What is the name of the main villain in Raiders of the Lost Ark?

The main villain in Raiders of the Lost Ark is René Belloq. He is a French archaeologist and Indiana Jones’s intellectual rival, working with the Nazis to locate the Ark of the Covenant.

Belloq first appears after Indy escapes a booby-trapped Peruvian temple with a golden idol. Rather than defeating Indy directly, Belloq uses Hovitos warriors to take the idol from him, establishing their rivalry. Later, he joins the Nazi expedition at Tanis because he wants access to the Ark and hopes its supernatural power will bring him closer to God.

Belloq is sometimes confused with Colonel Dietrich or Major Toht, the Nazi officers involved in the expedition. They are important antagonists, but Belloq is the film’s central personal rival and main villain. When the Ark is opened, its supernatural force kills Belloq and the other Nazis who look upon it.