10 Greatest Indiana Jones Characters, Ranked by Their Impact on the Movies

Villains With Distinctive Threats

Ronald Lacey played Major Arnold Ernst Toht, a Gestapo agent tasked with helping the Nazis find the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Though not physically imposing, Toht unsettles Marion Ravenwood and René Belloq when he produces a coat hanger, which they mistake for a torture device.

Toht's gruesome death when the Ark is opened is described as one of the franchise's most iconic villain deaths. In Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mads Mikkelsen plays Dr. Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi scientist seeking to use Archimedes' Dial to alter World War II's outcome.

Voller’s Dark Reflection

Voller and Indy are both men whom the world has left behind, but their aims differ sharply. Indy values history and its preservation, while Voller wants to change the past to serve his ambitions.

Mikkelsen's performance is identified as one of the strongest parts of Dial of Destiny. Voller's plan is tied to the failure of Adolf Hitler, while his pursuit of the Dial makes him the film's primary antagonist.

Friends, Family And Rivals

Shia LaBeouf's Mutt Williams enters Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as a rebellious young greaser drawn into a search for Akator amid Soviet agents and mysterious artifacts. The revelation that he is Indy's son gives their relationship emotional weight; Mutt earns his father's respect, though he does not appear in Dial of Destiny.

Belloq’s Personal Rivalry

Paul Freeman's René Belloq is Indy's rival in Raiders of the Lost Ark and is portrayed as an intelligent, charming archaeologist. Unlike Indy, he cooperates with the Nazis and is willing to use ancient artifacts for personal gain.

Belloq's understanding of history and his recognition of similarities between himself and Indy make their conflict personal. The account breaks off before completing its description of how the two men approach their shared motivations.