Walter Donovan

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Indiana Jones character
Walter Donovan
Date of birth Unknown
Place of birth Unknown
Gender Male
Family Wife
Portrayed by Julian Glover
First appearance Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Walter Donovan is a character in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He is played by Julian Glover.

[edit] Last Crusade

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Donovan is introduced as a collector of antiquities, some of which he donates to Marcus Brody's museum. He invites Jones to his penthouse suite where he shows the doctor a Grail Tablet that can reveal the way to the Holy Grail. He wants Jones to find his project leader who vanished in Venice while searching for it. Jones at first doesn't want to but quickly changes his mind when the project leader is revealed to be his father. Donovan buys plane tickets for Jones and Brody who go off to Venice to meet Elsa Schneider. Unbeknownst to Jones and Brody, Donovan orchestrated Jones Sr.'s capture and is revealed to be a collaborator with the Nazis along with Elsa. Donovan wanted the Grail to give him everlasting life.

At the end of the movie, Donovan coldly wounds Jones Sr. with his gun and orders Indy to get the Grail. With Elsa, Donovan follows Indy to a room with a knight from the Crusades and a table holding many chalices. The knight warns the trio that they must choose wisely for choosing the wrong Grail will kill them. Donovan doesn't know what to do so he has Elsa choose for him. Elsa purposefully chose the wrong cup due to Donovan's brutal actions and Donovan falls for it. After drinking the cup, Donovan closes his eyes waiting for the power. Instead he gasps in horror as he suddenly ages very rapidly. The skeletal remains of Walter Donovan later collapse into dust.

[edit] Quotes

"Let me tell you another bedtime story, Dr. Jones. After the Grail was entrusted to Joseph of Aramathea, it was lost for a thousand years before it was found again by three knights from the First Crusade. Three brothers to be precise."

"Precious valuables, Your Highness, 'donated' by some of the finest families in all of Germany."

"The Nazis?! Is that the limit of your vision? The Nazis want to write themselves into the Grail legend and take on the world. Well, they're welcome to it. But I want the Grail itself. The cup that gives everlasting life. Hitler can have the world, but he can't take it with him. I'm going to be drinking my own health when he's gone the way of the Dodo."