the film starts in 1912 with indy as a boy scout in a failed attempt to retrieve the cross of coronado from treasure hunters. after stealing the cross from fedora and escaping across the countryside on horseback and circus train, indy returns home, only to have the local sheriff reclaim the cross for fedora and his client, panama hat. the small adventure inspires his whip, fear of snakes, fedora (and style of dress), and even the scar on his chin.
the story then advances to 1938, two years after the events in raiders of the lost ark, with indy now a grown man. he successfully retrieves the cross from panama hat (leaving panama hat to die on the boat explosion in the process) and after returning to barnett college, donates it to marcus brody' museum.
