20 Most Epic Character Introductions In Movies

3. Indiana Jones - Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

One of the greatest adventure movies ever made, Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark gives its hero an introduction worthy of his status as one of cinema's most popular characters. Only seconds after the Paramount logo fades away and the opening credits begin, we see a figure in silhouette adorned with the soon-to-be iconic whip and fedora.

Leading an expedition through the jungle, Spielberg keeps the protagonist obscured from view. Our first real glimpse of Indiana Jones comes when one of his party makes the mistake of attempting to shoot him in the back. Quick as a flash, the would-be assailant is disarmed with a crack of the whip and Indiana Jones emerges from the shadows, looking every inch the iconic hero. After such a memorable introduction, the rest of the prologue rapidly escalates and goes on to become one of the best set-pieces ever committed to film, as Indy makes his escape from a booby-trapped temple. Inspired by the pulp serials of the 1940s, in the space of mere minutes the cinematic debut of Indiana Jones had already eclipsed them all.
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