Indiana Jones: Shocking Plot Hole in Temple of Doom Explained by Lost Scene!

Set before “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” takes our favorite archaeologist to India, where he encounters a vile cult that enslaves children to work in mines in search of the last Sankara stone. These children are abducted by cult members known as Thugs, worshippers of the goddess Kali, representing death and destruction, and engaging in human sacrifices.

Often regretted by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as the darkest installment of the series (similar to “The Empire Strikes Back” in the Star Wars saga), the film was not deemed severe enough to warrant an “R” rating (Restricted, no one under 17 without an adult). However, it prompted the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to introduce a new rating: the now well-known “PG-13,” indicating that some scenes may be disturbing for children under thirteen and parental guidance is strongly recommended.

The film features a series of memorable sequences, driven by a brilliant and exhausting pace, like a massive roller coaster ride. The opening scene in the Shanghai nightclub, the legendary dinner scene at Pankot Palace…

One sequence of particular interest here is our beloved heroes’ frantic escape in a mine cart, chased by the Thugs of the vile Mola Ram. It’s literally a roller coaster ride.

Let’s revisit it, for pleasure…

One might wonder why Indy, Short Round, and Willie would choose such a risky escape route when, moments earlier, they could have simply fled with all the children they had freed from the mines. It’s baffling…

However, the answer to this valid question, which seems to resolve a film inconsistency, actually lies in a deleted scene from “The Temple of Doom,” of which only a few images remain:

The children were actually evacuated by walking across a fragile wooden plank laid over a lava pit in the sacrificial chamber, as seen in another image where Indy helps the children.

But this plank catches fire as Short Round tries to cross it, eventually breaking. Indy and his two companions then have no choice but to escape through the mines.