for real) by mutating into some horrible creature before exploding.

The survivors travel back to the USA. The film ends with Willie introducing her daughter... Henrietta. Mutt is simultaneously attracted and confused.