Fabula
Object
Object

Pleasure Garden Whip Target Candle

A servant lights this candle in the lantern-lit Pleasure Garden at night, positioning its steady flame as a precise target. Indiana Jones snaps his bullwhip at it with a sharp crack, extinguishing the light in a display of skill that captivates Maharajah Zalim Singh, Short Round, Capt. Blumburtt, and Chattar Lal. The act underscores Indy's control amid rising tension.
3 appearances

Purpose

Target for Indiana Jones's bullwhip demonstration

Significance

Highlights Indiana's precision and prowess, drawing the Maharajah's fascination and escalating the scene's power dynamics while foreshadowing the cult's predatory interest in Indy and Short Round

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments
S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
The Maharajah’s Predatory Gaze: Whip, Whispers, and the Cult’s Shadow

The candle lit by a palace servant serves as a target for Indiana’s whip demonstration. Indy snaps his whip with a sharp crack, extinguishing the flame in a display of precision and skill. The candle’s role in the event is functional—it provides a clear, stationary target that Indy can use to showcase his whip-wielding abilities. Its sudden disappearance adds to the dramatic flair of the demonstration, captivating the Maharajah and the other guests. The candle’s involvement is brief but impactful, setting the stage for the more complex interactions that follow.

Before: Lit and placed on a surface in the Pleasure Garden, providing a steady flame for the whip demonstration.
After: Extinguished by Indiana’s whip, the candle is no longer functional as a target. Its role in the event is complete, and it is left unlit as the scene progresses.
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S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
The Whip’s Bite: Cult Shadows and the Maharajah’s Curse

The candle lit by a palace servant serves as a target for Indiana’s whip demonstration. Indy snaps the whip with precision, extinguishing the candle in a display of skill that captivates the Maharajah and the guests. The candle’s sudden disappearance underscores the whip’s power and Indy’s control, setting the stage for the supernatural revelations that follow.

Before: Lit and placed in the Pleasure Garden, casting a steady flame amid the lantern-lit atmosphere. It is a functional and decorative element, part of the palace’s opulent setting.
After: Extinguished by Indiana’s whip, the candle is snuffed out in a single, precise crack. Its flame is gone, leaving only a trail of smoke and a sense of awe among the onlookers.
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S1E2 · INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
The Maharajah’s Gaze: A Fracture in Reality (Fear vs. Reason, Control vs. Chaos)

The candle lit by the palace servant serves as a precise target for Indy's whip demonstration. When Indy cracks his whip, the candle disappears in a flash, impressing the Maharajah and the guests. The candle's role is functional (a prop for the whip trick) but also symbolic—it represents the fleeting nature of light and control in the face of the supernatural horrors lurking in the palace. Its sudden extinguishing mirrors the threat of darkness (both literal and metaphorical) that the Thuggee cult embodies.

Before: Lit by the palace servant, standing upright in the Pleasure Garden.
After: Extinguished by Indy's whip, snuffed out in an instant—symbolizing the vulnerability of light (and reason) in the palace's encroaching darkness.
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