Few adventure franchises have as many memorable characters as the Indiana Jones movies. The series has introduced audiences to several larger-than-life personalities, with heroes and villains you’ll never forget.
Of course, not every character in the Indiana Jones franchise is equally important to the series. Likewise, some characters are far more memorable than others, even with limited screen time. Ultimately, the best characters are those who bring something distinctive to the franchise, whether it’s humor, excellent dialogue, emotional depth, or an especially memorable screen presence, regardless of whether they’re a friend or foe to Harrison Ford’s Dr. Henry Jones Jr.
From terrifying Nazis to the people Indy considers his friends and family, here are the 10 greatest characters in the Indiana Jones franchise, ranked.
10
Major Arnold Ernst Toht
Played by Ronald Lacey in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, Major Arnold Ernst Toht is easily one of the franchise’s most unsettling villains in the entire Indiana Jones franchise. As a Gestapo agent working for the Nazi Party, Toht is tasked with helping locate the Ark of the Covenant. While he isn’t a physically imposing threat like some of Indy’s other enemies, his cold demeanor and willingness to inflict pain make him particularly unsettling. To that point, one of the best scenes is when he pulls out a coat hanger, and both Marion Ravenwood and René Belloq assume it’s some kind of torture device.
Likewise, Toht’s incredibly gruesome fate during the Ark’s opening at the end of Raiders is one of the most iconic villain deaths in the entire franchise, melting like a human candle after facing the supernatural power held within the Ark itself.
9
Dr. Jürgen Voller
Mads Mikkelsen brings plenty of menace to Dr. Jürgen Voller, the primary antagonist of 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. A former Nazi scientist, Voller is obsessed with using Archimedes’ Dial to travel back in time and change the outcome of World War II and the failure of Adolf Hitler.
Voller serves as a dark reflection of Indiana Jones himself, with both being men whom the world has left behind. However, while Indy is ultimately interested in history and its preservation, Voller wants to manipulate the past to satisfy his own ambitions. Ultimately, Mikkelsen’s brilliant performance is one of the best parts of Dial of Destiny.
8
Marcus Brody
Marcus Brody is one of Indy’s closest friends and most recognizable colleagues at Marshall College, first appearing in Raiders of the Lost Ark and then in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Played by Denholm Elliott, Marcus is the curator at the National Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, while also being the Dean of Students at Marshall College.
While he does offer his knowledge and funding for Indiana’s expeditions, Brody’s practical skills in the field aren’t the greatest. Particularly in The Last Crusade, Brody provides some excellent humor while attempting to navigate the world outside the museum.
7
Mutt Williams
Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams initially seemed like an unlikely addition to the franchise when he first appeared in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Introduced as a rebellious young greaser, Mutt gets caught up in an adventure with Indiana Jones searching for mysterious artifacts and racing the Soviets in the search for Akator. However, the major twist comes in the middle of the movie when it’s revealed that he’s the son of Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood, coming as major news to both Indy and the audience.
While their personalities are fairly different, Mutt gradually earns his father’s admiration and proves he can handle himself, though it would have been nice had the movie and the rest of the franchise developed their relationship some more. As a result, Mutt’s absence from Dial of Destiny is quite notable, with the explanation that he was killed off-screen during the Vietnam War.
6
René Belloq
Paul Freeman’s René Belloq is one of the first and strongest villains in the entire Indiana Jones franchise. A rival archaeologist to Indy in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Belloq similarly appreciates the importance of ancient artifacts and history, though he’s willing to work with the Nazis in his quest for personal fortune, power, and glory.
Rather than being a ruthless villain, Belloq is fairly intelligent and charming, and his rivalry with Indiana is quite personal. However, Belloq’s desire to claim the Ark and use its power to commune with God proves to be his undoing, though he still serves as one of Indiana Jones’ most compelling villains in the entire franchise, despite being featured in its very first movie.
5
Henry Jones Sr.
Sean Connery’s Henry Jones Sr. is easily the most important supporting character in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. As Indy’s father, Henry has an incredibly complicated relationship with his son despite their similarities, largely due to his lifelong obsession with the Holy Grail. Contending with the Nazis on a journey to claim the Grail, Henry Sr.’s journey with “Junior” ultimately forces both father and son to confront years of resentment and failings.
Likewise, the back-and-forth chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is hilarious and all kinds of dynamic, leading to some of the most humorous and heartfelt moments in the entire franchise. It’s the true foundation of the Grail quest, one that makes their ultimate failure to retrieve the artifact far less disappointing considering what was personally gained by the movie’s end for peak father and son duo.
4
Sallah
John Rhys-Davies’ Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir is one of Indy’s most dependable allies, first appearing in Raiders of the Lost Ark before returning in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and finally in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. A skilled excavator Indiana refers to as “the best digger in Egypt”, Sallah was instrumental in helping Indiana locate and access the true resting site of the Ark of the Covenant, aided in the quest for the Holy Grail, and even helped Indy in America after Jones became a fugitive in Dial of Destiny.
Sallah’s greatest strength is his loyalty, a genuine friend willing to put himself in danger for Indy time and time again. His kindness and humor are wonderful, as is his frequent penchant for breaking out in songs from Gilbert and Sullivan. While Sallah’s role was small in Dial of Destiny, it was immensely satisfying to see him again in the major legacy movie as a friend who was still more than willing to give Indy aid when needed.
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3
Marion Ravenwood
Without a doubt, Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood is easily the most important romantic partner in the entire Indiana Jones franchise. Introduced in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Marion immediately establishes herself as someone who can more than match Indy’s stubbornness and confidence, making them a perfect pair. She’s also quite capable and doesn’t always have to have Indy save her, unlike other love interests the adventuring archaeologist has had.
Likewise, Marion’s return in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull made her even more significant with both the revelation that she and Indy have a son, and their eventual marriage. While Dial of Destiny revealed they were in the midst of divorce proceedings in the wake of Mutt’s death, it was immensely satisfying to see Marion return in Dial of Destiny’s final scene to reconcile with Indy, with the implication being that they would be getting back together.
2
Short Round
Ke Huy Quan’s Short Round is one of the biggest reasons 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom remains is worth rewatching. As Indy’s young companion, Short Round accompanies the archaeologist on a major adventure that takes them from Shanghai to India, an equally adorable and capable sidekick and partner with absolutely zero flaws.
Not only does Short Round provide plenty of comic relief (“hold on to your potatoes!”), but he’s fiercely loyal and refuses to give up on Indy even after Jones is corrupted by the influence of Mola Ram, saving the hero and bringing him back to the light in one of the franchise’s most memorable and heartfelt moments. The only problem with Short Round is that he only ever appeared in Temple of Doom, when he absolutely deserved to appear in future installments (Ke Huy Quan in Dial of Destiny would have been amazing).
1
Indiana Jones
Obviously, it’s difficult to imagine the franchise working without Harrison Ford’s titular Indiana Jones. An archaeologist with a passion for history who more often than not gets caught up in dangerous situations, there’s a reason Indy is one of the cinema’s greatest and most recognizable adventure heroes.
Indy’s quick thinking, academic background, bravery, humor, and unrelenting determination all serve to make him one of the most compelling protagonists throughout his five-film journey, especially due to the fact that he is also quite fallible, having made plenty of mistakes throughout the franchise.
To that end, this is a franchise that has allowed Indiana to change and evolve, with Dial of Destiny in particular exploring the weight of his life and legacy now that most of it is over. While it shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise, Indiana Jones is the exceptional heart of the entire franchise, which of course makes him its greatest character.
