For Indy, it’s always been about Marion Ravenwood.

Though Indiana Jones dates many others, he and Ravenwood reunite in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

A change in women’s roles occurred – from damsel in distress to powerful and even incredibly cruel, said Antje Ascheid, associate professor of drama and theater, who specializes in women in film.

Ascheid is part of a roundtable discussion today that will look at the Indiana Jones series as a template for the modern action film and discuss the way gender is represented.

“In trying to nod to a post-feminist audience who won’t accept overly feeble characters, this year’s Indiana Jones features tougher female love-interest and an icy antagonist,” Ascheid said. “However, it seems to me that there maybe some sexism in the notion that the Soviet’s female scientist bent on knowledge should be so utterly lacking in feeling and be so – forgive the pun – frigid.”

Richard Neupert, professor of drama and theater and moderator of the event, said the popularity of Indiana Jones reflects a societal nostalgia for the 1950s and though the movies have changed over the decades, they are “still defined as the male action film” and said the films are “still meant to valorize a certain type of American hero.”

Fran Teague, an English professor and panelist, suggested the idea of Indiana Jones movies.

“Indiana Jones became an iconic figure with the first three films in the series. A fourth one was on the way when I suggested to Richard Neupert that talking about the end of the series would give us a chance to talk about action films and heroes.”