Colonel Musgrove's Intercepted Nazi Communique

Musgrove extracts a single sheet from his briefcase in Indy's lecture hall. Indy scans it and quotes key lines: 'Tanis development proceeding. Acquire headpiece, Staff of Ra, General Tengtu Hok, Shanghai. Locate Abner Ravenwood, U.S.' The paper lists precise Nazi orders, sparking Brody's recognition and Indy's sketch of the Staff of Ra mechanism. Officers lean in as the document shifts the room from lecture to war council.

1 appearances

Purpose

Convey intercepted intelligence on Nazi archaeological targets and procurement orders

Significance

Ignites the briefing on the Ark of the Covenant, reveals Tanis dig and Staff of Ra as keys to the artifact, hooks Indy personally through Abner Ravenwood reference, and frames Nazis' messianic pursuit against Allied military stakes

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S1E1 · RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

Lecture Hall Briefing — The Staff of Ra and the Ark

The intercepted Nazi communique sheet is removed from Musgrove's briefcase and read aloud; it functions as the inciting clue that converts classroom talk into an operational intelligence briefing and names Tanis, Shanghai, and Abner Ravenwood.

Before: In Colonel Musgrove's briefcase, under Army control but not yet disclosed.

After: Held by Musgrove in the classroom as a classified document; remains in Army custody and acknowledged as actionable intelligence.

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