Chen was the eldest son of Lao Che and half-brother of Kao Kan and another.
Biography[]
Unlike his younger sibling Kao Kan, Chen said little and was very cold and calculating. Despite being one of Lao Che's chief lieutenants in the gang, Chen preferred a background role and contributed to the expansion of his father's legitimate businesses where he was significant in taking the family beyond boat transport, introducing air freight.[1]
Chen gets skewered.
In 1935, Chen shot and killed Indiana Jones' friend Wu Han in Club Obi Wan, during the meeting to exchange the ashes of Nurhachi for the Peacock's Eye.[1]
Indiana, suffering from being poisoned by Lao Che, staggered to a tray of pigeon flambé while the three gangsters laughed, whirled around and hurled one into Chen. The gangster's cruel laugh turned to a pained scream, while at the same time his trigger finger tightened, firing a shot that caused panic in the club as Chen died.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Chen was portrayed by Chua Kah Joo in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.[1]
The camera shot after which Chen shoots Wu Han is reversed as his revolver is seemingly shown in his left hand, while in later shots the gun is in his right hand. The reversed and non-reversed camera shots can be identified by the logo on the scarf worn by Chen, which changes sides in the inverted shot.[1]
There is confusion over which of Lao Che's sons is which. While the movie credits clearly indicate Chua Kah Joo played Chen,[1] the screenplay originally identified the character's actions as those of Kao Kan. Most sources defer to the credits, but others, such as the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook,[2] the official website[3] and the 2008 junior novelization of the film[4] agree with the screenplay.
In LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, Indy does not kill Chen with a skewer, instead he punches Chen and knocks him unconscious. In the game's sequel however, he is omitted from the console versions but playable in the portable versions.[5]
Appearances[]
- Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (First appearance)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom novel
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom comic
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom junior novel (As 'Kao Kan')
- Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures
- Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Non-canonical appearance)
- LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (Non-canonical appearance) (Portable consoles exclusive)
Sources[]
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: The Illustrated Screenplay
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook (As 'Kao Kan')
Chen's Marshall College entry on IndianaJones.com (backup link on Archive.org) (Listed under 'Kao Kan')- Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
- "You Call This Archeology?" - Indiana Jones: The Official Magazine 3
- The Indiana Jones Handbook
- Top Trumps: Indiana Jones