Ben Ali Ayoob

Ben Ali Ayoob was an artifacts thief who crossed path with Indiana Jones multiple times, and a recurring antagonist in Indiana Jones comics.

Biography

Background

As a young man, Ayoob participated in the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, and the experience had a profound effect on him. Ayoob became obsessed with obtaining historical artifacts and devoted his considerable wealth to their collection. He later acquired Ismailis (Islamic Ninjas) as henchmen.

Indiana Jones and the Fourth Nail

When Indiana Jones tried to recover an artifact called the Arnhem Ring from the Australian desert and was ambushed and early killed by Aborigines, Ayoob sent Ismailis to help him out. They then took Indy to his base where he introduced himself to Indy and asked him to find him an artifact called the Fourth Nail. Indy refused and Ayoob asked Indy why he shouldn't take away the Ring, Indy said he had half a dozen reasons not to (Referring to his gun's bullets) and Ayoob laughed and let Indy go. He sent Ismailis to follow Indy who went to go look for the Fourth Nail. The Ismailis were all killed and Ayoob relocated. When Indy's friend Marcus Brody was framed for replacing the Arnhem Ring with a counterfeit, Indy found out that Ayoob had hired a man named Juan Soto to hire a man named Al to do the deed. Indy, Marcus, and Indy's girlfriend Marion went to find Marcus's old friend and associate of Ayoob's, Austin Coleridge. Coleridge was hired by Ayoob to get him an artifact called the Devil's Heart. Indy defeated Coleridge and found out Ayoob's base location.

Endgame

Indy and his friends (Joined by a german agent named Degen) went to apprehend Ayoob but they were captured by Ismailis. He revealed that he was going to use the Devil's Heart (supposedly the heart of Satan himself) to prey on people's fears and make them turn over artifacts to him (Although he didn't believe in such "Superstitious Nonsense"). He put Indy, Marcus, and Degen in an arena with a bear and tried to seduce Marion. This failed, however, and Marion helped Indy and Marcus escape with Degen supposedly killed by the bear. Ayoob cornered them and noticed Degen trying to attack him from behind. He shot and killed Degen who dropped the Devil's Heart in the fire. Ayoob frantically tried to save the heart and was incinerated.

External Links

• Ben Ali Ayoob on the Indiana Jones Wiki