Dial Of Destiny Unlocks A New Fear For Indiana Jones - And It Oddly Makes Sense

Contains spoilers for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"

Many iconic lines of dialogue have come out of the "Indiana Jones" series. Only Harrison Ford could've delivered the gruff intensity to make "It belongs in a museum" become a classic. And there's the ever-popular, "Snakes... why'd it have to be snakes?" Indy may be a rugged adventurer, but even he's not immune to getting chills whenever snakes are about, and it seems like he has to confront this fear in every "Indiana Jones" movie.

The latest entry in the franchise — "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" — doesn't include any snakes, but it does offer a humorous twist on the well-worn fear. At one point in the movie, Indiana Jones and his companions dive for the next clue to find the other half of the Antikythera. However, that portion of the sea is infested with eels, and Indy isn't too happy about that. Teddy (Ethann Isidore) even mentions how they look like snakes, which Indy insists they don't. But is he trying to convince Teddy of that or himself?

It's an amusing connection, implying that Indy doesn't like anything without arms or legs that slithers around. However, the fear of snakes (ophiophobia) wouldn't necessarily translate to eels. And even if Indy has herpetophobia, which is a fear of reptiles in general, that still wouldn't apply to eels. But it's a funny callback paying homage to the franchise.

For someone so afraid of snakes, Indiana Jones has definitely encountered a lot of them over the years. In "Raiders of the Lost Ark," he finds one in his plane seat and then finds himself trapped with hundreds of snakes in the Well of Souls. "Temple of Doom" continues this trend where snakes are on the menu, and Indy's none too pleased. However, the origins of his ophiophobia may be explained in the opening sequence of "The Last Crusade."

That film opens with a Young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) trying to rescue rare artifacts from unscrupulous characters on a train. Things go sideways quickly, and Indy soon finds himself face-to-face with a giant anaconda. While he manages to avoid that particular reptile, he finds himself in a crate filled with dozens of creatures. One even manages to make its way into his scout uniform. 

It's possible Indy was merely born with the phobia, which may have manifested that first time on the train. However, another possibility is that Indy was so traumatized by his experience on the train that he forever carried that fear with him throughout the rest of his life. And since he's afraid of snakes, eels were a natural extension of that. Of course, one does have to wonder how many times Indy encountered direct contact with eels over the years.

Indiana Jones' fear of eels in "Dial of Destiny" feels like an attempt to honor what's come before while adding a little twist. Indy and Wombat (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) explore a cave later in the film, and that could've been an opportunity to introduce some snakes. Instead, they encounter a copious quantity of insects. It's possible eels look too similar to snakes for Indy's liking, and he has good reason to be afraid of them while diving in the Aegean Sea as they attack him at one point. 

It's worth noting this technically isn't the first time Indy has encountered eels on the big screen. During the Guardian of Tradition dinner in "Temple of Doom," there are all sorts of odd delicacies on the table. One man, referred to as Eel Eater (Art Repola), lives up to his name by consuming slithering eels at one point. Indy's a bit preoccupied with the conversation at hand to notice, but Willie (Kate Capshaw) sees everything and looks positively horrified.

Indy's newfound fear of eels adds an interesting wrinkle to the character's legacy. It goes to show anyone how they can be scared of something and still be a true hero. "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is playing in theaters now.