Lao Che is a character from the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) who is loosely connected to the Jungle Cruise.
History[]
Biography[]
Background[]
Lao Che was born in 1885 in Shanghai, China. Originally a petty thief, Lao used strategy and cunning to become a powerful Chinese crime-lord. As a gangster, Lao Che ran illegal businesses in opium dealing, loan sharking, and human trafficking. Che also ran legitimate businesses which assisted his operations such as Lao Che Air Freight, along with the lavish nightclubs Lotus Eaters and Club Obi Wan, the latter of which served as his headquarters. Lao had many sons by different women and enlisted them to serve as lieutenants in his mafia.
Anything Goes[]
In 1935, Lao Che enlisted his enemy, archaologist Indiana Jones to seek out an urn containing the ashes of Nurhachi, the First Emperor of the Manchu Dynasty. In return, Che promised to trade Indiana a diamond called, "The Peacock's Eye" which Indiana had went on several failed expeditions to find in the past. Lao attempted to backstab Jones by sending his son Kao Kan to steal the urn, only for Jones to injure the son's hand.
Lao Che and Indiana later met at Club Obi Wan where they made their trade, with Jones threatening to stab Che's girlfriend Willie Scott if he not uphold their bargain. Following the trade-off, Jones unknowingly drank alcohol which was poisoned by Lao Che with Che later bartering the diamond back for the poison's antidote. Following this, Lao Che refused to hand over the antidote, resulting in a massive fight at Club Obi Wan where Jones and Willie Scott made off with the antidote.
Later history[]
Willie, Indiana and their accomplice, "Short Round" escaped into a plane, unknowing it was owned by Lao. Lao gave the pilot instructions to crash the plane, only for Indy to find out and escape while flying over India. Lao Che's later history is unknown though in the Summer of 1936, he may have been involved with Jones' Lost Delta Archaeological Expedition in India's Lost Delta as contents from the excavation were sent to Club Obi Wan.
Jungle Cruise appearances[]
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye[]
In the base for the Lost Delta Archaeological Expedition in the Temple of the Forbidden Eye are crates addressed to Club Obi Wan.[1]
Jungle Cruise[]
A crate addressed to Club Obi Wan can be seen from the boats along the docks of the Jungle Navigation Company's boathouse in the Lost Delta.[2] During Summer of Hidden Mysteries, the Peacock's Eye diamond was mentioned in pamphlets as, "Lao Che's Diamond" as a treasure possibly lost by Indy along the Rivers of Adventure, though it was actually a red herring.[3]
Other appearances[]
Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar[]
There are various references both direct and indirect to Lao Che. Jock Lindsey has coasters from Club Obi Wan, mentions having dined there, has menu items named for Lao Che and his family, and the Peacock's Eye diamond appears in the club's Lost & Found.
Trivia[]
- Club Obi Wan's name is a tribute to character Obi-Wan Kenobi from the film Star Wars (1977).
Gallery[]
External links[]
References[]
- ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/01/look-closer-indiana-jones-adventure-at-disneyland-park/
- ↑ https://dlnewstoday.com/2021/07/photos-video-updated-jungle-cruise-with-all-new-scenes-soft-opens-at-disneyland/
- ↑ http://disneylanddiva.blogspot.com/2008/09/indiana-jones-and-summer-of-hidden.html