What happened to Short Round in Indiana Jones? Is He in Indiana Jones 5?
by Ayisha
Updated Jun 30, 2023
What Happened to Short Round?
After the events of "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," Short Round, portrayed by Ke Huy Quan, accompanied Indiana Jones back to the United States in 1936, as depicted in the "Trail of the Golden Guns" storyline from "The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones" comic book. Dr. Jones enrolled Short Round in boarding school, but their adventures together did not come to an end. In the comic, Short Round assists Indy in a search for the lost city of Atlantis.
While they don't manage to find it, they encounter a pirate who tries to steal Indy's artifacts. Short Round comes to the rescue, racing in a speedboat to save his friend and the treasure. However, he is reluctantly sent back to school soon after, much to his disappointment. It is worth noting that Short Round's appearance in another comic alongside Indy, titled "Into the Great Unknown" from Dark Horse's "Star Wars Tales," is considered non-canon.
In this crossover story, Indy and Short Round venture into the Pacific Northwest in search of Sasquatch. Instead, they stumble upon the wreckage of the Millennium Falcon, which crashed there over a century ago. Inside the ship, they discover the body of Han Solo, which startles Indy in a humorous fashion. Unbeknownst to them, Chewbacca, who is still alive, observes their encounter and becomes the inspiration for the Sasquatch legend.
In "The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones" reference book, Short Round is featured through illustrations, and it is revealed that he eventually becomes an adventurer in his own right. The book mentions his discovery of an artifact known as The Peacock's Eye in 1957. While it is not explicitly explained why Short Round never appeared in subsequent Indiana Jones films, there were plans for him to make a cameo in an earlier version of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
The scene would have shown Short Round driving Indy and his love interest, Elaine McGregor, away from their wedding. Ke Huy Quan was approached by Steven Spielberg regarding the cameo, but due to significant script changes, the scene was ultimately removed. Unfortunately, Short Round will not be returning in the upcoming film "Indiana Jones 5," titled "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." Ke Huy Quan will not reprise his role as the iconic sidekick, despite his increased popularity following his role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
How Old was Ke Huy Quan In Indiana Jones?
At the age of 12, Ke Huy Quan embarked on his acting career by portraying Short Round, Harrison Ford's sidekick, in the 1984 Steven Spielberg film "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." The casting director held auditions at Castelar Elementary School, where Quan's younger brother was also among the children considered for the role.
Who is Ke Huy Quan?
Ke Huy Quan, also known as Jonathan Ke Quan, is an American actor who gained prominence as a child actor. He achieved widespread recognition for his roles as Short Round in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984) and Data in "The Goonies" (1985).
After appearing in a few projects in the 1990s, Quan took a lengthy hiatus from acting, during which he pursued work as a stunt choreographer and assistant director. In recent years, Quan made a remarkable comeback to the acting scene as an adult, starring in the science fiction film "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022).
His outstanding performance in the film garnered critical acclaim and earned him several prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Notably, Quan holds the distinction of being one of only two actors of Asian descent to have won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Additionally, he is the first actor born in Vietnam to receive an Academy Award. Time magazine recognized Quan's influence and named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023.
What Happened to Short Round After Temple of Doom?
After the events of "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," Short Round's story extends beyond the film. According to the official Indiana Jones canon, Short Round's adventures continue through various additional materials. In "The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones" comic book series, he accompanies Indiana on a quest to find Atlantis in the Caribbean. During this expedition, Short Round rescues Indy from a pirate attack before returning to boarding school.
Furthermore, "The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones" reference book reveals that Short Round follows in his mentor's footsteps and becomes an archaeologist. He embarks on his own daring adventures and eventually tracks down the Peacock's Eye, the diamond lost by Indy in "Temple of Doom." These supplemental sources provide a glimpse into Short Round's continued involvement in the world of archaeology and his pursuit of exciting quests.
It's important to note that while there are non-canonical appearances of Short Round, such as the crossover story in the "Star Wars Tales" series, they are not considered accurate or part of the official Indiana Jones canon. Overall, through the official materials, we see that Short Round's character evolves beyond "Temple of Doom," taking on the role of an adventurer in his own right and following in the footsteps of his mentor, Indiana Jones.
Is Short Round in Indiana Jones 5?
No, Short Round, portrayed by Ke Huy Quan, does not appear in "Indiana Jones 5," also known as "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." Despite speculation and fan hopes for his return, the decision was made during the development process to exclude the character from the film. Director James Mangold wanted to keep the focus on Harrison Ford's final portrayal of Indiana Jones and introduce new characters, such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Helena, rather than bring back Short Round.
The absence of Short Round in "Indiana Jones 5" is disappointing for those who were anticipating his return. Despite Ke Huy Quan's presence at press events for the movie and glimpses of him reuniting with Harrison Ford, the character does not make an appearance. The film does not acknowledge or reference Short Round in any way, and the decision to exclude him was made even considering Ke Huy Quan's recent rise in popularity, including his Oscar-winning performance.
What Happened to Short Round? - FAQs
Ke Huy Quan, also known as Jonathan Ke Quan, portrayed the character of Short Round in the film.
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is a prequel to the first Indiana Jones film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
No, Ke Huy Quan did not return as Short Round in "Indiana Jones 5." The character does not appear in the film.
Director James Mangold wanted to focus on Harrison Ford's final portrayal of Indiana Jones and introduce new characters, so the decision was made to exclude Short Round from the film.
Ke Huy Quan also gained recognition for his role as Data in "The Goonies" (1985) and recently starred in the film "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022).